Transition Coordinator

Career One Stop Videos: 

Explore more than 550 career videos to learn what it's like to work in different types of jobs. Videos include typical tasks, work settings, equipment used, education needed, and more.

Click → Career One Stop Videos

Dr. Kit Videos:

Employees in different professions were asked the following questions:

Describe your typical day.
What are the qualifications required for this job?
What are the best and worst parts of this job?
What final advice do you have for someone interested in this line of work?

Search for careers by discipline (anthropology, biology, psychology, etc.) under the “Success in School” area.

Click → Dr. Kit Career Videos

Hire Paths has videos about different careers and activities to do with students.

Click → Hire Paths

NCKSEC Checklist - ages 5-10

NCKSEC Checklist - ages 11-14

NCKSEC Checklist - ages 15-17

NCKSEC Checklist – ages 18-21

Individuals, age 3 and older, who have developmental disabilities may qualify for case management services. Eligibility is determined by your Community Developmental Disability Organization (CDDO). They can assist you in gathering the information needed to determine eligibility. 

Individual Service Coordination, also known as targeted case management, is a comprehensive service designed to enable you and your family to locate, utilize, and coordinate available resources and opportunities in your community. There is no wait for this service.

Supportive Home Care – a resource for families while the individual is living at home.

Day Services – provides day supports for students when they are not in school or after they have graduated. There is a wait for this service, and many families will have to show there is a need.

Residential Services – provides supports for indivudals living outside of the home. There is a wait for this service, and many families will have to show there is a need.

There is a 5-8 year wait to receive funding in order to access certain services. In order to increase the chances for your student to access these services at the time they have completed school, you should begin this process as soon as possible. The easiest way to begin this process is to contact the intake and referral coordinator. They are able to walk you through the application process. The three main things you will need to do are:

• Fill out the application
• Complete a medical examination
• Complete a psychological evaluation. The Kansas medical card will cover this cost if the provider accepts the Kansas medical card. Some insurance companies may cover the cost. Your family doctor or DSNWK may be able to help refer you to a psychologist. Don’t forget to check with your insurance company about coverage. Vocational Rehabilitation may also be able to help with this cost.

Individual Service Coordinators (ISCs) are dedicated to assisting and empowering individuals and their families by:

• Providing information on current service availability in your geographical area

• Exploring options and services that enable you and your family to make informed decisions

• Maintaining confidentiality

• Respecting your input and opinion

• Advocating for your goals

• Being sensitive to the needs and beliefs of our diverse population

• Protecting human and legal rights

DSWNK Service Coordination video

Application for DSNWK

Individual Service Coordinators for our area:

Michelle Storz

509 Main

P.O. Box 154

Stockton, KS 67669

Office phone number: 785-415-2103

michelle_storz@mydsnwk.org

Justin Hrabě

1104 N State St.

Norton, KS 67654

Office phone number: 785-874-5449

justin_hrabe@mydsnwk.org

Hays Office of DSNWK

2703 Hall St #10

Hays, KS 67601

Office phone number: 785-625-5678

Families Together – 

Families Together, Inc. is dedicated to a society that includes and values all people. We encourage, educate, and empower families that include children/youth who have disabilities or special health care needs.

We are dedicated to providing high-quality information and support for families who are navigating school services, health care, and community resources across the state of Kansas.

Serves all over the state of Kansas with offices in Garden City, Topeka, and Wichita

Find Help – Find Help has resources for food pantries and meal programs near you. You can also find housing, financial assistance, health care, and more.

Learn about Kansas Job Corp. here. 

Kansas Children’s Service League – 1-800-CHILDREN is here for you, 24/7. Whether you have a quick question or a serious concern, our caring team offers free, confidential support for parents and caregivers. No judgment, just help. We’ll connect you with trusted local resources and services to strengthen your family and help you feel confident.

Kansas Children's Service League provides information and connections to hundreds of programs addressing a multitude of needs, such as housing, food, transportation, health care, education, legal assistance, and more. There's also an app for mobile devices. Put in your zip code, and it will come up with services available for your area.

If you have a student who has an idea of what they want to do and wants to know what schools offer that, check out Kansas Public Higher Ed and put in the degree. I tried it with welding, and it gave me 54 options in Kansas. It shows the institution, Program Title, and Award (certificate, AA, etc.)

