Transcript Slide 1

2008 Annual Conference on Best
Practices for Nonpublic Special
Education Programs
Transition-Rich IEP’s: Creating Synergy
and Improving Outcomes!
Presented by:
Quality IEP’s
Staying in school
Susan Walter
Statewide Transition Consultant
Illinois State Board of Education
618-651-9028
[email protected] or
[email protected]
Positive post-school
outcomes
Graduating
Illinois State Performance Plan, Part B
Years 2005 - 2010
State’s plan to meet performance standards on 20
indicators (Part B) - 4 are specific to secondary
transition
1. % of youth who graduate
2. % of youth who drop out
13. % of youth with transition components in the IEP
14. % of youth who achieve post-school outcomes
Critical Interrelationships
Quality IEP’s
Positive postschool outcomes
Staying in
school
Graduating
Transition Planning
► Dynamic
process
 Transition planning is fundamental – not an “add
on” to the IEP
► Partnerships
► Implementing
► Maximizing
a transition perspective is our goal
employment, integration, and
community participation for youth with disabilities
Definition of Transition Services
a)
Transition services means a coordinated set of
activities for a child with a disability that:
1. is designed within a results-oriented process,
that is focused on improving the academic and
functional achievement of the child with a disability
to facilitate movement from school to post school
activities, including post-secondary education, vocational
education, integrated employment, continuing and adult
education, adult services, independent living or
community participation…
2. is based on the individual child’s needs, taking into
account the child’s strengths, preferences and interests;
and
34CFR §300.43(a)
Transition Planning in Illinois
Beginning not later than the first IEP to be in effect when the child turns
14 ½, and updated annually thereafter, the IEP shall include:
• Appropriate, measurable post-secondary goals based upon ageappropriate assessments related to education, training, employment,
and, where appropriate, independent living skills
• Transition services that are needed to assist the child in reaching those
goals, including courses of study and any other needed services to be
provided by entities other than the school district
23 IAC 226.230(c)
Step 1
Identify the student’s post-school
goals or visions.
► What
does the student want to do beyond school?
► Where
► How
and how does the student want to live?
does the student want to take part in the
community?
Where does this fit?
Sue Walter, 2008
Age-Appropriate
Transition Assessments
► For
each post-secondary goal, there should
be evidence that age-appropriate transition
assessments – formal and/or informal –
provided information on the student’s needs,
taking into account strengths, preferences,
and interests regarding the post-secondary
goal
Sue Walter, 2008
What does it mean?
Age appropriate transition assessment is defined as
an“…ongoing process of collecting data on the
individual’s needs, preferences, and interests as
they relate to the demands of current and future
working, educational, living, and personal and social
environments. Assessment data serve as the
common thread in the transition process and form
the basis for defining goals and services to be
included in the Individualized Education Program
(IEP)”
Sitlington, Neubert, and Leconte. (1997). Career Development for Exceptional
Individuals. 20:69-79.
NSTTAC Guidance on Age-Appropriate
Transition Assessments
► Guidance
from the National Secondary Transition
Technical Assistance Center (NSTTAC)
 Become familiar with different types of transition
assessments and their characteristics
 Select methods that assist students by helping them
answer
► Who
am I?
► What do I want in life, now and in the future?
► What are some of life’s demands that I can meet now?
► What are the main barriers to getting what I ant from school
and community?
► What are my options in the school and community for preparing
me for what I want, now and in the future?
Age-Appropriate
Transition Assessments
 Select approaches that are appropriate for
students in terms of cognitive, cultural sensitivity
and language comfort.
