Transcript Transition Works: Focus on Settings and Relationships

Transition Works: Focus on
Settings and Relationships
October 21, 2007
NASDSE’s Commitment to Transition
Transition is the essential link…
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connects IDEA to the disability policy that will
support youth across the lifespan
concretely connects us with the agencies that
share this responsibility
sensitizes us to the hopes and dreams of youth
focuses us on our role in providing the
education and experiences that will enable
youth to command their futures!
Presentation
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Three different pictures of transition
Three unique relationships between youth and
their adult ally
Dialogue grounded in the latest report from the
National Longitudinal Study on Transition NLST2 : “Perceptions and Expectations of
Youth”
Three Environments…
…Three Relationships in Support of Transition
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Supported Work
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Secondary/ Career Technical Education
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Student and Employer
Student and Transition Facilitator
Post-Secondary
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Student and Disability Service Coordinator
Supported Work
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Panelists:
Shawn Aleonge
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Student and Worker, Elwyn
Antonio De Rosa
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Employer, Small Business Owner
Elwyn
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Approved Private School (APS) for students with
significant disabilities including intellectual
disabilities and students on the autism spectrum
Provider of transition services to local school
districts for difficult-to-serve youth
Community of Practice framework for delivery of
quality transition services
Extensive employer and community outreach
Active engagement and partnerships with higher
education
Data
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More than half of youth with disabilities report
being able to tell peers their feelings… and
almost two-thirds say they can get adults to
listen to them and get information they need.
Among out-of-school youth who acknowledge
that they have a disability or special need,
approximately one-third report often providing
professionals with feedback on those services
(NLTS2, x)
Questions for Mr. DeRosa
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What motivates employers to become affiliated
with programs for individuals with significant
disabilities?
As an employer:
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How do you assure that youth with disabilities have
enough information and practice to be able to succeed on
job tasks?
How do you balance your performance needs as the
employer with the training and satisfaction needs of the
student?
What role does the school partnership have in supporting
employers as they continually balance these two needs?
Questions for Shawn
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What do your friends say when you are talking
with each other about work?
When working with Mr. De Rosa:
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When at school:
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How does he let you know that you are part of the team?
How does he let you know that it is OK to ask questions?
How does your school help you think about what you want
to do as a job?
How does the school help you do better at work?
If you had a problem at work or at school, how
would you get the help you need?
Secondary/ Career Technical Ed
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Panelists:
Ben Scheid
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Student, Hodgson Vocational Technical High School,
Newark, DE
Debbie Scott
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Transition Facilitator, New Castle County Vo-Tech
School District
Data
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Dropouts with disabilities are finding some success
in the employment arena shortly after high school;
however, examination of other aspects of their
lives reveals cause for concern. In the long run,
the absence of a high school diploma and further
postsecondary education is likely to have serious
negative implications for the ability of youth who
dropped out to find and keep jobs that pay a living
wage. (NLTS2, 8-6)
Data
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Of particular cause for concern is the much
higher rate of criminal justice system
involvement among dropouts with disabilities;
more than half have been arrested, and nearly
one-third have spent a night in jail, three times
the rates of these experiences among youth with
disabilities who finished high school. (NLTS2, 8-6)
Questions for Ms. Scott:
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New Castle County Vo-Tech School District has
been conducting post-school outcome surveys that
indicate positive post-school outcomes for students
with disabilities that often exceed their general
education peers.
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What is the program side of these outcomes?
What is the human side of these outcomes?
How do you and your transition colleagues in
DE support youth empowerment?
How do you help students to acquire and
practice the skills?
Program Side 9th grade
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Summer Visit
Student-led IEP
Quest Program
9th Grade Academy
Opportunities to rotate through 4 or more career areas
Utilizing the State’s Student Success Plan – Career
Cruising
Vocational assessments
Vocational goals are emphasized through out the school
Brochures
Parent information meeting
Program Side 10th grade
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Student-led IEP
Students working “hands on” in career area
Mentoring
Job Shadowing
Field trips to professional organizations
Clubs
Skills USA competitions
Parent information meetings
Program Side 11th grade
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Student-led IEP
Planning for senior year co-op
Internships
Skills USA competitions
Mock interviews
Resumes
Parent information meeting
Program Side 12th grade
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Co-op
National Certifications
Student Led IEP
Student Leadership Clubs – promotes leadership
and self advocacy for students with disabilities
Student Business Leaders – partnership with Joyce
Bender, CEO of Bender Consulting
Skills USA
Programs for 18-21 year olds
Human Side
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Educate on IDEA, ADA, IEPs, transition, selfdetermination and self-advocacy skills.
