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Student-Centered Transitions Network

What's Trending in Transition

December 2019
WHAT'S NEW
In case you missed it, the Student-Centered Transitions Network website has launched and we are now ready for visitors!
The Division of College, Career, and Military Preparation (CCMP) has released a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document to address questions about students served by special education and Career and Technical Education (CTE).

Some topics addressed in this FAQ are:
  • Enrollment in CTE career development courses like Career Preparation;
  • Required teacher certification for CTE courses;
  • CTE courses and the Vocational Adjustment Class (VAC); and
  • CTE representation at Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) committee meetings.
TED SPOTLIGHT
Highlights for Transition and Employment Designees

Did you know that there are great self-determination assessments and resources available on the University of Kansas Beach Center on Disability website? As one of the national experts on self-determination with which the Student-Centered Transitions Network frequently collaborates, Dr. Michael Wehmeyer, the Director of the Beach Center on Disability, and his team have developed great tools and assessments for educators, parents, and students.

Before you leave for the holidays, be sure to take a look at this free self-determination assessment from the Beach Center on Disability that you can use with your students, parents, and teachers today. The Self-Determination Inventory (SDI) is available as an assessment for students ages 13-22, parents, teachers, and for adults ages 18 and older.
TRANSITION RESOURCES
Connecting to college and career readiness
This month we would like to feature a helpful website launched in 2018 by the Texas Workforce Commission to raise awareness about the opportunities and benefits of fast growing industries in Texas . Jobs Y'all has lots of great resources to help students learn more about these in-demand careers.
Black outline of Texas with yellow logo of Jobs Yall
In addition to student resources, this website also provides resources to help parents, teachers, counselors and mentors explore top industries and help students develop career goals.

Some of these resources include:
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Have the eligibility requirements for earning an endorsement changed for students that receive special education services as a result of the 86th Legislative Session (June 2019)?
Yes. The 86th Legislative Session passed  House Bill 165 (HB165)   which allows a student that has completed the required courses and credits on the Foundation High School Program, including additional credits in math, science, electives, and the courses required for the endorsement with or without modifications* to the curriculum, to earn an endorsement beginning in the 2019-2020 school year.   This information is also found in the Texas Education Code (TEC) 28.025 (c-7) .
 
*When an ARD committee determines that modifications to the curriculum are required, the ARD committee must also ensure that the curriculum remains sufficiently rigorous , in order for the student to retain eligibility for an endorsement.
 
Additionally, HB165 states that the student's ARD committee shall determine whether the student is required to achieve satisfactory performance on an end-of-course assessment to earn an endorsement on the student's transcript.
 
Prior to the 2019-2020 school year, a student receiving special education services was required to complete the courses and credits on the Foundation High School Program including additional credits in math, science, electives, and the courses required for the endorsement (with or without modified curriculum), the course requirements of at least one endorsement (which did not contain any modified curriculum), and pass at least three end-of-course assessments, in order to earn an endorsement. HB165 now replaces these requirements for currently enrolled students.

Rule making has not yet begun for the Commissioner's Rules related to the graduation requirements above, so stay tuned to the Proposed Rules on the Texas Education Agency website for more information.


Student-Centered Transitions Network | Texas Transition

Content in this e-newsletter is provided in partnership with the Student-Centered Transitions Network and the Texas Education Agency.