OSTC March 4th – 6th 2026 was great!
Can you believe it? We have completed OSTC 2026! Stay tuned for information regarding 2027. Planning and details will be made available as soon as we know more. Likely, by July 1st, we can announce locations and dates. Until then, be well and rest easy!
OSTC History
The Oregon Statewide Transition Conference (OSTC) began in 1972 as the Oregon Association of Vocational and Special Needs Personnel (OAVSNP) with an affiliation with the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) and a focus on preparing youth for successful careers. For many years, OSTC operated as a 501(c)(6) non-profit. In fall 2024, OSTC management was transferred to the Secondary Special Education and Transition research unit at the University of Oregon (UO).
UO manages the day-to-day conference operations. Long-time Oregon agencies and community partners continue to have a strong presence and support for the conference, including Oregon Department of Education, Oregon Vocational Rehabilitation, and Office of Developmental Disability Services.
Our Conference
OSTC is the only statewide conference for “all things” related to secondary transition for students and youth — ages 14 through 24, or from middle school to early post-secondary years — who experience disability.
The original focus of preparing youth for successful careers has been expanded to include preparation for success in education, independent living, and community engagement, including topics of belonging, self-care, youth employment.
This model dovetails nicely to allow educators and community partners to learn about specific topics of interest or to help foster awareness of what may be possible.
Our Audience
Audiences for OSTC are broad –vocational rehabilitation counselors, middle and high school educators and administrators, Pre-ETS providers, instructional/educational assistants, personal/direct service workers, and the research community. We all meet up to network with peers, share best practices, learn with and from each other, and gain new tools to use at work each day.
Presenters include young people who share their lived experience and inspire our members to keep doing the work they do. Presentation styles are varied from panel presentations, hands-on workshops, as well as short-and long- lecture style presentations. Each day holds a keynote session, and speakers who share their journeys and describe how partners helped them transition into adulthood.
New for 2026 is a “pre-conference” workshop designed for “just in time” information. Learn something new in the these courses and implement change come Monday!
Additionally, Accreditation of CEU and CRCC credits are given.
* Funding for this page provided by OSTC.