As the second COVID-19 school year comes to an end, many parents and school leaders are asking whether students have met the goals and objectives in their Individual Education Program (IEP). For students expected to graduate this year, these questions are particularly urgent:

Throughout the pandemic, schools have offered remote, hybrid, and in-person services, depending on schools’ response plans and local health conditions. As a result, it may or may not have been possible for a district to effectively deliver all special education services set forth in a student’s IEP. And the services may not have led to the outcomes expected.

How do we make the shift from quarantine to “new normal?” We love this video (and the cool Aussie accent) from Next Steps in New Hampshire.

Hear from teens about how they cope with the pandemic, and their concerns:

This hour-long chat with the YEAH Council (Youth for Education, Advocacy, and Healthcare) captures the experiences of youth with disabilities as they chat candidly about transition learning during COVID-19.

Keynote speaker Polly Bath (wearing her purple silk jammies) talks about getting ready to learn, and how to pick battles in the virtual learning environment.

This video by Indeed, the giant job search platform, offers some advice for employees who may be returning to work during COVID.

This webinar, Feeling Safe and Supported While Learning at Home, produced by the Committee for Children, provides a comprehensive overview of trauma-sensitive practices during COVID-19.

With more than a quarter of a million views, this video produced by the World Down Syndrome Association (and sung by singer-songwriter Sting) is getting traction. Share this with employers in YOUR area.

Did you know that by hiring someone with disabilities, employers start a virtuous chain: the more that people with disabilities are seen at work, the more they’ll be recognized as valuable employees, and the more they’ll be hired. Now, when someone asks, “Hey, have you seen the new Sting video on employment?” you can say, “Yes!”

In 2020, the Vocational Rehabilitation Act (VR Act) celebrated a century in action. President Woodrow Wilson signed the Smith-Fess Act, also known as the Industrial Rehabilitation Act and referred to as “The National Civilian Vocational Rehabilitation Act,” into law June 2, 1920. The Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) plays a key leadership role through its resources and technical assistance to state vocational rehabilitation programs and others. Want to learn more about the RSA, the VR Act, and its evolution over the last 100 years?

Leaders at the Transition Coalition have produced a webinar to examine how best to prepare youth with disabilities for transition through work-based learning during the pandemic. In this hour-long event, speakers Michael Stoehr (NTACT) and Brenda Simmons (WINTAC) provide guidance, ideas, and resources for engaging students in meaningful employment preparation activities during school and community closures.

The USDOE has not waived ANY transition-related requirements during COVID, so while many people are looking for COVID-specific resources, generic transition resources remain an important framework for what needs to be provided. This student-friendly document, produced by Partners Resource Network in Texas in collaboration with OSPE and Family Voices, is packed with great information.

We love this well-curated compilation of resources from the National Technical Assistance Center on Transition (NTACT), including their recorded webinars on Transition and suggested IEP considerations.

Many people find the transition from a traditional work setting to a “work from home” arrangement to be a challenge. Here are some tips to keep productivity, attention, energy, and mood UP.

This booklet outlines ways to remove barriers to effective distance learning for youth with disabilities. Covering topics like student engagement, connection, workload, technology, family engagement, and more, this 20-page booklet offers concrete strategies to help parents and educators overcome some of the biggest challenges in distance learning.

RAISE blogger Jessica Keogh points out a silver lining in the COVID experience: it has brought to light the struggles people with disabilities have been facing on a continuing basis.

Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) 2021 Spring Colloquium.

Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) Equity and Excellence International Conference, Austin, Texas: a live and in-person event with virtual conference following.

RAISE The Standard enewsletter identifies and shares resources that the Rehabilitation Services Administration Parent Training and Information Centers (RSA-PTI) can use and share with families.