2009 Special Education Directors’ Conference August 6, 2009

1. Transition Practices Self Assessment:Supporting Districts with the Effective Implementation of Transition Planning and Practices 2009 Special Education Directors’ Conference August 6, 2009 Presented by: Diane Morrison, Ed.D. Loyola University Chicago School of Education 312-915-9202 dmorri@luc.edu Susan Walter Transition Consultant Illinois State Board of Education 618-651-9028 swalter@isbe.net or smwalter@charter.net

2. Purpose of the TPSA • Self assessment and reporting tool allows districts and/or special education cooperatives to: • Reflect on research-based transition practices and current status of implementation • Use a data-based decision-making model to identify priorities for modifying, updating, or infusing transition planning and service delivery. • Based on the work of Dr. Paula Kohler in Taxonomy for Transition Programming • Kohler, P. 1996. Taxonomy for Transition Programming. • Challenges

3. Why are Research-Based Practices so important to transition planning? • Outcomes for students with disabilities improve with transition-focused education. • Collaboration between educators, families, students, community members and organizations • Adult outcomes focus • Academic, career and extracurricular instruction and activities • Variety of instructional and transition approaches • Responsive to local context and students’ learning and support needs • Transition planning is the fundamental basis of education that guides development of student’s educational programs. • Not an “add-on” activity when students reach 14 ½ Kohler, P. (1996)

4. The Taxonomy for Transition Programming • Family Involvement • Family Training • Family Involvement • Family Empowerment • Student-Focused Planning • IEP Development • Student Participation • Planning Strategies • Program Structure • Program Philosophy • Program Policy • Strategic Planning • Program Evaluation • Resource Allocation • Human Resource Development • Student Development • Life skills Instruction • Career & Vocational • Curricula • Structured Work Experience • Assessment • Support Services • Interagency Collaboration • Collaborative Framework • Collaborative Service Delivery Kohler, P.D. (1996). Taxonomy for transition planning. Champaign: University of Illinois

5. Program Structure and Attributes Program structures and attributes are features that relate to efficient and effective delivery of transition-focused education and services, including attributes of a school that provide the framework for a transition perspective. By operating from the transition paradigm, schools put in place those structures and policies that reflect the notion that outcomes and activities of 100% of the students are important. Kohler, P. (1996). Retrieved on November 2, 2003 from www.kresa.org/transition/pdf/briefs/taxonomy.pdf

6. Interagency Collaboration Interagency collaboration practices facilitate involvement of community businesses, organizations and agencies in all aspects of transition – focused education. Interagency agreements that clearly articulate roles, responsibilities, communication strategies, and other collaborative actions that enhance curriculum and program development foster collaboration. Kohler, P. (1996). Retrieved on November 2, 2003 from www.kresa.org/transition/pdf/briefs/taxonomy.pdf

7. Student-Focused Planning Student-focused planning practices focus on using assessment information and facilitating students’ self-determination to develop individual education programs based on student’s post-school goals. Kohler, P. (1996). Retrieved on November 2, 2003 from www.kresa.org/transition/pdf/briefs/taxonomy.pdf

8. Student Development Student development practices emphasize life, employment and occupational skill development through school-based and work-based learning experiences. Students’ assessment and accommodations provide the fundamental basis for student development that results in successful transition. Kohler, P. (1996). Retrieved on November 2, 2003 from www.kresa.org/transition/pdf/briefs/taxonomy.pdf

9. Family Involvement Family involvement practices are associated with parent and family involvement in planning and delivering education and transition services, including facilitating such involvement. Family-focused training and family empowerment activities increase the ability of family members to work effectively with educators and other service providers and vice-versa. Kohler, P. (1996). Retrieved on November 2, 2003 from www.kresa.org/transition/pdf/briefs/taxonomy.pdf

10. How was the TPSA developed? • Partnership • Illinois State Board of Education/IS-TAC and Loyola University Chicago – Center for School Evaluation, Intervention & Training • Developing, refining and validating the TPSA • Using the Kohler Transition Taxonomy and a four question evaluation framework • If you train, do people implement? • If they implement, do they do so with fidelity? • If they implement with fidelity, do the interventions sustain? • If the interventions sustain, what is the impact on your clients? • Alignment process • data sources, level (e.g., system, practice, data), and the Kohler Taxonomy • State Performance Plan • Validity checks - internal and external

