Transition in Tough Times Diana Blackmon, Ed.D. dianablackmon@comcast.net Director of Special Services Washington Unified School District dblackmon@wusd.k12.ca.us
Transition in Tough Times Learning Objectives • Explore research-based Transition practices • Examine the barriers to implementing effective Transition services • Describe one district’s plan to overcome the barriers, including financial, that prevent effective Transition services
What research-based practices promote the successful Transition from school to adult living? Workforce Development indicates: • Learn About Yourself • Investigate the world of work • Synthesize what you have learned • Test the waters • Find and get the right job (California Career Planning Guide, 2005/09) Transition to Adult Living: An Information and Resource Guide, Section 1
What research-based practices promote the successful Transition from school to adult living? Transition research indicates: • Student focused planning • Student development • Interagency collaboration • Family involvement • Program structure (Paula Kohler, 1992, 1993,1996) Transition to Adult Living: An Information and Resource Guide, Section 1
What research-based practices promote the successful Transition from school to adult living? National Standards & Quality Indicators: • Schooling • Career preparatory experiences • Youth development • Family involvement • Connecting activities (National Center on Secondary Education and Transition) Transition to Adult Living: An Information and Resource Guide, Section 1
What research-based practices promote the successful Transition from school to adult living?
• • • • •
What do these indicators and practices have in common? Learn about yourself Learn about the world of work Match interests and skills with a career Learn about training/education requirements Develop a plan
Top 5 Barriers to implementing research-based Transition Services
Sounds great, but ‌ 1.No time to provide services and planning No regular contact with case load
1.Need to provide GE & CAHSEE support 2.Not responsible for Transition services 3.Diverse students: too high (general diploma), too low (life skills), somewhere in between 4.No funding
Transition in Tough Times What are some challenges you face in providing meaningful Transition planning and services?
Overcoming Barriers: 1. Time and Contact to provide services 2. Providing GE & CAHSEE support 3. Responsibility for Transition services 4. Serving Diverse students
Develop a Scope & Sequence of Transition services, which include instruction and activities
S e lf A d v o c a c y 9 th g ra d e 1 4 - 1 5 y e a r s - o ld
1 0 th g ra d e 1 5 - 1 6 y e a r s - o ld
1 1 th g ra d e 1 6 - 1 7 y e a r s - o ld
1 2 th g ra d e 1 7 - 1 8 y e a r s - o ld
T r a n s it io n c la s s 1 8 - 2 2 y e a r s - o ld
S e lf A w a r e n e s s
C a re e r A w a re n e ss
C a r e e r P r e p a r a tio n
W o r k E x p e r ie n c e
C o m m u n it y A w a r e n e s s
D e c is io n s a b o u t H S A c a d e m ic v . V o c a t io n a l
C o n n e c t in g s c h o o l an d w o rk
P o r t f o l io A p p l ic a t io n s R esum es
W o r k A b i lit y W o r k E x p e r ie n c e
T r a n s p o r t a t io n H o u s in g M e d ic a l
I n t e r e s t I n v e n t o r ie s L e a r n in g s t y le s
S p e a k e rs
A p p e a ra n c e
S e r v ic e L e a r n in g
R e c r e a tio n
I n t e r p e r s o n a l S k il ls
F i e ld T r i p s
I n t e r v i e w S k i lls
ROP
A g e n c y S u p p o rts
Developed by Diana Blackmon, Ed.D, 2003 Transition to Adult Living: An Information and Resource Guide, 2008, p. 56
Overcoming Barriers: 1. Time and Contact to provide services 2. Providing GE & CAHSEE support 3. Responsibility for Transition services 4. Serving Diverse students
Organize high school special education departments to serve all students: General diploma Diploma/Certificate Certificate
Overcoming barriers to implementing research-based Transition Services Old HS Sp Ed Department Resource Little/No contact IEP meeting Maybe CAHSEE prep
M/S SDC
Daily contact Modified core classes Daily living skills Some community-based instruction
New HS Sp Ed Department Resource Daily contact Study Skills class Transition instruction Support for Core/CAHSEE M/M SDC Daily contact Adapted core Daily Transition instruction Daily work experience M/S SDC Daily contact Functional literacy Daily living skills Daily work experience Daily community-based instruction
Overcoming barriers to implementing research-based Transition Services
1. Provides time and regular contact with case load to provide Transition services 2. Provides GE & CAHSEE support 3. Establishes case manager as responsible for Transition services and IEP 4. Serves diverse students: High (general diploma), Low (life skills) In between (diploma/certificate)
What does it look like? Resource Daily contact Study Skills class Transition instruction Support for Core/CAHSEE
• • • • • •
•
•
Skills for School Success Step Up to Writing Core support Transitions Curriculum Work experience (11th & 12th) Transition Assessments – Self awareness – Career exploration – Post secondary exploration Weekly computer Lab – CaliforniaCareers.Info – Bridges CAHSEE Prep
What does it look like? M/M SDC Daily contact Adapted core Daily Transition instruction Daily work experience
• • • • • • •
•
