It Takes a Village: Improving Post Secondary Outcomes

1. It Takes a Village: Improving Post Secondary Outcomes California Leadership Team on Transition COP

2. Continued collaboration with all entities pivotal to move forward in the current economy!!

3. California Community of Practiceon Secondary Transition (CoP)Statewide Action Plan

4. Purpose • Understand the use of a CoP as an improvement strategy • Understand the purpose and structure of a secondary transition statewide leadership team • Identify and understand the purpose of a statewide secondary transition goal • Identify and understand the impact of evidence-based practices and predictors on post-school outcomes • Understand the structure of an effective transition program (Transition Taxonomy)

5. Purpose (continued) • Identify goals for the 2011-12 school year as determined by the statewide leadership team • Understand how the goals relate to the transition taxonomy • Identify strategies that will be used to improve post-school outcomes • Understand research-to-practice science

6. What is a CoP?

7. CA CoP Structure • Community of Practice on Secondary Transition • strategic alliance that focuses on transition for youth with disabilities • statewide listserve and monthly teleconferences • Secondary Transition Leadership Team • Multiple stakeholders • Establish goals and priorities for the state • Collaborate with regional leaders • Regional Leadership Teams – • Establish goals and priorities for their region • Collaborate with local leaders • Local CoPs • Collaboration with local agencies • Provide direct services to students

8. CA Secondary Transition Leadership Team • Advisory Commission on Special Education (ACSE) • California Comprehensive Center (WestEd) • California Department of Education (CDE) • CARS+ The Organization for Special Educators • California Teachers Association (CTA) • Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) • Diagnostic Centers • Parent Training and Information Centers (PTI) • San Diego State University (SDSU) • Special Education Local Planning Areas (SELPA) • State Independent Living Council (SILC) • Transition Alliance • Transition Partnership Program (TPP) • WorkAbility (WA1)

9. Community of PracticeAn Improvement Strategy

10. State Performance Plan (SPP) • Annual Performance Report (APR) • Federal reporting requirement on 20 Indicators • Indicator 1 – Graduation • Indicator 2 – Drop-out • Indicator 13 – Secondary Transition • Indicator 14 – Post school Outcomes

11. Using Transition Indicators to Improve What We Do • Post-School Outcomes • ~Indicator 14~ • Postsecondary education and/or training • Employment • Independent living Satisfied? Not satisfied? Why? Why Not? • Dropping Out • ~Indicator 2~ • Why? • Appropriate programs? • Address student and family needs? • Graduation • ~Indicator 1~ • Expectations and standards? • Various pathways available? • Linkage to post-school environments? • What’s the Quality of Our IEPs? • ~Indicator 13~ • Measurable post-school and annual goals • Transition-related assessments • Services and activities • Coordination of services Paula D. Kohler, Ph.D. September 20, 2006

12. Taxonomy for Transition Programming STUDENT-FOCUSED PLANNING • IEP Development • Student Participation • Planning Strategies INTERAGENCY COLLABORATION • Collaborative Framework • Collaborative Service Delivery • FAMILY INVOLVEMENT • Family Training • Family Involvement • Family Empowerment • STUDENT DEVELOPMENT • Life Skills Instruction • Employment Skills Instruction • Career & Vocational Curricula • Structured Work Experience • Assessment • Support Services • PROGRAM STRUCTURES • Program Philosophy • Program Policy • Strategic Planning • Program Evaluation • Resource Allocation • Human Resource Development

13. Our Challenge How do we link what we’ve learned from transition research with practices in our schools and communities? Implementation Research Practice Evaluation

14. Using Evidence-based Practices and Predictors

15. Evidence-based Practices (Helsel, Hitchcock, Miller, Malinow, & Murray, 2006; Twyman, 2008) 15

16. Research to PracticeNational Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center

17. PREDICTORS

18. In-School Predictors by Post-School Outcome Area

19. In-School Predictors by Post-School Outcome Area

20. Statewide Transition Improvement Plan

21. Statewide Transition Goal 2011-12 School Year All (100%) students with disabilities, age 16 or older and eligible for special education services, shall have IEPs that meet all Indicator 13 requirements in the areas of postsecondary education, employment and independent living and include statements describing the implementation of evidence-based transition practices (EBTPs) or predictors.

22. Evidence-based Practices and Predictors • Priority shall be placed on supporting implementation of the following EBTPs and predictors. • Work-based learning including but not limited to a career development continuum that includes career awareness, career exploration, career-technical education, career pathways, occupational certification, and/or paid-work experience. • Inclusion of youth with disabilities in general education core curriculum and career development programs and activities. • Self-determination/self-advocacy • Self Care / Independent Living Skills

23. Program Structures • Goals • Support and sustain a core Statewide Secondary Transition Leadership and Policy Development Team. • Increase access to technical assistance, resources, information and support that will promote implementation of EBTPs and predictors. • Revise and expand current work-based learning programs and resources for alignment with EBTPs and predictors

24. Program Structures (continued) • Goals • Identify, disseminate and market agencies, organizations, programs, projects and individuals engaged in the implementation of EBTPs and predictors who have achieved successful outcomes. • Increase response rates to Indicator 13 and Indicator 14 data collection efforts.

