Next Steps NH: College, Career, and Life Readiness

1. Next Steps NH:College, Career, and Life Readiness A State Personnel Development Grant (SPDG) From the U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs The contents of this PowerPoint were developed under a grant from the US Department of Education, H323A120003. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the US Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. Project Officer, Corinne Weidenthal.

2. Introductions • New Hampshire Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education: • Mary Steady, Project Director • Donna Couture, Project Coordinator • Janelle Cotnoir, Grants & Contracts Technician • Amy Jenks, Project Consultant • McKenzie Harrington-Bacote, Project Consultant

3. COLLEGE and CAREER READY for ALL STUDENTS • All students should graduate from high school fully prepared for post-secondary education or training, employment and community living • Planning for this transition is requires knowledge and skills that are often inaccessible or ineffectual for students with disabilities and students who are at risk for dropping out of school

4. We wanted to develop a project designed to help NH SCHOOL PERSONNEL develop PARTNERSHIPS between • Students • Families • Post-secondary services and program providers • Local community members • Recognize students’ current strengths, interests, preferences, and needs • Identify supports they will need to achieve future success

5. Next Steps NH • A State Personnel Development Grant (SPDG) • From the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) • $3.8 million for 5 years

6. SPDG History • The past 5 years our SPDG has focused on Response to Intervention (RTI) – NHRESPONDS • Our 2nd State Improvement Grant (SIG) had a goal that focused on postsecondary transition. • Monadnock Center for Successful Transition (MCST) • Strafford Learning Center (SLC) • Keene State College

7. Strategies • Increased use of Extended Learning Opportunities (ELOs) • Enhanced transition planning and opportunities • Greater family-school engagement • Sustaining practices • Institutes of Higher Education (IHE) curricula • Regional Intermediaries • Transition CoP • Transition Resource Portal Overview of the Grant Increase the number of students with disabilities and/or at risk of dropping out of school who are college and career ready in New Hampshire through the implementation of evidence based transition practices

8. Implementation • Schools will be chosen from each region of the state: • Northern • Eastern • Western • Central/Southern • Cohort 1 will include 4 schools (one from each region of the state) • 20 Schools total (at the end of the 5 years) • Schools will receive FREE professional development in the form of training and ongoing coaching to implement project initiatives

9. Objectives • To develop the capacity of those providing professional development on Extended Learning Opportunities (ELOs), transition planning, and parent engagement, and to define the expectations and commitment of the those receiving PD. • To increase and expand the use of ELOs in all regions of NH, by increasing the knowledge and skills of NH Special and General Educators, related service personnel and administrators in the design, implementation with fidelity, and sustainability of evidence-based ELOs • To increase the use of best practice, evidence-based transition planning, including enhanced family engagement strategies

10. Objectives Cont. • To sustain the use of ELOs, transition planning, and parent engagement strategies, through evidence-based and quality coaching • To increase the implementation, intervention, and outcome data to support decision making at the school, and state level. • To ensure school administrations are trained to support their staff and initiatives to implement and sustain the use of ELOs, transition planning and family engagement strategies. • To enhance the inclusion of evidenced-based training materials on ELOs, transition planning, and parent/family engagement in Institutes of Higher Education (IHE) pre-service training programs to sustain delivery of grant services throughout the state.

11. School Responsibilities • Participate in FREE professional development offerings • Identify a staff member to serve as a Transition Liaison • Form a Project Leadership Team • Form a Family Focus Group • Submission of data to determine need and fidelity of implementation • Time and Resource Commitment based on needs assessment School’s may be eligible to receive a small amount of financial support to assist with the implementation process

12. Next Steps NH Organizational Structure NH DOE Management Team Mary Steady, Project Director Donna Couture, Project Coordinator Janelle Cotnoir, Grants & Contracts Technician McKenzie Harrington-Bacote, Project Consultant Amy Jenks, Project Consultant NH Transition Community of Practice (Advisory Board) NH SPDG Leadership Team Evaluation Work Group ELO Work group (includes QED) (Representatives from 4 Regional PD Intermediaries Management Team NH DOE Representatives Parent Information Center Keene State College Q.E.D. Foundation Institute on Disability at UNH Evergreen Evaluation & Consulting LEA Representation   IHE Work Group (2 IHEs) Transition PD & Portal Work group Eastern Regional PD Intermediary - SLC Northern Regional PD Intermediary – NCES Western Regional PD Intermediary - MCST Central Regional PD Intermediary – GSIL

13. Project Partners • NH DOE Representatives • Mary Lane – Consultant with the Bureau of Special Education • Susan Randall – Division of Career Technology and Adult Learning • Lisa Hatz– Division of Career Technology and Adult Learning, Director • Tina Greco – Vocational Rehabilitation Program Specialist • Angela Correau – Vocational Rehabilitation, Supervisor

14. Project Partners Cont. • Regional Intermediaries • Granite State Independent Living (GSIL) • Peter Darling - Director • Marybeth Hammond • Maureen O’Donnell • North Country Educational Services (NCES) • Lori Langlois • Sarah Parsons • Monadnock Center for Successful Transitions (MCST) • Alan Greene – Director of MDS • Sheila Mahon • Strafford Learning Center (SLC) • Heidi Wyman • Richard Boardman

15. Project Partners Cont. • Community Organizations • Parent Information Center (PIC) • Michelle Lewis - Director • Kimm Phillips • Q.E.D. Foundation • Kim Carter - Director • Elizabeth Cardine • Institute on Disability at the UNH (IOD) • JoAnne Malloy • Kathy Franceour

16. Project Partners Cont. • External Evaluators • Evergreen Evaluation & Consulting • Pat Mueller – President & Founder • David Merves • Brent Garrett • Keene State College • Steve Bigaj • Betsy Street • NH Transition Community of Practice

17. Transition Resource Portal • Keene State College expanding current Transition Resource Portal • http://transitions.keenecommons.net/home • Will include all professional development tools and resources from our project

18. Time Line Year 1 • Develop contracts with project partners • Leadership Team begins to meet to plan project’s professional development offerings • Present overview of grant to interested groups/organizations • Distribute application to school districts • Select 4 schools (1 in each region) to participate in Cohort 1 • MOUs signed, professional development begins

19. Contact Us • Mary Steady, Project Director mary.steady@doe.nh.gov 271-3730 • Donna Couture, Project Coordinator donna.couture@doe.nh.gov 271-1536