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CHECK IT OUT!!
CHECK IT OUT!!
The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) and the Virginia Dept. Of Education (VDOE) are collaborating on a statewide workgroup. Virginia school counselors and access providers are invited to join the 2026–27 My Virginia Pathway (MVP) Statewide Workgroup and help shape a new statewide postsecondary planning experience for Virginia students. MVP is Virginia’s new pathways tool, built to support students in exploring careers and postsecondary options.
Virginia school counselors and access providers are invited to join the workgroup and help shape a new statewide postsecondary planning experience for Virginia students. Workgroup members will have the opportunity to use MVP with students, provide feedback on the student and educator experience, and help inform how the tool can support Academic and Career Planning, postsecondary exploration, and advising across Virginia.
Selected workgroup members will:
· Participate in a virtual kickoff and My Virginia Pathway demonstration;
· Complete guided opportunities to use the tool with students during the school year;
· Participate in three virtual check-ins to share feedback and recommendations;
· Help identify resources and supports needed for statewide implementation; and
· Contribute directly to the development of a statewide student planning experience.
Participation also provides meaningful state-level workgroup and resource-development experience that can be included in a professional portfolio or résumé.
Professional Development Perk - Workgroup members will receive a complimentary 2027 Virginia School Counselor Association (VSCA) conference registration as part of their participation.
Interested? Complete the My Virginia Pathway Statewide Workgroup Interest Form by September 25, 2026.
"School counselors act as critical connectors across education, employment, and adult services to ensure transition planning leads to real, measurable outcomes for students with disabilities. Our latest Fast Facts resource, School Counselors & Transition Planning: Essential Questions & Expert Answers, provides practical, evidence-based strategies to help school teams navigate the postsecondary journey. From sequencing community-based work experiences and promoting student-led IEPs to coordinating early agency referrals with partners such as DARS, this quick-reference resource provides clear answers to help counselors develop actionable roadmaps for life after high school. Download the free Fast Facts guide today!"
Why Peers—Not Just Programs—Can Ease Students’ Transition to High School
Why Peers—Not Just Programs—Can Ease Students’ Transition to High School
"Each year, middle school students enter high school unprepared. Not because they lack the ability to handle it, but because they lack the guidance and support outside of academics. The transition from middle school to high school is the most critical and influential transition period in a teenager's life. We cannot expect students to succeed academically if we fail to prepare them with the mindset, habits, and support to navigate the change."
Join VirginiaCAN for their quarterly Coffee Chats, a series of short, engaging conversations designed to support college access professionals across Virginia. Each session runs from 10:00 AM to 10:45 AM and focuses on timely topics that impact our work with students and families. Sessions are led by access experts across Virginia.
Quarter 1 – October 22, 2026
Topic: Building a Financial Aid Awareness Strategy
Quarter 2 – September 22, 2026
Topic: What’s New and What to Expect in College Access This Year
Quarter 3 – February 18, 2027
Topic: Disability Awareness and Postsecondary Transition Points
Quarter 4 – April 21, 2027
Topic: How to Do a Winning Presentation
Connecting the Academic and Career Plan and the IEP (Fast Facts)
Connecting the Academic and Career Plan and the IEP (Fast Facts)
This week, we want to highlight a Fast Fact that shows how aligning the Academic and Career Plan (ACP) with the IEP can strengthen transition planning and student outcomes. This short PDF explains why connecting these two tools matters, how collaboration across school teams supports alignment, and ways to meaningfully involve students and families in planning for life after high school. With a strong focus on self-advocacy and long-term goals, the Fast Fact offers practical guidance to help make career and postsecondary planning more intentional, student-centered, and impactful. Check it out today and check out the archived webcast featuring a panel discussing the same topic!
