Secondary Transition State Capacity Building Initiative
REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS
The Secondary Transition State Capacity Building Initiative results from a partnership
between the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), the National Association of State Directors of Special
Education (NASDSE), and the Council of State Administrators of Vocational
Rehabilitation (CSAVR). The purpose of the initiative is to support state capacity
building and implementation activities that will improve those school and communitybased services, which ultimately will affect transition-related outcome indicators.
Specifically, this initiative is designed to provide technical assistance to states with
emerging comprehensive state-level transition systems. Technical assistance will be
provided by four Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)-funded technical
assistance centers:
 The IDEA Partnership Project (Partnership Project);
 The National Dropout Prevention Center for Students with Disabilities (NDPCSD);
 The National Post-School Outcomes Center (NPSO)); and
 The National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center (NSTTAC).
This initiative is intended to implement and sustain evidence-based strategies to:
 Increase the number of youth with disabilities graduating from high school
(Indicator 1);
 Decrease the number of youth with disabilities dropping out of high school
(Indicator 2);
 Increase the number of youth with disabilities who have measurable post
secondary Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals in education/training,
employment and where appropriate, independent living skills (Indicator 13);
 Increase the number of former students with disabilities in post-secondary
education/training and/or employment at one-year post exit from high school
(Indicator 14); and/or
 Increase the critical connections among the services and supports available within
states that positively impact interagency collaboration between Special Education
and Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Systems.
Technical assistance under this initiative must support improved performance on one or
more of the four transition-related Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
Part B State Performance Plan (SPP) Indicators (Indicators 1, 2, 13, and 14).
Only one application for technical assistance can be submitted by a state and applications
must focus on one or more of the following areas:
 State strategic planning efforts;
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Interagency activities focused on a collaborative and comprehensive approach to
transition;
Statewide transition conferences as part of an ongoing capacity building effort;
Training on evidence based and/or data driven transition practices; and/or
Self-determination and youth leadership, and family involvement.
Priority will be given to applicants that:
1. Have emerging, comprehensive state-level transition systems;
2. Are based on a clear statement of state-need and data indicating that the proposal
and work scope, in fact, address a pressing issue related to secondary special
education and transition;
3. Utilize evidence-based and/or data driven practices;
4. Articulate how the activities will affect the state’s transition-related outcome
indicators in a positive manner;
5. Identify technical assistance needed from one or more of the four OSEP TA
Centers: NSTTAC, NDPC-SD, NPSO, and the IDEA Partnership Project; and
6. Demonstrate cooperation between special education and vocational rehabilitation
(and other agencies as appropriate).
Examples of activities supported by this initiative may include, but are not limited to:
State strategic planning efforts
 Connections between monitoring and program improvement activities related
to the Part B SPP and VR indicators.
Interagency collaborative activities
 Creating seamless access to post-school services, supports and programs that
directly respond to student’s measurable post-secondary goals.
 Creating activities that (a) support a collaborative approach in meeting the
indicators; (b) increase the likelihood for improved post-school outcomes; and
(c) build state and/or local communities of practice and/or engage in national
communities (e.g., Exiting, Least Restrictive Environment, IDEA Partnership,
NPSO).
Statewide transition conferences and training on evidence based and/or data driven
transition practices as part of an ongoing capacity building effort
 Providing information, training, resources and supports to parents, school, and
interagency staff regarding effective and/or promising transition planning and
implementation.
 Working with institutions of higher education to assure that pre- and postprofessional training on “what works” is developed and sustained.
 Encouraging and supporting youth and their families to do long range
comprehensive planning directly responding to the student’s measurable post
secondary goals.
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Providing incentives for participation in state transitions conferences and
encourage participation by youth, families, and agency staff.
Outreach to youth with disabilities and their families with an emphasis on selfdetermination and youth leadership
 Creating statewide youth leadership networks.
 Creating programs for youth as coaches, youth mentoring, youth as advisors
in state policy and program development activities.
Technical Assistance:
Technical assistance from the four TA centers identified above valued at up to $45,000
will be provided to each of 10 states to support efforts towards the purpose and outcomes
identified in this initiative. It is expected that this technical assistance will leverage other
state resources. Applications will be peer reviewed. Once the successful applicants are
identified, each will design a simple, relevant and useful evaluation and reporting
procedure with OSERS. In Year 2, technical assistance will be provided to 10 additional
states.
Applicants:
Eligible applicants are state education agencies. The state director of special education
and the state director of vocational rehabilitation must approve the final proposal.
