TEACHERS’ EXPECTATIONS AND COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES: NAVIGATING BARRIERS AND SUPPORTS IN SECONDARY TRANSITION FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES IN A VIRTUAL CHARTER SCHOOL

Abstract

Virtual charter schools offer flexibility, but can hinder the support that students with disabilities (SWD) need for life after high school. SWD is a heterogeneous population served under IDEA. Transition supports vary by disability category and level of need. This basic qualitative interview study examined how nine special education (SPED) teachers in a full‑time virtual charter school perceive, communicate, and enact expectations during transition planning. Here, teacher expectations represent teachers’ beliefs about students’ potential, conveyed through instruction, feedback, and opportunities. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, which were coded thematically using the Pygmalion Effect, High Expectations Theory (HET), and Expectancy-Value Theory (EVT) as guiding frameworks. Three patterns emerged. First, expectation signals matter: teachers who linked transition activities to students’ future goals and voiced high expectations reported stronger engagement and post-school aspirations as perceived by teachers. Second, virtual challenges persist, including limited face-to-face contact, lack of family involvement, and trauma-related mental health concerns. Finally, relational groundwork is essential. Teachers described setting meaningful transition goals that depend on students’ emotional readiness and on the trust between teachers, students, and families. Based on these findings, three recommendations are offered: targeted professional development focused on expectation-setting, the integration of transition tasks into the curriculum, and three-way communication loops among teachers, families, and students.