Center on Transition Innovations

09/04/2026

🚨 Happening next week on Tuesday, Sept 8th at 3:30pm!

Join us for "What Comes Next? A Live Family Engagement Forum on the Journey to Adulthood."

CTI will host a live, virtual forum featuring a family panel discussing transition-related experiences, with a focus on employment, postsecondary education, and community living.

The event will be relevant to families, educators, individuals with disabilities, and service providers.

🗓️ Date: Tuesday, September 8
⏰ Time: 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM EST
💻 Format: Virtual Event (Zoom)

Come as you are and leave feeling more confident about the path ahead.

👉 Reserve your free spot today: bit.ly/CTIFamilyForum
Email your questions to [email protected]

VCU RRTC

09/03/2026

"Don't give up on your dreams of being independent."

📢 Episode 3 of The Journey Podcast, on independent living, is now available!

Host Dr. Staci Carr sits down with Elena Bellinger and her mother, Michelle, for an honest conversation about navigating the transition to adulthood, building self-determination, and making independent living a reality.

Whether you're a student, family member, or educator, Elena and Michelle's story offers valuable lessons on setting goals, learning through trial and error, and staying determined.

🎧 Watch or listen to the full episode now! 👇

In Episode 3 of The Journey Podcast series, host Dr. Staci Carr sit...

09/03/2026

The Early Transition Planning: Strategies for Pre-K–5 course is a free, self-paced professional development opportunity designed to help educators and families bridge the gap between early childhood and long-term success.

What’s Inside? 🔍
This course is broken down into four digestible modules that take you from "What is this?" to "I can do this tomorrow."
1️⃣ : Discover why the early years are the most critical window for preparing students with disabilities for future success.

2️⃣ : Learn how to set high expectations and identify a child's unique strengths and preferences early on.

3️⃣ : Learn to nurture career development and curiosity in elementary years through work-based learning activities.

4️⃣ : Build a team of advocates that supports a child's development across all environments.

Quick Facts:
💰 Cost: $0 (Free)
⏳ Time: Approximately 10 hours to complete.
📜 Reward: 10 Recertification Points (if approved).
💻 Format: 100% Online & Self-Paced.

Who Should Enroll?
🔸 Pre-K–5 Teachers looking for practical IEP strategies.
🔸 Special Education Administrators wanting to implement systemic early planning.
🔸 Parents & Caregivers who want to be active partners in their child’s future.

Don’t wait until age 16 to start the conversation. Equip yourself with the strategies to make a difference today.

👉 Enroll for Free (link in comments)

09/03/2026

This week's is to help students and families feel confident about future supports by building a simple contact list of community service providers. Here's a way to do it:

🔘 Identify Key Providers: Use CTI’s page on Virginia Transition Partners as a starting point. Include agencies like vocational rehabilitation, workforce centers, independent living programs, or disability advocacy groups.

🔘 Write Down Essential Details: Add each provider’s name, phone number, website, and a short note on what services they offer.

🔘 Organize in One Place: Keep the list in a student’s transition binder, a family folder, or as a shared digital document.

🔘 Practice Using the List: Encourage the student to role-play how they might call or email one provider to ask a question.

09/02/2026

🚨 Happening next week on Tuesday, Sept 8th at 3:30pm!

Join us for "What Comes Next? A Live Family Engagement Forum on the Journey to Adulthood."

CTI will host a live, virtual forum featuring a family panel discussing transition-related experiences, with a focus on employment, postsecondary education, and community living.

The event will be relevant to families, educators, individuals with disabilities, and service providers.

🗓️ Date: Tuesday, September 8
⏰ Time: 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM EST
💻 Format: Virtual Event (Zoom)

Come as you are and leave feeling more confident about the path ahead.

👉 Reserve your free spot today: bit.ly/CTIFamilyForum

VCU RRTC

09/02/2026

School counselors play a vital role in preparing students with disabilities for life after high school, from coordinating work-based learning to streamlining agency referrals.

Our new Fast Facts resource, School Counselors & Transition Planning: Essential Questions & Expert Answers, delivers quick, evidence-based solutions to help you build actionable roadmaps for postsecondary success.

