Transcript Slide 1

Strategic Plan for the Re-Design of
Birch Academy at
Mt. Pleasant High School
An Update to the School Board
Office of Special Education
Lisa Vargas-Sinapi
Nancy Stevenin
February ,10 2014
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© 2012 Providence Public School District
Goals For This Presentation
 Overview of the DoJ, DoL & CGCS Findings Regarding
Birch Vocational School
 Provisions of the DoJ Interim Settlement Agreement
 Overview of the Strategic Plan to Re-Design Birch
Academy
 Successes, Challenges, Our Future Plans & Goals
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© 2012 Providence Public School District
Acknowledgements
Leadership & Support – Superintendent Lusi & Rachel Mellion
Transition Supervisor – Nancy Stevenin
Mt. Pleasant Administrative Team
Principal Scott Sutherland
Coordinator of Student Services, Linda Noble and
Vice Principal, Chris Coleman
Providence Teachers Union & Local 1033 (Leadership & Teachers/Teacher Assistants)
Parents and Students of Birch Academy @ Mt. Pleasant High School
State Agency Partners – ORS – BHDDH - RIDE
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© 2012 Providence Public School District
Recap of DoJ, DoL & CGCS Findings
 ADA & Civil Rights violation for segregation of students with disabilities
and not providing services in the most integrated setting;
 Operating a sheltered workshop which cultivated & trained students at
Birch to only work in a sheltered workshop funneling them to Training
Thru Placement (TTP);
 No interaction with non disabled peers
 Paid low wages
 Not prepared for real world
 Labor laws were violated in the operation of Birch’s sheltered Workshop
 No prevailing wage studies
 Students were paid an arbitrary rate
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© 2012 Providence Public School District
Recap of DoJ, DoL & CGCS Findings
 Lack of curriculum and limited technology;
 Transition assessments were not administered resulting in limited to no
transition goals & service on students IEPs.
 Low to no expectations for students to gain employment;
 No opportunities to experience or prepare for real jobs;
 IDEA special education processes were not followed:
 IEP development not aligned to standard
 Re-evaluation process was not followed
 Extended School Year Services were not appropriately identified
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© 2012 Providence Public School District
Provisions of the Interim Settlement Agreement (ISA)
 PPSD required to shut down the sheltered workshop
 All students in Birch target population receive supportive employment
services in integrated settings;
 All students in Birch target population receive transition and vocational
assessments that will identify student’s strengths, needs and desires for
employment;
 Employment Planning Teams
 Consists of Parents, State Agencies, Teacher, Transition Supervisor
 Students move seamlessly to adult agencies and community based
jobs;
 Creation and implementation of Career Development Plans;
 Each student required to complete two 60 day trial work experiences.
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© 2012 Providence Public School District
Provisions of the Interim Settlement Agreemnt
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Collect and report monthly data to the DoJ
– Provide # and copies of Career Development Plans
– Provide # of vocational assessments & vocational objectives
– Type & frequency of supportive employment services for each student
– Type and frequency of trial work experiences
– Professional development & training activities
– All in reach and out reach activities
Monthly monitoring by RIDE – Quality Assurance
DoJ Monitor’s expectation of full inclusive services
To Monitor Services & Compliance of the ISA (Monthly)
• DoJ Monitor – Nancy Gurney
• Investigation & verification of data & documentation to verify we are in
compliance.
• Provides a Written 90 day and 180 day report for first year of agreement
• Also has authority to hire consultants or make the District aware of gaps in
service
© 2012 Providence Public School District
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Putting Pieces to the Puzzle together
Our Task
How do we put
pieces of the
puzzle together
Change a 28
year old mind
set & culture
Comply with
the ISA
Provide the
best possible
services to our
students
In a very short
period of time?