25. Student-focused Planning • Goals • Provide target audiences and persons involved with promoting the transition of youth with disabilities access to resources, training and supports. • Increase understanding, knowledge, competence and implementation of EBTPs and predictors with a focus on work-based learning including but not limited to: • Career awareness and development • Career Technical Education, including linked learning • Occupational training and/or paid work experience • Preparation for post-secondary education

26. Student-focused Planning (continued) • Goals - continued • Include youth with disabilities in general education for: • Career awareness and development • Career Technical Education, including linked learning • Occupational training and/or paid work experience • Preparation for post-secondary education

27. Family Involvement • Goal • Increase family involvement and shared leadership in the implementation of EBTPs • Increase training

28. Interagency Collaboration • Utilize a Community of Practice (CoP) to support and sustain practices that yield positive transition outcomes • Statewide leadership team • Regional leadership teams • Local leadership teams

29. Connecting, Planning and Evaluating

30. Remember this… There’s a direct relationship between in-school experiences and post-school outcomes. We can effect positive outcomes by providing a standards-based education and evidence-based transition services. TogetherEveryone Achieves More

31. How can we provide service and support to you? For more information about the CA CoP, contact: Jill Larson, CDE John Kimura, DOR jlarson@cde.ca.gov jskimura@dor.ca.gov

32. Resources • Monthly, statewide CoP meetings • CoP subcommittees • Shared Work/Wiki (www.sharedwork.org) • National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center (NSTTAC)(www.nsttac.org) • Cross referencing the taxonomy with other indicators (http://www.nsttac.org/pdf/cross_references.pdf) • CalSTAT (www.calstat.org) • WestEd (www.wested.org) • National Postschool Outcomes Center (www.psocenter.org) • National Dropout Prevention Center (www.ndpc-sd.org)

33. Preparing Youth for College, Career and Life Success Learn About Self-Interests, Skills,Personality Find the Jobthat is Rightfor YOU! Investigate/Research/Explore Career &Education/TrainingOptions Prepare: Learn Skills Reflect on InsightsGained Test the Waters:Gain Experience Develop YourPersonal Career Plan ADVOCATEFORYOURSELF! CAREER PREPARATION Gain Work Experience, Education and Training Primary Purpose Preparing for enter into a specific profession Classroom and School Core Academic Preparation Career Technical Programs/courses Career Related Project Based Learning Student Competitions School Based Enterprise Social Enterprises Simulated Work-Based Learning Workplace Work Experience Internships Volunteer Experiences Technical Mentor Starts in grades 11-13 CAREER AWARENESS Learn about a Wide Variety of Jobs and Careers. Primary Purpose: Explore options in order to foster motivation, consideration of opportunities an informed decision-making. Classroom and School Core Academic Preparation Web research of careers, interests Guest Speakers Career Interest Assessments College and Career Fairs Career Contextual Instruction College Awareness Workplace Tours Career/Job Fairs Informational Interviews Service Learning Entrepreneurship Starts in K-8 Grades CAREER EXPLORATION Explore, Research and Plan for the Future Primary Purpose Learning through real experiences in order to reinforce academics, promote higher-order thinking, promote personal development and deepen career and workplace related knowledge. Classroom and School Core academic preparation Career Pathway Courses and Clubs Integrated Curriculum Classroom simulations Career Plan Development Career Focused Projects, assignments College Exploration Workplace Job shadowing Career Mentoring Service Learning Starts in early High School PRODUCTIVE FUTURE Educated! Experienced! Engaged! Aware! Skilled! Connected! Prepared! Post-Secondary Options 4 yr. College/University Community College Trade Technical School Military or National Service Apprenticeship Enter workforce Self Employment/Entrepreneurship Sources of Information: California Career Planning Guide, 2009New Ways to Work The Work-Based Learning in California Report,James Irvine Foundation / Report from WestEd The Career Planning Cycle is a Modification referenced inThe California Career Planning Guide, 2004 The Career Planning Cycle

35. Acronyms • APR – Annual Performance Report • CARS+ - The Organization for Special Educators • CDE – California Department of Education • CHIIP – California Health Incentives Improvement Project • CoP – Community of Practice • DOR – Department of Rehabilitation • EBTPs – Evidence-based Transition Practices • IEP – Individualized • ISES – Improving Special Education Services • NSTTAC – National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center • SELPA – Special Education Local Planning Areas • SPP – State Performance Plan • TPP – Transition Partnership Program • UCLA – University of California, Los Angeles

36. Questions ????

37. Thank You!