Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network

Career Education and Work Standards: Tools for Transition

July 23, 2009Pennsylvania Community on

Transition Conference

Diane Orloski, Luzerne IU 18Rosemary Nilles, PaTTAN

Pittsburgh

Did You Know?

Lets start thinking……

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PaTTAN’s Mission

The Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network is an initiative of the Pennsylvania

Department of Education working in partnership with families and

local education agencies to support programs and services to

improve student learning and achievement.

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PDE’s Commitment to Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)

Recognizing that the placement decision is an Individualized

Education Program (IEP) team decision, our goal for each child

is to ensure IEP teams begin with the general education setting with the use of supplementary

aids and services before considering a more restrictive

environment.4

Objectives Participants will increase understanding of

various ways to develop effective transition practices for students with disabilities within the general curriculum Using PA’s Standards Aligned System.

Using resources within the Career Education and Work (CEW) Standards Toolkit .

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The Context:Secondary Transition and Students with Disabilities

“Why is transition important for all students?”

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In the U.S. today, less than 20% of the workforce is in jobs classified as unskilled. This in almost an exact reversal of the nature of the American workforce just 40 years ago.

There is a tremendous demand for educated people with general employability and specialized technical skills in areas related to computer science, high-tech manufacturing, software development, biotechnology, biomedical applications, sales and services, data base management and skilled health care .

Nearly all of the rapidly growing jobs and occupations require postsecondary or extensive continuing training.

Why?Why? The new economy

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Why?Why? The new economy

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

1950 1994 2002

Professional

Skilled

Unskilled

• About 70% of jobs in Pennsylvania require advanced skills, compared to 27% in 1950

**Source: U.S. Bureau of Census and PA Dept of Labor and Industry, Center for Workforce Information and Analysis

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What Does This Mean for Students with Disabilities?

Getting a high school diploma is not enough

The challenge is not only to ensure all students achieve high academic standards, but also gain skills needed to achieve their desired post-school goals and assume adult responsibilities in their communities

Storms, J., O’Leary, E., Williams, J (2000). Transition requirements: A guide for states, districts, schools, universities and families, p. 6

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Secondary Transition for Students with Disabilities

A bridge between school programs and the opportunities of adult life.

Involves partnership between student, family, school-age services and program providers, post-school services and program providers, and local community members.

Builds on student’s strengths, interests and preferences, and addresses needs

Identifies services /supports needed to reach post-school goals

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National Data for Students with Disabilities…

About 70.3% of students with IEPs graduate with diplomas, compared to 85% of their peers in general education.

About 32% of students with IEPs who

complete high school enroll in post-secondary education compared to 68% of the general student population.

.

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National Data for Students with Disabilities (cont.)

The rate of employment for youth with disabilities is substantially below the 63% employment rate for youth in the general population.

Wagner, M., Newman, L., Cameto, R., Garza, N., & Levine, P. (2005) After high school: A first look at the postschool experiences of youth with disabilities. A report from the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2). Menlo Park, CA: SRI International.

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Realities of Adult Life for Persons with Disabilities

Lower post-secondary education completion

Higher unemployment/underemployment

Lower standard of living

Do not receive post-school supports and services equal to those received by students enrolled in secondary programs

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WHY IS TRANSITION GOOD FOR ALL KIDS?

Every Child by Name…

Proficient in core subjects Graduates from high school, ready for college

& career Achieves equitable

outcomes, regardless of background, condition or circumstances

Our Vision in Pennsylvania

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Our Charge for Students with Disabilities

Developing programs and supports to keep students engaged in the general education curriculum, and meeting with academic and socialsuccess.

Designing transition programs within these structures assist our students in achieving their post-school goals.

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Special Educators’ Dilemma

HOW do we fit transition activities into the school day?

WHERE do they happen?

WHEN do they happen?

HOW does this interface with the IEP?