Topical Paper on Elevating Student Voice in Education
Did you know that students who believe they have a voice in school are seven times more likely to be academically motivated? Our topical paper, "Student Voice: A Growing Movement Within Education that Benefits Students and Teachers," authored by Kendel St. John and Lori Briel, explores how shifting away from traditional, teacher-directed instruction empowers students to play an active, equal role in planning, learning, and leading. By intentionally inviting student input and offering choices in the classroom, educators can significantly boost motivation, enhance self-worth, and help youth build essential self-advocacy habits—including setting personal goals and leading their own IEP meetings. Download your free copy of the paper today!
Next Transition Talk: Work-Based Learning
"Save the date for September 22, 2026, from 3:30-4:30 PM for our next live Transition Talk Q&A on Zoom. The topic for this conversation is work-based learning. Work-based learning experiences help students build real-world skills, explore career interests, and prepare for employment success."
Collaborative Partners
Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS)
Navigating state agency supports doesn't have to be overwhelming! Connecting transition-age youth with the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) is essential for building a successful path to employment and independence, but knowing where and when to start is key. We’ve officially updated our Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) Fast Facts guide! Whether you're an educator looking to streamline student referrals, a parent exploring Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS), or a service provider guiding families through the process, this quick-reference resource takes the guesswork out of collaborating with DARS. Download the newly updated guide and simplify your transition planning today!
Welcome back to school and to another year of helping students prepare for their futures!
Fall is an exciting time as we kick off our Level Up Events, look ahead to the opening of the FAFSA, and gather resources to support students as they begin navigating the college application process. We’re excited for another year of partnering with you and providing tools, opportunities, and support you need to help your students reach their college and career goals!
Save the Date for the 2026-2027 Level Up Events:
ECMC College Nights in Virginia: October 2026 - April 2027
Virginia College Application Week: October 19 - 23, 2026 & October 26-30, 2026
FAF$A Next: October 2026 - February 2027
Decision Day VA: On or around May 1st
We are thrilled to officially announce the VCAN 2026 conference registration taking place Wednesday, December 2, 2026, through Friday, December 4, 2026, at The Founders Inn in Virginia Beach, Virginia is now LIVE!
Resources for Families/Caregivers
Resources for Families/Caregivers
College Admissions Workshops
College Admissions Workshops
Join more than 50,000+ families who have gained valuable insights about college planning at our free online and in-person workshops
The mission of LINK for Counselors is to provide information that keeps High School and Transfer Counselors informed. Everything we provide to you is free, at no-cost to you or your school.
A blog of content from our award winning magazine and other sources
College Profiles from Colleges and Universities that want to reach your students
College Night Handouts that you can download free to use in your resource center or to hand out at College Fairs
The most recent digital edition of LINK for Counselors
Easy registration to sign up for the magazine or our bi-weekly e-newsletter
The ThinkCollege National Coordinating Center has recently published a hyperdoc that shares links to about a dozen great resources related to transition to postsecondary education for students with intellectual disability. Make a copy of the doc and share it with your network.
Find MANY helpful videos on topics such as creating an FSA ID & trouble shooting issues, FAFSA form tips, student loan repayment and MORE.
Here is a quick online program Counselor’s might want to check out that will bring you up to speed on all the NCAA eligibility changes. It is self-paced so you can learn on your own schedule.
More Resources for Student's With Disabilities
More Resources for Student's With Disabilities
This collection of Assistive Technology (AT) encompasses a variety of tools employed by college campuses to accommodate a range of learning preferences and needs. Integrating these technologies into a student's Individualized Education Program (IEP) accommodations can ensure they are well-equipped and familiar with the necessary technology upon their arrival at college. Download the resource today for reference.
Inclusive Postsecondary Education Resource
THINK COLLEGE is a national coordinating center for inclusive postsecondary education options and has developed a resource to assist middle and high school students with intellectual disabilities in preparing for college. The chart, Prepare for the Expectations of College in High School, covers three areas of postsecondary expectations: personal independence, academic engagement, and civic and social engagement. This resource may provide teams with suggestions for transition services and annual goals that support students with disabilities in attending college.
Think College launched their “Think Higher. Think College.” campaign to build awareness and expand access to college for students with intellectual disability. Check out their wonderful page of resources for educators!
