Illinois Center for Transition and Work

Welcome back to Transition Toolkit Thursday!

This weeks resource spotlight comes from Division of Specialized
Care for Children

There isn't just one path to success after high school.

This week's featured resource, Your Future, Your Path: Trade School vs. College, encourages educators, students, and families to explore a variety of postsecondary options based on each student's interests, strengths, and career goals.

The guide compares:
🎓 College and universities
🔧 Trade and technical schools
🛠️ Career-focused training
💼 Career and Technical Education (CTE)

Every student's journey looks different—and that's okay. Helping students understand all of their options empowers them to make informed decisions about their future.

🔗 https://tr.ee/DfVzFq

📚 Transition Toolkit Thursday | Resource Spotlight

Looking for quality job coach training?

Our Job Coach Training Tables bring together professional development opportunities for job coaches, paraprofessionals, employment specialists, and transition coordinators—all in one place.

Explore the resource:
https://ictw.illinois.edu/resources/job-coach-training

Welcome back to Myth vs Fact Mondays!

Myth: Hiring someone with a disability increases liability and safety risks.

Fact: Hiring decisions should be based on an individual's qualifications and ability to perform the essential functions of the job—not on assumptions about disability. Federal guidance makes it clear that employers should not make employment decisions based on myths, fears, or stereotypes about workplace safety.

Learn more:
• U.S. Department of Labor – Employers and the ADA: Myths and Facts
🔗 https://tr.ee/hE19SZ
• EEOC Disability Employment Guidance 🔗 https://tr.ee/1mnfoo
• Job Accommodation Network (JAN)
🔗 https://askjan.org/

📚 Transition Toolkit Thursday | Resource Spotlight

An IEP is more than a document—it's a roadmap for a student's future.

This week's featured resource explores Self-Directed IEPs and highlights practical ways students can take an active role in planning for life after high school.

Students can participate by:
✅ Helping plan the meeting
✅ Sharing their strengths, goals, and support needs
✅ Asking questions
✅ Practicing self-advocacy
✅ Working with their IEP team to shape their future

Helping students develop these leadership skills today can prepare them for college, employment, and independent living tomorrow.

Resource Spotlight: Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center (PEATC)
Resource Link: https://tr.ee/FRoSrm

Welcome back to Myth vs Fact Mondays!

Myth: Invite only one agency to all graduating seniors' IEP meetings.

Fact: Transition planning isn't one-size-fits-all. Inviting an agency or provider to an IEP meeting should be based on the student's interests, preferences, and needs. These invitations should be extended to the appropriate agencies/providers at the appropriate time based on each student's transition plan.

When schools collaborate with the right agencies at the right time, students are better positioned to achieve their postsecondary goals, whether those include employment, education, independent living, or community participation.

Research from the Illinois Center for Transition and Work (ICTW) highlights the importance of individualized interagency collaboration to support successful transitions from school to adult life.

📚 Learn more through ICTW's Research Briefs on Interagency Collaboration and related transition practices: https://ictw.illinois.edu/topics/pathways-to-employment

📚 Transition Toolkit Thursday

This week's featured resource spotlight: UIC Division of Specialized Care for Children
This resource focuses on an essential part of the transition to college: understanding accommodations and self-advocacy.

Students who receive accommodations in high school often don't realize that college works differently. In college, students are responsible for contacting the Disability Services Office, providing documentation, and requesting the accommodations they need.

This guide includes practical tips for educators, students, and families on:
✅ Understanding the differences between high school and college accommodations
✅ Preparing students to advocate for themselves
✅ Learning about available supports and campus resources

Helping students build self-advocacy skills today can make tomorrow's transition to college much smoother.

📖 Resource: Asking for What You Need and How to Get It: A Guide to College Accommodations https://tr.ee/aThfrA

✨ Introducing our new Myth vs. Fact series!

There are a lot of misconceptions about transition planning, employment, and postsecondary opportunities for students with disabilities. In this series, we'll separate myth from fact by sharing evidence-based information, practical strategies, and helpful resources to support educators, transition professionals, and families.

Let's get started with Myth #1!

Myth: Individuals with significant disabilities cannot work in competitive employment.
Fact: With appropriate supports, customized job responsibilities, and employer partnerships, individuals with significant support needs can succeed in integrated community settings.

Check out our research brief, Supported Employment, for tips, guidelines, and additional resources on how to support individuals with significant disabilities.
Brief: https://ictw.illinois.edu/docs/librariesprovider25/briefs/customized-employment/supported-employment-brief.pdf?sfvrsn=9b33e5d2_

Helping Illinois educators separate myth from fact—one transition tip at a time.

Welcome to our new series, Transition Toolkit Thursday!

Each week, we'll share practical resources, tools, and strategies from ICTW and other outstanding organizations to help transition professionals, educators, and support personnel strengthen their planning and practice.

Whether you're preparing for the upcoming school year, looking for new ideas, or searching for evidence-based resources, we'll help connect you with tools you can put into action.

This week's featured resource: Think College (thinkcollege.net)
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College is possible for students with intellectual disabilities!
Educators play a critical role in helping students and families explore postsecondary education options. This resource from shares practical ways to:

✔️ Explore college opportunities for students with intellectual disabilities
✔️ Include college discussions in transition planning and IEP meetings
✔️ Build support among families, colleagues, and community partners

Did you know that approximately 8,000 students with intellectual disabilities attend college each year, and 59% of graduates find competitive integrated employment within one year of leaving college?

Download and share this resource with your team as you prepare for the upcoming school year. https://tr.ee/MEJ7Pr