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Tools from PDE to Support Transition Planning for

ALL Students

Standards Aligned System (SAS)

Career Education and Work (CEW) Standards and Toolkit

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Introduction to Pennsylvania’s Standards

Aligned System (SAS)

Located on the Education Hub

www.pde.state.pa.us

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Standards Aligned System (SAS)

The Pennsylvania Standards Aligned Systems (SAS) is a collaborative product

of research and good practice thatidentifies six distinct elements which, if

utilized together, will provide schools anddistricts a common framework for continuous

school and district enhancement and improvement.

SAS addresses each PA Academic Standard 22

Resources & Materials

The stuff you use to teach the content

Clear Standards

What students should

know and do

Fair Assessments

How you measure what students know

& can do

Curriculum Framework

Big Ideas, Concepts, Competencies –

the content behind the standards

InstructionHow you teach

the content behind the standards

InterventionsHow you help

struggling kids understand

the contentStrongResults

For ALL

Students

Standards Aligned Systems

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Curriculum Framework forEach Academic Standard

Big Ideas: Declarative statements that describe concepts that transcend grade levels.  Big Ideas are essential to provide focus on specific content for all students.

  Concepts: Describe what students should know,

key knowledge, as a result of this instruction, specific to grade level.

Competencies: Describe what students should be able to do, key skills, as a result of this instruction, specific to grade level. 24

Essential Questions: Questions connected to the SAS framework and specifically linked to the Big Ideas.  They should frame student inquiry and promote critical thinking.  They should assist in learning transfer.

  Vocabulary: Key terminology linked to the standards, big ideas,

concepts and competencies in a specific content area and grade level.

  Exemplars: Performance tasks that can be used for assessment,

instruction as well as professional development. Exemplars provide educators with a concrete example of assessing students' understanding of the big ideas, concepts and competencies.

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Coming Soon to the Curriculum Framework…

SAS Curriculum Framework:Connections to

School District Curriculum

Understand = Big Ideas

Know = Concepts

Do = Competencies 26

Pennsylvania’s Career Education and Work (CEW)

Standards www.pde.state.pa.us

The Career Education and Work Standards, Chapter 4 of Title 22, are part of the State Board of Education’s regulations of required education for all students in

Pennsylvania.

PDE home page- K-12 Education –Curriculum and Instruction- Career Education and Work- Standards- scroll down to list of all standards 27

Through a comprehensive approach, Career Education and Work Standards complement all the disciplines and other academic standards. If Pennsylvania’s students are to succeed in the workplace, there are certain skills they need to obtain prior to graduation from high school.

These skills have been identified in the Career Education and Work Standards, but it is up to individual school districts to decide how they are to be taught. Districts can implement integration strategies within existing disciplines or can implement stand alone courses to address these standards.

A New Vision of Career Education

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Career Education and Work (CEW) Standards describe what students should know and be able to do at four grade levels (3, 5, 8 and 11) in four areas:

13.1- Career Awareness and Preparation

13.2- Career Acquisition (Getting a Job)

13.3- Career Retention and Advancement

13.4- Entrepreneurship

Let’s look at CEW Standards on the SAS webpage

Pennsylvania Career Education & Work Standards

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Career Awareness and Exploration, Grade 11: Big Ideas

Interests, aptitudes, and abilities are unique for each individual and play a key role in career choice.

Change impacts career options and choices. Career choice and preparation are lifelong

processes based on many influences and using many strategies.

There is a definitive relationship between education and career planning and choice.

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Career Exploration, Grade 11:Concepts

List some of the factors that impact personal career choices. Explain the relationship of interests, abilities, and aptitudes to career choices. Describe how interests, abilities, and achievement relate to achieving personal,

social, educational and career goals. List sources of career information. List sources for finding traditional and non-traditional careers. Describe ways that roles can change for individuals in the workplace. List the school-based opportunities for career awareness/preparation. List some factors that justify the selection of a career. List some sources of information about career preparation opportunities. Describe the relationship between educational achievement and career success. Identify resources to inquire about educational and training opportunities to

prepare for careers. Describe how the courses taken in high school relate to your career interests. Identify the parts of a career plan that require constant maintenance.

