Transition Coordinator

EAST ORANGE SCHOOL DISTRICT East Orange, New Jersey

Transition Coordinator - Special Education

Status: Full-Time, Districtwide Position Department: Special Education / Special Services Reports To: Director of Special Education/Special Services and/or Designee POSITION SUMMARY 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 18-21 Transition/Life Skills Program. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 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. 18-21 Transition/Life Skills Program

13. Coordinate, monitor, and support the district's 18-21 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 18-21 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 résumé 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-solving, and interpersonal skills. Ability to collaborate effectively with students, families, school personnel, outside agencies, employers, and community organizations. Ability to travel between district schools, community sites, businesses, agencies, and student work locations as required. EMPLOYMENT STATUS This shall be a full-time districtwide position assigned to the Special Education/Special Services Department. The scope of the position requires ongoing daily coordination of transition compliance, student planning, agency referrals, work-based learning, the 18-21 Transition Program, community partnerships, parent support, staff training, student data, and postsecondary planning. These responsibilities require continuous coordination throughout the school year and cannot effectively be fulfilled as an ancillary stipend assignment. PERFORMANCE RESPONSIBILITIES / ANNUAL DELIVERABLES The Transition Coordinator will be responsible for demonstrating measurable progress in the following areas: Transition compliance for eligible students. Completion and documentation of age-appropriate transition assessments. Student participation in work-based learning and community experiences. DVRS, DDD, CBVI, and other appropriate agency referrals. Expansion of employer and community partnerships. Implementation and growth of the 18-21 Transition/Life Skills Program. Parent transition workshops and the annual Transition Fair. Professional development for district staff. Monitoring of students approaching graduation or aging out. Postsecondary education, employment, vocational training, adult-service, and independent-living outcomes. Quarterly transition reports to the Special Education/Special Services administration.

PHYSICAL ABILITIES AND WORKING CONDITIONS OF CONTINUED EMPLOYMENT

The Physical Abilities and Other Conditions of Continued Employment listed in this section are representative but are not intended to provide an exhaustive list of Physical Abilities and Other Conditions of Continued Employment which may be required of thi s position. The East Orange School District

encourages persons with disabilities who are interested in employment in this class and need reasonable accommodations to contact the Division of Labor Relations and Employment Services.

Vision: (which may be corrected) to read small print; view a computer screen for prolonged periods Hearing: (which may be corrected) to answer telephones and tolerate exposure to noisy conditions Speech: to be understood in face-to-face communications; to speak with a level of proficiency and volume to be understood over a telephone Upper Body Mobility: use hands and fingers to feel, grasp, and manipulate small objects; manipulate fingers, twist and bend at wrist and elbow; extend arm to reach outward and upward; use hands and arms to lift objects; turn, raise and lower head Strength: moderate to heavy lifting, pushing, pulling or carrying is occasionally required; to lift, push, pull and/or carry objects which weigh as much as 15 pounds on a frequent basis; ability to walk frequently Environmental Requirements: encounter constant work interruptions; work cooperatively with others; work independently; work indoors; Mental Requirements: read, write, understand, interpret and apply information at a moderately complex level essential for successful job performance; math skills at a high school proficiency level; judgement and the ability to process information quickly, learn quickly and follow verbal procedures and standards; give verbal instruction; rank tasks in order of importance; copy, compare, compile, and coordinate information and records

Application Procedure Interested applicants must submit an application through the district's online application system: https://www.applitrack.com/eosd/onlineapp/ Selection Process

1. Review of application and credentials
2. Interview with district administration
3. Recommendation by the Superintendent
4. Appointment by the East Orange Board of Education in accordance with Board policy Term of Employment: Ten-Month Work Year Salary: Shall be in accordance with the negotiated agreement between the East Orange Board of Education and the East Orange Education Association (EOEA). Equal Employment Opportunity The East Orange School District is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or any other protected classification. Approved by the East Orange Board of Education: September 29, 2026