Kansas Board of Regents

Kansas YOUth Works through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act will help you gain the skills to succeed in tomorrow's workforce.

Check out Kansas Workforce One for more information.

LINK, Inc. - 

Have a student who can't live or work independently on their own. Some of the services available are applying for grants for durable medical equipment, applying for grants for home modifications, and advocacy. LINK can work with any age for any self-disclosed disability. If they are newborn with a disability, LINK can help parents find resources and navigate the processes.

LINK

2401 E. 13th

Hays, KS 67601

785-625-6942

800-569-5926

Pre-ETS – what is it all about? Watch the video and find out from Tammy Phillips, Pre-ETS Manager. Watch here

• Pre-ETS Information (English)

  • Flyer

  • Referral – typically given at the freshman IEP

• Pre-ETS Information (Spanish)

  • Flyer

  • Referral

• Pre-ETS Information (Large Print)

  • Flyer

Dorothy Barnum (Northern Valley, Norton, Palco, Plainville, Stockton)

1010 W. 6^th St

Junction City, KS 66441

Dorothy.barnum@ks.gov

Melina Hemphill (Logan, Natoma, Osborne, Phillipsburg, Smith Center, Thunder Ridge)

1501 E. 6^th Trafficway

Concordia, KS 66901

Cell: 785-249-7689

Melina.Hemphill@ks.gov

VR provides support to individuals with barriers and helps to guide them in finding the right career path after high school. VR works to address personal barriers that may be holding individuals back from reaching their full potential on the job or in schooling. We have funding available to help to address these barriers and help individuals become successful after high school. VR also has funding to assist with college costs, job placement and job coaching services, mental health services and much more.

• Voc Rehab brochure
• Voc Rehab referral
• Voc Rehab handbook

Want to know more about Vocational Rehabilitation: watch this video by Dan Decker, Director of Rehabilitational Services

Paperwork goes to:

Jennifer Schmidtberger

Human Services Assistant (HSA)

Vocational Rehabilitation Services

jennifer.schmidtberger@ks.gov

OR

Peggy Cox

NCKSEC Transition Consultant

494 B Street, P.O. Box 369

Phillipsburg, KS 67661

pcox@ncksec.net

A different thought on making tough decisions: is guardianship the only option? This YouTube from The Arc may help explain some questions you’ve had.  Watch here.

This booklet may help you with planning for yourself or your child. Please look here for a digital copy

Another resource that can be helpful is I Decide Kansas (Supported Decision Making)

Differences Between High School and College Disabilities

Job Corps – 

Job Corps is the nation’s largest free, residential career training and education program for low-income young adults ages 16 through 24.

By offering hands-on training in fields like manufacturing, health care, technology, and construction, we prepare students for lifelong careers in the industries that power America. 

When it comes to your future, you should have choices. Choose your path, and Flint Hills Job Corps – KS can help you reach your goals. Earn the skills and tools you need to be successful and kickstart your career. 

Generally, Job Corps students:

• are 16 through 24 years old
• are low-income individuals
• meet citizenship, residency, or other approved status requirements
• meet background requirements
• are ready and motivated to succeed

Kansas Public Higher Education & Training Search

This free search tool enables you to quickly search program and training opportunities available from the 32 Kansas public higher education institutions. The database includes information submitted by the state's public higher education institutions, which may not include all programs offered in all locations (including online or satellite campuses).

If you cannot find a specific program at an institution using this search tool, please contact the institution(s) directly to learn more about educational opportunities available in your area.

KANSASWORKS Western Mobile Center

Hays, KS 67601

(785) 625-5654

KANSASWORKS is a web-based job-matching and labor market information system. KANSASWORKS provides job seekers, employers, and training providers with easy-to-use tools that support a wide range of activities. As a service of the public workforce system, KANSASWORKS is completely free for you to use. You only need a computer and internet access to do the following:

• Create and post a resume or job posting
• Determine whether you're eligible for state- or federally funded workforce programs
• Search for the ideal job or job candidate
• Search for the ideal training or service provider
• Research labor market information
• And much more!

Where can students practice the ASVAB test for free? Here are two sites.

