Transition Coordinator

Transition Coordinator - Special Education

In compliance with New Jersey's Pay Transparency Law, the negotiated annual salary range for this position is: $63,000 to $115,059. Salaries for internal applicants will be based on union negotiated calculations. This position may also be eligible for a comprehensive benefits package, including health and dental insurance, a retirement plan and benefits for work life balance.

The Transition Coordinator is a full-time districtwide position responsible for developing, coordinating, monitoring, and strengthening transition services for students with disabilities as they prepare for postsecondary education, employment, independent living, adult services, and community participation.

The Transition Coordinator will work collaboratively with students, families, Child Study Teams, special education teachers, school administrators, related service providers, community agencies, employers, colleges, vocational programs, and state agencies to ensure students receive coordinated and individualized transition services.

The Coordinator will provide leadership and oversight of transition programming throughout the district, including transition planning for secondary students and the district's 1821 Transition/Life Skills Program.

The Transition Coordinator shall:

Districtwide Transition Planning and Compliance 1. Coordinate transition planning and services for students with disabilities throughout the district. 2. Ensure that appropriate transition planning is incorporated into students' IEPs in accordance with IDEA, New Jersey Administrative Code, and current New Jersey Department of Education requirements. 3. Work with Child Study Teams and case managers to ensure that transition assessments, measurable postsecondary goals, transition activities, courses of study, agency linkages, and student-centered planning are appropriately addressed. 4. Review transition components of IEPs and provide technical assistance to case managers, teachers, and administrators when additional planning or documentation is needed. 5. Develop a districtwide system for monitoring transition compliance, services, referrals, student outcomes, and follow-up activities. 6. Maintain transition records, data, agency referrals, parent contacts, employment experiences, and student participation information. 7. Identify students approaching graduation or aging out of special education and ensure that transition activities are completed in a timely manner.

Student Transition Assessments and Individual Planning 8. Coordinate age-appropriate transition assessments that identify each student's strengths, preferences, interests, needs, employment goals, postsecondary education goals, independent living needs, and community participation goals. 9. Assist IEP teams in translating transition assessment results into measurable postsecondary goals and appropriate transition services. 10. Develop individualized transition opportunities based upon each student's abilities, interests, preferences, and long-term goals. 11. Meet with students individually and in groups to assist with career exploration, self-advocacy, employment readiness, postsecondary planning, and independent living skills. 12. Promote increased student participation in IEP and transition planning meetings.

1821 Transition/Life Skills Program 13. Coordinate, monitor, and support the district's 1821 Transition/Life Skills Program. 14. Work with teachers and related service providers to develop meaningful instruction in functional academics, employment, independent living, community access, communication, self-advocacy, transportation, and daily living skills. 15. Coordinate school-based enterprises and functional life-skills experiences, including activities such as the school store/cart, cooking, laundry, cleaning, budgeting, and other authentic independent living experiences. 16. Develop opportunities for students to participate in community-based instruction and work-based learning. 17. Assist in developing individualized schedules for students participating in the 1821 program based upon their transition goals. 18. Monitor student progress toward employment, education/training, independent living, and community participation goals.

Employment and Work-Based Learning 19. Develop partnerships with local businesses, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, colleges, vocational schools, and community organizations to expand opportunities for students. 20. Identify and coordinate internships, job-shadowing opportunities, work-based learning experiences, volunteer opportunities, supported employment experiences, and competitive integrated employment opportunities. 21. Coordinate job-readiness instruction, including rsum development, interviewing skills, workplace behavior, attendance, communication, problem-solving, and employer expectations. 22. Work collaboratively with job coaches, teachers, paraprofessionals, behavior staff, and related service providers to ensure students receive appropriate supports at job and community sites. 23. Monitor work-based learning placements and maintain regular communication with participating employers and community partners. 24. Develop additional business and community partnerships to expand the number and variety of employment opportunities available to students.

Agency Coordination 25. Serve as the primary district liaison for transition-related agencies and community organizations. 26. Coordinate referrals and linkages with agencies including, but not limited to:

• New Jersey Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services (DVRS)
• Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD)
• Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired (CBVI)
• New Jersey Department of Labor
• Social Security Administration resources
• Colleges and universities
• Trade and technical schools
• Adult service providers
• Transportation and mobility resources
• Community-based organizations
• Employment and supported-employment providers

27. Assist families in understanding agency eligibility requirements, timelines, applications, and available adult services.

28. Coordinate appropriate DVRS and Pre-Employment Transition Services opportunities for eligible students.

29. Help ensure students and families begin adult-agency applications and referrals early enough to minimize gaps in services after leaving the school district.

Family Engagement 30. Provide transition information, training, workshops, and resources to parents and guardians. 31. Meet with families to assist them in understanding postsecondary education, vocational training, employment, adult services, independent living, transportation, and community-based options. 32. Develop transition guides, timelines, checklists, referral information, and other resources for families. 33. Coordinate an annual District Transition Fair and additional transition workshops throughout the school year. 34. Provide targeted transition information to families of students approaching ages 14, 18, and 21.

Staff Training and Program Development 35. Provide professional development and technical assistance to case managers, CST members, special education teachers, related service providers, paraprofessionals, and administrators regarding transition requirements and best practices. 36. Develop district procedures, forms, checklists, transition assessment resources, and monitoring tools. 37. Collaborate with curriculum staff and instructional supervisors to expand career-readiness, functional academics, life-skills, and community-based learning opportunities. 38. Support schools in increasing access to appropriate general education, elective, vocational, career and technical education, and community-based opportunities. 39. Serve as a resource to IEP teams regarding transition services and postsecondary planning.

Program Monitoring and Data 40. Maintain a districtwide transition database or tracking system. 41. Track student participation in transition assessments, agency referrals, work experiences, internships, vocational programs, college preparation, and community-based instruction. 42. Develop measurable indicators to evaluate the effectiveness of district transition programming. 43. Monitor student outcomes including graduation/exit status, postsecondary education, vocational training, employment, adult agency connections, and independent living. 44. Prepare regular reports for the Director of Special Education/Special Services regarding program participation, compliance, partnerships, outcomes, needs, and recommendations. 45. Identify gaps in programming and recommend new programs, services, partnerships, staffing, and resources.

Collaboration and District Leadership 46. Participate in IEP meetings, transition meetings, departmental meetings, administrative meetings, and other meetings when transition expertise is needed. 47. Work closely with secondary schools, the Child Study Teams, the Transportation Department, Curriculum Department, Guidance Department, related services, behavior services, and district administration. 48. Coordinate with transportation personnel when students require transportation to employment sites, community-based instruction, vocational programs, or transition activities. 49. Assist the Director of Special Education/Special Services with transition-related initiatives, grants, program development, vendor coordination, and district improvement efforts. 50. Perform other duties related to transition services and special education programming as assigned by the Director of Special Education/Special Services or designee.

Minimum Qualifications

• Valid New Jersey educational certification appropriate to the position.
• Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree in Special Education, Education, Counseling, Social Work, Transition Services, Rehabilitation Counseling, or a related field preferred.
• Experience working with students with disabilities.
• Knowledge of IDEA, New Jersey special education regulations, transition planning, IEP development, and secondary special education programming.
• Knowledge of postsecondary education, vocational rehabilitation, employment, adult-service agencies, and community-based programming.
• Experience coordinating programs, services, community partnerships, or work-based learning preferred.
• Strong organizational, communication, data-management, problem