The Arizona Department of Education Exceptional Student Services Unit (ADE/ESS) and Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA)/ Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) are collaborating to improve access to Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) in Arizona for eligible youths.
What are Pre-ETS? Pre-ETS are funded by RSA/VR and are available to students with disabilities between the ages of 14-22. Pre-ETS are specific career exploration and job readiness services that help students with disabilities prepare for future employment. Pre-ETS are provided via workshops that are short in duration and related to the following topic areas: Job Exploration Counseling; Work-Based Learning; Counseling on Post-Secondary and Training Opportunities; Work Readiness Training; and Instruction in Self-Advocacy. For additional explanation of Pre-ETS and possible workshop topics that may be offered, please read the Pre-ETS Overview.
Resource from the Arizona Community of Practice on Transition (AZCoPT)
AZCoPT Partners and other organizations across Arizona are excited to share a new comprehensive transition resource guide with the community. This guide was developed for students who have disabilities and their families. This resource is intended to provide both information and resources that may be helpful and supportive throughout the secondary transition experience.
With support and funding from ADE/ESS Special Projects, Diverse Ability Incorporated (DAI), is offering a pilot project where up to 50 students will be supported in developing a person-centered plan through the use of a peer facilitator. As an extension to the IEP team, the peer facilitator will assist the student to develop a person-centered plan that will promote the student’s choices and ability to achieve the life he or she wishes to lead.
We are connecting educators and other stakeholders to DAI for this exciting opportunity. By completing this survey, you are either requesting more information or you are demonstrating interest for your student(s) to receive this service. Despite the limited number of students that will be serviced, a representative from DAI will reach out to everyone on this list to discuss the project.
Secondary Transition can be thought of as a bridge between school programs and the opportunities of adult life, including higher education/training, employment, and independent living. The process is facilitated through the development of a transition plan, which is required by Indicator 13 from the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B.
The transition plan is developed in collaboration with the entire IEP team. It is not separate of the IEP, but a part of it. The student’s voice is the focus of the plan. The team walks the student through a series of steps to identify the student’s measurable postsecondary goals (MPGs), services, and supports. All decisions made for the transition plan are based on data gathered from age-appropriate transition assessments. Student strengths are required to be a part of the data collected and used to develop the MPGs. It is important to meet all requirements of the transition plan. To learn about best practices that support effective transition planning practices, read more about the components of a transition plan.
As part of the secondary transition experience, students who had an IEP in place upon exit will be contacted by someone from their high school one year after they have exited the Arizona school system.
Every school that serves transition-aged students with disabilities is required to participate in the PSO Survey every year. The requirement is set per IDEA and is oftentimes referred to as Indicator 14.
When students are contacted for the PSO Survey, school staff host a conversation that addresses the survey questions designed to capture student engagement in postsecondary education/training or employment. Data obtained from the PSO Survey facilitates results-driven analysis and improvement to secondary transition programs at the state and local levels. Please visit the PSO page for more detailed information regarding PSO Surveys.
There are 17 Indicators, four of which are related to Secondary Transition: Indicators 1, 2, 13, & 14
Beginning not later than the first IEP to be in effect when the child turns 16, or younger if determined appropriate by the IEP team, certain secondary transition components must be included in the IEP. Required components include:
These components are required for students of all special education disability categories who are receiving specialized education services documented in an IEP and are 16 or older.
A summary of academic achievement and functional performance, including recommendations to assist an exiting student in meeting his or her measurable postsecondary goals for students whose eligibility terminates due to graduation from high school with a regular diploma or exceeding the age eligibility for free appropriate public education (FAPE), must be developed.
All Arizona students who had an IEP in effect at the time of exiting high school as a graduate, drop-out, or by aging out will be contacted to take the Post School Outcomes (PSO) Survey one year after leaving school. Conducting the PSO Survey is the responsibility of the school or district from which the student exited and takes place from June through September each year.