ASVAB Practice Test Online

ASVAB Tutor Online

Foster Care Scholarships and other information

• O’Brate Foundation
• Kansas Foster and Adoptive Children Scholarship
• Kansas Kids @ Gear Up
• Independent Living Program

Dane G. Hansen Foundation – Students applying for the Career and Technical Education Scholarship must be planning on attending one of the following schools in Northwest Kansas: Fort Hays Tech | North Central (Beloit or Hays), Colby Community College, Fort Hays Tech | Northwest, Hays Academy of Hair Design (Hays or Salina), Cloud County Community College, Salina Area Technical College, Fort Hays State University or Kansas State Polytechnic - Salina

Click here – > Dane G. Hansen Career and Technical Scholarships

Kansas Promise Scholarship was created by the Kansas Legislature to assist students who are enrolled in specified high wage, high demand, or critical need industry programs at eligible Kansas community colleges and technical colleges, Washburn Institute of Technology, and certain private postsecondary educational institutions. 

This scholarship is only available for two-year degrees and certificate programs; bachelor’s degrees do not qualify.  In exchange for receiving scholarship assistance, the student agrees to live and work in Kansas for two consecutive years following graduation. 

Click here – Kansas Promise Scholarship Act

Mike Rowe Foundation – The Work Ethic Scholarship Program was created to help close the skills gap by supporting men and women who want to learn a trade, show up early, stay late, and take pride in doing a job well done.

If you’re pursuing training in the skilled trades–welding, plumbing, electrical, HVAC, construction, or dozens of other in-demand careers–we want to help you get the training you need without taking on a mountain of debt.

Every year, we award millions of dollars in scholarships to individuals who are ready to learn a skill that’s in demand, earn a good living, and keep the country moving. It’s not about chasing your passion. It’s about bringing it with you.

Click here –  Work Ethic Scholarship

The American Institutes for Research (AIR), in collaboration with Teachers College, Columbia University in New York City, developed the student, parent, and educator versions of the AIR Self-Determination Scale with funding from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs. The AIR Self-Determination Scale:

• produces a profile of the student's level of self-determination.
• identifies areas of strength and areas needing improvement.
• identifies specific educational goals that can be incorporated into the student's IEP.

The AIR Self-Determination Scale measures two broad self-determination components:

• Capacity refers to the student's knowledge, abilities, and perceptions that enable them to be self-determined
• Opportunity refers to the student's chances to use their knowledge and abilities.

The AIR Self-Determination Scale is available for you to use free of charge by downloading the manual and each scale through the links below. Alternatively, the AIR Self-Determination Scale is available free of charge through our TAGG website.

AIR Self-Determination Scale

Casey’s Life Skills – a set of free tools that assess the independent skills youth need to achieve their long-term goals. It aims to guide youth toward developing healthy, productive lives.

This is an adaptation of The Environmental Job Assessment Measure (E-JAM)  which can be completed as an interview. Can be administered to student, paras, parent, and teacher.  Interview will assist teams in looking at environment and parameters of student's job setting. 

Addresses the areas of attitudes toward general work behaviors, physical demands of a job, physical working conditions, educational demands, and social interaction on the job.

Would be a great tool to be completed for students who have complicated physical or sensory needs or students that are indicating they just don't know what they are interested in doing, even after completing a career interest inventory.  

E-JAM

Explore Work – Student must access the website. Not so much a transition assessment but tools to explore careers and options.

I Transition KS – helps with making a transition plan, not a formal assessment, so limit the time used

iTransition is an app that students can use to answer questions that will produce a transition plan for you. The students answer the questions about their needs and desires and then can either email or print the report for you.

Walks the student through all parts of the transition plan. Student must access the app or webpage.

This is appropriate for a high functioning student who is able to think through their own transition plans and goals with very little support.

Life Skills Inventory Independent Living Skills Assessment Tool – can be completed in consultation with the parent and others to determine if specific skills in 15 different areas are at a basic, intermediate, advanced or exceptional level.

Covers the areas of money management/consumer awareness, food management, personal appearance and hygiene, health, housekeeping, housing transportation, educational planning, job seeking skills, job maintenance skills, emergency and safety skills, knowledge of community resources, interpersonal skills, legal skills, and pregnancy prevention/parenting and child care. Can be built on from year to year.

Great to help you determine if an independent living skills goal is needed or if N/A is appropriate.  Can be used to help track growth over time in the areas assessed.

