Transition: Education Resources

DSCC’s Planning Your Education and Transition for Life After High School Tip Sheet

You play a big role in making sure you get the special education services you need. The Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC) created this tip sheet to help youth with special healthcare needs and their families learn more about school meetings, work and independence after high school.

The tip sheet includes a transition planning checklist and information on:

• Participating in your Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings
• Speaking up about your interests, strengths and skills
• Feeling confident by knowing your rights

DSCC’s Planning Your Education and Transition for Life After High School tip sheet in English

DSCC’s Planning Your Education and Transition for Life After High School tip sheet in Spanish

Illinois Teachers of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

The Illinois Teachers of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ITDHH) focuses on promoting the professional growth of teachers and the quality of education for people who are deaf and hard of hearing throughout Illinois. The organization hosts an annual conference and provides annual scholarship opportunities for teachers and students.

ITDHH annual scholarship and grant opportunities for Illinois students and teachers include:

• The “Hazel Bothwell Memorial Scholarships and Grants For Educators of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing” provides funding to teachers to help strengthen learning and educational services for children who are deaf and hard of hearing. You must be a current ITDHH member to apply.
• The “Jacki Marcus Memorial Scholarship for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students” is for high school seniors planning to pursue a two- or four-year college degree. 
• The “Pierce-Scherer Student Scholarship for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students” is for high school seniors planning to attend a vocational or trade school.

John Wood Community College Services for Students With Disabilities

John Wood Community College (JWCC) offers various support services to help students in Adams and Brown County succeed in the classroom. Students with disabilities can get help exploring career options, finding resources to pay for college, tutoring and more. Other programs include:

• College for Life (CFL) program
• JWCC Disability Services
• Perkins Student Support
• TRiO Student Support Services (TRiO SSS), a federal grant that provides free help to 175 qualifying JWCC students who are first-generation college students, meet income guidelines, or who have a disability.

Junior Achievement USA and Illinois Chapters

Junior Achievement USA (JA) helps young people own their economic success, plan for their future and make smart academic and economic choices. The organization offers educational materials for schools and other organizations and hands-on learning experiences for students focusing on work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy. JA Connect also provides online self-guided activities to help students learn, apply and practice new skills. JA outreach in Illinois also includes:

• Junior Achievement of Central Illinois Inc.
• Junior Achievement of Chicago
• Junior Achievement of the Heartland

LaSalle/Putnam Educational Alliance for Special Education

The LaSalle/Putnam Educational Alliance for Special Education‘s (LEASE-SPED) website provides quick links, event calendars, information to help with navigating the transition to adulthood, and training and educational resources for parents, students, social workers and educational professionals. The LaSalle/Putnam Educational Alliance for Special Education provides:

• Parent resources
• The Illinois Valley Transition Planning Committee (IVTPC)
• Upcoming events
• Quick links to MyInfinitec and more

National Resources for Access, Independence, Self-Determination and Employment (RAISE) Technical Assistance Center

The National Resources for Access, Independence, Self-Determination and Employment (RAISE) Technical Assistance Center provides technical assistance and resources to support youth and young adults with disabilities and their families during the transition to adulthood. RAISE provides information, toolkits, webinars and support to help individuals:

• Better understand vocational rehabilitation and independent living programs and services
• Communicate more effectively with transition, rehabilitation and other professionals
• Understand the Rehabilitation Act and how it supports employment, supported employment and independent living
• Develop an Individualized Plan for Employment

RAISE’s resources include:

• The RAISE Youth Engagement Toolkit Series
• Parent Centers
• Resources for self-advocates, families, partners and parent centers

Many of the resources are also available in Spanish.

National Technical Assistance Center on Transition: The Collaborative (NTACT:C)

The National Technical Assistance Center on Transition: The Collaborative (NTACT:C) provides a wide range of information, training and supports to build and strengthen services and instruction for secondary students and out-of-school youth with disabilities. Its website offers:

• Training and technical assistance.
• Easy-to-find transition topic areas. Each topic includes an additional list of key resources, related topics and training webinars.
• Webinars and toolkits

PKU Organization of Illinois Andrew Craig Memorial Scholarship

The PKU Organization of Illinois awards the Andrew Craig Memorial Scholarship annually to qualified individuals with phenylketonuria (PKU) or allied disorders. Eligible applicants may receive scholarships of up to $2,000. The scholarship applicant requirements include:

• Having PKU or an Allied Disorder diagnosis
• Currently residing in Illinois
• Enrolling to attend an accredited college, university or vocational school for the fall semester of the current calendar year

A student may receive more than one scholarship during their secondary education but not in consecutive years.

Sertoma Organization for People Affected by Hearing Loss

Sertoma provides information and support to people at risk of or affected by hearing loss. National and local chapters across the United States support hearing health through a variety of programs and activities. Sertoma services include annual scholarships, access to amplified hearing devices, teen and college-level service programs, the “Adopt-an-Agency” program and more.

Sertoma offers two scholarship programs:

• The Scholarship for the Hard of Hearing or Deaf is open to students with clinically significant bilateral hearing loss. Graduating high school students or undergraduate students pursuing four-year college degrees in any discipline are eligible for the scholarship.
• The Communicative Disorders Scholarship is for graduate students pursuing advanced degrees in audiology or speech-language pathology from institutions in the United States. The program awards these scholarships in the spring to help offset the cost of tuition, books and fees incurred during the following school year.

See Sertoma’s website for eligibility requirements. The program accepts applications between Nov. 1 and March 31 each year.

Transition Planning Committee for McLean, Dewitt and Logan Counties

The Transition Planning Committee (TPC) for McLean, Dewitt and Logan Counties provides a wide range of resources to support students with disabilities and help their families navigate the transition to adulthood and life after high school. The resources are also helpful for educators and community members who are helping students and young adults build skills and explore their options after high school. The committee’s resources include:

• Education and training programs
• Support and mental health services
• Transportation and employment
• Legal and financial help
• Recreation and social opportunities
• Prioritization of Urgent Need for Services (PUNS)
• Housing and developmental training