Explain how educational plans are important to the career choice process.

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Career Exploration, Grade 11:Competencies

Interview an adult and determine what factors influenced their career choices and how they influenced them.

Identify personal interests, aptitudes and abilities that influence career choice. Select some career options that are based on your personal interests, abilities, aptitudes,

achievements and goals. Locate, evaluate, and interpret career information. List a variety of traditional and non-traditional occupations. Given an example of someone's role change in the workplace, describe how it could open up

new opportunities for career choices. Choose some school-based opportunities for career awareness/preparation that would

benefit your career selection. Write a brief essay or speech that justifies your selection of a career. Use research and information resources to obtain career preparation information about

some of your career choices and compare them. Compare your current high school career plan with your current personal goals and make

changes where feasible. Select colleges and college course work that supports your personal career interests. Maintain a career planning portfolio.

Assess and modify your educational plan to support career goals.

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Career Acquisition, Grade 8:Big Ideas

Effective speaking, listening and writing are essential in the career acquisition process.

Identification and application of sound research practices and networking strategies are essential in the career acquisition process.

Comprehensive planning leads to effective career decisions.

Understanding and demonstrating workplace skills and knowledge is paramount in the career acquisition process.

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Career Acquisition, Grade 8:Concepts

List and describe effective delivery techniques used in an interview such as eye contact, body language and enunciation.

List and describe three important listening skills or attending behaviors necessary in a job interview.

Identify which written documents convey the ideas, thoughts, feelings and experiences necessary in the job acquisition process.

List and locate community job agencies. List and describe the parts of a high school academic plan. List and identify the source of information required in a career portfolio including

personal components, academic history and self-assessment activities. Describe the components and use of a weekly planner. List and describe essential workplace skills/knowledge that assist in career

acquisition such as responsibility, dependability, integrity and team building. Explain the importance of health, safety and labor laws in daily activities.

List and describe the types of technical literacy used for a job search.

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Career Acquisition, Grade 8:Competencies

Identify effective delivery techniques in a mock interview such as:  eye contact, body language and enunciation.

Identify three important listening skills or attending behaviors during a sample job interview.

Draft a letter of introduction and sample resume. Complete a sample job application. Locate community job agencies and internet web sites and compare their usefulness by

asking adults for their preference in the job search process. Network with family, community or business people related to your career field of

interest. Create a high school academic plan connected to a developing career goal. Construct a career portfolio including personal components, academic history and self-

assessment activities. Using a weekly planner, designate specific periods of time to complete homework,

projects, family responsibilities and personal activities. Describe the importance of responsibility, dependability, integrity and team building in the

work setting. Demonstrate health, safety and labor laws in daily activities. Demonstrate technical literacy skills/knowledge in a job search. 36

Career Retention and AdvancementGrade 9: Big Ideas

Career retention and advancement is dependent upon student’s interpersonal skills, work habits, attitudes and effective time management skills.

Personal budgeting is significantly impacted by career choice. 

Change as a factor and the role of lifelong learning, must be understood from a personal perspective and then as a workplace participant.

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Entrepreneurship, Grade 11:Competencies

• Recognize opportunity. • Analyze and conceptualize. • Create, innovate and self criticize. • Evaluate a situation and assess risk. • Share authority, when appropriate. • Value diversity. • Determine personal biases and stereotypes. • Determine interests. • Evaluate personal capabilities. • Conduct self-assessment to determine entrepreneurial potential. • Make decisions. • Develop tolerance for ambiguity. • Use feedback for personal growth. • Set personal goals. • Explain the concept of risk management.

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For each student, the school district must create an individualized career plan including, such as, but not limited to:

Assessment and continued development of career portfolio

Career goals Cluster/pathway opportunities Individual interests and abilities Training/education requirements and financing

Ch. 4 RequirementCareer Exploration/Assessment

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Schools must assist each students to start a Career Portfolio by the 8th grade. This portfolio will follow each student through graduation. Software available that incorporates career

aptitudes and abilities as well as an electronic portfolio

Ch. 4 Requirement Career Exploration/Assessment

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Students draw up a plan for career preparation in the eighth or ninth grades. They choose a pathway leading to a particular career goal and the core courses and electives that will enable them to graduate in that pathway

Ch. 4 Requirement

Career Plan of Study

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“Sounds like it’s not just special educators who need to be thinking about transition!”

