Ann Deschamps
Todd Bonney – Carroll County
Jackie Gast – Wicomico County
Donnae Bushrod – Baltimore City
Maryland Seamless Transition Collaborative
Job Seeker
Employer
D E M A N D
Community
Rehabilitation
Providers
Independent
Living Center
School System
Additional
Resources
Local Area Transition
Council
Social Security
Assistive Technology
Center
Post Secondary
Education
S U P P L Y
Mental Health
Developmental
Disabilities
One-Stop
Career Center
Vocational Rehabilitation
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The goal of the council is to develop linkages and
services within the community needed for student
post school success in any of the following:
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employment
post-secondary education
adult education and training
adult services
independent living
community participation and
integrated community living (“Interagency Transition Councils:
Stakeholders at Work” – PowerPoint by Lu Nations-Miller, Ed. D., GaDOE Transition
Specialist)
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Improve post school outcomes for students
with disabilities
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Research and experience show that transition
stakeholders working collaboratively leads to
better outcomes for transitioning youth
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Developed to meet specific needs of local area
Evolve and change membership over time, depending
on the needs of the transitioning youth and
community
Can address activities including: independent
employment, post-secondary education, career and
technical education, adult services, independent living
needs, community activities
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Informational: designed to collect and disseminate information
related to transition services, including
◦ how to access resources for students who are transitioning
◦ how to develop solutions to specific transition issues that exist in the
system and in the community.
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Student Specific: designed to allow school system personnel,
vocational rehabilitation personnel and a group of representatives
from community agencies to address the transition needs of
specific students and develop strategies to address these needs.
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Combination Informational and Student Specific
Examples include:
 To facilitate a collaborative transition process for
students with disabilities that will lead to the students’
desired post-school outcomes
 To provide a clearinghouse to disseminate updated
transition information regarding available services in
the area
 To advocate together to provide resources for parents
and teachers to support transitioning students in
moving forward to achieve their highest level of
independence
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Gather stakeholders of interest in the transition process
Generate a common vision and common outcome across
different agencies participating on the team (ensure team
members have valued roles, and that the roles are formalized
in the team)
Decide on process of activity – conduct of meetings, agenda,
task completion, and what happens between meetings
Define how you are making progress, team effectiveness –
how will this be measured (i.e. # of students experiencing a
seamless transition?)
(National Center on Secondary Education and Transition, 2005)
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Meet regularly; at least once a month
Expect and allow for all four phases of team building
(forming, storming, norming, performing)
Be respectful
Be open to new ideas
Make sure all transition team members understand their
roles and responsibilities
Make sure transition team members are accountable for a
part of the plan
Have brief monthly progress reports
Help team members to see and recognize their role in
results and outcome. (NSTTAC, 2011)

“Interagency Transition Councils: Stakeholders at Work” –
PowerPoint by Lu Nations-Miller, Ed. D., GaDOE Transition
Specialist, http://www.gatransition.org/

National Center on Secondary Education and Transition (2005)
Essential Tools; Interagency Transition Team Development and
Facilitation. Minneapolis, MN.
http://www.ncset.org/publications/essentialtools/teams/

National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center (2011)
Transition Team Leader Sustainability Toolkit. Kalamazoo, MI.
http://www.nsttac.org/content/transition-team-leadersustainability-toolkit