Core Team Purpose and Function
Core Transition Teams increase capacity at the local level to develop, provide, and manage an effective transition process for students with disabilities who are age 14 or older. Teams work with school staff to identify students who may need “transition services” that involve inter-agency partners such as HireAbility, Developmental Services and others.
Teams identify available resources and supports to assist students in achieving their goals as they transition to life after high school. Recognizing that communities will have their own individual approach, it is important that all high school special education staff, Agency of Human Services (AHS) staff, and community partners have access to the support of a Local Core Transition Team.
HireAbility Transition Counselors or other agreed upon community partners will convene the Team as the facilitator. Core Transition Teams should include key members from the school, adult agencies and the community who are involved/concerned with the transition of students from school to adult life.
Depending on the needs of the school and community, teams typically meet either monthly or quarterly throughout the school year. When discussing individual student issues, the focus is student centered and the planning should revolve around that student’s individualized desired outcomes. Teams often work best when the roles of facilitator, timekeeper, minute taker, and observer are shared, and the success of the team is a shared effort among providers.
Core Team Activities by District
Core Teams are organized into twelve regions around the state. Each team has a webpage that lists upcoming meetings, previous meeting notes, current members, and regional and state resources that support youth in transition.
Barre
Bennington
Statewide Agency Core Team
The Statewide Agency Core team is comprised of leaders from agencies who serve the whole state who serve youth in Vermont. It is co-facilitated by the Transition Program Manager of HireAbility Vermont and the Secondary Special Education Director from the Agency of Education. Agencies represented include HireAbility Vermont and the Division for the Blind and Visually Impaired (Vocational Rehabilitation agencies), Agency of Education (Special Education, Dual Enrollment, and Adult Education and Literacy), Department of Labor (WIOA and Youth Programs), Department of Mental Health, Department of Children and Families (Family Services), Vermont Family Network, Vermont Assistive Technology Program, Department of Health (Children with Special Health Needs), Developmental Services Division of DAIL, UVM Center for Disability and Community Inclusion, and JobCorps. The core team operates on a Problems of Practice Model which creates smaller working groups to focus on topics that impact youth supported by two or more agencies. We meet the 3rd Tuesday of February, April, June, August, October, and December via Microsoft Teams.
Problem of Practice Topics Include
- Access to drivers education and transportation
- Improving relationships with agencies who support youth working with DCF-Family Services
- Barriers to employment for youth eligible for developmental services exiting high school
- Strengthening the relationship between the JOBS Supported Employment Program for youth with high levels of barriers and DCF-FSD, Youth Development Program, and VDOL
- Creating stronger pathways for youth to access the resources of JobCorps and to successfully return to their communities after completing training.
Youth Voice
HireAbility provides several opportunities for youth and young adults to develop leadership and advocacy skills. At the annual Interagency Core Team event, a panel of youth and young adults with disabilities share their experiences navigating the transition process. Through the Pathways to Partnerships grant, HireAbility is also forming a Youth Voice team to ensure that youth and young adults have an active role in advising the partner organizations that serve transition age youth.
Previous Interagency Core Team Events
2026 VIRTUAL WINTER CONFERENCE
Setting the Stage for Youth Employment
Registered Apprenticeship Programs
2025 INTERAGENCY SUMMIT
Anchored in Collaboration:
Building Strong Core Transition Teams
October 2025
Presentation Materials
Keynote: Building Strong Core Teams
Developmental Services Changes: Intake and Eligibility Process
2025 SPRING SUMMIT
Supporting Neurodivergent Youth Notes
2024 WINTER SUMMIT
Resources
Developmental Services Transition Guidance for Teams
Project Search Brochure and Video
Vermont Family Network Transition Toolkit
2023 COLLABORATION EVENT
Keynote Presentation by Val Mazotti “Interagency Collaboration & Self-Assessment”
Valarie Mazzotti believes interagency collaboration is critical to ensure that youth and young adults achieve positive in-school and postschool outcomes. This keynote presentation will focus on innovation in interagency collaboration and how interagency collaboration is a critical component in the transition planning process, including stakeholder roles and responsibilities. Discussion will revolve around the predictors of postschool success that support interagency collaboration and the importance of assessing collaborative partnerships.
Keynote Materials:
Predictor Implementation School /District Self-Assessment Instructions and Action Planning Guide
Predictor Implementation School/District Self-Assessment
Workshop Materials:
Universal Design for Learning PPT
Postsecondary Education Consortium PPT Presentation (PSE Matrix)