 Always interpret and explain assessment results in
formats that students and families can understand
easily
 Consider the research-based practice of using
multiple assessments on an on-going basis
Formal VS Informal
►
Formal transition assessments
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►
Adaptive behavior/daily living skills assessments
General and specific aptitude tests
Interest inventories
Intelligence tests
Temperament inventories/instruments
Career maturity or employability tests
Informal transition assessments
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Interviews (student and family)
Questionnaires
Direct observation
Curriculum-based assessments
Environmental analysis
For example…
Interest inventories
Transition surveys
► Person-centered planning
► Curriculum-based
assessments
► Structured interviews
► Social histories
► Career portfolios
► Employability skills
inventories
► Assessments of postschool environments
desired by the student
►
►
Adaptive behavior
inventories
► Life skills inventories
► Aptitude tests
► Personality scales
► Social skills inventories
► College entrance
examinations
► Assessment of
technology needs
► Vocational skills
inventories
► Professional assessments
►
Sue Walter, 2008
Where to look…
►
►
http://www.ncwdyouth.info/assets/guides/assessment/AssessGuideComplete.pdf
http://www.nsttac.org/pdf/transition_guide/nsttac_tag.pdf
►
http://www.isbe.net/spec-ed/html/transition_video.htm
►
www.ILWorkInfo.com/icrn
►
http://www.illinoisworknet.com/vos_portal/residents/en/Jobs/Prepare
/Skills/
►
http://www.icsps.ilstu.edu/IllinoisNTC/index.asp
►
http://www.hrtw.org/tools/check_assessment.html
Sue Walter, 2008
Step 2
Describe the student’s present level of
academic achievement and functional
performance.
Knowing where students’ are functioning in relation
to where they want to go and what they want to do
in their adult lives is a critical step in the
development of a transition-focused IEP.
Step 3
Design a course of study
Transition services include courses of
study that focus on improving the
academic and functional achievement
of the child to facilitate movement
from school to post-school.
Courses of Study
► Course
of study, instructional program of study or
list of courses of study should be in the IEP and
should align with the student’s post-secondary
goals.
 Does a post-secondary goal require a certain minimum
requirement of courses, e.g., college bound, trade
school bound, etc.?
 Does a post-secondary goal require or benefit from the
successful completion of specific high school classes,
e.g., a future chef planning to take and completing all
cooking related classes, a future child-care provider
planning to take and completing relevant classes in
Family and Consumer Science, etc.
Courses of Study
Year 1
Age 14/15
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Age 17/18
Extended
Age 15/16
Age 16/17
Age 18 - 21
Alternative Math
Basic Geometry
Intro to Algebra
Life Skills
½ day at Center
House for
Basic
Composition
Writing
Workshop I
Intro to
Business
International
Cooking
travel training
and apartment
English Lit
American Lit
Speech
Restaurant
Occupations
Living
Physics
Food Science I
Food Science II
Food Science III
Food Science IV
Consumer
Education
U.S. History
American
Government
Independent
Living
Adult Living
Skills
P.E.
P.E./Health
P.E.
Study Skills
Self-Advocacy
Skills
Study Skills
Study Skills
Study Skills
Work
Experience
Work
Experience
Step 4
Design a coordinated set of activities that
encompass transition services.
►
For each post-secondary goal, in association with
meeting the post- secondary goal, is there
(a) instruction,
(b) related service,
(c) community experience,
(d) development of employment and other post-school adult
living objectives,
 (e) acquisition of daily living skills, if appropriate, or
 (f) provision of functional vocational evaluation, if appropriate
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Transition services should…
►
Develop an outcome-oriented plan for adult life that
addresses, plans for and coordinates what the student will
learn in school and do following graduation or leaving
school.
►
Make sure that the student’s needs, strengths, preferences
and interests regarding his/her desired post-school
activities are the focal point of the planning and resulting
IEP.
►
Identify who will provide, be responsible for and pay for
each activity
►
Identify the dates or school year in which each activity will
be addressed and prioritize those activities to be
addressed for the coming year
Reflecting on transition services
►
What services, supports or programs does this student
currently need?
►
What services, supports or programs will this student
need in order to achieve his/her desired post-school
goals?
►
What services, supports or programs will this student
need in order to ensure success as he/she enters the
adult world?
►
Is the student linked to the needed post-school services,
supports or programs BEFORE he/she leaves the
secondary school setting?