11. Protocol for Completing the TPSA • Who completes the TPSA? • Recommended – assemble a district and/or school-based interagency transition team (if one doesn’t already exist) • In lieu of or in addition to interagency transition team: • All staff at a staff meeting (goal of 40 % of all staff) • Individuals from a representative group (e.g., Interagency Transition Team or Transition Planning Committee (TPC) • Team member-led focus group (e.g., consensus with one score for the group) • Random selection of up to 10 people within the school , based on demographics (e.g., 2 administrators, 3 general educators, 2 special educators, 1 support staff, 1 community/agency, 1 family member/student)

12. Protocol for Completing the TPSA • When and how often should the TPSA be completed? • At least annually and preferably at the same time each year (e.g., beginning of school year, end of school year) • How is the TPSA completed? • Demographic data • Who? (e.g., team consensus, team individuals, all staff etc.) • Data are entered into a web-based information management system administered by Loyola • Reports are generated

13. How will the TPSA support schools? • Support for Indicator 13 improvement • Assists school districts in determining current practices and setting priorities • Internal decision-making • Building awareness of staff • Action planning to “scale up” transition practices, service delivery and collaborative planning • Assessment of change over time • Team validation • Accessing transition-specific technical assistance and training through ISBE and the Statewide Technical Assistance Center (IS-TAC)

14. Getting Started Recommendation – Assemble a Team • CRITICAL COMPONENT • School-based interagency transition team • Extension or sub-committee of existing school/district leadership team • Represent ALL stakeholders • Students and families • Teachers, transition personnel and support staff • Administrators • Community agencies and advocacy representatives • Vocational rehabilitation counselors and adult agency personnel

15. Using Your TPSA Data Strategic Planning • Critical questions should be answered with respect to the implementation of evidenced-based transition services. http://loyolacseit.com/Presentations/TPSA_ActionPlanning_20090223/player.html

16. SWOT Analysis is a strategic planning method used to evaluate strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats revealed through the self-assessment (TPSA). SWOT SWOT Analysis process is from Dr. David Bell, St. Xavier University, Chicago

17. In order for change to occur, the driving forces (strengths) must exceed the opposing forces (weaknesses) thus shifting the balance of power or equilibrium(Lewin, 1948)

18. Using the TPSA to conduct a SWOT analysis • Current TPSA has 35 statements • Program Structure (PS), 6 • Collaboration (COLAB), 5 • Student-Focused Planning (SFP), 11 • Student Development (SD), 8 • Family Involvement, (FI), 5 • Review the TPSA reports for each section.

22. Using the TPSA to conduct a SWOT analysis • PHASE 1- • Analyze the TPSA as whole and compare to the table in the following slide.

23. Using the TPSA to conduct a SWOT analysis

24. Using the TPSA to conduct a SWOT analysis PHASE 2- Analyze the subsections Use the “Tally” report that states the number of in-place items for each sub-section

25. Using the TPSA to conduct a SWOT analysis

26. Using the TPSA for Action Planning • Analyze subsections to determine • Areas of celebration (top three items in place per sub-section) • Areas of need (top priority items ranked as highest need)

27. Using the TPSA to conduct a SWOT analysis Understand facilitators and barriers that impact sustainable change SWOT the various subsections

28. SWOT

29. Example

30. Discussion Questions Are there weaknesses that are beyond your control? Do the opportunities available to the school outweigh the threats/barriers? How can you build the capacity to address your weaknesses? What resources (human, financial, etc) are available or needed to address your weaknesses?

31. Action Planning

32. Action Planning for Change Process repeats until you have developed a systematic plan to address the various subsections on the TPSA

33. Questions/Answers

34. Jack Kinder. High achievement always takes place in the framework of high expectation.

35. N othing will ever be attempted if all possible objections must be first overcome. Samuel Johnson.

36. Acknowledgements Dr. Hank Bohanon, Diane Morrison and Agnes Kielian at Loyola University Chicago – Center for School Evaluation, Intervention and Training Dr. Paula Kohler, Western Michigan University Dr. David Bell, St. Xavier University, Chicago Illinois State Board of Education, Special Education Services Administration