Impact Day is designed for secondary educators who want to strengthen how they support students with disabilities throughout their high school careers and beyond. Throughout the day, school-based presenters will share real examples and approaches for opening up more opportunities for learners—whether that means accessing advanced classes, pursuing career pathways, or preparing for life after high school. The sessions will highlight ways schools can build stronger systems, increase access, and help students with disabilities move confidently toward their next steps.
In the morning, participants will explore how schools can build strong systems for exceptional learners for post-secondary success. We’ll at traditional pathways, CDOS, and the state’s new Portrait of a Graduate. The session will focus on creating meaningful experiences in high school that are designed to ensure post-secondary success, progress monitoring those experiences, and ensuring students receive the supports they need to navigate post-secondary options effectively.
In the afternoon, the focus shifts to student self-advocacy and the transition from IEP support in K–12 to higher education (where individuals with disabilities usually have to purposefully seek out any supports they need). Participants will examine how to help students understand their learning profiles, practice self-disclosure, and navigate access to on-campus and external supports like ACCESS-VR—so students are prepared to take the lead in their own post-secondary journeys.
By the end of day, participants will be able to:
- Explain CDOS and other postsecondary pathways for students with disabilities
- Design systems that support college and career readiness and post–high school persistence
- Help students build self-advocacy skills, including understanding their strengths, needs, and accommodations
- Support students in identifying and accessing postsecondary and community-based resources
Facilitators: Angelica Maddox, Clementina Jose, Najee Warner, and Nick Kaiser
