Transition Planning: The View from OSEP

1. Transition Planning: The View from OSEP Marlene Simon-Burroughs, Ph. D Associate Division Director U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs Research to Practice Division

2. Why is transition planning needed?  Adolescent development factors- rapid changes in cognitive, social, psychological functioning, and physical transformations Due to school failure and the dropout rate among adolescents with disabilities (poor outcomes) Career Development Needs (identify strengths, interests, preferences)

3. Findings from the NLTS2(Executive Summary, April 2005)Characteristics 10 year study funded by the Institute for ED Sciences (IES) (1st NLTS conducted 1984-’93) Nationally representative sample of more than 11,000 youth who were ages 13-16, grades 7 and above, receiving special ED services on 12/1/00. 28% left school without receiving a diploma (all disability categories) Dropout rates highest among students with ED- 44% Highest completion- visual (95%) and hearing (90%) impairments Social skills are the most problematic for all categories. Low social skill ratings are particularly prevalent for youth with ED.

4. --cont. NLTS2: The Good News Engagement in School, Work, Preparation for Work Secondary school is doing a better job of preparing YWD for further education and employment Since leaving HS, at some time, 8 out of 10 YWD have been involved in postsecondary ED, paid employment, or training to prepare them for employment Employment is the sole mode of engagement for about ½ of out-of-school YWD 1/5 have gone to school and worked since leaving HS.

5. IDEA Regulations The reauthorized Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was signed into law on Dec. 3, 2004, by President George W. Bush. The final regulations were published on Aug. 14, 2006.

6. IDEA RegulationsSECONDARY TRANSITION The term “transition services” means 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 postsecondary education, vocational education, integrated employment (including supported employment); continuing and adult education, adult services, independent living, or community participation;

7. -CONT.IDEA RegulationsSECONDARY TRANSITION Is based on the individual child’s needs, taking into account the child’s strengths, preferences, and interests; and Includes instruction, related services, community experiences, the development of employment and other post-school adult living objectives, and, if appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills and functional vocational evaluation. [34 CFR 300.43 (a)] [20 U.S.C. 1401(34)]

8. Individualized Education Program (IEP) Requirements Beginning not later than the first IEP to be in effect when the child turns 16, or younger if determined appropriate by the IEP Team, and updated annually thereafter, the IEP must include: Appropriate measurable postsecondary goals based upon age-appropriate transition assessments related to training, education, employment and, where appropriate, independent living skills;

9. -Cont. Individualized Education Program (IEP) Requirements The transition services (including courses of study) needed to assist the child in reaching those goals; and Beginning not later than one year before the child reaches the age of majority under State law, a statement that the child has been informed of the child’s rights under Part B, if any, that will transfer to the child on reaching the age of majority under §300.520 [see 20 U.S.C. 1415(m)].

10. Summary of Performance Requirements Under these new IDEA provisions, the districts shall provide the student a summary of the student’s academic achievement and functional performance, which includes recommendations on how to assist the student in meeting desired postsecondary outcomes.

11. OSERS SOP Workgroup Worked closely with NSTTAC in posting many SOP resources on their website Developed Q&As to be housed at http://idea.ed.gov upon clearance Worked with Project Forum at NASDSE to develop a survey State Directors of Special Education on SOP implementation; See www.projectforum.org

12. IDEA Program Performance Measures – FY 2006 Objective: Secondary school students will complete high school prepared for postsecondary education and /or competitive employment; Indicators: Indicator # 1—Dropout rate Indicator #2—Graduation rate Indicator #13—Transition in the IEP Indicator #14—Student’s post-school outcomes

13. State Performance Indicator #1 Percent of youth with individualized education programs (IEPs) graduating from high school with a regular diploma compared to percent of all youth in the State graduating with a regular diploma.

14. State Performance Indicator #2 Percent of youth with IEPs dropping out of high school compared to the percent of all youth in the State dropping out of high school.