States may apply for the technical assistance individually or as a cooperative, coordinated
project with another state or states. One application may be submitted for a multi-state
project. If a multi-state project is selected, each state in the application will be identified
as one of the 10 states to receive technical assistance. Each collaborating state must
include a commitment from special education and vocational rehabilitation agencies.
Use of Funds:
These funds are intended to support direct service activities. Indirect costs are not
fundable under this initiative.
Application Submission:
States must apply by submitting an application limited to the equivalent of no more than
15 pages using the following standards:
 A “page” is 8.5” x 11”, (on one side only) with one-inch margins (top, bottom,
and sides).
 Double-space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) all text in the
application narrative, including titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, references,
and captions, as well as all text in charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
 Use a font that is either 12-point or larger or no smaller than10 pitch (characters
per inch).
 This page limit includes the cover sheet, application narrative, budget, and
all appendices.
We will reject any application if –
 You apply these standards and exceed the page limit; or
 You apply other standards and exceed the equivalent of the page limit.
All applications must be submitted electronically at:
http://buildstatecapacity.org
Coversheet with signatures must be mailed or faxed to:
Bill East, Executive Director
National Association of State Directors of Special Education
1800 Diagonal Road, Suite 320
Alexandria, Virginia 22314-2840
Fax: (703) 519-3808
___________________________
All applications must be received by 5:00 PM Eastern,__(Due Date)________.
For more information, contact:
Joanne M. Cashman, Ed. D.
joanne.cashman@nasdse.org
Director, The IDEA Partnership
National Association of State Directors of Special Education
1800 Diagonal Road, Suite 320
Alexandria, Virginia 22314-2840
Phone: (703) 519-3800 ext. 325
Fax: (703) 519-3808
Attachments:
Application Cover Sheet
Application Format and Selection Criteria
Secondary Transition State Capacity Building Initiative
APPLICATION COVER SHEET
1. State Education Agency(ies) Submitting the Application:
2. Designated Contact Person for the Application:
Name: ___________________________________
Title: ___________________________________
Phone:___________________________________
Email: ___________________________________
3. Name of Project: _______________________________________
4. Focus of the Proposal (select all that apply):
___State Strategic Planning
___Interagency Collaboration
___Statewide Transition Conferences
___Training
___Self-Determination and Youth Leadership and Family Involvement
5. Approval by State Directors of Special Education and Vocational Rehabilitation*
________________________
Signature
_______________________
Signature
State Director of Special Education
State Director of Vocational
Rehabilitation
*Submit with electronic application. Fax or mail original signature to: _____________
Multiple state applications require approval of the state agency directors from every state
in the application; each collaborating state must submit this signed cover sheet.
Secondary Transition Capacity Building Initiative
Application Format and Selection Criteria
The application narrative should include the following six sections in this order:
1. Statement of Need
Points Possible: 20 pts.
Consider:
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Emerging comprehensive state-level transition systems
State context for implementing the plan
Data supporting the proposal and the activities
Description of state needs addressed by the application
2. Description of activities and who would be involved
Points Possible: 15 pts.
3. Description of how the activities will affect the state’s transition-related outcome
indicators
Points Possible: 15 pts.
Consider:
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Logical connection between activities and outcomes
Explanation of how the activities build capacity to meet one or more transitionrelated indicators
4. Description of the ways in which activities conducted under this proposal will be
sustainable, including the way in which the technical assistance received will be used
to leverage other fiscal and human resources
Points Possible: 20 pts.
Consider:
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Alignment with other funding streams (e.g. SIG/SPDG, state initiatives, etc)
Description of non-monetary resources (e.g., influence, engagement, support of key
constituencies, interagency collaboration, etc.)
Ways in which follow-up will be supported by state and /or local efforts
Ways in which the activities will position the state for additional leveraging
opportunities
5. Description of the range of stakeholders engaged in the development and/or
implementation of activities described in this proposal, including collaboration across
education and vocational rehabilitation
Points Possible: 20 pts.
Consider:
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Prior history of collaboration or describe substantial new effort
Collaboration described adds value; not merely symbolic
6. Description of how the proposal would be supported by OSEP sponsored technical
assistance projects, including the following: National Secondary Transition
Technical Assistance Center, National Dropout Prevention Center for Students with
Disabilities, National Post-School Outcomes Center, and/or IDEA Partnership
Project.
Points Possible: 10 pts.
Consider:
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Prior history of collaboration or describe substantial new effort
Collaboration described adds value; not merely symbolic