READ 180 Adapted English Personal Finance Electives & PE Transitions Curriculum Daily Work experience – Coffee Cafe Transition Assessments – Self awareness – Career exploration – Post secondary exploration Weekly computer Lab – CaliforniaCareers.Info – Bridges
What does it look like? M/S SDC Daily Contact Functional literacy Daily living skills Daily work experience Daily communitybased instruction
• • • • • • •
• • •
EdMark reading Functional math Personal Safety Electives & PE Modified Transitions/Life Centered Skills Curriculum Daily living/Life skills Daily Work experience – Coffee Café – Office supply & mail delivery Transition Assessments Weekly computer Lab Weekly Community-based instruction
5. No Funding No-Cost Improvements ďƒ˜ Used Department meetings to plan Scope & Sequence ďƒ˜ No new Special Education teacher allocations Old system: Mild or Severe (6) Sp Ed teacher allocations (4-5 RSP & SDC, 1 M/S) 2 pathways: RS/SDC and M/S SDC (Life Skills) Most students in Sp Ed core Low graduation rate Behavior problems New System: Mild Moderate Severe (6) Sp Ed teacher allocations (3 RSP, 2 M/M SDC, 1 M/S SDC) 3 pathways: RS, M/M SDC, M/S SDC RS students in all GE core with Sp Ed Study Skills MM SDC students in Sp Ed core with elective & PE Higher graduation rate Less Behavior problems
5. No Funding Low-Cost ($1,000 per school) Improvements Resource Program
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Skills for School Success Step Up to Writing Core support Transitions Curriculum Work experience (11/12) Transition Assessments Weekly computer Lab CaliforniaCareers.Info 1. CAHSEE Prep
1. Special education $400 2. No cost CDE materials or GE Intervention ($350) 3. No cost 4. Special education $500 5. No cost WorkAbility $ 6. WorkAbility/Sp Ed $200 7. No cost 8. No cost CDE materials or GE Intervention ($200)
5. No Funding Low-Cost ($1,700 per school) Improvements M/M SDC Program
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
READ 180 Adapted English Personal Finance Electives & PE Transitions Curriculum Daily Work experience Coffee Cafe 1. Transition Assessments 2. Weekly computer Lab CaliforniaCareers.Info
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
No cost GE Intervention READ 180 ($25,000) Corrective Reading ($1,000) No cost to adapt core (textbook $$) No cost to adapt core (textbook $$) No cost Special education $500 No cost WorkAbility ($600) WorkAbility/Sp Ed $200 No cost
5. No Funding Low-Cost ($1,150 per school) Improvements M/S SDC Program 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 1. 2. 3.
EdMark reading Functional math Personal Safety Electives & PE Modified Transitions/Life Centered Skills Curriculum Daily Work experience Coffee CafĂŠ Office supply Transition Assessments Weekly computer Lab Community-based instruction
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Special education $500 Special education $200 Special education $200 No cost Special education $50 No cost WorkAbility Coffee CafĂŠ ($600) Office supply $0
7. WorkAbility/Sp Ed $200 8. No cost 9. No to low cost
5. No Funding Low-Cost Improvements • About $3,500 in ONE TIME expenditures per high school • Special Education ARRA funds • Special Education (Resource 6500) • Fund raise – especially for some CBI • Share common curriculum • Grants
Transition to Adult Living Program • • • • • – – – – – •
State Leadership site 18-22 years old Rented house in community Students leave with a plan Goals: independence and selfdetermination employment skills daily living skills travel training recreation/leisure $150,000 year Sp Ed funds • •
1 teacher, 2 aides 20 students
Other high impact, no cost benefits: • Students have a personal relationship with case manager due to daily contact • Resource teacher checks GE assignments weekly • Resource and SDC teachers communicate with GE teachers weekly • Resource and SDC teachers communicate with families weekly • IEP goals and progress monitoring have improved • Academic performance has gone up (25 pts. on API) • Graduation rates have gone up (15% 1st year) • Behavior problems have gone down (20% 1st year)
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Other Common Barriers to Implementation Lack of interest to 1. Show them education think about the future and earnings data Unrealistic goals 2. Show them labor market data No green card or social security card 3. Show them Fears about loosing opportunities without a Social Security green card Who's responsible: 4. Explain SS earnings GE, Sp Ed, parent, regulations student 5. Explain legal Incarceration requirements and identify responsible No time for Transition: CAHSEE persons prep, 6. They need a job when departmentalized they are released structures, no face7. Explain legal requirements time with case load and identify responsible persons and time for Transition work
24
Resources Not listed in the Transition Guide • Corrective Reading
– McGraw-Hill publishing
• EdMark Reading
– Pro-Ed, Inc. Publishing
• Personal Safety
– New, developed by SH teachers
• READ 180:
– Scholastic publishing
• Skills for School Success
– Curriculum Associates publishing
• Step Up to Writing – Sopris publishing
Final Thoughts • If we do what we’ve always done we’ll continue to get the same results! • We have 30 years of research to guide our practice • The challenges and barriers to implementing effective Transition services are immense, but the cost to our students is even greater • Transition is the real measure of special education • Transition is secondary special education • Transition is the ultimate outcome
26