THE NEW MEXICO TRANSITION SPECIALIST CADRE:

From the Summer 2000 and 2001 Transition Institutes, two cadres of 35 “transition specialists” were identified by their school districts to take the lead in developing or improving local systems' capacities to support appropriate transition services. They committed to participating in five training and technical assistance activities, preparing information for colleagues and community partners, and developing and carrying out action plans to address critical local priorities, all centered around the focus of student development. By 2003, this network had grown to approximately 75 transition coordinators meeting quarterly throughout the year for training and collaboration and also leading their respective local teams to the annual Summer Transition Institute, guided by Dr. Paula Kohler and other national partners.

Since those earlier years, the network has opened up to an email listserve of over 500 interested parties, face-to-face meetings, 3 videoconferences annually, and the Summer Transition Institute. These efforts are primarily funded by the N.M. Public Education Department Special Education Bureau, with additional support that has varied from year to year, including:

• National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center
• Regional Education Cooperatives 3, 4, 5, 6, and IX
• New Mexico Highlands University
• Mountain Plains Regional Resource Center
• University of Oklahoma Zarrow Center
• University of Northern Colorado Project TRAC
• University of Kansas Transition Coalition
• N.M. Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
• New Mexico Department of Health
• Albuquerque Public Schools
• University of New Mexico