“We all need a set of tools to get the job done!”

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Pennsylvania’s Career Education and Work (CEW) Toolkit

More tools to make transition a reality for

all students

www.pacareerstandards.com

Funded by PDE, Bureau of Career and Technical Education

Developed by Career Development Leaders Network

Coordinated by Jeannette Carter, Ph.D.

Outreach for K-12 at Pennsylvania College of Technology43

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CEWS MissionEnsure that each student

achieves and maintains

a personally and professionally rewarding

career journey.

www.pacareerstandards.com45

Goals of the Toolkit

• This electronic toolkit provides resources, references, crosswalks and other tools to assist elementary, middle and high schools teachers and administrators in implementing the Pennsylvania (PA) Career Education and Work Standards.

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CEWS Content

• Four strands – Career awareness

– Career acquisition

– Career retention

– Entrepreneurship

www.pacareerstandards.com 47

Key Student Outcomes

• Develop an individualized career plan and a career portfolio

• Develop a personal budget

• Develop a business plan

www.pacareerstandards.com 48

CEW Standards Crosswalks• Two sets of crosswalks assist educators

in making connections between CEW standards and other academic standards

• Tool can be used to connect career-related skills and competencies in any setting, including community, job site, Career/Tech Center

• Identifies how students access critical content

• Benchmarks at grades 3, 5, 8, 1149

CEW Standards Crosswalk

Core Academic Standards Crosswalk• Identifies the CEW standards that are met when

listed standards in the other academic area are fully accomplished. Standards and anchors are listed where available.

Extended Academic Standards Crosswalk • identifies the CEW standards that can be met

through the careful selection and introduction of a topic directly related to the CEW standard.

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Other Curriculum Resources• Surveys for schools (K-3, 4-5, 6-8, 9-12)

to determine curriculum coverage of CEW standards

• Sample CEW lesson plans, all grades• Course content for Futures courses• Literature resources• Games for students• Online learning program

CEW Toolkit: Assessments• Quick Assessment- Explore jobs that best match

your personality.(Approximately 5 min.)

• Interest Profiler - Helps you decide what kinds of occupations and jobs you might want to explore based on your interests. (Approximately 30 min.)

• Work Importance Profiler - Discover how much you value achievement, independence, recognition, relationships, support, and working conditions in a job. Get a list of jobs that reflect your values. (Approximately 30 min.)

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CEW Toolkit: Assessment and Planning

• AES Free college planning site– Holland Types– Career Key Assessment

• Online Pennsylvania Career Guide• College Board: Majors and Careers

Central• Parent Tools• Use of Portfolios

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Parent / Guardian Brochures

• Downloadable brochures for parents of elementary, middle, and high school students

• Examples:– Helping Your Child Identify Interests– Why Should My Child Explore Careers?– Career Clusters and Pathways– Helping Your Child Make Career Decisions– Parent Involvement = Student Success

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Parent / Guardian Resources

• America's Career Resource Network Parents HomepageTopics such as starting young, school success, career exploration, beyond high school and children with special needs are addressed. Additional resources and links are provided.

• Career CheckInventory for parents and students to take together. Parents can see how their child's interests match up to their plans for a future career.

• "Your Child's Career" - website for parents55

Resources• Resources on this site can supplement

existing career development resources already in use in the schools.

• Core Internet Resources (box on right) are the most widely used and applicable websites.

• Additional resources will continue to be added to the toolkit. Schools are encouraged to submit resources and lesson plans for inclusion in the toolkit.

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AllAll school personnel in school personnel in allall school districts! school districts!

Who is going to do this work on transition?

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IV. Making Transition Happen for All Students

It’s all about collaboration!

