Transition 101: System Support

1. Transition 101: System Support • Type your name, email address, and zip code (along with all team members participating with you) in the ‘Chat Box’ on the left. • CCTS will conduct a sound check at 2:50 and 2:55. We’ll begin at 3:00 and end by 4:00. • Use the ‘Chat Box’ to type in questions and/or responses; we’ll address these mid-way through the webinar and during the last ten minutes. • After the webinar, you will receive a follow-up email requesting that you complete a quick survey. Thank you for joining us today!

2. Transition 101: System Supportimproving post-school outcomes for students with disabilities in Washington State

3. Center for Change In Transition ServicesImproving post-school outcomes for students with disabilities in Washington stateSeattle UniversityOSPI State Needs Project WELCOME to CCTS! cc This webinar is closed captioned. To see the captioning click on the cc icon just above the video.

4. Website: www.seattleu.edu/ccts Email: ccts@seattleu.edu Phone: 206.296.6494 Center for Change In Transition Servicesimproving post-school outcomes for students with disabilities in Washington stateSeattle UniversityOSPI State Needs Project WELCOME to CCTS!

5. Webinar Norms Raise your hand and wait to be called on by moderator If you have a microphone, please keep it turned off until called on. You may ask questions by typing in the chat box or by raising your hand (if you have a microphone).

6. Quality Indicator Secondary Transition (QuIST) Click on red triangle

7. Quality Indicators in Secondary Transition (QuIST) The QuIST is a multi-dimensional program evaluation process designed for district/Local Educational Agency (LEA) teams to: Facilitate communication and sharing within and among the district and its interagency partners; Identify areas of strength and opportunities for improvement; Promote planning and improvement; Evaluate and measure progress.

8. QuIST’s Five Domains • School-based Activities • Work-based Activities • System Support • Family Involvement • Connecting Activities

9. QuIST’s Five Domains • School-based Activities • Work-based Activities • System Support • Family Involvement • Connecting Activities

10. Work-based Activities • Essential Question How can the system support quality indicators be incorporated while balancing the needs of each school or district?

11. System Support • What is System Support? • System support refers to the processes in place within a district or building that support system-wide collaboration, staff development, and resource allocation to improve post-school outcomes for all students with disabilities.

12. Agenda Support Staff Participation Staff Development Opportunities District- /School-level Administration Participation State and Federal Reporting K-12 Coordination and Collaboration Resource Allocation

13. District-/School-level Administration Participation

14. District-/School-level Administration Participation • Special education administrators have a thorough knowledge of the transition process • Building administrators have a working knowledge of the transition process • Building administrators participate regularly in IEP meetings and transition planning • District- and school-level administrators promote diversity and inclusion of all students • Quality Indicators

15. District-/School-level Administration Participation • Schedule regular meetings • Meet with Special Education Director, School Special Ed Staff • Attend trainings • Encourage Special Education Teachers, School Psychologist, School Counselor to attend district special education meetings, CCTS webinars, WASA, … • Attend IEPs that include Transition Services • Aware of State and District graduation requirements as well as school board policy concerning waiver or replacement credits • Promote Diversity and Inclusion for all students Administration Participation

16. District-/School-level Administration Participation • Know your audience • Invite parents and other support members • Identify alternative locations for IEP meetings • Include parents: ask parents how and when they can be involved • Create culturally appropriate, meaningful, and relevant goals • Be willing to compromise with family Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Transition Developed by Tracey Nix & Tiana Povenmire-Kirk and presented at DCDT 2012 Regional Conference

17. District-/School-level Administration Participation CLD Transition, Cont’d • Recognize that cultural competence is a mindset and a practice, rather than a body of knowledge. • Consider other dimensions of culture that can impact transition planning (i.e. socioeconomic status, gender, religion, sexuality, age) • Work with district for translator/interpreter services • Develop relationships with community leaders & cultural informers to help you develop trust with students and families • Acknowledge and prepare to work around the huge shadow cast by issues of immigration status Developed by Tracey Nix & Tiana Povenmire-Kirk and presented at DCDT 2012 Regional Conference

