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February 2025

Volume 12, Issue 7

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Topics

• The Importance of Career and Technical Education for Students with Disabilities

• Employment Readiness through Vocational Rehabilitation

• Xello: A Comprehensive Florida Career Planning Tool that Benefits ALL Students

• Upcoming Events: Transition Contacts Meeting and VISIONS

• Keep Yourself in the Loop by Following Project 10 on Facebook



The Importance of Career and Technical Education for Students

with Disabilities

Career and Technical Education (CTE) prepares students with disabilities (SWD) for successful transitions into the workforce and higher education. By providing hands-on learning, industry certifications, and real-world skills, CTE empowers SWD with the tools they need for competitive employment.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, students with disabilities who participate in CTE are 20% more likely to be employed post-high school compared to their peers who do not. Additionally, over 85% of SWD who complete a CTE program graduate high school, significantly higher than the national average for SWD.

Connecting students’ transition individual education plans with CTE courses and programs is a great way to align their strengths, interests and preferences with career pathways to improve their future successes.

Key Florida CTE Resources:

The Florida Department of Education (FDOE) provides a Career and Adult Education landing page to access CTE resources and information relevant to Florida Secondary and Postsecondary stakeholders. In addition, FDOE has a CTE brochure containing an overview of all available CTE Career Clusters in Florida, CTE Program examples, and relevant CTE statistics and definitions.

Furthermore, Florida's Workforce Education Initiative, Get There Florida, promotes short-term, high-value CTE programs. It connects students with workforce training through Florida’s state and technical colleges, offering rapid credentialing for in-demand careers. This initiative supports CTE by providing accessible education aligned with industry needs, advancing Florida’s workforce goals. Learn more at gettherefl.com.

Finally, Project 10: Transition Education Network (P10) provides technical assistance and a few publications, resources and trainings to support CTE implementation and connection to students’ transition individual education plans (IEPs). Visit P10’s Publications Page to access “Career and Technical Education: Enhancing Educational Experiences” guide, or reach out to your Regional Transition Representative (RTR) for more information on relevant resources and trainings that support CTE and relevant components of transition IEP development.

Key NTACT:C CTE Resources:

February is CTE Month, recognized by the National Technical Assistance Center on Transition: The Collaborative (NTACT:C). NTACT:C offers a variety of resources and webinars to support the implementation of CTE for SWD. These materials are designed to enhance collaboration among educators, vocational rehabilitation professionals, and CTE practitioners, ensuring both access and successful outcomes for SWD. The following resources can be access through NTACT:C’s Career and Technical Education page.

• CTE for Students with Disabilities: A Framework for Understanding This resource provides an overview of legislative mandates affecting SWD and offers strategies for appropriate CTE program placement. It emphasizes the importance of aligning CTE opportunities with the unique needs of SWD to promote their success.
• Career and Technical Education & Secondary Students with Disabilities Quick Guide: This guide offers insights into making CTE programs more accessible and effective for SWD. It includes evidence-based practices and highlights the positive impact of CTE participation on graduation rates and employment outcomes for SWD.
• Webinar Series: NTACT:C has developed a five-part webinar series focusing on CTE for SWD. These webinars cover various aspects of implementing effective CTE programs:
• Part 1: CTE for Students with Disabilities
• Part 2: Effective Partnerships
• Part 3: Classroom Supports
• Part 4: Classroom Management
• Part 5: Best Practices



Employment Readiness through Vocational Rehabilitation

Florida's Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) offers students with disabilities a range of supports to prepare them for employment and career success.

Pre-Employment Transition Services: Florida VR’s Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) support students with disabilities (ages 14-21), including those with an individualized education program (IEP) or 504 Plan, in preparing for the workforce. These services provide early career exploration and skill development, facilitating a smooth transition from school to employment.

Available Pre-ETS Services:

1. Job Exploration Counseling: Assists students in identifying their career interests and understanding labor market trends.
2. Work-Based Learning Experiences: Provides internships and job shadowing opportunities to gain practical work experience.
3. Counseling on Postsecondary Education: Offers guidance on educational options and pathways after high school.
4. Workplace Readiness Training: Develops essential skills like communication, teamwork, and financial literacy.
5. Instruction in Self-Advocacy: Teaches students to understand their rights and effectively communicate their needs.

Students can access Pre-ETS through their school’s secondary transition staff and school counselors or by directly contacting VR. Notably, participation in Pre-ETS does not require a formal application to VR or determination of eligibility.

Pre-ETS resources are accessible statewide and coordinated through local VR offices in collaboration with schools and community agencies. These partnerships ensure that services are tailored to meet the unique needs of each student, who benefit students with disabilities by providing early exposure to the workplace, enhancing employability skills, and fostering independence.

Higher Education to Employment: Florida VR's Higher Education to Employment resource helps individuals with disabilities transition from school to the workforce through vocational counseling, job placement, and training. This initiative ensures students receive the support needed to secure and maintain employment after graduation.