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Effective Practices: School Level

Using the CEW Crosswalks to assure that CEW standards are addressed across the curriculum

Developing activities/programs around careers at each grade level

Electronic portfolios for all students

Business & community partnerships, work experience, job shadowing, internships

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Effective Practices: School LevelGeneral Education Courses

One effective practice to implement the standards is the development of stand-alone courses (e.g., Careers Class) for ALL 8th and 9th graders, often linked with character education programs.

Course outlines for Futures 1, Futures II and Foundations for Success ) suggest content these courses might include. (Refer to CEW Toolkit.)

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Effective Practices: School LevelMapping Transition Activities

Many schools are “mapping” the activities that occur in general education for each grade level. Examples: career based field trips,

guidance services, resume writing, career exploration

These activities can be listed in the transition grid of the IEP

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Some Time-Saving Tips

Talk to your district administrators: Where are the CEW Standards being

included in your district? Vocational Assessments for all 8th graders? Portfolio for all students 8 – 12 grade? Family Consumer Science? Completion Project?

Parents are partners! Share the materials!

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Resources & Materials

The stuff you use to teach the content

Clear Standards

What students should

know and do

Fair Assessments

How you measure what students know

& can do

Curriculum Framework

Big Ideas, Concepts, Competencies –

the content behind the standards

InstructionHow you teach

the content behind the standards

InterventionsHow you help

struggling kids understand

the contentStrongResults

For ALL

Students

Standards Aligned Systems

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Effective Practices: Classroom Level

General and special educators working together and using SAS to: Teach to the Standards, including CEW. Use Fair Assessments to inform and adjust

instruction. Use Curriculum Framework: Big Ideas,

Concepts, and Competencies to design unit organizers and lesson plans… which leads to differentiation of content, assignments, assessments.

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Effective Practices: Classroom Level (cont.)

General and special educators working together and using SAS to: Use effective instruction to keep students

engaged. Use or adapt materials to accommodate

individual needs. Use targeted interventions for at-risk students

based on assessment data. Use portfolios to document transition

activities.66

Effective Practices: SAS and IEP Development

Identify student’s Post-School Goals (using Assessment)

Use Fair Assessments to identify Present Levels of Academic and Functional Performance (PLAAFP), including specific Needs

Identify Course of Study needed to achieve post-school goals

Identify the standards student must meet to address identified Needs

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Indicator 13

connection

Effective Practices: SAS and IEP Development

Use Big Ideas, Concepts, and Competencies to focus on what student needs to know to meet post-school goals (Measurable Annual Goals- MAG)

Use effective instructional strategies to identify what works for the student & to keep him/her fully engaged (Specially Designed Instruction- SDI)

Use Materials and Resources as tools for instruction

Use Interventions (Safety Nets) to make sure student meets the standards and moves towards post-school goals (SDI)

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Making the Connections

Who in your district/school is using the Career Education and Work (CEW) toolkit?

Can teachers identify CEW Standards addressed in their content areas?

If not, who can help to make this happen?

Are parents aware of these resources?69

Making the Connections

Do your students with disabilities have access to challenging, standards-based instruction with adequate supports?

How can the CEW toolkit be used to improve transition practices for students with disabilities? For all students?

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And Other Connections…

How might using the Standards Aligned System and the Career Education Toolkit benefit your students, and all students in Pennsylvania?

What three things will you do in your district/school/classroom as a result of today’s session?

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Contact Information www.pattan.net

Rosemary Nilles

PaTTAN Pittsburgh

rnilles@pattan.net

800-446-5607 ex. 6870

Diane Orloski

Luzerne IU 18

dorloski@liu18.org

570-718-4632

Commonwealth of PennsylvaniaEdward G. Rendell, Governor

Pennsylvania Department of EducationGerald L. Zahorchak, D.Ed., Secretary

Diane Castelbuono, Deputy SecretaryOffice of Elementary and Secondary

Education

John J. Tommasini, DirectorBureau of Special Education

Patricia Hozella, Assistant DirectorBureau of Special Education72