March 9 & 10, 2020

The Red Lion Hotel
Address: 1555 Pocatello Creek Rd, Pocatello, ID 83201
Phone: (208) 233-2200
Hotel's Website


REGISTRATION FOR TOOLS 2020 IS NOW CLOSED!!

Conference at a Glance PDF and Tools Fair Program PDF [PRINT VERSION]
or Plain Text Tools Fair Program PDF

Tools Registration Fees

Visit the UI Marketplace to pay any Tools Fair registration fees online.

Early Deadline This Year

All student registrations and their paperwork must be submitted no later than January 21st, 2020. Parent signature is required on the student waiver documents, so please plan ahead and don’t miss your chance to register!

When you register a student, additional information will be requested including the student State ID number. Providing this information allows us to access federal funding, through Idaho Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (IDVR), which enables us to pay for the conference. There will be a place to write this information onto the Request for Pre-Employment Transition Services form which you can then either mail or fax to us. Also, if students are current VR clients, each student will need to meet with their VR counselor to add this service to their Individual Plan for Employment prior to the conference.  

Local Students will be Given Seating Priority

The hotel is strictly limited on space in Pocatello. Therefore, students from the surrounding regions (within 150 miles or so of Pocatello) will be given priority over students from farther off areas of the state. If you register non-local students for the conference they will be put on a wait-list and let in only if space allows after the more local (within 150 miles) students have registered. The conference will be held in Moscow in 2021, and Boise in 2022, where students local to those cities will have seating priority. Please email Dan Dyer with any questions.

Attendee Information

Tools for Life is for transitioning youth with disabilities and all who support them. Attendees include educators, special educators, therapists, counselors, service providers, job developers, other rehabilitation specialists, and especially high school students with disabilities and their families.

Throughout the two-day event, there will be keynote speakers and presentations around employment, assistive technology, post-secondary education, independent living, and self-advocacy/self-direction. An Exhibit Hall will be open both days, from 9 am to 4 pm to allow agencies and vendors the opportunity to promote their organizations, share resources, and showcase their products.

Planning will help make the most of your Fair experience. View the 2020 Tools Fair Booklet (coming soon) for information about Keynote and Guest Speakers and details about the event. Read Preparing Students for Tools for Life Guide PDF , and look at the Conference at a Glance PDF and Tools Fair Program PDF [PRINT VERSION] or Plain Text Tools Fair Program PDF to plan what sessions you and your students would like to attend.

The conference will feature a combination of keynote speakers and breakout sessions geared towards transitioning youth. Participants are invited to attend the breakout sessions of their choice. Breakout sessions will be organized around five tracks:

  • Employment
  • Assistive Technology
  • Post-Secondary Education
  • Independent Living
  • Self-Advocacy/Self-Direction

Monday Night Social - All youth attending the Fair are invited to attend a pizza party and dance on Monday beginning at 5:15 pm. The evening will include pizza, live music, dancing, and more!

Breakfast and lunch will be provided both days. Hotel rooms for students and transportation for regional students is available.


See what students at the 2018 conference had to say!