Effective collaboration among schools and agencies is critical to the success of pre-employment transition services (pre-ETS). We examined views 596 middle high school educators regarding pre-ETS employment prospects their students with disabilities. Educators overwhelmingly affirmed that youth disabilities needed better preparation for employment, but they were more mixed in familiarity its associated practices. Prevailing partnerships vocational rehabilitation described as uneven fairly...

BACKGROUND:Improving employment outcomes for youth with disabilities requires strong collaborations between educators and adult agencies. The advent of pre-Employment Transition Services (pre-ETS) introduces a new context Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) to come alongside schools in preparing you th the world work. OBJECTIVE:This study examines how providers pre-ETS view career-related transition practices prospects disabilities. METHODS:We examined perspectives 164 on needs students whom they...

The road to employment begins in high school. However, few youth with severe disabilities currently participate paid before graduation. purpose of this study was map the breadth barriers that can hinder from accessing influential transition experience. We held individual ( n = 8) and focus group 16) interviews 74 stakeholders, including parents, educators, adult agency staff, school district leaders, local employers. Collectively, they identified 47 falling within eight broad categories...

BACKGROUND: Preparing students with disabilities for future employment is a primary purpose of special education and secondary transition services. OBJECTIVE: Knowing which interventions lead to subsequent essential establishing strong evidence base that can guide the field. METHODS: We systematically reviewed available experimental quasi-experimental studies evaluated addressing outcomes transition-age youth (ages 14–22). RESULTS: These 25 were varied methodological quality, most improved...

The joint contributions of general education and special staff should collectively support career development for students with disabilities in rural communities. This mixed-methods study explored the views administrators across 10 districts on staffing supporting preparing work, how addressed development, various factors affected service delivery. Findings indicated that extent to which participated opportunities varied based disability types, ways were allocated providing services,...

Parents have long been recognized as critical supports and partners to youth with disabilities preparing for the world of work. We collected survey responses from 253 parents transition-age regarding their views on practices related pre-employment transition services (Pre-ETS), overall employment preparation children, potential barriers future employment, knowledge local resources. reported that children would benefit an array employment-focused practices. However, they were quite mixed in...

BACKGROUND: Paid work during high school serves as a steppingstone to postsecondary employment for young adults with severe disabilities. Yet, youth significant cognitive impairments rarely have the opportunity experience paid school. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was identify range facilitators that promote disabilities METHODS: We conducted individual and focus group interviews 74 special educators, adult agency providers, district leaders, parents disabilities, local employers....

The ways in which high schools rural U.S. communities allocate their staffing and assign roles related to career development impact the preparation of students with disabilities for future employment pursuits. This mixed methods study explored (a) 291 school staff administrators supporting disabilities, (b) how they came assume these roles, (c) viewed roles. Findings indicated that special educators self-decided an overwhelming majority this area could benefit from increased contributions...

BACKGROUND: Effective school partnerships are crucial for supporting transition-age youth with disabilities to transition adulthood. Although the importance of strong school-community collaboration is widely advocated, many districts still struggle establish within and beyond school. OBJECTIVE: This study examined application “community conversation” events as a pathway convening local communities reflect on strengthen their existing partnerships. METHODS: Five held that engaged total 213...

Nearly one quarter of all youth with disabilities attend rural schools. Supporting the successful postschool transitions these can be a complex and challenging endeavor. In this study, we used “community conversation” events as methodology for identifying practices partnerships needed to improve transition outcomes students in school districts. We analyzed diverse ideas ( N = 656) preparing adulthood generated by cross section local community five participating Although related employment...

Local special education administrators (LSEAs) are integral in facilitating career development services for students with disabilities alongside their peers, particularly rural school districts. This qualitative study explored the perceptions of 12 LSEAs regarding contributions related to southeastern U.S. districts and factors they perceive shape own ability this area. The emergent grounded theory indicated that viewed roles vary widely compete other priorities as well be contextualized by...

Abstract Youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) aspire to participate in a variety of activities after high school, such as attaining paid employment, enrolling postsecondary education, being involved their communities, living independently, building friendships. However, complex longstanding transition barriers require comprehensive solutions that are tailored local community’s unique needs available resources so youth IDD may achieve desired outcomes. This article...

Strong collaborations are critical to successful youth transitions. Preparing students with disabilities for life after high school requires extensive partnerships within and beyond the school. However, transition educators often struggle meaningfully engage people programs that exist their local community. A community conversation event is a practical, fun, effective way districts capture fresh perspectives identify innovative, solutions persistent challenges in education. The purpose of...