Education Unpacked
Digging into critical issues shaping education and unpacking programming, services, budgets, infrastructure, and data with transparency. Focusing on school-centered insight, realities in our schools impacting students and staff and an eye on what's next!
Host Micki O’Neil talks with Wilson Talent Center coordinators Monique Colizzie and Jamie George about work-based learning for juniors and seniors: career awareness, exploration, preparation, and training. Hear how Boss Mode Boot Camp builds soft skills, why 22+ industry partners participate, and how paid/unpaid placements (with 20 students working already) create a real talent pipeline. Learn what employers want and how students get job-ready.
Host Micki O'Neil talks with Michael McDonald, Director of Transition Programming at Ingham ISD, about post‑high school services for students aged 18–26. They explain Project SEARCH (a one‑year internship program in partnership with Michigan State University and Michigan Rehabilitation Services) and SAIL (Skills for Adult Independent Living), covering hands‑on work experience, life skills, and community training.
In this episode, host Micki O’Neil talks with Michael McDonald, Director of Transition Programming at Ingham ISD, about services for students aged 18–26. They discuss the SAIL program, Project SEARCH, individualized transition plans, community-based volunteer training sites, life skills (cooking, laundry, grocery shopping), transportation options, and how education can continue through age 26 in Michigan.
Every student deserves not just access—but meaningful support and full participation in school. In this episode, we dive into the two key pathways that provide that support in K–12 education: the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
