Why was the STLA created?

• In 2018, the Virginia Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) conducted a review of K–12 special education services across the Commonwealth. The review revealed gaps in post-high school transition planning and highlighted the need for additional professional development and technical assistance for school divisions. 
• In response to the need for enhanced transition practices, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE), in partnership with the RRTC, Center on Transition Innovations, has launched the inaugural Statewide Transition Leaders Academy (STLA). This year-long VDOE initiative is designed to enhance the knowledge and skills of transition representatives across Virginia. The STLA provides comprehensive professional development aligned with standards developed by the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) and the Division on Career Development and Transition (DCDT). The Academy offers training and technical assistance to 31 school divisions across the eight regions in Virginia, supporting educators, students, and families in implementing evidence-based transition practices that lead to successful postsecondary outcomes for students with disabilities across Virginia. 

What are the specific goals and objectives of the STLA?

The goal of this initiative is to develop transition leaders throughout the commonwealth and enhance the capacity of schools, families, communities, and students with disabilities to achieve positive postsecondary outcomes.  We believe that students with disabilities should have the opportunity to work, live, and engage in their communities. This can be accomplished by empowering leaders who will share their knowledge, skills, and strategies within their districts. 

Specific goals of the STLA include:

• Improve the effectiveness of transition IEPs to effectively support students in reaching their postsecondary goals. 
• Develop a process for divisions to self-assess effective transition practices and implement action plans to enhance programming and practices. 
• Build a network for sharing and implementing evidence-based, research-based, and promising practices
• Strengthen partnerships with agencies and organizations to support transition. 
• Build capacity among other divisions to share resources and ideas for improving transition practices. 

What are the key components of the Academy's curriculum?

• The STLA is dedicated to advancing transition-related professional development and enhancing outcomes for students with disabilities in Virginia. Over the course of 10 months, this program offers a comprehensive curriculum that includes workshops, action planning, observations, assignments, and field experiences, featuring guidance monthly from national and state leaders in transition.

Where will the participants come from geographically (e.g., different regions of Virginia)

• The STLA received applications from all 8 superintendent’s regions across Virginia. The current cohort includes representatives from diverse divisions from small, rural divisions, to large, urban and suburban divisions. During the monthly sessions, participants collaborate in groups that reflect the diversity, as well as varying levels of experience. This intentional grouping provides a strong basis for networking and collaboration. Further, participants are paired with an accountability partner, based on division location and the results of insights from a leadership self-assessment tool completed during the first session.

Where does the STLA take place?

• In August, STLA kicked off the academy with a three-day session in Richmond, featuring presentations from the Virginia Department of Education, the Virginia Council for Administrators of Special Education, the National Technical Assistance Center on Transition: The Collaborative, the Center on Transition Innovations, and George Mason University’s T/TAC. All subsequent monthly sessions will be held in Richmond, with the exception of October. In October, participants will attend the Division on Career Development and Transitions international conference held in Chantilly, Virginia.