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© 2012 Providence Public School District
Strategic Action Plan for the Re-Design of Birch
Birch Academy @ Mt. Pleasant High School
The vision for the Mt. Pleasant Birch Academy is
to prepare students to become responsible, skilled and
effective adults in society by providing rigorous
educational opportunities with a direct focus on
instruction, transition and career skills, activities and
plans in inclusive settings for students to achieve their
post-secondary goals.
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Re-Design Committee
Taskforce
 Administrators
 Parents
 Teachers
 State Agency Representatives
Task: to develop a detailed implementation plan to enable
the students of Mt. Pleasant Birch Academy to be provided
with the tools, instruction and experiences to improve their
personal achievement and outcomes
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© 2012 Providence Public School District
Providence School Department’s re-design plan
includes four core areas to enhance our programming
and services:
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Integration and Inclusion
Transition Programming and Services
Curriculum and Instruction
Parent and Family Collaboration
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© 2012 Providence Public School District
Integration and Inclusion
The goal for integration and inclusion is that the students of the Mt.
Pleasant Birch Academy become an authentic part of the Mt.
Pleasant High School community. This will enable students with
disabilities to participate in classes, extracurricular activities, learn
with and befriend their peers.
 Relocation of Classrooms
 Two classrooms fully integrated for Core English & Math
 Unified Athletics
 Scheduling of Integration of Art, Gym and Health Electives
 Buddy System
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Transition Programming and Services
The goal of transition planning at the Mt. Pleasant Birch Academy is to
ensure that students with disabilities gain the skills and access the services
needed to be successful in the “real world” and achieve their postsecondary goals.
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Supported Employment Services
Transition Services
Individualized Career Development Plans
Vocational and Transition Assessments in integrated setting
Collaboration with State Agencies
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Staffing and Leadership
 Transition Supervisor
 Student Services Coordinator
 Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor
 Highly Qualified Teachers
 Job Coaches – Community Transition Assistant
Liaison
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Curriculum and Instruction
The goal for curriculum and instruction is to improve
the implementation of rigorous curriculum and
instruction to meet the diverse needs of students
with intellectual disabilities to achieve and progress.
Unique Learning System
IEP Development Training
Review of special education processes
Extended School Year
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Parent and Family Collaboration
Our goal for successful parent engagement and collaboration is to have an ongoing process
that increases active participation, communication, and collaboration between Birch Academy
parents and the school with the goal of educating the whole child to ensure student
achievement and success.
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Participation on the Birch Academy Re-Design Team
Local Advisory Committee
IEP & Employment Planning Team Meetings
RIPIN
Communication Forum and Meetings – Superintendent Lusi & Mayor Taveres & Lisa Sinapi
Active Participation on Mt. High School Committees and Programs
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© 2012 Providence Public School District
Successes
• Our inclusion programming and Best Buddies Program
• 25 Career Development Plans have been written
• Established collaborative partnerships with State Agencies
• 51 hours of professional development and training to teachers and staff
• 86 In reach and out reach activities
• Integrated work trials for our 2014 exit population
• Changing mindset that our students can be employed and be successful
in integrated employment settings.
“The feeling is that it is now Mt Pleasant as one school and that Birch
is no longer a distinction of segregated educational services.”
© 2012 Providence Public School District
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Our Students in Trial Work Experiences
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Challenges
 Changing of a culture and a mind set;
 Safety Concerns of Parents;
 Investigations by Several Agencies;
 DoJ documentation and data collection;
 Graduation Requirements – Barrier to Employment;
 ISA holds PPSD and State accountable for supportive employment
placements after graduation;
11 students graduating in 2013 – 5 have placements
2 years prior – 21 students –
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Future Goals
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Project Search
Increase work trials for our older students
Expand our inclusive classrooms at Mt. Pleasant
Implementation of the MAPS process with our students
Improved Transition Focus on IEPs
Implementation of Career Development Plans Districtwide
Full Compliance with the ISA
Continued Parent Communication and Awareness
Securing employment before our children exit
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Questions
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