Special Back to School Issue | | | | |
Celebrating Our Impact and the
Year Ahead
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As we begin a new school year, I want to thank our High School High Tech (HSHT) coordinators and partners across Florida for another outstanding year. The results from last year reflect the dedication you bring to HSHT every day and, most importantly, the difference you are making in the lives of students with disabilities. From career exploration and work-based learning to postsecondary preparation and leadership development, you continue to create experiences that help students build confidence, discover opportunities, and prepare for their futures.
In this newsletter, you'll find a few highlights from our HSHT 4th-quarter report, along with program successes that demonstrate the impact of your work in communities across the state. I hope you'll take a moment to celebrate these accomplishments and recognize the role each of you played in making them possible.
We're also looking ahead. This issue includes upcoming events, new resources, and information to keep in mind as you begin working with students this year. I'm excited about what we can accomplish together and look forward to another year of strengthening HSHT and creating meaningful opportunities for Florida students with disabilities.
Coleen Agner
State Director, High School High Tech
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Resiliency Characteristic
of the Month - Perseverance | |
The Resiliency Florida initiative emphasizes 11 resiliency characteristics.
Teacher Resources are provided to support the Resiliency Education Standards and instruction in the classroom.
The resiliency characteristic of the month is Perseverance, or continuing to try even when things are hard.
CLICK HERE to access parent and teacher resources.
| | | FY2025-26 Student Outcomes | |
The FY 2025-26 HSHT results are in, and there’s plenty to celebrate!
Both the high school graduation rate and the percentage of graduates planning to enroll in postsecondary education increased this year!
The two student outcome graphics below highlight the education and career goals of graduating seniors, and the wide range of career paths graduating seniors plan to pursue. We've also included a few of the HSHT coordinator reflections about the impact HSHT has had on students' preparation for the future. They show how career experiences, mentoring, self-advocacy, and other HSHT opportunities helped students build confidence, overcome challenges, and take meaningful steps toward their goals
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Octavia: When she entered the program, she was significantly behind her peers, both in grades and credits. Once she was accepted into a school that could meet her needs, she worked hard, leaned on her supports, and steadily built her confidence and her credits. By the end, she earned her high school diploma, something that once seemed out of reach.
Alyssa: When Alyssa first joined HSHT, she did not see herself attending college. Through her participation in HSHT, she was able to build her confidence and broaden her perspective, allowing her to see herself as a future college student. She will attend Tallahassee State College to pursue Criminal Justice.
Max: After participating in OJT in the hospital kitchen and doing an excellent job, Max advocated for himself, letting his VR counselor and job coach know that he could do more challenging things. He now has an OJT at the hospital working with blood. His career experiences and opportunities to practice self-advocacy gave Max confidence and willingness to advocate for what he wanted to achieve.
Briana: Briana has grown into a confident self-advocate. She presented to an audience of physical and occupational therapists about how she uses assistive technology in her daily life and delivered an outstanding TED Talk-style presentation, overcoming her fear of public speaking. Briana serves as one of our Pre-ETS Program Ambassadors, where she inspires other students through her leadership and positive example.
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Meet Leanne, the voice behind our new RISE Scholarship and Postsecondary Pathways column. Leanne is passionate about advocating for students with disabilities as they prepare for life after high school.
Each edition, Leanne will share information about the RISE Scholarship Program, important deadlines, and practical resources on topics such as FAFSA, financial aid, postsecondary education and other tools to help students and families confidently plan their next steps.
When she’s not supporting students and coordinators, she’s busy keeping up with life as a toddler mom and dog mom to two energetic pups. Look for more information in upcoming newsletters!
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FCAN Webinar: College Ready Florida
Wednesday, August 26, 3:30 - 4:30pm
Join FCAN for a walkthrough of the refreshed suite of statewide initiative resources, including new logos, toolkits, and templates for Plan It Florida, Apply Yourself Florida, College Decision Day and the Florida FAFSA Challenge. The session will feature examples of how communities across Florida are putting these resources into practice, with results from participating schools and districts. To learn more, CLICK HERE.
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BigFuture Live: Find Their Fit
Event Series
Every parent wants their teen to find and own a future that fits who they actually are. With so much information out there, it can be hard for teens and parents to know where to start. BigFuture Live: Find Their Fit is a free event series designed to help parents do one thing: support their teen in finding the post-secondary path that’s right for them. The path that fits academically, financially, socially, and personally. Parents will learn what fit looks like for their teen and how to help them find it. To learn more, CLICK HERE.
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FLATE Webinar: Get Ready for Manufacturing Month
October 2026
Manufacturing Month in Florida kicks off on National Manufacturing Day, Friday, October 2, 2026. Events sharing information on careers in manufacturing with students are held in October and throughout the year. In this webinar, we'll cover everything you need to know to plan your student event. To learn more, CLICK HERE.
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Disability Employment Awareness Month
October 2026
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), an annual recognition of the positive impact of people with disabilities in the American workforce. This year’s NDEAM theme will be "Celebrating Value and Talent," carrying the spirit of last year's celebration forward through 2026 in honor of America's 250th birthday. We will recognize the skills and contributions Americans with disabilities add to the nation’s workplaces, communities, and economy. To learn more, CLICK HERE.
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HSHT Resource Webpage
The HSHT Resources webpage is a one-stop resource for High School High Tech coordinators, offering tools to support program planning, student activities, career exploration, and work-based learning. Coordinators can also find HSHT program guides, planning tools, outreach materials, and professional development resources. CLICK HERE.
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