Project CONNECT Site Coordinators
Project CONNECT RFP Work Plan

Project CONNECT is a statewide Transition initiative that focuses on improving interagency collaboration in Transition planning at the community level through the formation or reinvigoration of local community transition teams. The project is housed at the Transition Center at the University of Florida.

The mission of project CONNECT is to identify promising practices for providing comprehensive and continuous transition services from school to post-school adult life for students with disbilities by enhancing community partnerships.

Project CONNECT Sites:

• Beginning 1998 - 1999:
  • Gadsden
  • Monroe
  • St. Johns
  • Sarasota / Manatee
  • Volusia / Flagler
• Beginning 2000 - 2001:
  • Brevard
  • Broward
  • Lee
  • Marion
  • Okaloosa
  • Osceola
  • Putnam
  • Santa Rosa
• Beginning 2001 - 2002:
  • Citrus
  • Duval
  • Escambia
  • Martin
  • Pinellas
• Beginning 2002 - 2003:
  • Baker
  • Glades / Hendry
  • Hillsborough
  • Leon
  • Taylor
  • Wakulla
• Beginning 2003 - 2004:
  • Hamilton
  • Hernando
  • Nassau
  • Orange
  • Polk
  • St. Lucie
• Beginning 2004 - 2005:
  • Alachua
  • Columbia
  • Lake
  • PAEC (Calhoun, Franklin, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Liberty, Walton, Washington)
• Beginning 2005 - 2006:
  • Clay
  • Indian River
  • Levy
  • Miami/Dade
• Beginning 2006 - 2007
  • Charlotte
  • Gilchrist
  • Pasco
• Beginning 2007 - 2008
  • Bradford
  • Collier
  • Palm Beach
  • Union

Purpose of Project CONNECT:

• To form or revitalize a local community transition team.
• Identify strengths, gaps, and barriers to interagency collaboration in transition planning.
• Develop local solutions.
• Develop local interagency agreements or ways of working.
• Implement effective transition practices.
• Develop a statewide infrastructure for support and collaboration.
• Collect data to identify needs and evaluate implementation.

Project CONNECT is sponsored by:

• The Florida Department of Education, Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services (BEESS)
• The Florida Developmental Disabilities Council
• The Transition Center at the University of Florida

Project CONNECT coorperates with the Transition to Independence Process (TIP) Project at the Louis de Parte Florida Mental Health Institute at the University of South Florida to announce joint projects and transition contacts meeting from time to time. Click here to see a list of TIP Demonstration Sites Contact Persons.