As a Transition Coordinator with The Menta Education Group, you will prepare students aged 14-22 to embrace life after school in a behavioral, emotional and social capacity. You will bridge the critical gap between school and adult life by implementing an "outside-the-school-walls" mindset that centers on fostering student independence, building robust community networks and navigating the real world.
Hillside, IL.
General Staff Hours 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Monday-Friday. Occasional Responsibilities beyond work hours.
Responsibilities
Student Support, Coaching & Self-Advocacy
Supervision & Behavioral Management: Supervise students in groups and individually, monitoring behavior to ensure alignment with programmatic expectations.
Student Counseling: Counsel students on personal, social, behavioral, or academic issues affecting their educational progress.
Person-Centered Planning: Ensure every student actively leads or participates in their own Individualized Education Program (IEP) transition meetings. Utilize assistive technology, visual choice boards or person-centered tools to provide a voice for students with limited or non-verbal communication.
Goal Realism & Guidance: Manage complex dynamics where a student's post-secondary dream conflicts with parental wishes or current skill realities. Apply strategies like "failing safely" (e.g., career-testing, job shadowing and temporary classes) alongside stepping-stone goals to gently navigate reality without crushing student ambition.
Compliance, Data, & Transition Assessments
Student Evaluations: Evaluate individual student abilities, interests and personality characteristics using tests, records, interviews and professional sources.
Multi-Faceted Assessment: Administer age-appropriate formal and informal transition assessments evaluating independent living, travel/transit skills, and actual work behaviors to formulate compliant, measurable post-secondary goals.
IDEA Compliance: Apply strong knowledge of Individualized Education Act (IDEA) transition mandates to draft audited, highly scrutinized goals and dynamically pivot plans based on assessment data.
Rigorous Progress Tracking: Utilize robust organizational systems such as digital tracking tools, rubric-based feedback from job coaches, and student self-monitoring checklists to track and document progress when students are off-campus at work-based learning sites.
Collaboration, Networking & Program Development
Community Site Development: Develop and maintain strong relationships with community sites, public transit systems, and external agencies.
Work-Based Opportunities: Develop work-study programs, internships, and volunteer opportunities for students to gain competitive experience while completing their high school curriculum.
Agency Connections: Manage the "Service Cliff" by facilitating warm handovers introducing families directly to agency contacts and connecting students with Vocational Rehabilitation (VR), Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS), and developmental disability boards.
Business Empathy & Partnerships: Proactively engage local business owners, pitching inclusive hiring benefits and demonstrating how a transitioning student adds tangible value to their workforce.
Workplace Intervention & Crisis Management
Workplace Learning Labs: Safely intervene when work-based placements experience friction, behavioral incidents, or employer misunderstandings.
Student Independence Coaching: Use workplace mistakes as a live curriculum, coaching students on how to navigate portals, look up records, request legal accommodations,and repair professional relationships independently rather than filling out paperwork for them.
Qualifications
Education: Bachelor’s Degree strongly preferred.
Background in education or social work preferred.
Regulatory Knowledge: Demonstrate deep, compliance-centered knowledge of transitioning students as per the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandates.
Transition & Coaching Experience: Documented knowledge and/or experience placing and coaching students in jobs, as well as assisting them in transitioning to college, career, and independent life.
Systemic Mindset: Demonstrated ability to constantly focus on the "real world," utilizing community agency networks, public transit routes, and outer-community resources.
Behavioral & Performance Knowledge: Knowledge of human behavior, performance, and specific student needs (e.g., Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD).
Professional Soft Skills: High level of professionalism, strong decision-making skills, and the ability to communicate calmly, transparently, and effectively in writing across varied audiences, including resistant families, school teams, and litigious stakeholders.
This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive, and the employee shall perform other reasonably related school duties as assigned by administrators. This organization reserves the right to revise or change job duties and responsibilities as the need arises. This job description does not constitute a written or implied contract of employment.