This video series provides teachers and school personnel with a framework for organizing the five components of secondary transition planning in the areas of student-focused planning, family involvement, student development, program structure, and interagency collaboration. Check them out today.
"ACE-IT in College, VCU’s inclusive postsecondary program, is hosting three open houses this fall before the 2026 application goes live! This is an excellent opportunity to learn more about VCU, ACE-IT in College's inclusive postsecondary program, and the application process. Open houses will be held on campus on two Saturdays, September 27th and October 25th, and a virtual open house will be held on Wednesday, November 5th, in the evening. Please spread the word and RSVP to attend. "
Preparing students with disabilities for their futures
Preparing students with disabilities for their futures
"Virginia's Collaborative Model for Pre-Employment Transition Services offers the resources necessary to enrich Pre-ETS initiatives in the state. We provide the tools for collaborating, communicating, and coordinating services with student teams to improve postsecondary outcomes for students with disabilities. Explore resources spanning all five Pre-ETS categories, and join us in empowering every student's journey to success!"
ASCA Webinar: College and Career Support for Students with Disabilities Webinar
"College- and career-readiness supports are not equitable for all students. Disparities exists for a number of students, including students with disabilities. Those gaps are even more prominent among students of color with disabilities. Learn about results from the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2012, one of the only large-scale data sets that allows for a nationwide examination of these groups during and after high school. The secondary analyses is currently being conducted and continues to show disparities in college- and career-readiness supports between students with and students without disabilities. Learn about these findings along with concrete solutions for college- and career-readiness program delivery, management and assessment."
Other Helpful Resources
Other Helpful Resources
What is High-Quality Work-Based Learning?
Since 2018, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) has included high-quality work-based learning (WBL) as one of the options for meeting state graduation requirements. To graduate, students are required to either complete:
An Advanced Placement, honors, International Baccalaureate, or dual-enrollment course; or
Participate in an HQWBL experience; or
Earn a CTE credential.
"Work-based Learning (WBL) is a cornerstone of career readiness, offering students the opportunity to bridge classroom learning with real-world experiences. In Virginia, the integration of WBL aligns closely with the 3E Readiness Framework, which emphasizes the importance of preparing students for employment, enlistment, or enrollment in postsecondary education following high school graduation. This framework ensures that students engage in meaningful, outcome-based experiences that build upon their academic foundation and equip them for sustainable pathways in their future careers."
Transfer VA Overview Video for High School Counselors
This video provides an overview of the Transfer Virginia initiative and portal specifically for high school counselors and those working with high school students. Learn how to make the most of this resource.
TransferVirginia.org became available to students across the Commonwealth in November, 2021. The goal now is to get the TransferVirginia portal and the Credit2Careers portal available across Virginia on educational websites K-20 as applicable. The Transfer Virginia and Credits2Careers access flyer provides you with the needed information to add a presence on your school and division website. Legislation requires that these portals be highly accessible to students, adults, and veterans. Please help be a part of this effort!
College Transition for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): This video series highlights lived experiences and advice from college students with ASD as well as parents, high school counselors and college professors who provided important supports during the transition from high school to college. This video highlights the experience of a school counselor related to the transition of students with disabilities from high school to college.
College & Career Readiness Resources
College & Career Readiness Resources
Easily find scholarships that fit you
Fastweb is a free scholarship search platform that connects students to college scholarships, trade school scholarships, and financial aid tools. Our goal is to help you find scholarships to make college or vocational school more affordable.
"MajorClarity helps ensure that every student’s education leads to a successful career outcome, whether through a liberal arts degree or jumping straight into the workforce."
Seeds of Fortune is an online platform that helps young women of color in high school prepare for college by helping them apply for scholarships and career opportunities, including the following programs:
The Girls Start Up Business Plan helps girls develop social enterprise business ideas that will have an impact on the community in which they live, play, learn and work. Participants will have the opportunity to create a start-up business and website with help from Wix.com, present their business website to judges and receive college prep resources. Learn more on the Seeds of Fortune Website.