Life Skills Inventory

My World to Work – explore careers that match skills, personality, and strengths 

O*Net Interest Profiler – This is also known as My Next Move. The O*Net Career Exploration tool is a set of self-directed career exploration/assessment tools to help workers consider and plan career options, preparation, and transitions more effectively. They are also designed for use by students who are exploring the school-to-work transition. Best used with a student interview.

The results of the assessment compile the interests identified based on the ratings the student provided regarding a given job or activity. The assessment results identify a rating of which career areas the student may have an interest in and careers based on the student's interests and desire for post-secondary education.

Assessment is free and is completed fully online. Students can print results and also read about career interests that they are matched with, being capable of. From this assessment, additional conversation can be held with the student regarding the action steps needed to obtain a specific career field. My Next Move does not have a profile on its site. Information for students cannot be saved, so students will need to print their screen so that they can have their results.

O*Net My Next Move – – helps find jobs and more information (knowledge, skills, and more information about what’s needed – helps with correlating IEP goals to transition). This is not so much a transition assessment as a way to help look at careers and see what is involved in the different jobs.

A quick survey to provide to parents to discuss their students’ goals regarding transitioning, including employment, education, and independent living.

Allows IEP teams to work with families to identify their student's strengths and needs as transition is discussed. Areas within the survey include: current education, future post-secondary education, employment, independent living, guardianship/financial supports, transportation, recreation/leisure, and adult services. 

Is a great supplement to provide teams with additional information in combination with other assessments. Great for getting parent input on our categorical students to begin having the discussion about what happens after high school.

Parent Transition Survey (English)

Parent Transition Survey (Spanish)

Pictorial Interest Inventory – This is a career interest inventory that does not require reading. The student simply marks the task that they like the most.

The results of this inventory indicate interest in one of only 8 areas: automotive, clerical, food services, custodial/housekeeping, landscape/building trades, materials and handling, caring for others, and retail.

Paper/pencil assessment.

Students who cannot read and won't tolerate having Xello read to them, but who need a career interest inventory.

Reading-Free Vocational Interest Inventory: 2 - R-FVII:2 is a career interest inventory that does not require reading. The student simply circles the task that they like the most.

The results of this inventory indicate interest in one of only 5 areas: mechanical, outdoor, mechanical-outdoor, food service-Hhandling operations, and clerical-social service.

Paper/pencil assessment. Students who cannot read, 13 years or older. Measures vocational likes and dislikes. 

Request from NCKSEC Transition Consultant. 

The Transition Planning Inventory is used to assess a student’s current knowledge and skill performance in a wide range of areas related to adult demands and expectations.

The Transition Planning Inventory yields a profile of ratings in nine areas: Employment, Further Education/Training, Daily Living, Leisure Activities, Community Participation, Health, Self – Determination, Communication and Interpersonal Relationships.

Paper/pencil assessment. Student rates themselves, so you may not get good information if the student is not very self-aware.

Request from NCKSEC Transition Consultant.

Truity – different career/personality quizzes, including a pictorial quiz for non-readers 

Students have to make an account, and then make sure they are going to the FREE Career Aptitude test. Once finished, they had to double-click on their results. Download it as a PDF and then screenshot the pie chart it gives, because it will not show the pie chart because it wants you to pay for the results. Teachers will not be able to see student results if it is just being emailed to them.

What’s Your Learning Style – helps determine individual learning style – visual, auditory, or tactile

The Xello Assessment (formerly known as Career Cruising) is a transition tool for all students. Xello has tools and assessments for students to begin using as early as the 6th grade to focus on the skills needed for success and post-secondary planning discussions. Check with your school district to see if they use. Typically, you will need to get a password and your students in your name so you can view results.

Information based on the assessments and activities includes student interests, learning style, career choice, independence skills, and work soft skills needs, and more. Xello should be an essential tool for the majority of our students and working with them on their post-secondary transition. 

Great computer assessments and activities to be utilized during homeroom or Advocacy times. Printable reports are available within Xello for each student. There are lessons associated with Xello to assist students and teams with transition planning. 

All Students should be accessing Xello district-wide as a part of the district's scope and sequence.

What’s My Next Move is a guide to exploring careers using online documents from the U.S. Department of Labor.