Programs Vocational Rehabilitation Supports: Florida VR’s Programs Vocational Rehabilitation Supports resource outlines services that can be delivered while youth are still in high school or postsecondary education to establish the foundation for a seamless transition to individualized training, education, independence, and employment. VR supports students in various programs, including High School High Tech, Inclusive Postsecondary Education, and Project SEARCH. Under these programs, every youth can participate in sponsored career counseling, work-readiness training, and fully-integrated work experiences in the community.

Individuals with Hearing Loss: Florida VR’s Individuals with Hearing Loss  resource outlines services available to assist people who are deaf, late-deafened, hard of hearing, or deafblind in securing meaningful employment. VR provides specialized services, including job counseling, sign language interpreting, and assistive technology, tailored to each individual's needs. VR counselors are trained to work with clients with hearing loss, and some are fluent in American Sign Language (ASL). These services aim to enhance communication skills, increase job readiness, and promote independence, thereby facilitating successful employment outcomes.

For detailed information about programs offered by VR and other related resources, please visit rehabworks.org.



Xello: A Comprehensive Florida Career Planning Tool that Benefits ALL Students

In the spring of 2023, the Florida Senate passed Senate Bill 240, which emphasizes the importance of CTE in the state. This legislation mandates that students in grades 6 through 12 engage in career planning and work-based learning activities. To facilitate this, the Florida Department of Education designated Xello as the official online platform for career planning and work-based learning coordination. Click here for more information on Florida’s Senate Bill 240 (2023) and Xello.

As a result, all Florida middle and high school students are required to use Xello to develop personalized academic and career plans, ensuring they are well-prepared for future educational and career opportunities. While mandated for all Florida middle and high school students, Xello is also available for kindergarten through 5^th grade students. The platform offers a comprehensive suite of tools tailored to each grade level, ensuring age-appropriate engagement and support.

Top Six Ways Xello Supports Career Planning:

1. Personalized Profiles: Students can build profiles that showcase their interests, skills, and abilities, providing a foundation for career exploration.
2. Career Matching Assessments: Interactive assessments guide students toward careers that align with their personal attributes, motivating further exploration.
3. Exploration of Options: Xello offers detailed career profiles, labor market data, and information on postsecondary training opportunities, helping students make informed decisions.
4. Goal Setting and Tracking: The platform enables students to set short-term and long-term goals, track academic progress, and manage the college application process.
5. Work Preparation: Students can develop professional resumes, create shareable portfolios, and apply for local work-based learning opportunities.
6. Continuous Learning: Built-in college and career readiness lessons encourage ongoing reflection and reassessment of plans.

Grade Specific Features:

Support for Students with Disabilities:

Xello is designed to be a platform that meets the needs of all learners. Consequently, it effectively supports students with disabilities through several key features, such as:

• Visual and Physical Accessibility: The platform provides color contrast options, font size adjustments, keyboard accessibility, and screen reader compatibility to accommodate diverse needs.
• Simplified Language: Content for Grades 3-5 is written at a 3rd-grade reading level, while Grades 6-12 content is written at a 6th-grade reading level, ensuring clarity and comprehension.
• Captioning and Communication Support: Xello utilizes descriptive links and multimedia support, including captioning, to enhance understanding and engagement.
• Individualization: Educators can customize activities and focus exploration to meet individual needs, adjusting the pace and complexity of tasks and breaking them into manageable segments. Career profiles are designed to be explored through visual and scannable information.
• Dedicated Resources: Xello provides guides, e-tools, and webinars to assist educators in addressing the unique needs of students with disabilities.

For more information on Xello, please visit: https://xello.world/en/florida-college-career-ready/.



Upcoming Events:

Transition Contacts Meeting and VISIONS

There are a few exciting upcoming secondary transition-related and Project 10 facilitated events in store for educators, secondary transition professionals and other relevant stakeholders. Please see the summary information below and mark your calendars accordingly!

Keep Yourself in the Loop by Following Project 10 on Facebook



Would you like to be part of our amazing transition community? Project 10 provides weekly information on transition-related events and topics, products and training launches, and other important state and project announcements. Please follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/project10usfsp, or simply type “Project 10 Transition” into your Facebook search function to find us. Be sure to like, follow and share us - and help spread the news!



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About Project 10 Topical Briefs:

Project 10 Topical Briefs provide informational summaries and resource links related to secondary transition.

Have a question? Want to find or recommend a resource? Have some great news to share?

Email us at project10@stpete.usf.edu.

For back issues of Project 10 Topical Briefs, visit our Topical Briefs page on the Project 10 website.

Project 10: Transition Education Network

Assists Florida school districts and relevant stakeholders in building capacity to provide secondary transition services to students with disabilities in order to improve their academic success and post-school outcomes.

Project 10: Transition Education Network

University of South Florida St. Petersburg

Questions or comments?

Email us at project10@stpete.usf.edu.

www.project10.info