Tools for Transition

1. Tools for Transition Mari Cris MacFarland

2. Tools for Transition • Focus: Understanding the Transition Process and its importance

3. Tools for Transition IDEA SPP APR IEP PLAAFP LRE TP MME Got it??????

4. Transition is: • Simply put, transition is a passage from one stage to another. We spend much of our time planning for life's major transitions. Unfortunately, moving from school to adulthood is complicated for young people with disabilities. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) gives schools and families the chance to focus on transition planning.

5. Transition is: • Coordinated activities to help students toward employability • Planning focused on the student • Provides an educational foundation • Communication • Collaboration • Discovery • Opportunity

6. Areas of Transition • Instruction • Employment • Community Experiences • Development of Employment • Post-School Adult Living Objectives • Daily Living • Related Services • Functional Evaluation

7. Transition Planning • Start early (for compliance by 16) • Plan must be comprehensive • Planning process should be realistic • Student participation is essential • Family involvement is crucial • Link to Community Services • Consider Timing • Review every year • Center of student interests • Coordinate with school • Transition should drive the IEP

8. SPP13 The IDEA mandated the establishment of a six year State Performance Plan (SPP) for each state’s special education and early intervention programs, followed by an Annual Performance Report (APR) summarizing the state’s progress toward state and federally established goals.

9. SPP13 • Under Section 616 of IDEA 2004, all states are directed to develop a State Performance Plan (Section 616 of IDEA 2004) plan to evaluate the state's efforts to implement the requirements and purposes of IDEA priorities and describe how the state will improve such implementation. Michigan has developed a plan that includes twenty indicators in this process. Four of the indicators are of great importance for improving transition planningand subsequent post school outcomes for students. 

10. SPP13 Indicator 1: Percent of youth with IEPs graduating from high school with a regular diploma compared to percent of all youth in the State graduating with a regular diploma. • Indicator 2: Percent of youth with IEPs dropping out of high school compared to the percent of all youth in the State dropping out of high school.  • Indicator 13: Percent of youth aged 16 and above with an IEP that includes coordinated, measurable, annual IEP goals and transition services that will reasonably enable the student to meet the post-secondary goals. • Indicator 14: Percent of youth who had IEPs, are no longer in secondary school and who have been competitively employed, enrolled in some type of postsecondary school, or both, within one year of leaving high school.

11. SPP13 • The Annual Performance Report (APR) is the yearly summary of Michigan’s progress on the SPP. • The APR is submitted to the OSEP (The Office of Special Education Programs) each February, with new data from the previous year’s reporting period. • The APR describes each indicator and compares overall state results with the target set for that indicator. • The SPPs and APR for Part B and Part C are available at the MDE Web site, www.michigan.gov/mde

12. SPP13 Who collects this data? The ISD may choose to collect data based on the ISD’s resources. One option would be to involve a review team including individuals like • ISD transition coordinators • ISD monitors • Special education teachers • Transition specialists at LEA • Local special education directors/designees • Least restrictive environment (LRE) coordinators

13. SPP13 • Meeting Accountability Requirements • MDE Compliance Checklist for Secondary Transition SPP13 • The student’s postsecondary vision (postsecondary goals) is identified. • The IEP identifies current student: needs, academic achievement and functional performance (must have evidence of all 3 items). • The IEP identifies transition services (including courses of study) aligned with the post secondary vision (post secondary goals). • The IEP identifies at least one annual IEP goal aligned with the post secondary vision (post secondary goals). • The identified annual IEP goal is measurable. • Is this IEP compliant with the requirement of Indicator 13?

14. SPP 13 • Areas for potential growth: • Threading Transition into your student’s IEP’s • Make sure that the student’s strengths, interests and preferences are expanded upon in the checklist and threaded into the PLAAFP.

15. SPP 13 • Areas for potential growth • Reference Academic Achievement within the PLAAFP by including baseline data (i.e. MEAP, MME, WJR, Explore, Plan, ACT, MI-Access, Work Keys, district assessments and teacher developed tools). • Recommended role for Counselors: bring Academic Achievement baseline data for IEP PLAAFP to the IEP team meeting (Explore, Plan, MME, etc. . . . scores.) Document in PLAAFP.

