Program Overview

Career and Transition Services (CTS) provides special education students a wide range of student-focused, coordinated activities and support by offering classes and programs that teach:
Workplace readiness skills

• Employability skills
• Self-advocacy
• Self-determination

CTS programming includes

• Career assessment.
• Interdisciplinary and collaborative instruction related to career and technical education.
• Parent and family involvement.
• Interagency partnerships and community partnerships.
• Transition Planning

Effective transition planning includes measurable goals and objectives related to post secondary

• Education
• Training
• Employment
• Independent living skills

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, IDEA (2004) mandates that transition planning begin when a student turns 16. This transition planning must address all areas related to successful entry and participation in adult life.

The Virginia Department of Education states that transition planning begins upon the first Individualized Education Program (IEP) in effect when the student is 14.

FCPS has formal cooperative agreements with these agencies to promote smooth transitions for graduating FCPS students who are eligible for adult service support:

• the Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS)
• the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board (CSB)

Scope of Impact (2021-22)

Career and Transition Services served 5,205 middle and high school students at 74 sites in the 2021-22 school year.

Actions and Measures

Updated for the 2022-2023 school year.

Goal 1

By June of 2023, Career and Transition Services will utilize expert instructional staff to conduct a transition needs assessment and begin incorporating transition planning practices at least five(5) middle schools in FCPS.

Actions

• Connect expert Employment and Transition Representative staff with middle school special education staff and students
• Employment and Transition Representative conduct needs assessment to gain insight to gaps in special education transition resources and services.
• Employment and Transition Representative staff will provide self advocacy lessons to students in at least five(5) middle schools in FCPS. 

Measures

• CTS staff will demonstrate that they have conducted a transition needs assessment at least five(5) middle schools in FCPS.
• CTS staff will provide transition planning training to at least five(5) middle schools’ Special Education staff in FCPS.
• CTS staff will provide students with at least one (1) self advocacy lesson to at least five (5) middle schools’ Special Education staff in FCPS.

Goal 2

By June of 2023, increase the level of engagement by at least 25% for involvement between FCPS Career and Transition staff, students and DARS (Department of Aging and Rehabilitation) counselors.  DARS is designed to connect students with disabilities with employment and educational support services after they exit the public school system.

Actions

• CTS staff will create and facilitate opportunities for students with disabilities on their caseload (and their guardians) to meet with DARS counselors/
• CTS staff will collect documentation of meetings which DARS participates in students’ IEP meetings. 
• CTS staff will collect documentation for and upload Consent to Exchange Confidential Student Information for each student who FCPS invites a DARS representative to an IEP meeting. 

Measures

• CTS will schedule at least two (2) informational meeting sessions, including stakeholders from all high school sites for exiting students and communicate with school administrators and clinical staff about the informational meetings. 
• CTS Staff will provide data which documents at least two (2) instances in which DARS representatives have been invited to student meetings. 
• CTS staff will maintain 100% compliance with collecting and storing SS/SSE79  Consent to Exchange Confidential Student Information for each student who FCPS invites DARS to a meeting. 

Goal 3

By June of 2023, CTS will increase student participation in work based learning/internship opportunities by 5% and re-build employer partnerships to at least pre-pandemic baseline.   

Actions

• CTS Staff will engage with community partners in a variety of ways to procure worksite agreements between businesses and FCPS students. 
• CTS will collaborate with other programs in CCCR to provide additional internship opportunities for students participating in Educational for Employment (EFE). 
• CTS will explore expanding the EFE course to the on-line FCPS campus to reach a larger number of students. 
• CTS will engage with employees in FCPS buildings as a stakeholder to host student community work experiences

Measure

Analysis of student participation data by subgroup