A few examples…
►
Instruction (e.g., to complete courses needed for graduation, succeed
in the general curriculum and gain needed skills)
 Self-determination skill training including self-regulation, selfawareness and choice-making
 Access and attend tutoring math and science sessions
 Enroll in tech prep program for Family and Consumer Science in
junior year
 Contact JTCC for disability documentation policies
 Obtain, complete and submit application to community college
►
Related Services (e.g., to benefit from special education, transition
services and to enter the adult world)
 Assistive Technology Evaluation
 Occupational therapy services focusing on manual dexterity
 Health/Social work services re: medication planning & independence
A few examples…
►
Community Experiences (e.g., outside of the school building and
in community settings including banking, shopping, recreation, job
sites, work experiences, counseling and transportation)
 Volunteer to bus tables at cousin’s restaurant
 Contact community volunteer center to find opportunity to assist with
making food baskets and serving meals
 Investigate wellness and fitness programs at the local Y: choose one
activity to begin by junior year
►
Development of Employment & Other PS Adult Living
Objectives (e.g., services that lead to a job or career and services
that support activities such as registering to vote, filing taxes, renting
a place to live, accessing medical services and accessing adult services
such as Social Security Income [SSI])
 Meet with DRS counselor for eligibility determination and resources to
support entry and attendance at an in-state college
 Participate in job-shadowing at higher-end restaurants in the community
 Participate in summer internship
 Register at the local PO for selective service
 Obtain assistance on management of financial resources and legal issues
A few examples…
►
Acquisition of Daily Living Skills (e.g., activities that adults do every
day including preparing meals, budgeting, maintaining a home paying
bills, caring for clothes and grooming, taking medication) and/or
Functional Vocational Evaluation (e.g., assessment regarding
job or career interests and skills using a variety of methods including
situational assessment, observations or formal measures)
 Regularly perform two household chores from a list provided by family
 Learn to operate washer and dryer
 Schedule and keep medical appointments independently (w/family assist
sophomore and junior…independent senior year
► Linkages to After Graduation Supports/Services
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DHS/DRS local office
County DMV
Benefit Counselor (through DRS)
SSI regional office
Center for Independent Living (CIL)
Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC) for medical home counseling
Step 5
Develop annual IEP goals and objectives
each postsecondary goal, there should be at
least one annual goal in the IEP that will help
the student make progress toward the stated
post-secondary goal.
► For
 In relation to the PLAAFP what does he/she need to
work on to move toward the post-school goal…
► Academic?
► Community-based
experience?
► Functional and work skills?
► Self-determination skills?
Post-School Goal
Post-School Goal
(Result of Transition)
Susie will work full-time at a grocery
or chain store.
John will attend community
college full-time.
Annual Goal
Annual Goal
Annual Goal
Susie will learn to
follow a schedule.
(Result of Transition)
Susie will accurately complete
job applications and a resume
with correct spelling and
grammar.
Objectives
Using word processing software on a computer,
John will compose a 5 paragraph essay, save it,
retrieve and revise it, check for spelling and
grammar errors, save the revised essay and
print it.
Objectives
-Given a schedule of activities to
complete during each instructional
block of vocational activities, Susie
will correctly complete the activity
and check off as completed on her
list without assistance for 5
consecutive days.
-Given a blank job application
to complete, Susie will use a
cue card which contains
personal information, list of
references, and previous
experience to complete the
application without errors.
- Given a self-management time
schedule, Susie will correctly list all
activities to be completed and write
in the “clock face” time at which each
activity needs to occur, without
assistance, for 5 consecutive days.
-Susie will use her job
application cue card and a
computer and its spell and
grammar checking to create a
resume with no errors.
Objectives
a computer typing program such as
“Type to Learn” to learn keyboarding skills,
John will type at a rate of at least 35 wpm
with 4 or fewer errors.
-Using
-Using
Microsoft Word, John will
demonstrate that he can type an already
prepared essay on the computer, name the
file, and save it to a floppy disk or the hard
disk of the computer.
--
Using Microsoft Word John will
demonstrate that he can open a file which
he had previously saved, edit the file, save
the changes and print the file.
Sue Walter, 2008
Determine annual goals and shortterm objectives or benchmarks
It is important to have a good “fit” between post-secondary
goals and annual goals!
Carmen will work full-time at a daycare or preschool
program.
