Transition Assessments That Impact the Whole Child -- Student Focused Planning

1. Transition Assessments That Impact the Whole Child -- Student Focused Planning Texas Transition Conference February 2010 Presented by:Denise Geiger, K-12 Services District Transition Coordinator; Carol Roberts-Hassen, OTR, and Kimberly Greer, Teacher for 18+ Services. Denise.Geiger@leanderisd.orgKimberly.Greer@leanderisd.org Carol.Robertshassen@leanderisd.org

2. Transition • A constellation of services, supports, and programs that promotes movement to the student’s desired post-school outcome. • Coordinated set of activities, with a focus on adequate yearly progress, toward attaining a long-range goal. From a presentation by Jane M. Williams, Ph.D., UNLV, The Role of Standards-Based Education in Transition, July 24, 2004 in Austin, Texas TEA refers to these above transition needs as INDICATOR 13 http://www.nsttac.org (National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center)

3. Transition Assessment • Should begin by age 16 or younger, if determined appropriate by the ARD committee. • Determine appropriate measureable postsecondary goals based upon age appropriate transition assessments related to training, education, employment, and where appropriate, independent living skills, and the transition services (including courses of study) needed to assist the child in reaching those goals. New insert to IDEA 2004

4. Transition Sequence in the IEP • Age-appropriate transition assessments & appropriate, measurable post-school goals. • Present level of academic achievement and functional performance. • Course of study. • Transition services. • Annual measurable goals & (objective benchmarks). • Interagency responsibilities and linkage. From a presentation by Nancy Hunter, keynote speaker at Region XIII, February 16, 2007

5. Possible Transition Assessment Areas • Adolescent interest • Student/family preferences • Physical fitness • Motor skills • Communication skills • Cognitive performance • Daily living skills • Socialization skills • Emotional development • Independence • Employability skills • Self-determination skills • Community access and participation skills • Needed supports • Needed information for the next “transition” • Needed linkages to community services From a presentation by Nancy Hunter, Keynote speaker Region XIII, February 16, 2007

6. LISD Functional Assessment Tools for supporting the SPIN • Strengths • Preferences • Interests • Needs • Self-advocacy Check List • Transition Decision-Making Matrix (D.M.M.) • Student’s Independence in the Classroom

7. Self-determination • Self-Determination—“acting as the primary causal agent in one’s life and making decisions and choices regarding one’s quality of life free from undue external influence or interference.” • Functional Outcomes: • Individual becomes a self-sufficient and self-regulated learner. • Individual feels empowered to be in control of his or her own learning. • Increases an individual’s involvement in his or her own learning process. • Instruction in self-determination serves as an entry point to maximizing one’s learning potential by use of strategy-based self-assessments.

8. Major Component Elements of Self-Determined Behavior: • Self-Awareness • Self-Knowledge • Choice Making Skills • Decision Making Skills • Goal Setting and Attainment Skills • Problem Solving Skills • Independence • Self-Instruction Skills • Risk-taking and Safety Skills • Self-Observation and Self-Evaluation Skills • Self-Advocacy and Leadership Skills

9. Essential Characteristics of Self-Determined Behavior: • Make choices and decisions as needed. • Exhibit some personal or internal control over actions. • Feel capable and act that way. • Understand the effects of own actions.

10. Mentor’s role in Self-Determination: • Facilitate the essential elements through opportunity, support, or accommodations. • Teach and/or role model the essential elements. • Encourage the individual throughout the development of the essential elements.

11. Self-Advocacy Checklist • Effective for all ages • Applicable to all environments • It identifies students strengths and weakness. • Creates a road map for long-term training. • Powerful self-determination tool.

12. Transition Decision-Making Matrix Universal Functional Language to build classroom tools for all students K-12, teacher, parents, and support staff.

13. Performance Expectations (PE) Are: 1. Desired End Points of Educational Programs. 2. Criteria For Achievement. 3. Based On Major Life Roles In Which The Student Should Consistently Perform. (Functional Performance) 4. Are hence Behavioral and Cognitive in Nature.

14. Life Domains Performance expectation numbers differ within each independence level. Life domains PE’s are read across grid, not down grid.

15. Performance Categories Think Independence Level Based on Cognition VS Functional Performance

16. Idea Generators • Created by LISD Staff as concrete examples of Performance Expectations of the DMM. • Idea Generators are examples of “typical developmental skills” for an age group. • Idea Generators are not the research tool. • Performance Expectations are the research tool. • Idea Generator are used to create the collaborative “Picasso”. • Idea Generator is compared going down each life domain to determine current level of functional performance.

17. The Picasso of Transitionby Collaborative Team Idea Generators overlapped to identify consensus.

18. Review of DMM Steps • Identify students current strengths using idea generators on the DMM. • Create a Picasso from collaborative information. (Minimum of 3 people) • Read Performance Expectations (P.E.) • Prioritize 2 P.E.’s per domain that reflect current needs. • Tally P.E.’s for consensus on priority needs. • Write Measurable goal & objectives that blend P.E.s and academic benchmarks.

19. Independence in the Classroom • Assessment tool for teachers • Self-assessment for student. • Modeled from the Decision-Making Matrix. • Addresses the functional skills needed for independence in life long learning. • Helps identify inclusion needs.

20. The Importance of PLAAFP(Renamed in IDEA 2004) Competencies Aptitudes Needs Interests Preferences Transition Education/Training Employment Adult Living Social/Recreation/ Leisure Coordinated Set of Activities with Goals and Objectives Services (time) Placement Decisions/Course of Study General Education/Special Education/Career Technical Education/Community Based Learning Identify and Establish Agency Links

21. Transition and Standards-Based Education: How Do You Do It? • Utilize state standards (TEKS) that identify what students should know and be able to do when designing transition (post school) components of IEPs • Address the four areas of transition: Life-Long Learning, Employability, Social/Rec/Leisure, Adult Living (from IDEA 2004 Reauth.) by tying the transition pages to goals/objectives • What are the goals/objectives outlined in the state standards for this student that will result in the student’s attaining his/her post-secondary goal or vision? From a presentation by Jane M. Williams, Ph.D., UNLV, The Role of Standards-Based Education in Transition, July 24, 2004 in Austin, Texas