Home Access Center program available for parents
to check homework, grades, etc
IEPplus – online IEPs
Staff Professional Development
District Transition Coordinator Position
Parent Information Meetings
State Transition
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Delaware Division on Career Development and Training
State Leadership Advisory Council
Division of Vocational Rehabilitation – counselor works with
students in school during their senior year
Division of Developmental Disabilities – Early Start to
Supported Employment
Parent Information Center
Student Success Plans using Career Cruising
University of Delaware – Community Based Education
Alliance Program, Junior Partners in Policymaking, Total
Life, and Education Resource Center
Delaware Developmental Disabilities Committee
Agencies – Goodwill, OCI, ASSEP, DDDS, Elwyn, CIS,
etc.
Mastery of the Skills
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Training and 1-1 for parents and students
Educate students on IEP and 504 terminology
Start practicing Student Led IEPs in the 9th grade
and facilitate students to lead their own IEP
meetings
Train the trainers – students helping other students
Practice, Practice, Practice
Student Recognition
SE Grades 9-12 Dropouts by School
03/04 – 05/06
3 – Yr Average Drop out
Rate
Delaware Public Schools
6.2%
New Castle County
6.3%
Howard Tech HS
1.3%
Paul M Hodgson
1.2%
Delcastle Tech HS
1.1%
Cooperative Employment (seniors)
90%
80%
% seniors_
70%
60%
50%
Special Ed
Not Special Ed
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
Full-Time Employment
(~6 months after graduation)
% graduates_
50%
40%
30%
Special Ed
Not Special Ed
20%
10%
0%
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
(5=very satisfied)_
Graduate Satisfaction
(~6 months after graduation)
5.0
4.8
4.6
4.4
4.2
4.0
3.8
3.6
3.4
3.2
3.0
Special Ed
Not Special Ed
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
Data
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Receiving instruction in transition planning and
youth’s level of participation in the transition
planning process were not associated with
student self ratings of personal autonomy or
psychological empowerment. (NLTS2, xii)
Questions for Ben
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What is the difference between learning selfdetermination skills and practicing them?
How have and your classmates acted as
leaders in your own lives?
What have you done to help other youth
become more empowered?
How are you helping teachers and families to
understand youth empowerment?
Post-Secondary Education
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Panelists:
Jesse Mayer
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Student, The George Washington University
Christy Willis
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Disability Support Services Director, The George
Washington University
Data
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When out-of-school youth with disabilities were
still in high school, about three-fourths had
postsecondary education as a goal for their early
post-school years, and 60% had parents who
expected that they would pursue their educations
after high school.
Up to 2 years after high school, however...only
one in five are enrolled in any kind of post
secondary education in the Wave 2 data in
NLTS2. This rate of current postsecondary
school enrollment is half the rate of same-age
youth in the general population. (NLTS2, 8-3)
Data
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By far the greatest reason for students' not
receiving accommodations is that their
postsecondary schools are unaware of their
disabilities.
In fact, about half of postsecondary students
with disabilities reported that they do not
consider themselves to have a disability, and
another 7% acknowledged a disability but have
not informed their schools regarding it. Only
40% of postsecondary students with disabilities
have informed their schools of their disabilities.
(NLTS2, 8-3)
Questions to Ms. Willis:
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GW has a history of providing a full-range of
support services, long before many institutions.
Please share a brief overview.
What are the differences in support students are
entitled to by IDEA in school and what students
are entitled to in 504 post-school? What role
does this play in students accessing services in
higher education?
What is the role of families serving as adult
allies for post-secondary aged students?
Questions for Jesse:
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The data states that a large number of students
with disabilities do not self-identify as having a
disability. Based on your experiences, what
might account for this?
What does self-empowerment look like in a
post-secondary setting?
Please share some of your experiences in selfempowerment, in particular, some of the
internships that you have chosen to pursue.
NASDSE’s Commitment to Transition
Transition is the essential link…




connects IDEA to the disability policy that will
support youth across the lifespan
concretely connects us with the agencies that
share this responsibility
sensitizes us to the hopes and dreams of youth
focuses us on our role in providing the
education and experiences that will enable
youth to command their futures!