Carmen will volunteer in the district’s preschool program during
the 2nd quarter of the school term.
Carmen will keep a weekly log of her duties in the preschool
and present a one-page paper at the end of the quarter to her
Family and Consumer Science class.
Sue Walter, 1/07, ISBE Transition
Thoughts on accessing the
Illinois Learning Standards
Access Skills
► Organize
information
► Communicate
► Advocate
information
for one’s needs
► Decision-making
and problem solving
► Inter/intrapersonal
skills
► Physical
► Technology
McAlonan, et. Al., 1998
Accessing Illinois Learning Standards
► Appendix
D of the Illinois Learning Standards,
which can be accessed on the ISBE website,
provides a linkage between the standards and
Workplace Skills and Career Development
Competencies.
http://www.isbe.state.il.us/ils/pdf/appendixD_workplace.pdf
► Demonstrating
the linkage between the skills and
the standards will afford teachers the opportunity
to strengthen the applications of learning for
students and increase curriculum integration in all
disciplines at the school level.
Jack Kinder.
High achievement
always takes place
in the framework
of high expectation.
Illinois State Board of Education
Indicator 13 Webpage
http://www.isbe.state.il.us/spec-ed/html/indicator13.htm
Will you be the rock
that redirects the course
of the river?
-- Claire Nuer.
Changing Systems  Changing Rules
Bridging the Gap to Successful
Adult Outcomes
Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act
►
Key points
 Schools’ responsibilities
 Services VS accommodations
 Least restrictive environment (LRE), quality, and free
appropriate public education
 Availability of federal funds
 Applies until student graduates or reaches the age of 21
Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act
► Key
points
 Individual responsibility
 Public institution responsibility for cost of assistance
provision
 Focus on services and supports
 Focus on non-discrimination
 Receipt of Federal funds by public institutions is linked to
compliance with the law
 Applications across environments
Americans with Disabilities Act
► Key
points
 Individual responsibility
 Institutions and employers responsibility for cost of
assistance provision
 Focus on accommodations VS services or supports
 Focus on nondiscrimination, reasonableness and undue
hardship
 No link between Federal funds and compliance with the
law
 Application across all environments
Gaps and Inconsistencies
► Roles
and responsibilities
► Process
of determining assistance
What needs to happen in
secondary education?
► Focus
on post-school outcomes rather than
minimal compliance
► Teach
responsibility to youth with
disabilities
► Focus
on transitioning modes of assistance
Reflecting on our work with
students…keep in mind…
► Provide
opportunities for students’ to discover what
they can and cannot do.
► Provide
opportunities for students’ to discover what
they might be able to do with accommodations or
further education and training.
► Provide
opportunities for students’ to try out work
and life experiences based on their expressed
interests.
Reflecting On and Evaluating Our Role in
the Development of Plans
►
Did the consumer have the opportunity to actively
participate in the development of his/her plan?
►
Did family and/or friends with a stake in the consumer’s
future have the opportunity to participate?
►
Does the plan include statements about the consumer’s
needs, preferences, and future lifestyle choices?
►
Do the goals/objectives reflect the opportunity to learn skills
of self-determination and independence?
►
Do goals/objectives reflect movement toward the
consumer’s chosen future lifestyle?
Plan Evaluation (Cont’d)
►
Do the goals/objectives provide opportunities for
developing self-advocacy skills?
►
Do the goals/objectives promote acquisition of
prevocational skills?
►
How will services meet goals/needs?
►
What are the consumer’s opportunities to develop
relationships and participate in community?
►
What services/supports will be obtained from generic
agencies or natural supports?
Basic Compliance
Best Practices
Sue Walter, 2008
The very essence
of leadership is
that you have to
have a vision.
You cannot blow
an uncertain
trumpet.
-- Theodore Hesburgh
Nothing will ever be attempted
if all possible objections
must be first overcome.
Samuel Johnson.
Sue Walter, 1/07, ISBE Transition
“There will always be some curveball in your life.
Teach your children to thrive in that adversity.”
Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe
Sue Walter, 1/07, ISBE Transition