TNSTEP

10/06/2026

Life after high school can feel like a big question mark — and students don’t have to have all the answers yet.

Transition planning as part of the IEP process helps students think about what they want life to look like after high school, including goals for education, employment, independent living, and more.

A great place to start? Helping students better understand their own strengths, interests, preferences, and needs — and build the skills to speak up for themselves along the way. 💬

I’m Determined offers free tools and resources to help youth do just that.

Explore the youth resources from I’m Determined:
https://imdetermined.org/youth/

A place for youth to get started with information, resources and upcoming events. Meet our youth leaders or apply to be a youth leader!

10/02/2026

The Army Community Service (ACS) Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) is hosting a Special Needs Community Expo and Job Fair. This EFMP and Employment Readiness (ERP) event fosters an inclusive, supportive, and fun environment for military families with family members who have special needs.

Stop by the TNSTEP booth to say hello, grab resources, and learn more about how we support families and youth with disabilities across the state.

The event is scheduled for Wednesday, October 7th, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The event will be held at Fort Campbell in the ACS building at 1501 William C. Lee Rd., Fort Campbell, KY 42223 (through Gate 1 and the roundabout to the right).

10/01/2026

Clarksville Area - Join TNSTEP's Joey Ellis for this free workshop designed for parents, caregivers, and professionals to gain a working knowledge of special education laws including your role in developing an appropriate individual education program (IEP), how to effectively partner with the school team in the process, plus...
-Eligibility
-Evaluations
-Timelines
-Related Services
-Preparing for an IEP Meeting
-Rights as a Parent

The training is being held at Progressive Directions in Clarksville, TN on October 13th from 5:00 - 7:00 PM. To register, contact Susie Coyle at 931-647-6333 extension 4139. This training is for adults only, please.

09/28/2026

⭐ Nominations Accepted through October 9th! ⭐

Do you know a parent, student, professional, or individual with a disability who is making a difference through advocacy or self-advocacy? TNSTEP is accepting nominations for our annual Advocacy Awards, recognizing individuals who use their voices, knowledge, and leadership to create positive change for children and youth with disabilities. We'd love to hear about the awesome advocates you know!

Full details and nomination forms can be found at:
https://tnstep.info/about-us/tnstep-awards/

09/01/2026

If you’re at Tennessee Department of Education’s Access Conference, stop by and say hi!

08/19/2026

🎉 We’re excited to launch the new TNSTEP.info!

It’s been more than a year in the making, and we couldn’t be more pleased to debut our redesigned website.

Our goal was simple: make it easier for Tennessee families and youth with disabilities to find trusted, timely, and relevant information about special education and related services—whenever they need it.

The new TNSTEP.info offers a more accessible, user-friendly experience with resources designed to help families understand their options, participate in decision-making, and support their children’s success.

And this is just the beginning! We’ll continue to expand and update the site with resources that are relevant and responsive to the families we serve.

A huge thank you to Pixelcraft Studio, LLC for bringing the site to life, and to TNSTEP’s Stephanie Willis, who provided creative direction, and Lisa Morelock Gosnell, who provided project support.

💻 www.tnstep.info

We hope you find it welcoming, accessible, and built with Tennessee families in mind. ❤️

08/18/2026

Part 1 is this evening, and it's not too late to register!

As the new school year begins, we invite you to join us for TNSTEP's Family Connection Circle, a learning and community-building group for Tennessee families of children and youth (birth to 26) with disabilities. We're kicking things off with a FREE two-part online Collaborative Advocacy training designed to help parents feel more confident participating in IEP meetings!

📅 August 18 & 25
🕖 7:00–8:15 p.m. ET / 6:00–7:15 p.m. CT
✔️ Please plan to attend both sessions.

During this interactive series, you'll:
• Learn about your role on your child's IEP team and how to prepare for meetings.
• Build stronger partnerships with your school team.
• Practice new skills through small-group activities based on real-life scenarios.
• Connect with other families across Tennessee.

The series will be presented by Crystal Sanford, Founder of Sanford Autism Advocacy Group, and Dr. Angie Balsley, Founder of Unified Leadership and Senior Consultant with CADRE—two nationally recognized leaders in collaborative special education practices.

Register forSession 1:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/u9s9S3XWSI-OxEuQUdQC3g

Register for Session 2:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/9VFT-bWCQ1qi5xHRPzesDA

08/13/2026

As the new school year begins, we invite you to join us for TNSTEP's Family Connection Circle, a learning and community-building group for Tennessee families of children and youth (birth to 26) with disabilities. We're kicking things off with a FREE two-part online Collaborative Advocacy training designed to help parents feel more confident participating in IEP meetings!

📅 August 18 & 25
🕖 7:00–8:15 p.m. ET / 6:00–7:15 p.m. CT
✔️ Please plan to attend both sessions.

During this interactive series, you'll:
• Learn about your role on your child's IEP team and how to prepare for meetings.
• Build stronger partnerships with your school team.
• Practice new skills through small-group activities based on real-life scenarios.
• Connect with other families across Tennessee.

The series will be presented by Crystal Sanford, Founder of Sanford Autism Advocacy Group, and Dr. Angie Balsley, Founder of Unified Leadership and Senior Consultant with CADRE—two nationally recognized leaders in collaborative special education practices.

Register forSession 1:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/u9s9S3XWSI-OxEuQUdQC3g

Register for Session 2:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/9VFT-bWCQ1qi5xHRPzesDA

08/10/2026

📚 We're excited to launch TNSTEP's Family Connection Circle!

Our new Family Connection Circle is a learning and community-building group for Tennessee families of children and youth (birth to 26) with disabilities. We're kicking things off with a FREE two-part online Collaborative Advocacy training designed to help parents feel more confident participating in the IEP process.

📅 August 18 & 25
🕖 7:00–8:15 p.m. ET / 6:00–7:15 p.m. CT
✔️ Please plan to attend both sessions.

During this interactive series, you'll:
• Learn about your role on your child's IEP team and how to prepare for meetings.
• Build stronger partnerships with your school team.
• Practice new skills through small-group activities based on real-life scenarios.
• Connect with other families across Tennessee.

The series will be presented by Crystal Sanford, Founder of Sanford Autism Advocacy Group, and Dr. Angie Balsley, Founder of Unified Leadership and Senior Consultant with CADRE—two nationally recognized leaders in collaborative special education practices.

Register forSession 1:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/u9s9S3XWSI-OxEuQUdQC3g

Register for Session 2:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/9VFT-bWCQ1qi5xHRPzesDA

06/21/2026

There's still time for youth to register for Tuesday's training!

🚀 Self-advocacy is powerful. Community advocacy can change lives.
Join us June 23rd for *Youth Ignited: Why Community Advocacy Matters Now More Than Ever* and learn how youth with disabilities can help influence the future of disability awareness, inclusion, and opportunities in their communities.

In this interactive online training, youth, ages 14-26, will build leadership, communication, and networking skills that can support their advocacy journey—and look great on a résumé.

We're thrilled to share that Tennessee Senator Becky Massey will be joining us to talk about why youth voices matter in our communities and across Tennessee. Participants will also have a chance to ask questions about her role as a state senator and how youth advocates can help create positive change.

TNSTEP's Stephanie Willis will lead this fun and engaging training, hosted by Region B Parent Technical Assistance Center.

Registration for this free training is required:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/E0DWSqcGRBSIWyp_FXsCmw