SPP Indicator 13 : Improving Performance and Student Outcomes

1. SPP Indicator 13 : Improving Performance and Student Outcomes Ginger Blalock, Education Contractor Adapted from Dr. Paula Kohler’s Guidance National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center, Western Michigan University

2. Topics for This Presentation • IDEA 2004 Transition Requirements • New Mexico Statutes on Transition Planning • State Performance Plan Indicator 13 • NSTTAC Indicator 13 Checklist (Form B)

3. Context for Improving Practice Factors • Student outcomes • IDEA • State and local policy • Community • Effective practices

4. IDEA Accountability Mandates • Continuous Improvement Monitoring Process (CIMP) – Compliance with IDEA • State Performance Plan (SPP) • Annual Performance Report (APR)

5. IEP Transition Planning Requirements – 2004 IDEA Statute - Transition planning in the IEP is required for every student (not gifted): Beginning not later than the first IEP to be in effect when the child is 16, and updated annually thereafter New Mexico Statute:Same requirement but starts no later than 8th grade or age 14

6. IEP Requirements – IDEA 2004 (aa) appropriate measurable postsecondary goals based upon age appropriate transition assessments related to training, education, employment, and where appropriate independent living skills; (bb) the transition services (including courses of study) needed to assist the child in reaching those goals;

7. State Performance Plan (SPP) and Annual Performance Report (APR) State’s plan to meet, and state’s performance on, 19 indicators (Part B) — 4 specific to transition: 1. % of youth with IEPs who graduate (on standard pathway to diploma) – collected thru STARS 2. % of youth with IEPs who drop out – thru STARS also 13. % of youth with all transition components in the IEP – collected thru IEP file review by trained reviewer (REC 6) 14. % of youth who achieve post-school outcomes (further learning, employment, or both) – collected by phone or other survey method one year after exit (NEREC 4)

8. Post-School Outcomes • ~Indicator 14~ • Postsecondary education and/or training • Employment • Independent living Not so good? Good? Why? Why Not? • 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 Using Transition Indicators to Improve What We Do

9. Critical Interrelationship Quality IEPs Staying in School Achieving post-school outcomes Graduating

10. Indicator 13 – Content of IEPs • Percent of youth aged 16 and above* with an IEPthat includes coordinated, measurable, annual IEPgoals and transition services that will reasonably enable the child to meet the post-secondary goals. [20 U. S. C. 1416 (a)(3)(B)] * In N.M., 8th grade or age 14 and above

11. Elements of Transition-Rich IEPs • Measurable postsecondary goals • Present level of performance – based on age-appropriate assessments • Transition activities and services, including course of study • Annual transition goals • Designated responsibility, including adult agencies

12. A Transition-Rich IEP “Transition” assessment/Present levels of achievement Transition services/linkages with designated responsibility & timelines Annual IEP Transition Goals Measurable postsecondary goals Long-term activities (e.g., instruction) and services, including course of study

13. A Transition-Rich IEP Measurable postsecondary goals

14. Questions Defining a Measurable Post-School Goal • Is it outcome-oriented? • Can it be counted (by someone)? • Will it occur after the student leaves secondary education? • Are goals for education or training AND employment addressed (for most)?

15. Measurable Post-School Goals – Ex: • Jamal will work in his uncle’s printing business upon graduation from high school. • Karen will attend KVCC in the medical technology (radiology) program and work in the health care industry after high school. • Sophie will work part-time in a retail entertainment store, with assistance from an employment specialist, after graduation.

16. Other Postschool Goal Examples See many more examples and non-examples at www.nsttac.org website – click on Indicator 13 link – then “Training Materials” - include discussions of why examples meet IDEA’s criteria and why nonexamples are not appropriate.

17. A Transition-Rich IEP Assessment/Present levels of achievement Measurable postsecondary goals

18. Assessment-Based PLAAFP • What kinds of assessments (informal and formal)? • Are the areas assessed the most important ones for this student, given his/her postschool goals? (individualized!) • Are they age-appropriate? • Are they valid and reliable for the students you are assessing? • Who administers assessments? When? How Often? • How are results shared with students and with the IEP team? • How are results “tracked” over time? • How are results used to develop goals and courses of study, and to determine service needs?

19. Information Needs for Accountability • Student’s present levels of achievement and functional performance • Supports and accommodations needed • Student’s performance regarding state standards and benchmarks

20. Aptitudes Temperament Interests Learning Preferences & Styles Information Needs for Student-Focused Planning Worker/ Personal Characteristics Background Information Vocational & Occupational Skills Functional/Life Skills Supports and Accommodations

21. Additional Guidance for Transition Assessments Dr. Jim Martin, University of Oklahoma, stresses at least 4 important areas to assess: • Self-determination skills – Self-awareness, Self-advocacy, Self-efficacy, Decision-making, Independent performance, Self-evaluation, Adjustment • Career/vocational interests – reading, nonreading tools • Basic (overall) transition skills – all relevant adult life domains • Functional vocational assessment (when indicated)– much more depthful evaluation for those needing it

