Chicago Public Schools Hosts Transition Fair for Students with Disabilities

Annual event connects students to post-secondary opportunities and support services.

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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Chicago Public Schools recently hosted its annual OSD Transition Fair, a two-day event that connects students with disabilities to post-secondary opportunities. The fair featured resume clinics, workshops, and enrollment support from City Colleges of Chicago. Over 1,300 high school students from more than 80 schools across the city attended the event, which aims to help students with disabilities plan for life after graduation.

Why it matters

Students with disabilities often face additional challenges in transitioning to life after high school, with lower graduation and college enrollment rates compared to their peers. The transition fair provides crucial resources and support to help these students explore post-secondary options and access the services they need to succeed.

The details

The transition fair included mock interviews, career exploration activities using virtual reality, and assistance with enrolling in City Colleges of Chicago. Students were able to connect with vendors advertising job opportunities and learn about obtaining a Chicago CityKey ID. Teachers like Vince McCollum brought their students to the event to ensure they could make informed decisions about their futures.

  • The OSD Transition Fair took place on February 26-27, 2026.

The players

Lui Sarinan

A 17-year-old senior at Amundsen High School who participated in mock interviews and explored summer job opportunities at the transition fair.

Juman Kekhia

A manager at Chicago Public Schools' Office for Students with Disabilities who conducted mock interviews with students at the event.

Vince McCollum

An Amundsen High School teacher who brought a group of about 20 seniors to the transition fair to help them make informed decisions about their futures.

Joshua Long

The leader of Chicago Public Schools' special education department, who emphasized the importance of the transition fair in supporting students with disabilities as they move away from personalized support services at their schools.

Dalia Pineda

An 18-year-old senior at Acero Garcia High School who completed her residency verification with City Colleges staff at the event, allowing her to enroll in classes after graduation.

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What they’re saying

“I think our world and our country set up a very specific way, and if you don't follow that mold, it's very easy to fall into the cracks. I think it's important to be able to educate students on what their own choices are.”

— Vince McCollum, Amundsen High School teacher (Chicago Tribune)

“In a lot of conversations, students with disabilities aren't necessarily the first population that people think about, when we think about what's after high school. We have to really force that conversation to say, 'Okay, what resources are there?'”

— Joshua Long, Leader of Chicago Public Schools' special education department (Chicago Tribune)

The takeaway

The transition fair highlights the critical need to provide comprehensive support and resources to students with disabilities as they prepare for life after high school. By connecting these students to post-secondary opportunities and services, Chicago Public Schools is working to ensure they have the tools they need to succeed in the next chapter of their lives.