16. SPP 13 • Areas for potential growth • In addition to the student’s IEP goals that are academic/behavioral/support, there should be activities or goals related to a service to help the student reach their post high school vision. Some examples may be “. . . TSWBAT identify career options . . . Or TSWBAT establish at least two career in high interest vocational areas such as . . . “

17. SPP 13 • Areas for potential growth • Make sure the student’s post secondary vision is included within the PLAAFP, threaded into the Transition Plan, and also the IEP Annual Goals and Transition Activities. • For Course of Study, whenever possible, include courses related to student’s Post Secondary Vision in addition to “general education with special education support” or for Center Programs, “Training Opportunities and instruction in adult life roles at WWSC/FTP” (Quality versus Compliance).

18. SPP 13 • Areas for potential growth • Include Transition Assessment (STAT) information within the PLAAFP (IE. date it was reviewed or date student took inventory as well as outcomes, needs, areas for growth). The STAT information within the PLAAFP should articulate needs in the behavioral, academic, functional and overall transition life areas. This may be an upcoming Checklist question for 2010.

19. PLAAFP CHECKLIST • Does the PLAAFP address all areas affected by the student's disability? • Is the PLAAFP stated in terms that are understandable, specific, measurable and objective? •  Does the PLAAFP describe current performance, including functional performance? •  Have transition assessment results been included? •  Does the PLAAFP describe how the student's disability affects the child's performance in the general curriculum? 

20. PLAAFP CHECKLIST • Are the present levels understandable, so that goals, services, assessments, LRE, etc. may easily be developed? •  Does the PLAAFP provide a "snapshot" of the student? •  Does the PLAAFP provide baseline information for each need? •  Does the PLAAFP use information from a variety of sources in a comprehensive statement? •  Would anyone be able to begin instruction or intervention? 

21. Wrap-around Support MiTop (Michigan Transition Outcomes Project) Our group felt strongly that students must feel cared for to be successful in their learning communities. The guiding principle of our team was a spirit of unity in which we all take responsibility for all kids, pitching in, doing things together, without a fear of looking into areas where we haven’t been successful. Partnerships within the community are also key to wrap-around support, i.e. MRS (Michigan Rehabilitative Services). Parents also need to feel respected, supported and included. Discuss ways this can be done . . One member of our group teaches Success Attributes to her district’s students and parents with great success.

22. Success Attributes • Self Awareness • Proactivity • Perseverance • Goal setting • Presence and use of effective support systems • Emotional Coping Strategies

23. Effective Support Strategies • Knows when he/she needs help • Knows how to get help • Seeks help when needed • Is aware of laws to help persons with learning disabilities • Is willing to use technological supports ---this is so key.

24. Effective Support Strategies:Utilizing Assistive Technology • According to the U of M Disability Office, AT use in middle school and high school is indicative of student’s future success. Those students who were fluent with AT tended to be the students who requested digitized text at the college level and were successful. Those who were unfamiliar with AT, tended not to take advantage of these resources at the college level.

25. www.bookshare.org

26. www.readingmadeez.com

27. LoudLit P-CCS & ATRC: ABC's of UDL Implementation 8.20.09

29. Learn Outloud P-CCS & ATRC: ABC's of UDL Implementation 8.20.09

33. Post-School Outcomes • One key NDPC-SD Transition Probe: • Does the district have a follow-up mechanism to track students in their post school outcomes? • Summary of Performance • Exit Interview Challenges of obtaining post school info: Technology Preferred modes of communication Transient populations

34. Why is Transition so Important? Why is transition planning important? Too many students with disabilities dropout of school. They become unemployed or underemployed. They face waiting lists for adult community-based services and support. Community life, integrated social opportunities and recreation bypass them because of poverty and physical and psychological barriers. Prejudice, fear and stereotyping from the non-disabled members of their community are real barriers to independent living.

35. Why is Transition so Important? Because it helps us get to the heart of the critical questions: 1. Are schools doing the right things to get students ready to belong and succeed in their community? • Is the community ready to support our students to belong and succeed when they get there?

36. Questions/Discussion

37. Resources www.resa.net www.michigan.gov/mde www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/osep/index.html www.cenmi.org/mi-top/Home.aspx www.fctd.info/webboard/displayResources.php