Core Transition Teams - Vermont Family Network

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

Barre

Bennington

St. Johnsbury

White River Junction

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 3^rd Tuesday of February, April, June, August, October, and December via Microsoft Teams.

Topic Focus 2025

Access to drivers education and transportation
Improving relationships with agencies who support youth working with DCF-Family Services (child welfare and juvenile justice)

Previous Topics

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.

Upcoming Meetings

Meeting Minutes

October 8, 2024

Youth Advocacy Council

About the Youth Advocacy Council HireAbility

This group is comprised of youth and young adults with disabilities, who express interest in participating in both leadership training and opportunities to impact how Vermont prepares students with disabilities for life after high school. The council has a supportive steering committee facilitated by HireAbility VT and its youth advocacy partners.

The Annual Youth Summit

Through support from the Youth Advocacy Steering Committee, the Youth Advocacy Council plans an annual Youth Summit. This event brings together youth and young adults from across the state to discuss issues most relevant to them and learn about how they can empower themselves in all aspects of their educational, social, and career experiences. Driven by youth for youth.

Vermont Partner Resources

Northlands Job Corps Toolkit
Vermont Success Stories
Project SEARCH at Dartmouth Hitchcock
Webinar Recording: CAPE-Youth Webinar on Justice Involved Youth. Link to recording: webinar recording here and slide deck: slide deck here. As a follow-up to the webinar, CAPE-Youth’s latest policy brief “Transition Services for Justice Involved Youth and Young Adults with Disabilities: Rehabilitation and Recovery Practices” is out now.
Webinar Recording: HireAbility VT Services for Youth with Hearing Loss. Slide deck attached, link to the recording can be found on the Vermont Family Network platform HERE.
Transition Toolkit for Youth with Disabilities (VFN)
Family Guide to Transition Services in VT (VFN)
JOBS: Jump On Board for Success Webinar on VFN Youtube Channel (VFN)
Helping Families and Students Understand Their Benefits and Earning Potential When on SSI (VFN)
Increasing Access, Opportunity, and Equity for All Learners: A Community-School Approach to Dual Enrollment Webinar with Jess DeCarolis AOE and PPT (VFN)
Career Assessments Preferred Tools Checklist(HireAbility)
HireAbility VT’s Summer Exploration Program (VFN)
Learn Earn and Prosper (LEAP) (VFN)
Colleges and Careers: Personalized Support Planning (VFN)
Essential Transition Services Crosswalk Draft (VTAOE)
Acronyms for Crosswalk (VTAOE)
Indicator 13: Secondary Transition Planning (John Spinney) (VTAOE)

National Partner Resources

Education and Training Resources Insight
For Students: Self-Advocacy: Find the Captain in You! (PACER)
For Parents/Families: Paving the Way: Parent Tips for Supporting Success in High School and Beyond (PACER)
For Professionals: Effective Vocational Rehabilitation Services for Transition-Age Youth with Disabilities (ThinkWork! at the Institute for Community Inclusion, UMASS)
Rochester Institute of Technology Tech Tigers
RIT Explore Your Future Program
What You Need To Know About Your Supplemental Security Income (SSI) When You Turn 18 (Publication No. 05-11005) (Social Security Administration)
Advocating For LGBTQ Students with Disabilities a Guide for Educators and Parents/Guardians on Supporting LGBTQ Students with and IEP or 504 Plan (Human Rights Campaign Foundation)
My “Must have” Papers Tip Sheet Managing the Paperwork of Adulting (UMASS Medical School)

Previous Interagency Core Team Events

2025 SPRING SUMMIT

Supporting Neurodivergent Youth Notes

Sensory Room Basic Training

AOE Corner Notes

Transition Plan Basics

Transition to Adulthood Notes

Tree of Life Notes

2024 WINTER SUMMIT

Presentation Slides

Resources

Developmental Services Transition Guidance for Teams

Project Search Brochure and Video

College Steps

Think College

SUCCEED Program

AOE Graduation Readiness Tool

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 Bio

Keynote Materials:

Predictor Implementation School /District Self-Assessment Instructions and Action Planning Guide

Predictor Implementation School/District Self-Assessment

Collaboration Framework

Workshop Materials:

Universal Design for Learning PPT

Using Career Assessments PPT

Postsecondary Education Consortium PPT Presentation (PSE Matrix)