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State Board hears transition services, Project SEARCH interns highlight employment gains
Summary
Students and Project SEARCH staff told the State Board of Education that immersive internships and coordinated transition planning help many students with disabilities move into postsecondary education and competitive employment; presenters cited placement rates and described employer partnerships.
At the State Board of Education meeting on May 13, presenters outlined how transition services and the Project SEARCH internship model help students with disabilities prepare for work and independent adult life.
Nancy Rotarious, special education consultant, said transition services are defined by the Rehabilitation Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and pointed to federal indicators the state must track. Rotarious said Michigan’s Office of Special Education encourages districts to begin transition planning before age 16 and to use personal curricula to support measurable postsecondary goals.
Project SEARCH presenters described the model as a 100% immersive internship hosted in community businesses. Sarah Winslow, statewide program director, said about 85% of Project SEARCH interns “find employment within nine months” of exiting the program and that the model emphasizes competitive, integrated employment at prevailing wages. She added, “A third of the interns are hired typically right in that host business.”
Several interns and former interns spoke directly to the board. Colton, a Van Buren Technical Center student, described internships that led him to software engineering classes and workplace accommodations that made work possible. Henry Aaron Kabisma, a Lighthouse Academy senior, told the board how NAF and JMG programs and on-site visits (including hospitality-industry tours) improved his confidence and led him to graduate early. Nicholas Soma, a Project SEARCH intern, said his preferred internship was the MSU library because it helped him travel independently and learn workplace skills.
Board members asked about employer willingness and graduation requirements. Project SEARCH representatives and career-technical education staff said employers have been receptive and that CTE students follow the same state graduation requirements with some options for waivers and personal curricula to support individualized paths.
The presentation was informational and required no board action. The board thanked students and staff and discussed maintaining funding and supports so transition gains are sustained.
