The DC ST CoP November meeting focused on DC Interagency State Plan Focus Area 2: Equitable access to Career & College Readiness (CCR) programs for Students with Disabilities. CoP members identified facilitators and barriers students with disabilities experience in accessing Career and Technical Education (CTE) and or Dual Enrollment programs that align with their Postsecondary Transition Goals.

PowerPoint Presentation Slide Decks:

The World of CTE

Dual Enrollment in DC

JamBoard Activity:

Facilitators & Barriers for SWD to Access CTE

Facilitators & Barriers for SWD to Access Dual Enrollment

Other Resources:

Policy Opportunities to Promote Students with Disabilities in Career and Technical Education

For DC Secondary Transition Community of Practice updates and past meeting materials, visit our website: http://www.schooltalkdc.org/st-cop/

Do you want to share your expertise, highlight organizational successes or best practices in action, or just take on a more active role in the DC Secondary Transition Community of Practice? Sign up to host one of our monthly information sessions. Desired topics include:

• Career & technical education for students with disabilities
• Work-based learning opportunities
• Customized employment
• Virtual Secondary Transition Programming
• Data sharing & tracking

The District of Columbia Office of the State Superintendent of Education and SchoolTalk are pleased to offer Secondary Transition 101, a professional learning series with four sessions, each focused on a different aspect of the secondary transition process. Sessions are designed to build special educators’ capacity to develop and implement high-quality Individualized Transition Plans (ITPs) for transition-age youth. Participants will earn 1.5 PLUs for each module they complete. This online professional development series will be offered three times this fall. To learn more, visit schooltalkdc.org/st101/.

Led by celebrated the D.C.-based international hip hop artist, singer, and songwriter Konshens the MC (www.konshens.com), SchoolTalk’s Music Production & Career Development Program engages D.C. youth in hands-on music production experiences. Accepted students will form a small group focused on learning the essentials of songwriting, audio and music production, and the music industry. Participants will receive career coaching in music production from Konshens and career development opportunities from SchoolTalk staff, including assistance in creating employment portfolios, resumes, headshots, and more.

Applications are due by December 6, 2021. Visit www.schooltalkdc.org/music-production for full program details and to apply.

Did you know that there are low-cost and free job training programs in DC for your students? Did you know that, by completing these programs, your students can earn a job certification to enter the workforce? The 6th annual DC3C Next Steps Career Exploration Conference (Next Steps) will be held virtually on Thursday, December 2nd. Next Steps is an annual DC Special Education Cooprative event geared towards DC high school students with disabilities who are ages 14-21. During the duration of the week, students will have the opportunity to explore career options through on-demand sessions from local educational and training vendors. On Thursday, December 2nd, there will be live presentations and opportunities for students to engage with panelists. We hope that all member schools serving students ages 14-21 are represented!

Students who participate have the opportunity to earn fantastic prizes (Xbox gaming systems, Apple AirPods, and Visa gift cards) throughout the week. An interactive leaderboard will track sessions attended, time engaged in sessions, and questions asked.

DC high school students with disabilities who have either an Individual Education Plan (IEP) or 504 plan and their parents are welcome to attend this free, virtual conference to learn about future careers. Secure your spot today! Space is limited! To register, please visit our DC3C SY21-21 Student Registration webpage. For more information, contact Cotora Holland at cholland@specialedcoop.org.

All parents or guardians of school-aged children with individualized education programs (IEPs) who received special education and related services during the 2020-21 school year (August 2020-June 2021) are encouraged to complete the annual parent survey. The purpose of this survey is to gather information on parent involvement in IEP team meetings and how schools support parent participation. Responses are confidential and help inform the training and resources the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) provides for families regarding special education and improve OSSE’s efforts to support schools in working cooperatively with parents of students with disabilities.

Link to the Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DCParentSurvey2021

The survey will remain open until Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. Participants who have questions or need assistance in completing the survey, or who would like to obtain a paper copy of the survey, should contact Brittany Patrick at Brittany.Patrick@dc.gov or (202) 320-4954.

Are you interested in becoming a member of DC's Department on Disability Services Family Support Council?

The Family Support Council provides recommendations, assists, and advises the Department on Disability Services and sister agencies in developing person and family-centered systems of support for families throughout the lifespan of their family members with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Family Support Council has 11 voting member slots and members serve 2-year terms.

If you are a self-advocate, family member of a self-advocate, subject matter expert, or member of a non-profit/volunteer community organization that supports people with I/DD and their families and have an interest in learning more about membership, please reach out to Montrel Tennessee at montrel.tennessee2@dc.gov.

Click here for more information.

Registration opens soon for the National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity (NAPE)'s 2022 summit. The summit will be held virtually from April 25th through April 28th and feature a variety of workshops around the theme, "Pathways to an Equitable Workforce." For more information, visit https://napesummit.org/ or contact Joseph Green, OSSE's Methods of Administration Coordinator, at Joseph.green3@dc.gov.

Please contact Chelsea Kovacs, Secondary Transition Manager, at chelsea.kovacs@schooltalkdc.org.

The DC Secondary Transition Community of Practice supports DC youth with disabilities as they transition into a self-directed life. We are a city-wide, cross section of stakeholders who come together to strengthen our individual and collective ability for action.