Target: Transition

1. Target: Transition Presenter: Mitzi Delker Transition Lead Teacher Hamilton County Schools delker_m@hcde.org

2. High School Successes • Accommodations • 4 Year Plan • Academic Support • Career Interests • Learning Styles • Self-Advocacy Skills • Structured Environment • Regular Diploma • College Enrollment

3. Able to self-advocate Organization a must Seek support early Class environment different No one to check up on you Understand disability Articulate accommodations needed Know Accommodation procedure College details overwhelming Earlier contact Identify supports Stay focused Don’t get discouraged! Reality Check: College

4. Suggestions • Tour campus • Earlier contact • Interview or job shadow • Make connections at school or in career field • Earlier career exploration • Organize time and documents • Supports/procedures differ • Learn to self-advocate • Know disability and essential accommodations • Entrance requirements • Know when/where to disclose

5. School Challenges • Meaningful and realistic transition planning • A plan to teach self-advocacy • Teach self-determination • Consistently and sequentially instruct • Active student participation within/outside IEP process • Time • Student/teacher “buy-in”

6. Solution • Better Transition planning, development, and implementation • Increase student involvement • Evaluate/discuss/write post-secondary goals • Teach self-awareness • Empower students with experiences • Collaborate • Organized and sequential instruction

7. Needs • Time • Curriculum • Standards • Regular student and teacher participation • Structure and organization

8. The Process • Query: What do students need to know? Where do they want to be as adults? How are they going to get there? • Research, Research, Research • Special Course Application procedure • Write, Revise, Rewrite • Standards, Learning expectations, activities • Submit for local approval • Submit for state approval • Wait • Rejoice!!!

9. Implementation • Available to all Hamilton County high schools • Individual school set up • Assignment through IEP process • Credit or non-credit • Special Education students only • Teacher qualifications • Course number assigned by state • Participating schools • Benefits • Sequential or individual • Evaluation

10. Introduction to Self-Advocacy • Opportunities to learn and practice self-advocacy skills • Learn legal rights of individuals with disabilities • Awareness of individual disability and how it impacts learning • Assess individual strengths • Self-assess • Learn IEP process, their role, and the role of other participants • How to plan for transition • Update transition portfolio • Evaluation of student progress

11. Focus on Adulthood • Skills and knowledge necessary for successful community integration • Identify appropriate community linkages and future supports • Refine career options • Independent living skills • Disability laws and their impact on postsecondary and/or work environments • How to set goals based upon personal strengths, supports, and challenges • Update transition portfolio • Develop timelines • Evaluation of student progress

12. Planning for Transition • Skills for post-secondary success • Registration process for community and adult agencies • Financial planning • How to communicate need for accommodations • Summary of Performance • Realistic transition plans • Eligibility documentation • Update transition portfolio • Evaluation of student progress

13. Phase “ O.N.E.”(Opportunity to Navigate Employment and Education) • Purpose:To increase opportunities for individuals with significant disabilities to a successful transition into the adult community with employment opportunities. • Issues: Few students graduate with jobs Little outcome for money invested Responsible systems not connected Few programs available to serve graduates • Program design: Implement “curriculum switch” model Establish collaborative committee with school system and adult service system members • Agencies/Departments of State of Tennessee involved: University of Tennessee – Center on Disability and Employment Division of Special Education Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Division of Mental Retardation Services Department of Labor and Workforce Development

14. Planning Stage: Collaborate with community agencies Map out timelines Investigate sites Wide spectrum of committee participants Variety of potential student participants System Considerations: System policies precede practices Transportation IEP and procedural safeguards must be in place Staffing Graduation projections Community resources Site liability for students off campus Board policy Phase O.N.E

15. Phase O.N.E. • INSIGHTS: • Prepare by Feb. 1 to staff for coming year • Establish site within an adult high school • Multiple funding sources • Procedural safeguards in place • Plan thoroughly

16. Contact Information • Mitzi Delker – Transition Lead Teacher delker_m@hcde.org Hamilton County Department of Education Exceptional Education Department 6703 Bonny Oaks Drive Chattanooga, TN 37421 (423) 209-8450

17. Website & Resources • Special Course Application, Instructions, and Competency Profile template are found at the Career and Technical Education Web Page: http://tennessee.gov/education/cte/forms.shtml

18. Acknowledgements • Kathy Brown, Retired Supervisor Secondary Programs • Linda Harris, Supervisor Secondary Programs • Kathy Lutes, Disability Services Coordinator, CSTCC • Michelle Rigler, Disability Services Coordinator, UTC • TN Career Center at Chattanooga • Mamie Bullard, Brainerd High School • Elizabeth Munger and Jeanne Solock, Central High School • Scott, Former Student and Successful Adult