Danny Rubin’s YouTube Channel provides access to virtual internship videos, webinars with professionals sharing about careers, videos to help students prepare for interviews, and SO MUCH MORE!
VTOP Student Internship Toolkit
This series of online modules will cover topics such as tools and strategies for seeking an internship, resume development, interviews, preparing for your first few days in the internship, maximizing your experience, and ending the internship professionally. Check out more resources here and view the VTOP informational one pager for more information!
Discovering ME! helps students with significant barriers to employment find and maintain employment in careers that align with their strengths and interests. Discovering ME! uses a youth-focused and person-centered transition assessment to build a foundation of work skills and customized work-based learning experiences.
This free guide is designed to assist student teams in implementing the Discovering ME! process. Through this process, students with significant barriers to employment will build early, customized work-based learning experiences.
Career Exploration
Career Exploration
For Students with Disabilities
For Students with Disabilities
Excellent assessment for EL students or students with disabilities. This super-quick quiz doesn't require any reading at all. Students can choose the images that appeal to them most and discover how their choices can point them toward their ideal career. Based on the well-respected Holland Code system, this quiz provides a brief yet complete assessment of student’s career interest areas.
VirtualJobShadow.com empowers individuals to discover, plan and pursue their dreams with our unique video-based career planning platform. Our interactive tools help students and job seekers develop career paths based on choice, not chance.
A website for career exploration - whether you know what you want to do or NOT.
A website for career exploration - whether you know what you want to do or NOT.
The site that helps individuals define their roadmap to discover who they are, where they are going, and the first steps to get there.
"A one-stop source to connect career seekers, employers, and education partners with apprenticeship resources."
"A one-stop source to connect career seekers, employers, and education partners with apprenticeship resources."
VIRTUAL JOB SHADOW
VIRTUAL JOB SHADOW
Are you using the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) Special Education Instructional Services (SEIS) purchased subscriptions for Virtual Job Shadow? If so, check out these great, new, and free features:
Virtual Job Shadow (VJS) has just released the O*NET Ability Profiler Aptitude Test! This can be used as an “age appropriate transition assessment”. It measures job-relevant abilities with automatic scoring for end users in verbal, math, computation, spatial, form perception and clerical perception. There is no cost associated with this assessment, if you are using the VDOE SEIS subscription.
The Scholarship Search is now active and available on the Dashboard under the Colleges tab. Students can refine the search filters by: a) State, b) School Type, c) Award Amount, and d) Area of Study.
Another new feature in the Career Central section is Choosing a First Job. This can be daunting for many students. VJS has included a new filter in the Career Central section. Students will soon be able to sort by "First Jobs" and see what types of jobs would be a good fit for someone entering the workforce.
Virtual Job Shadow Junior (VJS JR) also added a new feature. The Spanish-language translation is now available for the Career Clusters Interest Survey (CCIS-EZ) assessment in VJS JR. This is an abbreviated version of the Career Clusters Interest Survey that matches a student's interests to Career Clusters based on the activities they most enjoy.
Roadmaps help us start a journey and track our progress on that journey. VJS has created roadmaps for students, and this can be located under the Quick Start Resources section of the Help Center. They also just added a Pre- Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) Roadmap, and it is aligned with the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). It is intended to support students on their transition into adulthood.
What You Need to Know
What You Need to Know
WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE SCHOOL COUNSELOR IN TRANSITION PLANNING?
"You are Important! School Counselors can provide many valuable insights at an IEP meeting, from knowledge of postsecondary education programs to school classes and preparations that lead to successful post-school entry. Counselors can help IEP team members think ahead and prepare students in their course of study so they have the scope and sequence of classes needed for admission to postsecondary programs or entry into high quality employment following high school exit."
This module provides information for counselors and other education professionals to assist high school students with disabilities in the transition from the school environment to a post-school setting (est. completion time: 1.5 hours).
"Successful transition planning that includes postsecondary and education goals, with continued engagement and partnership with VR and Education, may increase students’ ability to reach their education and employment goals. Use these resources to support youth to reach their post-secondary education goals."
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