Evidence-Based Secondary Transition Practices for Enhancing School Completion

James White

University of North Carolina at Charlotte and National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center

nsttac is a partnership focused on improving the lives of youth with disabilities and their families by helping them achieve their desired post-school outcomes.

To do this, nsttac assists states in developing replicable, systematic transition programs based on evidence-based practices that support and improve secondary transition planning, services, and outcomes for youth with disabilities.

Assist State Education Agencies with collecting and using SPP Indicator 13 data to improve secondary transition services

Generate knowledge that provides an evidence-based foundation for states to use to improve secondary transition services that enhance post-school outcomes

  Build capacity of states and local educational agencies to implement

effective secondary transition services that improve post-school outcomes  Disseminate information to state personnel, practitioners, researchers,

parents, and students regarding effective secondary transition services that improve post-school outcomes

Purpose

Present the findings of a review of the literature to identify evidence-based secondary transition practices that promote school completion for students with disabilities

Current Trends National Center for Educational Statistics data indicate

dropout rates in 2003-2004 between 4.0% and 10.3% for all students (NCES, 2004).

National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 reported that 28% of students with disabilities did not complete school (NLTS2, 2005).

Research indicates that students who do not graduate have higher rates of unemployment or underemployment

Experience higher rates of unexpected parenthood Have higher rates of drug use

Participation in vocational education (occupationally-specific instruction) during last two years of high school.

Participation in paid work experiences in the community during the last two years of high school

Competence in functional academics, community living, personal social, vocational, and self-advocacy skills

Participation in transition planning Graduation from high school

Factors Associated with Positive Postschool Outcomes

Post-School Outcomes~Indicator 14~

Postsecondary education and/or training

Employment Independent living

Dropping Out~Indicator 2~

Why? Appropriate programs? Address student and family

needs?

Graduation~Indicator 1~

Expectations and standards? Various pathways available? Linkage to post-school

environments?

What’s the Quality of Our IEPs?

~Indicator 13~ Measurable post-school and annual

goals Transition-related assessments Course of study, services, and

activities Coordination of services

Not so good?

Good?

Why? Why Not?Why? Why Not?

Transition-focused Education Transition-focused education means guiding students

towards adult outcomes using academic, career, and extracurricular instruction and activities implemented through instructional and transition approaches and services based on local context and student need

(Kohler, 1998)

Student-Focused Planning

Student Development Interagency

Collaboration

Program Structures

Family Involvement

Taxonomy for Transition Programming

Taxonomy for Transition Programming

Five primary areas and secondary practices of the taxonomy Student-focused planning Student development Interagency collaboration Family involvement Program structure

Student-Focused Planning Student participation in the development of their IEP linked to

school completion Ensuring IEP teams identify and engage responsible agencies, resources, and accommodations required for a student to successfully achieve positive post-school outcomes

Promoting the value of preparing for, and participating in, postsecondary education

Identifying specific types and levels of accommodations and supports a student will need to participate in post-school environments

(Benz, Lindstrom, & Yovanoff, 2000; Repetto, Pankaskie, Hankins, & Schwartz,1997)

Teach students to participate in their IEP process

Use the Self-Advocacy StrategyUse the Self-Directed IEP

Evidence-based Student Focused Planning Practices

Practice Descriptions Include:

What is the evidence? With whom has it been implemented? What is the practice? How has the practice been implemented? Where has it been implemented? How does this practice relate to Indicator 13? How does this practice relate to National Standards? Where is the best place to find out how to do this

practice? Full references

Objective Setting and Materials Content Taught Teaching Procedures Method of Evaluation Lesson Plan Based on (full reference)

Research to Practice Lesson Plan Starters include:

Student development Self-advocacy Goal setting and attainment Problem solving Life skills instruction Leisure skill instruction Employment skills instruction Lack of employment experiences Inability to sustain employment Inability to attainment of employment goals (Repetto et al. 1997); Benz, Lindstrom, and Yovanoff, 2000)

Student development

Generic vocational programming which consisted of classes that focused on employability skills across a variety of occupations

Occupationally-specific programming which reflected preparation for a specific trade

On-the-job programming in which students earned credits for being competitive employment Problem solving

(Corbett, Clark, and Blank (2002)

Student development

Having a curriculum that was relevant to post-school environments

Opportunities for career exploration Making connections with post school settings and school-to-

work programs Students in the check & connect intervention were more likely

to have IEPs More likely to have transition components, including

articulated postsecondary goals regarding education Community participation, and recreation activities Transition services in the IEP(Tobin, & Sugai (2002); Sinclair, Christensen, & Thurlow, 2005)

Teach self-advocacy skills Teach students job specific employment skills Teach self-determination skills Teach functional life skills Teach functional reading sight words Teach functional math skills Teach purchasing skills Teach home maintenance skills