👉 Download your free copy today: https://centerontransition.org/resources/publications/download.cfm?id=2260

09/01/2026

Have you registered for our next Transition Talk yet?

Work-based learning is one of the most powerful tools we have to help transition-age youth explore career interests and prepare for long-term employment success.

Join us live on Zoom on Tuesday, September 22, from 3:30-4:30 PM ET to discover the different types of work-based learning pathways and how to seamlessly bridge the gap between classroom concepts and community success.

Your CTI Experts for the Hour:

👤 Featured Speaker: Candice Zimmerman

👤 Host: Staci Carr, Ph.D.

Reminder: This session will not be recorded.

🔗 Click the link to register today: https://vcu.zoom.us/meeting/register/FyZhxI0sT5edZh6KQerKug #/registration

09/01/2026

📢 Don't miss this opportunity: We can help your students secure community-based work experience through paid internships.

We’re looking for 3 school divisions to partner with us for new Start on Success (SOS) sites for the 2027-2028 school year.

⏰️ Apply by October 19, 2026.

What is Start on Success?

Start on Success (SOS) is a structured school-to-work internship program for students with disabilities in their senior year of high school. It is a year-long model in which students enroll in a career pathways course during the first semester and participate in a paid internship at a local business during the second semester of the school year. This model is successful due to the strong emphasis on collaboration among schools, businesses, families, and service providers.

Goals for SOS
✔️ Assist students in discovering abilities and interests
✔️ Support students in practicing self-advocacy and self-determination skills
✔️ Assist students in developing career pathways
✔️ Allows for business mentorship opportunities
✔️ Provides a pool of potential employees to the business

SOS is a collaboration between the Center on Transition Innovations (CTI), the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE), and the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS).

Learn more and access the application on our website: https://centerontransition.org/projects/startonsuccess.cfm

09/01/2026

Preparing students with disabilities for life after high school takes a dedicated team, and that’s where collaborative partners come in.

Collaborative partners are interdisciplinary professionals, state agencies, community organizations, and families who work alongside a student. They matter because no single educator, agency, or family member can cover every aspect of adulthood.

When school counselors, vocational rehabilitation specialists, community providers, and higher education programs align their efforts, they break down systemic barriers, pool valuable resources, and create smooth, supported pathways toward competitive employment, higher education, and independent living.

Throughout September, we are spotlighting the partnerships that turn transition goals into real-world success! Here is a sneak peek at the resources we will be sharing all month long:

🏫 School Counselors & Transition Planning
💼 VA Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS)
🤝 Virginia Disability Services for Youth & Families
🎓 Featured Webcast: The College Journey: Planning, Preparing, and Applying for College for Students with Disabilities
🎥 Spotlight Virginians Video

Follow along with us all month long for actionable strategies, expert insights, and tools to help you build and strengthen your own transition network!

09/01/2026

"Don't give up on your dreams of being independent."

📢 Episode 3 of The Journey Podcast, on independent living, is out now!

Host Dr. Staci Carr sits down with Elena Bellinger and her mother, Michelle, for an honest conversation about navigating the transition to adulthood, building self-determination, and making independent living a reality.

Listen to this episode for insights on:

⭐️ Creating Opportunities: How relocating from a rural area to Richmond opened doors to walkable housing, public transit, and career pathways.

⭐️ Mastering Daily Life: Building everyday skills like budgeting for rent, cooking for one, and taking on household responsibilities.

⭐️ Gaining Mobility: Navigating GRTC bus routes using Google Maps and earning a learner's permit through one-on-one tutoring.

⭐️ Building a Support System: Leveraging community resources like VCU ACE-IT in College, DARS, Commonwealth Autism, and DD Waiver Services to support long-term success.

Whether you're a student, family member, or educator, Elena and Michelle's story offers valuable lessons on setting goals, learning through trial and error, and staying determined.

🎧 Watch or listen to the full episode now! 👇
https://youtu.be/um2OJbK8ekY

DON'T FORGET: This final podcast episode sets the stage for our live event next week! Catch up on the series today, then bring your ideas and questions to our live forum.

Register to join us live on September 8 at 3:30 PM: bit.ly/CTIFamilyForum
Email your questions ahead of time to Dr. Staci Carr: [email protected]