Transition Specialists
NYSED has established 10 Regional Special Education Technical Assistance Support Centers (RSE-TASC) to act as a coordinated statewide network of special education technical assistance centers.
RSE-TASC are specifically structured with resources that will provide expertise to school districts to improve core instructional programs that research has shown to be effective for students with disabilities and to provide improved coordination of regional resources and accountability to NYSED for results. Each RSE-TASC includes both regional technical assistance specialists and special education school improvement specialists who are located within each Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) and in each of the Big Five School Districts (Buffalo, New York City, Syracuse, Rochester and Yonkers). While the regional specialists will provide training and technical assistance to groups of school districts across the region, the special education school improvement specialists will be working solely with those school districts identified by NYSED for ongoing school district improvement in core instructional areas for students with disabilities.
Within each RSE-TASC, there are Transition Specialists to work with school districts to improve the school to post school transition planning process for students with disabilities.
Region 1 – Long Island
Matthew Jurgens
Cathy Pantelides
(631) 218-4197
Region 2 – Lower Hudson Valley
Kathleen Casey
(914) 248-2278
Region 3 – Mid-Hudson
Carol Bliefernich
(845) 486-4840, ext 3028
Region 4 – Capital District/North Country
Letah Graff
(518) 464-3947
Candida Tavernier
(518) 483-5230
Region 5 – Central
Kati Ferguson
(315) 793-8648
Region 6 – Mid-State
Open
(315) 433-2639
Region 7 – Mid-South
Hildreth Rose(607) 765-8403
Region 8 – Mid-West
Jennifer Cacioppo(585) 249-7027
Region 9 – West
Lisa Dearlove
(716) 821-7521
Region 10 – New York City
Karen Brown
Irene Kawamura
Paula Shorter
Katea Dale
(718) 391-6844
Professional Development Available
- Transition Assessments to Inform the Development of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) will provide school personnel with information on identification and selection of transition assessments and how information from such assessments relate directly to IEP development.