Evidence-based Student Development Practices

Program Structure More interesting classes, “like welding, agriculture, or ROTC” More classes with age peers without disabilities Creative approaches such as “pay me for…coming to school” Shortened school days Alternatives to in and out of school suspensions, which

remove students from instruction Additional academic and behavioral support from school staff Student-centered services that focused on outcomes for

students(Kortering et al. 2002; Repetto et al. (1997)

Structure programs to extend services beyond secondary school

Provide Community-Based Instruction Check and Connect

Evidence-based Program Structure Practices

Interagency Collaboration

Collaboration between school staff and community agencies to wrap services around a student and his/ her family including behavior programming

Community agency referral services for families Working with community businesses so that curricula are relevant Teamwork and team building instruction for school and community

personnel Coordinate and integrate academic and vocational services

(Martin et al. 2002); Repetto et al. 1997)

Family Involvement Case management services to families

Transportation to meetings Home visits (Sinclair et al., 2005)

Empowering families through advocacy activities

Attention to family needs Mental health services Medical services(Repetto et al. 1997)

•Efficient process that is predictive

•Great way to develop rapport w/ students

•Students enjoy it

•Generates useful and relevant information

•Legally required in IDEIA 2004 (see www.nsttac.org)

•Helps you understand the student in a new way

Why Do Age Appropriate Transition Assessment?

Definition of Transition Assessment

Transition assessment is the ongoing process of collecting data on the individual’s needs, preferences, and interests as they relate to the demands of current and future working, educational, living, and personal and social environments.

Categories of Assessment

InformalFormal

Areas of Assessment

Self-Determination SkillsTransition SkillsVocational Interests & Skills

Areas of Vocational Assessment Information

Achievement and Mental Ability scores from the current psychological report

Paper/pencil tests in the areas of interests, personality, career readiness, work adjustment, and aptitude

Physical functioning (observation or tested) Family and student background (interview

or survey) Job Samplings – recreate community jobs Work Site Evaluations

Levels of Vocational Assessment

Level 1: Screening Level 2: Exploration Level 3: Vocational

Evaluation (Leconte, 1999)

Providing background information on assessment

Providing access to resources and information

Providing sample assessment tools

Getting feedback on how to do it better

http://www.nsttac.org/?FileName=tag#Transition

Transition Assessment Guide

AIR Self-Determination Assessment

Parent Version Teacher Version Student Version Available at

www.ou.edu/zarrow/sdetermination.html www.sdtac.uncc.edu

Cost: free

Arc Self-Determination Assessment

University of Kansas, Beach Center www.beachcenter.org Click on downloads, then select books, manuals,

reports - full pubs Cost: free

ChoiceMaker SD Assessment

Curriculum Referenced Assessment Choosing Goals Participating in IEP Meetings Taking Action on Goals

Sopris West (search by author: Martin) www.sopriswest.com

Cost: $12.95 for 25 copies

The Self-Determination Assessment Battery

Hoffman, Field, & Sawilowsky (1996, 2005) measures cognitive, affective, and behavioral factors related to self-

determination Related to the Steps to Self-Determination curriculum (Field & Hoffinan,

1996) five components: Know Yourself, Value Yourself, Plan, Act, and

Experience Outcomes and Learn five instruments in the battery: The Self-Determination Knowledge Scale

(forms A and B), The Self-Determination Observation Checklist, The Self-Determination Student Scale, The Teacher Perception Scale, and the Parent Perception Scale

Pro-Ed OR The Council for Exceptional Children Information about the Self-Determination Assessment Battery is available

from the Self-Determination and Transition Projects Office sdtalk@wayne.edu.

Casey Life Skills Web based and FREE!!! Spanish or English, with numerous supplemental

assessments Youth and caregiver formats Automatically scored and sent to you Can obtain class summaries Provides different levels of questions for students across

functioning levels www.caseylifeskills.org

(Martin, 2007)

Implications for PracticeThe current study provides additional support for Mentoring Academic engagement Cognitive-behavioral strategies (Dunn et al., 2004; Kemp, 2006; Sinclair et al., 2005; Sinclair et al., 1998; Corbett

et al., 2002); Martin et al., 2002)

Evidence-based support for secondary transition practices Completing vocational education coursework including career

awareness, career exploration, generic and occupationally-specific coursework, and paid employment

Involving students in their IEP/transition planning process Changing program structures such as additional electives (Kortering et al., 2002) and reducing class sizes and increasing alternative education programs (Benz et al., 2000; Corbett et al., 2002; Kemp, 2006; Malian & Love, 1998; Martin et al., 2002; Benz et al., 2000; Sinclair et al., 2005; Martin et al., 2002)

To Contact Us:

David Test, dwtest@email.uncc.edu James White, jawhite@uncc.edu NSTTAC (www.nsttac.org)

704-687-8606 704-687-6327(TTY) 704-687-2916 (fax) chfowler@email.uncc.edu