18. District-/School-level Administration Participation • How can the district-/school-level administration participation quality indicators be incorporated while balancing the needs of each school or district? • Attend webinars • Review building data with staff • Promote diversity and inclusion for all students by asking at every meeting “How does this activity promote diversity and inclusion?” • Provide culturally relevant trainings • Participate in building or district equity teams Practical Application

19. Resources Greene, G. (2011). Transition planning for culturally and linguistically diverse youth. Baltimore, MD: Brooks Publishing.

20. Staff Development Opportunities

21. Staff Development Opportunities • Quality Indicators • Student-directed activities such as Person-Centered Planning processes where appropriate • Ongoing training in IEP development and the transition planning process • School counselors are provided regular training • Current research-based activities for staff development • Staff development practices include instruction, follow-up, mentoring, peer coaching and ongoing evaluation procedures

22. Staff Development Opportunities • Person-Centered Planning • “A person-centered plan can help those involved with the focus person see the total person, recognize his or her desires and interests, and discover completely new ways of thinking about the future of the person."Beth Mount & Kay Zwernik, 1988 • Training available online: • Free Introductory Module by Morningstar, M.E. (2003). Individualized planning for adulthood: Using person-centered planning for transition. [Online]. Lawrence, KS. University of Kansas, Department of Special Education. Available: www.transitioncoalition.orghttp://transitioncoalition.org/transition/static/minimod/index.php

23. Resources Holburn, S., Gordon, A., and Vietze, P. M. (2007). Person-centered planning made easy: The picture method. Baltimore, MD: Brooks Publishing.

24. Staff Development Opportunities • CCTS Online Transition Training Modules • https://www.seattleu.edu/ccts/Default.aspx?id=34074 • ESD Trainings • Train the Trainer • Transition Travel Guide (Onsite training combined with follow-up webinars) • Combined Summer Institute • Council for Exceptional Children • http://www.cec.sped.org/ • Staff Development Resources

25. Staff Development Opportunities Duffy, M. and Forgan, J. (2005). Mentoring new special education teachers: A guide for mentors and program developers. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. Holcomb, E. L. (2004). Getting excited about data: Combining people, passion, and proof to maximize student achievement. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. Hord, S. M., and Sommers, W. A. (2008). Leading professional learning communities: Voices from research and practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. • Staff Development Resources

26. Staff Development Opportunities Lipton, L. and Wellman, B. (2003). Mentoring matters: A practical guide to learning-focused relationships. Sherman, CT: MiraVia. http://www.miravia.com/product9.html • Improve instructional performance • Frame the professional learning journey • Promote norms of learning and collaboration • Transfer district policy, procedures, and educational philosophy • Staff Development Resources

27. Staff Development Opportunities Practical Application • How can staff development opportunities be incorporated while balancing the needs of each school or district? • Allow and plan for differentiated training at staff meetings or data days (use webinars and online resources) • Encourage staff to participate in CCTS webinars, Bates eLearning for Educators, Combined Summer Institute, ESD Transition Training, CCTS Online Training Modules • Use books like Getting Excited About Data by Holcomb or Pathways to Understanding by Lipton and Wellman • Use coaching resources or find a mentor

28. Support Staff Participation

29. Support Staff Participation • Quality Indicators • School counselors and psychologists participate in IEP/transition planning process • School counselors and/or psychologists participate in academic, social/emotional, and career development of students with disabilities • District and school support staff provide appropriate related services to students with disabilities

30. Support Staff Participation Staff Participation in Transition Planning • Participation in IEP/transition assessment and planning process from a variety of stakeholders is important to get full picture of student • Special education teachers • Counselors/school psychologists • Paraeducators • General education teachers • School administrators

