Dancing with Family & Community Partners: Effective Linkage to Adult Services

1. Dancing with Family & Community Partners: Effective Linkage to Adult Services Joseph Anastasio, MS, MSW Baltimore City Public Schools Christy Stuart, Ed.D. TransCen, Inc. Jeff Wyatt, MS Baltimore City Public Schools

2. Icebreaker

3. Who’s on it? • $1 bill • $2 bill • $5 bill • $10 bill • $20 bill • $50 bill • $100 bill

4. Session agenda • Welcome • Introduction to the Topic • Presentation • Resources and Take-Aways

5. Why is Partnering so Important? Evidence supports that families and partners have a major influence on student’s achievement. When schools, families, and community groups work together to support learning and post-school goals, students tend to do better in school, stay in school, and like school. Henderson, A.T. & Mapp, K.L. (2002). A New Wave of Evidence: The Impact of School. Family and Community Connections on Student Achievement. Available at www.sedl.org/connections/research-synthesis.htm

6. What we know about Family Involvement • Students with involved families tend to earn better grades, achieve higher graduation rates, and enroll in postsecondary education or employment • If families take active interests, students display more positive attitudes toward school and their community • Students have more success if parents play a variety of roles in their learning and achievement (planning, volunteering, decision-making) • Students from diverse backgrounds have more success when families and schools/communities join forces to bridge the gap between cultures

7. What are some of the experiences/struggles with families? • Lack of follow-through • Lack of advocacy skills for themselves • Low expectations for student • Work constraints • Disabilities themselves • Generational public assistance • Guardian is not identified (foster care)

8. Family Involvement- Some Strategies To Consider • Reciprocal family education and communication • Cultural sensitivity and acceptance • Shared decision-making • Resolving disputes • Fostering youth ownerships • Personal futures planning • Longitudinal framework

9. Advocacy • Diffusing angry, unhappy families • May not feel heard • Not part of the decisions-making process • Disconnected and fearful of future • Take a lot of staff time and energy- colors perceptions of all families • Proactive approaches • Parents have rights to influence with mutual respect • Encourage collaboration with families to monitor progress, difficulties, and plans for student’s future • Resolving conflicts in peaceful nature

10. Steps to Becoming Empowered • Asking questions of counselors, CRP, teachers • Asking questions at IEP meetings • Give input on what you think your child needs • Prepare for meetings by role-playing • Bring support to meetings if uncomfortable • If behavior is a problem, request assessments • Read documents at meetings before leaving • Ask for changes on documents or IEPs if they are unclear • Speaking up is important- think of the goal!

11. Strategies to Inform • Information Dissemination- most popular • Sharing of information- reciprocal • Workshop Series • Transition Fairs- specific to post-school transition • Transition-specific resource expos • Open Houses • Guest Speakers • Field trips ( students and families)

12. Strategies to Empower • Requesting feedback or progress reports • Identifying personal resources or contacts • Creative problem-solving- partners at the table • Training with other family members • Opportunities to network • Portfolios/Folders • Questionnaires

13. Creative ways to Enhance Involvement & Empowerment • Personal and individual contact • Flexibility in scheduling meetings • Encourage student and family “ambassadors” • Encourage families to partner on presentations for families new to transition process

14. IDEA 04 defines the term “Transition Services” as “A coordinated set of activities for a child with a disability that is designed to be within a results-oriented process, that is focused on improving the academic and functional achievement of the child with a disability to facilitate the child’s movement from school to post school activities, including post-secondary education, vocational education integrated employment (including supported employment), continuing and adult education, adult services, independent living, or community participation; is based on the individual child’s needs, taking into account the child’s strengths, preferences, and interest; and includes instruction, related services, community experiences, the development of employment and other post-school adult living objectives, and , when appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills and functional vocational evaluation.

15. Why is partnering with other agencies and services so important? • No one specific program or agency services all individuals with disabilities in the adult service system • Transitioning youth with disabilities and their families have the potential to receive services and support from a variety of public and private programs • Exact mix of programs varies depending upon the needs of the student and his/her transition goals, nature of disability, economic resources of the community and eligibility requirements of the program Wittenburg, D., Golden, T., & Fishman, M. (2002). Transition options for youth with disabilities: an overview of the programs and policies that affect the transition from school. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 17, 195-206.

16. Key Steps for Blending Resources into Individualized Transition Plans • Become fully educated about the resources and services in our communities that provide community training, employment, and support programs specific to youth in transition • Identify the primary community agencies that are critical to the success of each student’s transition plan • Identify primary service coordination entity for individuals

17. Evidence-based secondary transition predictors of improved post-school outcomes for students with disabilities ….division on career development and disabilities (CEC) Speaking about Interagency Collaboration: • Assistance from 3 to 6 community based agencies (as compared to students assisted by 0 to 2 agencies) more likely to be engaged in post-school employment of agency (Bullis et al., 1995) • Transition interagency council characteristics (i.e., agency directories agreements, councils, general information, local business advisory boards, parent network, statements) – more likely to be engaged in post-school education (Repotto et al., 2002)

18. Evidence-based secondary transition predictors of improved post-school outcomes for students with disabilities Continued ….division on career development and disabilities (CEC) • Transition service characteristics (i.e., Arcs, Department of Children & Families, Developmental Services, Division of Blind Services, DVR Rehab, Easter Seals, Job Service of Florida, Job Training, mental Health, Social Security Initiatives, United Cerebral Palsy) more like to be engaged in post-school education (Repetto, et al., 2002) • Transition support characteristics (i.e., Agency Referral FU, Case Management, Community Services; Employment Spec., Equipment, Family Services, Financial, Guardianship, Guidance/Counseling, Living Arrangement, Medical, Parent Information, Referral, Social/Leisure, Support Service, Teacher Resources, Transition Spec., Transportation) were more likely to be engaged n post-school education (Repetto et al., 2002)

19. Baltimore City public schools • Maryland Seamless Transition Collaborative (MSTC) –Project Management • 6 session parent/family workshops • Travel Training – “train the trainer” – BCC • “Student Directed IEPs” workshop for parents and students • Spring Transition Resource Expo – MSDE – Prince George’s Community College • Summer Transition Institute • Transition Monitor Meetings – held at CRP offices • Workshops – Social Security Benefits and Employment • Student Directed IEPs • Local Transition Council?

20. Community Process Mapping Asset mapping or environmental scanning. Best noted as a system-building process used by groups in order to align resources and policies in relation to specific system goals, strategies, and expected outcomes.

21. Community Resource Mapping Outcomes: • “youth mapping” – identification of where resources are already available – local level • Identification of new or additional resources to sustain existing specific youth activities – local, state or federal level • Identification of resources to assist in creating & building capacity to support a more comprehensive community system for supporting youth – local, state or federal level Essential Tools: Improving Secondary Education and Transition for Youth with Disabilities – Community Resource Mapping – Prepared by Kelli Crane and Marianne Mooney, TransCen Inc., 2005

22. Group Sharing • Pairs – what are you doing • Large group share

23. Agency Linkage tool to use in professional development

24. THANK YOU! Joseph Anastasio jfanastasio@bcps.k12.md.us Christy Stuart cstuart@transcen.org Jeff Wyatt jwyatt@bcps.k12.md.us Donnae Bushrod dbbushrod@bcps.k12.md.us

25. Questions? Concerns? Feedback? Suggestions?