In March of this year, hundreds of Indiana teachers across the state tuned in for a series of virtual trainings on the use of digital transition portfolios for high school students. Every Indiana student will soon be working with their high school teachers to add records and documents about employment abilities, assessments, and experiences they've had during their years in school. Students with IEPs and their transition teams will include additional information about the student's strengths, preferences, interests, and needs.
When a student graduates or leaves school, they can take their portfolio with them and continue to add to it themselves or as they work with community employment specialists or other support staff. Portfolios give students a one-stop-online-shop where they can not only store information but also share it with employers as they look for jobs, develop their careers, and enter the workforce. Portfolios can be formatted in a number of ways. Google Sites and Indiana Career Explorer are the two of the most popular approved platforms schools are using.
IIDC's Indiana Secondary Transition Resource Team, which facilitated the five transition portfolio training modules, has archived the trainings on its Transition Portfolio Training and Technical Assistance page. INSTRC staff are also offering weekly, virtual office hours to Indiana teachers who are navigating the process of building portfolios with their students.
