Our region was notified last spring that we have been awarded 8 of 60 Model Transition Program grants statewide. Locally, the Greater Southern Tier BOCES (GST) will coordinate four of these projects that encompass all 21 local component districts. We are the only BOCES region in the New York State that has the entire region receiving the benefits of this grant. Elmira was also awarded an MTP grant for the two high schools, Elmira Free Academy and Southside. Additionally, there were two grants awarded in the Ithaca area and another grant in the Finger Lakes BOCES region. Whenever possible, we network to share resources.
The five MTP grants in our GST BOCES region will bring resources into the GST region over the next 3.5 years. These funds are earmarked to improve transition services to students with disabilities and to better prepare them for referral to Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities (VESID), ultimately resulting in more students with disabilities becoming successfully employed in our region.
The NYSED VESID has also awarded a contract to Cornell University to conduct the research and a contract to the University at Buffalo to provide training to the sixty grants statewide.
Our region is building on the practices and collaborations that were started over ten years ago while implementing the Career Link Project, funded by VESID using IDEA funds. Our philosophy then and now is collaborate to find creative solutions and to build capacity within our communities to support and sustain successful transition practices.
We are proud to have the support of our partnering agencies including The CSS Workforce New York, Corning Community College, Alfred State College, AIM Independent Living Center, Allegany ARC,Chemung, ARC, Steuben ARC, Schuyler ARC, and VESID. Since initiation, the MTP has supported assessments, job shadowing, job coaching, work experience, three regional career fairs, driver permits and training, college visits and experiences, soft skills trainings, collaborations such as the Transition Support Group (TSG) and so much more.
We are anxious to showcase the best practices we presently support (Unique Programming, Parent Participation, Work Experiences and College Training), develop additional practices to address gaps and with the tremendous influx of additional fiscal and human resources to this region, substantially increase successful transitions of students with disabilities.