22. Example of Transition Assessment Results in PLAAFP

23. Comprehensive Transition Assessment Tools • Transition Planning Inventory-Revised (TPI-R) • ProEd, Austin Texas (www.proedinc.com) • Scales of Independent Behavior - R • Riverside Publishing (http://www.riverpub.com) • Informal Assessments for Transition Planning • ProEd, Austin Texas (www.proedinc.com) • Enderle-Severson Transition Rating Form • www.estr.net • Casey Life Skills Assessment • www.caseylifeskills.org

24. Free Resources for Transition Assessment • www.dws.state.nm.us – Job Seekers >> Career Prospects System Occupational Profiler • U.S. Dept of Labor O*NET • www.onetcenter.org - Interest profiler, ability profiler • Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) • www.nsttac.org – “Age Appropriate Transition Assessment Guide” • www.dcdt.org – “Age Appropriate Transition Assessment” Fact Sheet

25. A Transition-Rich IEP Assessment/Present levels of achievement Transition services/ linkages with designated responsibility & timelines Measurable postsecondary goals Long-term activities (e.g., instruction) and services, including course of study

26. Transition Services and Linkages – Designated Responsibility • Is the student likely to need outside agency services (for a successful transition) during the next year? • For the current year, any evidence in IEP that representatives of any of the following agencies/services were invited to participate in the IEP development? • Postsecondary education, vocational training, or continuing and adult education • Integrated employment (including supported employment) • Independent living or community participation NOTE: Must obtain consent to invite until IEP team member!

27. Measurable Transition Services and Linkages • Must address categories of Instruction, Related Services, Community Experiences, and Employment/Other Adult Postschool Areas • What does “address” mean? • What does “measurable” mean in this section? • Only address Daily Living and Functional Vocational Evaluation if appropriate

28. Example Transition Services/Linkages Page (PED IEP form)

29. Example Transition Services/Linkages Page (PED IEP form)

30. Transition Services Includes the Course of Study • Student has already identified her/his postschool goals • Course of study lists courses/other experiences for all the remaining years of high school • Helps to annually document credits earned and progress toward graduation • Must be individualized and linked to the student’s postschool goal(s) • Similar to (supercedes) the Next Step Plan; typically problematic if a student does BOTH the Next Step Plan and the IEP transition plan

31. Example Course of Study (PED IEP form)

32. A Transition-Rich IEP Transition services & linkages, with designated responsibilities & timelines Assessment/Present levels of achievement Annual IEP transition goals Measurable postsecondary goals Activities (e.g., instruction) and services each year, including course of study

33. Annual Transition-Related Goals • What needs to beachievedthisyear to help the student move toward his/her postsecondary goal(s)? • What does s/he need to learn? • Is the goal measurable? • Is it outcome- rather than process-oriented?

34. Annual Transition-Related Goals –Examples • Susan will master the skills of “information processing” in COMP 1001 with 95% accuracy, as measured by unit exams and final exam. • Susan will demonstrate basic awareness of computing occupations to the counselor’s satisfaction as measured by an interview. • Susan will identify 3 postsecondary educational programs for computing occupations in her careers class 9-week advisory meeting. • Susan will articulate her accommodation needs in computing environments through her interview with the rehabilitation services counselor.

35. More Annual Goals Examples • Jana will increase her reading comprehension skill levels from 5.9 to 7.5 grade level equivalents by May 2009, in order to complete course and exam requirements for the standard pathway to the diploma and move into postsecondary learning as planned, as measured by her scores on the standards-based assessment. • By April 2009, Jana will create and apply a process for analyzing her job shadow experiences, her results from transition assessments, and her visits to colleges to determine the most feasible area for planning an internship the following year, as measured by her comprehensive plan.

36. A Transition-Rich IEP Assessment/Present level of achievement Transition services & Linkages with Designated Responsibilities & timelines Annual IEP transition goals Measurable postsecondary goals Activities (e.g., instruction) and services each year, including course of study

37. Indicator 13 Data Collection • Past years: used O’Leary and colleagues’ Transition Requirements Checklist • This year and thereafter: will use NSTTAC Indicator 13 Checklist, Form B • Trained trainer will either review IEP files alone to answer the checklist questions, or will train group to assist in data collection

38. Indicator 13 Data Use • UNM Institute for Public Policy enters and analyzes data, creates district data sheets • Data are reported to NMPED Special Education Bureau for distribution in district profiles • District can request report-out session with larger audience offering chance for collaborative goal-setting for improvement • QUESTIONS?

39. Resources • NSTTAC Indicator 13 Checklist • O’Leary’s TOP’s checklist • NSTTAC’s training materials • Web-based examples and non-examples • www.nsttac.org • www.psocenter.org • www.ndpc-sd.org

40. Contact information • Ginger Blalock, Ph.D. • Education-Transition Consulting LLC • REC 6 IEP Transition Planning Project Coordinator • blalock@unm.edu 505/400-3992 • Cheryl Hamilton • REC 6 IEP Transition Planning Program Manager • LegalJHam@msn.com 575/737-9732