Transition Assessments in Iowa: A Preview

1. Transition Assessments in Iowa: A Preview Iowa Department of Education ICN Sessions March 7 & 8, 2007

2. Advisory Committee and Work Group NAME AEA Karen Larimer 1 Ann Lupkes 267 Jackie Gray 267 Diane Nelsen 8 Eric Gettes 9 Kathy Dolinaj 10 Misty Christiansen 11 Sandy Nelson 11

3. Advisory Committee and Work Group NAME AEA Molly Twohig NW Judy Kay 13 Theresa Jozwiak 13 Nancy Lindgren 14 Kathy Henry 15 Virgil Morgan 15 Bonnie Peevler 16 Melody Raub 16

4. Advisory Committee and Work Group NAME AEA Kirsten McCollaugh DMPS Diane Raba DMPS Marsha Mott Voc Rehab. Gary Clark KU Pat Sitlington UNI Linda Berg DE Barb Guy DE Marty Ikeda DE Eric Neessen DE

5. Iowa’s Commitment to Secondary Transition Lana Michelson

6. Post-Secondary Participation of Iowa Youth (1 Year After High School)

7. Post-Secondary Participation (1 Year After High School) Youth who had IEPs were: • More likely to work in assembly, maintenance and retail jobs • More likely that current job is life-long goal • Less likely to have medical insurance • Less likely to have a drivers license

8. HS Preparation: Student Experiences • Only 29% of all courses offered by a district are employment preparation • 47% of students with IEPs never take an “awareness” employment level class • YWD are less likely to talk with a guidance counselor or other adult at school about their plans for the future. (based on 2005 Senior exit survey results)

9. HS Prep: Student Experiences (cont’d) • Less likely to participate in school clubs, athletic activities, performing groups, school drama, and other school activities. • Less likely to do any volunteer or community service during the past year. (based on 2005 Senior exit survey results)

10. HS Preparation: Transition Planning

11. Besides Being Good for Students the Purpose of IDEA 2004 is: “. . . designed to meet their unique needs and prepare them for employment, further education, and independent living;”

12. Overview of Transition Assessments Barb Guy

13. Purposes of Assessment in IDEA • Accountability • e.g., alternate assessments, district-wide • Eligibility Determination • Development of individualized education program (IEP)

14. IDEA 2004: Content of IEP “Appropriate measurable postsecondary goals based upon age appropriate transition assessments related to training, education, employment, and where appropriate, independent living skills;” --IDEA 2004

15. Transition Planning Trends in Iowa

16. Iowa’s Model of Transition Assessments Where We’re At Eric Neessen

17. Transition Assessment is an ongoing, coordinated, systematic process that… ·Collects/gathers relevant (appropriate) information/data on a student’s interests, preferences, strengths and needs as they relate to the student’s post secondary expectations for living, learning, and working;

18. Transition Assessment is an ongoing, coordinated, systematic process that… ·Begins at least by the year the student turns 14 years of age and continues until the student graduates or ages out;

19. Transition Assessment is an ongoing, coordinated, systematic process that… ·Provides data from which to plan and make decisions that assist the student to move to post-secondary activities of living, learning, and working;

20. Transition Assessment is an ongoing, coordinated, systematic process that… • Involves input from student, family, school personnel, and other relevant stakeholders such as adult agencies, related services personnel (the IEP team).

21. The process for assessing an individual’s transition needs… requires the IEP team to answer the following six questions:

22. Determining transition needs • Does the student have a post -secondary expectation in each of the following areas: living, learning, and working? • Is there enough information about student/family preferences to loosely identify post-secondary expectations? • What is needed to be able to identify post-secondary expectations?

23. Determining transition needs • What are the essential post-secondary skills that any individual needs for these expectations?

24. Determining transition needs • What are the student’s current basic skills, attitudes, habits, critical thinking and application skills?

25. Determining transition needs • What is the discrepancy between the essential skills and the student’s current skills?

26. Determining transition needs • What services, supports and activities are needed to address the discrepancies?

27. Determining transition needs • How will progress toward these post-secondary expectations be monitored and used to plan and revise the IEP?

28. Iowa’s Model of Transition Assessments Where We’re Going Barb and Eric

29. DE Activities and Supports • Web resource questions 1 and 3 • Identify assessment areas • Provide some assessment materials • Link to other formal assessments • Targeted completion: Fall 2008 • Needs assessment survey (April 1-15th) http://survey.aea267.k12.ia.us/survey/4703/1917/

30. DE Activities and Supports • Professional Development Materials • IEP Documentation Information • Multiple IEP Examples • Transition Assessment Coach Network • AEA Secondary Services Professional Development RFP (SPDG) • New IEP/Student Assessment Portfolio

31. Questions and Feedback

32. Questions? • Do we have to answer all 6 questions? Yes. Answering all 6 questions will ensure that the necessary services, supports and activities are identified.

33. Questions? • Do we have to thoroughly complete all 12 cells in the matrix? Assessment information must be driven by student need. Therefore, it will look different for every student. By the time the student graduates, enough assessment information should have been gathered to complete all 12 cells. Annually, there must be enough information to demonstrate that the post-secondary has been assessed (or will be assessed through the current IEP).

34. Questions? ·   Where do I find the assessments? Do I have to buy them? Use the RIOT approach – much information is available. Formal assessments are not always needed.

35. Questions? ·   Who at my AEA will be able to help me? For now, contact the people on the State Committee. In the future, there will be an established Network.

36. Questions? ·   When will the web tool be available? Targeted completion by Fall, 2008. Some components will be available by Fall, 2007.

37. Questions? ·   May we PLEASE have draft copies of the Model Assessment, Matrix, and Chart? Yes. We will make them available when they are finalized. In the meantime, the PowerPoint from this ICN will be available on the DE website.

38. Questions? ·   How do I volunteer to help with the development of materials? • Contact Beth Buehler, tell her which activity you are volunteering for: • Develop sample IEPs • Develop sample student assessments • Develop IEP documentation materials • Be an Assessment Coach • Pilot electronic tools (Web tools) • Design student assessment portfolio • Contact: Beth.buehler@iowa.gov

39. Web information www.iowa.gov/educate Special Education Programs and Services Secondary Transition

40. Contact information Beth.buehler@iowa.gov 515-281-7143