31. Support Staff Participation Participation in Post-School Survey Process • These same people can be part of the post-school survey process and data review • Students are more likely to respond to people they know • Data should be made available to teachers, support staff, administrators who contributed to transition planning process

32. Support Staff Participation Practical Application • How can the support staff participation be incorporated while balancing the needs of each school or district? • Build the responsibilities into work load • Offer time for support staff and special education teachers to collaborate • School counselor and the special education teacher work together to gather transition assessment data, create an appropriate transition plan and provide career planning

33. Resource Allocation

34. Resource Allocation • Fiscal resources are sufficiently allocated to support transition-related activities • School staff and FTE are sufficiently allocated to support transition-related activities • District resources are available for staff training and program development • Resources are available in staff training and program development • District is committed to finding outside funding sources on an ongoing basis • Quality Indicators

35. Resource Allocation • Use a program evaluation tool like the QuIST to determine areas of need • Take advantage of free trainings • ESD Trainings, Combined Summer Institute • CCTS webinars and trainings • Talk to other districts about what has worked • Consider collaborating to offer joint trainings or staff development • Use your ESD’s resources • Outside funding • Things to Consider

36. Resource Allocation • How can the resource allocation quality indicators be incorporated while balancing the needs of each school or district? • Does the school budget reflect the needs of students with IEPs who are receiving transition services? • Are students with special needs utilizing supports such as career fairs, school counselors, career planning classes, …? • Within building or district trainings is time being allocated to discuss data around transition and special education? Practical Application

37. K-12 Coordination and Collaboration

38. K-12 Coordination and Collaboration • There is an active and collaborative process between high school and middle school for transition planning and IEP development • Appropriate transition-related activities are identified for all grade levels • Opportunities are provided starting in primary grades for student to have exposure to an integrated experience between schools and careers Quality Indicators

39. K-12 Coordination and Collaboration • Transition services are not required in the IEP until the student is 16 or earlier if needed • But this does not mean that career exploration and other transition-related activities can’t be incorporated earlier • For students with complex or severe disabilities this is particularly important • Appropriate transition activities for each grade level • CCTS folder • Mentorship for students entering HS Transition as a K-12 Process

40. K-12 Coordination and Collaboration • Elementary • To develop positive work habits • To appreciate all types of work • To develop disability awareness • Middle School • To understand interests, aptitudes, and preferences • To understand work, education, independent living and community options • To identify desired courses of study in high school Age-Appropriate Transition Goals

41. K-12 Coordination and Collaboration • High School (grades 9-10) • To develop meaningful and realistic goals • To develop work, educational, residential and community participation skills • To learn to understand and advocate for disability and request accommodations • High School (grades 11 and up) • To secure options for postsecondary education and employment • To develop residential and community participation supports and contacts • To develop linkages with adult services Age-Appropriate Transition Goals

42. K-12 Coordination and Collaboration • How can K-12 coordination and collaboration be incorporated while balancing the needs of each school or district? • Refer to Timelines for Transition Planning • Most activities can be and should be incorporated into the general education curriculum • Refer to Transition 101: School-based activities webinar Practical Application

43. State and Federal Reporting

44. State and Federal Reporting • There is a process in place to identify all special education leavers yearly • Special education leavers are interviewed annually • Post-school survey data are used to establish goals for the application for federal funds • Post-school survey data are used annually to make program decisions Quality Indicators

45. State and Federal Reporting The Post-School Survey

46. State and Federal Reporting

47. State and Federal Reporting

48. State and Federal Reporting 2011 Indicator 14 Summary Report

49. State and Federal Reporting 2011 Indicator 14 Report

50. State and Federal Reporting • How many special education graduates and dropouts were there in your district? • How does this compare to general education? • How many interviews were completed? • If the percent of interviews completed is less than the state rate are there ways to increase the contacts? • Which youth were most likely not to be contacted? • How many students were engaged according to the four federal categories? How many were not? What does this mean? • Can we dig deeper into the data? Questions to Ask