Graduation (Indicator 1) and Dropout (Indicator 2)
The Arizona State Board of Education establishes the requirements for graduation from high school. The minimum course of study and competency requirements are outlined in Title 7 Chapter 2 of The Arizona Administrative Code. The minimum course of study can be found in State Board Rule R7-2-302. These requirements apply to all students in Arizona schools, including students with disabilities.
The Arizona Technical Assistance System (AZ-TAS) develops documents to assist school personnel and parents in navigating through the special education process. Each document guides the implementation of the legal requirements in the specified area and is reflective of current practices in the field.
One of those documents focuses on Indicator 1, the graduation of students with disabilities. For more information on this topic, review the frequently asked questions document that addresses various aspects of this conversation.
The National Technical Assistance Center on Transition: The Collaborative (NTACT:C) is a Technical Assistance (TA) Center co-funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA).
The Arizona Community of Practice on Transition (AZCoPT) Team meets regularly to collaborate, develop, and coordinate transition services, professional development, and resources related to improving the transition experience for youth who have disabilities. The Arizona Community of Practice on Transition is dedicated to the practice of shared leadership and using Leading by Convening as a framework to guide our work.
The Best Practice Implementation Project is a quantitative method of reviewing transition plans from PEAs to provide feedback on the implementation of best practices. Plans are reviewed using a 20-point rubric that was designed by ADE/ESS Secondary Transition Specialists with support from the National Technical Assistance Center on Transition (NTACT). Please click on the title to access more information.
The AZ College and Career Competencies Project is a collaborative initiative led by the Arizona Department of Education and the University of Kansas Research Collaboration that works to develop career-equipped, lifelong learners. The goal is to impact all students by providing participating middle and high school educators with increased understanding, instructional skills, and ongoing coaching to better embed skill development into students’ core content areas, over time (i.e., addressing content standards and college and career competencies simultaneously).
An ECAP reflects a student’s current plan of coursework, career aspirations, and extended learning opportunities in order to develop the student’s individual academic and career goals.
Employment First encompasses the belief that community-based, integrated employment should be the primary day activity for working-age youth and adults with disabilities.
We are excited to announce The Arizona Department of Education's adoption of My Future AZ- Career Planning and ECAP Platform as the recommended ECAP replacement tool for AzCIS. My Future AZ utilizes proven technology and infrastructure from Pipeline AZ, an Arizona career development and job skills exploration platform, to offer students comprehensive resources and support to plan for their future careers. My Future AZ will be rolled out in phases over the next few months; the rollout schedule is listed below. Please stay tuned for updates and instructions on how to register. If you are interested in using My Future AZ as your ECAP tool and would like to have access to student accounts and individualize certain aspects of the platform, please fill out our Interest Form for Onboarding.
Need Assistance? Contact Emily Brown with any questions. This information is also available on the ADE ECAP website.
With support and funding from ADE/ESS Special Projects, Diverse Ability Incorporated (DAI), is offering a pilot project where up to 50 students will be supported in developing a person-centered plan through the use of a peer facilitator. As an extension to the IEP team, the peer facilitator will assist the student to develop a person-centered plan that will promote the student’s choices and ability to achieve the life he or she wishes to lead.
We are connecting educators and other stakeholders to DAI for this exciting opportunity. By completing this survey, you are either requesting more information or you are demonstrating interest in your student(s) to receive this service. Despite the limited number of students that will be serviced, a representative from DAI will reach out to everyone on this list to discuss the project.
Do you have questions about Secondary Transition? Do you need technical assistance support or professional development on Indicator 13? We want to hear from you!
The FY24 Statement of Assurances application is open for submission. All PEAs must submit the IDEA Statement of Assurances (SOA) through the ESS Portal of ADEConnect. This is required before any FY24 activities in the Exceptional Student Services portal are allowable. The portal will block any PEA that has not completed the SOA after the deadline.
The Exceptional Student Services Data Management team will host the next Special Education Data Updates live webinar on Wednesday, June 21,from 2pm – 3pm. This session will cover a variety of data topics that will include (subject to change):
