Partnering with States to Improve Transition Services: Online and In-Person Approaches

1. Partnering with States to Improve Transition Services: Online and In-Person Approaches Mary E. Morningstar Patricia M. Noonan Amy Gaumer Erickson Barbara Gilpin DCDT International Conference October, 2007 www.transitioncoalition.org

3. Effective Professional Development Is… “sustained, intensive, ongoing and of high quality” (Porter, et al., 2000; US DOE Eisenhower Program) “Does not take place during workshops and inservice day presentations, but in the context of professional communities that have been locally developed to be responsive to teachers’ needs” (McLaughlin, 1994) How can states develop comprehensive, sustained, high-impact professional development systems for transition?

4. Professional Development: Learning from the Best How to Apply it to Transition Stakeholders Transition Practices Professional Development Practices SEA Transition PD Goals (Hassel, 1999) LEA Transition Goals (Hassel, 1999)

5. Step 1: Needs Assessment • Quality Indicators of Exemplary Transition Programs Needs Assessment (Morningstar, 2006) • Domains: • Transition Planning • Family Involvement • Student Involvement • Curriculum and Instruction • Inclusion in School & Access to Gen. Curriculum • Interagency Collaboration • Transition Assessment • Indicator 1, 2, 13 & 14 Results

7. Missouri Results • Solicitation, Data Collection, Dissemination of Results • Over 200 secondary-level IEP team participants have completed the survey • Administrators • Counselors • State and Regional Special Education Consultants • Parents • Teachers • Transition Coordinators • Guided the planning of conferences, trainings, and Community of Practice events • District action planning based on results of district-level data • Change and growth over time

10. Missouri SPP 13 & 14 Data

11. Step 2: State, Regional, Local Goals • Increase Compliance with Indicator 13 • Disseminate consistent training re: IDEA 2004 and IEPs for Transition (face-to-face & online) • Improve Interagency Collaboration (state & local) • Improve Effective Practices at LEA level & Increase postschool outcomes

12. Step 3: Content, Process & Activities of PD in Missouri Statewide Effort Regional Efforts • Transition Outcomes Project • DESE forms & policies • Quality Indicators Assessment • Training & Support to RPDCs • Summer Institute & Follow-up • LEA Transition Liaison Program • Missouri Interagency Transition Team • Community Transition Teams • Models of Success • Evaluating Effectiveness of PD District & Community

13. Increase Compliance Rates • Transition Outcomes Project • IEP Forms and Policies with DESE • Embedding transition throughout the IEP • IEP and Transition Training • Working with RPDCs to develop and disseminate training module and materials • Statewide & Institute Follow-up Training in December, 2007 • Best Practices in Transition Online Module Adapted for Missouri

14. Improve Interagency Collaboration (state & local) • Missouri Interagency Transition Team [MITT] • Community Transition Teams Across Missouri & Arizona Community Resource Mapping Action Planning Timeline Follow-up Assess Need, Commitment & Membership Establish Team Vision Teambuilding, Improved Interagency Collaboration, and Improved Outcomes for Youth

15. Missouri Interagency Transition Team Vision

16. Improving Effective Practices • Face-to-face and Online Training based on the QI needs assessment data (e.g., transition planning, transition assessment, self-determination) • Online Community of Practice “Ask the Experts” • Online Transition Short Courses for RPDCs, MITT members, and anticipated for LEA Liaisons (also VT) • Summer Institute & Follow-up Meeting • Models of Success for Missouri & Idaho • Transition Liaisons/Transition Mentors

17. 3 Sessions Session 1: IDEA & Transition * Session 2: Indicator 13 (NEW) Session 3: Steps to Implementing Transition Planning Process All support documents & examples (e.g., IEPs) will be specific to MO Policies and Procedures specific to MO will be included Resources and Websites for MO will be included in MY Library Activities will focus on MO

19. Transition Short Courses • 4 Week-long courses for CEUs or 1 Grad.credit • Include Readings, websites, threaded discussions & activities • Topics: • Introduction to Transition Education and Services • Transition Assessment • Family Involvement and Student Involvement in Transition • Preparing Students for Employment and Postsecondary Education • Interagency Collaboration during Transition Planning

22. Evaluating Effectiveness of PD Efforts • Compliance with IDEA • Collect Indicator 13 Pre- and Post-Intervention • Moving toward effective practices leading to improved post-school outcomes • Indicator 14 Pre- and Post-Intervention • Knowledge gain (through online efforts) • Satisfaction with training • Reflection on professional practice & competencies (STTS instrument; QI Needs Assessment pre/post) • Goal Attainment Scaling (using action plans based on QI Needs Assessment)

23. Mary E. Morningstar Univ. of Kansas Dept. of Special Education mmorningstar@ku.edu Patricia M. Noonan Univ. of Kansas Dept. of Special Education pnoonan@ku.edu Contact Information Amy Gaumer Erickson Univ. of Kansas Dept. of Special Education aerickson@ku.edu Barb Gilpin Missouri Dept. of Elementary and Secondary Education Barb.Gilpin@dese.mo.gov