Compensation & Benefits
In accordance with the Pay Transparency amendment to the Illinois Equal Pay Act of 2003, information about pay ranges and employee benefits can be found at the following links:
Compensation Information:
Salary Range $40,000 to $75,000 annually
https://menta.com/compensation-arizona-and-illinois/
Our benefits package includes comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance; paid time off (PTO); and a 403(b) retirement plan with an employer match. For more information visit: https://menta.com/employee-benefits-full-time/
About Country Club Hills Tech & Trade
At CCH, we are dedicated to transforming lives and empowering our students through individualized support and exceptional instruction. Our mission is to create a nurturing and inclusive environment where students of all abilities can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.
Our core values drive our commitment to each student’s success. We believe in fostering a culture of respect, understanding, and acceptance, where every student is valued for their unique strengths and potential. Through personalized educational plans, we strive to meet the individual needs of each student, recognizing that no two learners are alike.
Our passionate and highly skilled educators are devoted to creating a safe and engaging learning environment. They employ innovative teaching strategies, leveraging technology and evidence-based practices, to unlock each student’s full potential. With a focus on differentiated instruction, we provide tailored support, addressing academic challenges and nurturing personal growth.
We understand that the journey to success extends beyond the classroom. Our comprehensive approach encompasses therapeutic interventions, counseling services, and a collaborative network of professionals, including social workers, speech therapists, and occupational therapists. We work closely with families and the broader community to ensure a holistic support system for our students.
We are committed to fostering resilience, self-advocacy, and lifelong learning skills. We empower students to become confident, independent thinkers and compassionate individuals who are prepared to navigate the complexities of the world. Through a combination of academic excellence, therapeutic support, and personalized attention, we strive to equip our students with the tools they need to overcome obstacles, reach their full potential, and discover their own unique paths to success.
The Country Club Hills Tech and Trade Center Transition Program is for young adults, ages 18-22, with unique learning, behavioral, social and emotional needs. This program helps prepare our Trainees for adulthood by providing career exploration, customized employment, specialized vocational and academic instruction embedded with Social Emotional Learning, and comprehensive support services.
Classroom instruction provides students with individualized strategies that are tailor made to meet the unique needs of each student. Our staff provide Trainees with frequent feedback, that is positive in nature, regarding their behavior and skills as they engage with others during the school day and while in the community. As Trainees continue to refine their skills, they have opportunities to generalize and apply their newly developed skills in various activities out in the community with the support of staff members.
The Transition Program also utilizes a pay level system to teach and reinforce LABOR expectations and the related skills needed to meet those expectations. Trainees earn work points by participating in assigned tasks and activities. Behavior points are earned for appropriate behavior. Bonus Points may be earned for meeting their LABOR expectations. Trainees enter our program on Level One and progress to Level Four. Students receive bi-monthly paychecks that are calculated based on the number of points earned and the Trainee’s pay level.
Students who are not engaged in the learning process and cannot be easily redirected or re-engaged are referred to the Unemployment Office. The focus while in this space is on teaching and reinforcing prosocial behaviors utilizing a variety of non-restrictive behavioral interventions that are consistent with the student’s behavior intervention plan.
Our holistic educational approach, that is modeled after real life experiences in the workplace, learning environment, and community is designed to support each Trainee as they strive to reach their individualized level of independence.
Students Served: PK-21
Professional Associations and/or Partnerships
The Menta Education Group affiliates are members/partners with CEC, CASE, Autism Speaks, ASBA, AAPSEC, AASA, CCSSO, SEAA, ASCD, and many more associations that focus on the education of children with disabilities.
Equal Opportunity Employer
The Menta Education Group (“Menta”) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, sex (including sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, gender identity and gender expression), color, national origin, religion, age, pregnancy or related conditions, veteran status, sexual orientation, disability or any other basis protected under federal, state or local law. Any individual needing assistance in making an application for any opening should contact Menta’s office.