15. State Performance Indicator #13 Percent of youth aged 16 and above with an IEP that includes coordinated, measurable, annual IEP goals and transition services that will reasonably enable the child to meet the post-secondary goals.

16. State Performance Indicator #14 Percent of youth who had IEPs, are no longer in secondary school and who have been competitively employed, enrolled in some type of postsecondary school, or both, within one year of leaving high school.

17. OSEP’s TA&D Investments The following slides include information about projects that are funded by OSEP that provide technical assistance to states surrounding transition issues.

18. National Dropout Prevention Center for Students with Disabilities (NDPC-SD) Focused on increasing rates of school completion by students with disabilities by Emphasizing dropout prevention for enrolled students, and Re-entry into education by students who have dropped out of school. http://www.dropoutprevention.org/NDPC-SD/index.htm

19. National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center (NSTTAC) Provides TA and information on scientifically-based transition practices with emphasis on – Building State-level infrastructures of support, and District-level demonstrations of effective transition methods. http://www.NSTTAC.org

20. National Post-School Outcomes Center (NPSO) Helping States to collect and use outcome data to improve secondary transition, and postsecondary results. See: www.psocenter.org

21. IDEA Partnership at NASDSE—Transition CoP In 2004, Federal, State, and local agencies came together around their shared interest in post-school outcomes for youth.  Today, four federal agencies, 10 states and many national organizations are joined in the community.  Together, they focus on issues  including:  Meaningful Youth Roles, Outreach to Child Welfare, Juvenile Justice, Mental Health, Employment, and Post secondary Options.

22. National High School Center (NHSC) The National High School Center is both an OESE and OSEP investment. It is a source of information on high school improvement issues for the Regional Comprehensive Centers. Their work includes identifying effective programs and tools, products, and providing technical assistance to support the use of research-based approaches in high schools.

23. -cont. NHSC Topics for high school improvement include: Dropout prevention Equity in learning Graduation Literacy Transition out of high school Strategies for high school reform See—www.betterhighschools.org

24. Specific TA Activities:National State Planning Institutes These Institutes were conducted in Charlotte, NC, in May 2007 and May 2008, to assist state teams (including state VR agency representatives) as they developed, augmented or problem-solved around their state transition plans. (See www.nsttac.org). The next Institute is scheduled for May 11-14, 2009, also in Charlotte, NC. This is a collaborative effort involving a number of OSEP-funded TA Centers, including the IDEA Partnership Project, National Post-School Outcomes Center, the Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center, the National Dropout Prevention Center for Students with Disabilities, and the Regional Resource Center Network.

25. State Capacity Building Initiative Provides intensive transition TA to states to assist in state strategic and integrated planning efforts interagency collaborative activities statewide transition conferences training on research based transition practices, or specific transition-related activities tailored to meet identified state and local needs.

26. -cont. State Capacity Building Initiative Collaborative effort involving OSERS/OAS, RSA, OSEP, CSAVR, NASDSE and a number of OSEP TA grantees. Ten states made up the 2007 Cohort – AL, FL, OK, OH, OR, SC, and WI as well as a collaborative three-state effort by DE, PA, and VA. An additional five States make up the 2008 Cohort - NH, NM, KY,VT, MO

27. Cross Indicator Regional TA Meetings Three regional meetings to assist state teams (including state VR agency representatives) in identifying strategies for collecting, reporting, and using data across the four transition-related state performance indicators for program improvement. The meetings took place on – April 8th and 9th in Baltimore, MD; September 17-19 in Kansas City, MO; and October 2-3 in Salt Lake City, UT Collaborative effort involving The National Post-School Outcomes Center, The Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center, t The National Dropout Prevention Center for SWD, and The Regional Resource Center Network.

28. “Post-school success is the ultimate indicator of school reform.” Commissioner Douglas H. Gill, Ph.D. (President’s Commission on Excellence in Special Education – 2002)