State policymakers have worked hard to increase prekindergarten enrollment and ease young children's transition to kindergarten, and with good reason. There is abundant evidence that attending a formal preschool program such as state pre-K or Head Start boosts students' academic and social competencies significantly and meaningfully, regardless of…

As the American economy has shifted, so too has state leaders' understanding of what education systems and institutions need to provide students to set them on a path to long-term success. Is the education system meeting those needs? The true indicator of success is not whether students cross the graduation stage; it is what happens next for them.…

Busy educators are often faced with a dilemma--staying up to date with evidence-based practices and initiatives that support their professional growth while combating a constant barrage of superficial ideas from other contexts. Continuous improvement approaches to change offer methods for testing new ideas and adapting them to local contexts. If…

Learning networks for school improvement are a powerful structure for educators to expand their knowledge and improve their practice, and when networks include members with diverse experiences and perspectives, the results can be particularly effective. But how can network facilitators ensure that members are learning from each other and…

All students go through a variety of transitions throughout their life (i.e., middle school to high school, high school to the workforce). However, students with disabilities tend to experience disparities compared to their peers without disabilities in regard to in-school and postschool outcomes. One way to enhance outcomes for students with…

With early student-centered transition planning and interagency collaboration efforts, schools can be better equipped to prepare students with specific learning disabilities for effective transition to post-school environments.

They carry their communities on their shoulders. For many, it is their first time being away from home. They wave goodbye to their families with tears in their eyes. They are unfamiliar with this new landscape. Their culture and language are unexpected. These are the common experiences of incoming Latinx undergraduate students who enter the…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) funds programs providing services designed to assist children with a range of delays and disabilities in achieving individualized developmental and functional goals. There are two types of programs. Part C Early Intervention is for children ages birth-2, and Part B Preschool is for children…

High-quality early learning experiences (i.e., developmentally appropriate, play-based instruction with clear learning goals) have positive long-term effects on student outcomes. As California rolls out Universal Transitional Kindergarten (UTK), district leaders focused on meeting state requirements for hiring qualified staff and finding…

Think College REPORTS present descriptive data in narrative and tabular form to provide timely information to researchers, practitioners, and policymakers for review and use. This report provides program- and student-level data reported by TPSIDs (Transition and Postsecondary Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities) during the…

The role of research in transition education has been prominent and influential. Yet too many young people with disabilities are still not experiencing outcomes aligned with their personal aspirations and priorities. Moreover, individuals with disabilities continue to experience barriers to employment, educational, economic, and other challenges…

In 2021, California made historic investments in early learning to expand transitional kindergarten (TK) to serve all of California's 4-year-olds. Transitional kindergarten began in California in 2012 as a free public school program for 4-year-olds who were not yet eligible for kindergarten (a non-compulsory grade). Yet by 2019, just 28 percent of…

In the years following high school, youth, including youth with extensive support needs, aspire to pursue a range of personally important experiences, such as attending postsecondary education programs, obtaining competitive employment, and living independently. However, the level of disability continues to be a powerful predictor of the degree to…

Research suggests a potential relationship between self-determination and improved post-school outcomes for students with disabilities. Self-determination represents a particularly relevant variable which deserves increased attention for students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD); however, there is no consistent understanding on how to…

College and career readiness (CCR) consultation represents an opportunity for consultants to improve transition outcomes for students with disabilities and underserved youth and young adults. This special issue of the "Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation" includes articles that present novel applications of consultation…