Dropouts…Modified Diploma Dropouts…Modified Diploma Recipients?Recipients?

Oh My! Oh My! Can I Afford To Provide Can I Afford To Provide

Services?Services?Building Futures ConferenceBuilding Futures Conference

Salem, OregonSalem, OregonApril 12, 2006April 12, 2006

10:15-11:25 a.m.10:15-11:25 a.m.

Are We In Kansas Still?Are We In Kansas Still?• Does Graduation or Dropping Out Mean The Does Graduation or Dropping Out Mean The

Special Education Student is “Done”?Special Education Student is “Done”?Diploma Type?Diploma Type?

““Regular Diploma” = Usually, Yes (no census = no Regular Diploma” = Usually, Yes (no census = no funds)funds)

““Other Diploma” = Maybe not (age, IPE team, needs)Other Diploma” = Maybe not (age, IPE team, needs) reg and other diploma main determinates for services—reg and other diploma main determinates for services—financially and legally—no effect.financially and legally—no effect.

Academic IEP goals may be met, but others may not be.Academic IEP goals may be met, but others may not be.Dropouts?Dropouts?

Educational requirements not metEducational requirements not met Why do students drop out?Why do students drop out? Would they come back if it was attractive enough?Would they come back if it was attractive enough? What about relevancy?What about relevancy?

What’s Really Behind The What’s Really Behind The Curtain?Curtain?• Legislative Mandates and AuthorityLegislative Mandates and Authority

Procedural Safeguards treat graduation as a change in placement requiring Procedural Safeguards treat graduation as a change in placement requiring written prior notice and IEP team to convene and consider if IEP goals have written prior notice and IEP team to convene and consider if IEP goals have been metbeen met If credits are earned, kid can graduate If credits are earned, kid can graduate

LEA has an affirmative obligation to provide Special EducationLEA has an affirmative obligation to provide Special Education Transition Services can “stand alone” as Special Education (OAR 581-015-0005 Transition Services can “stand alone” as Special Education (OAR 581-015-0005

35 (E)(d) 35 (E)(d) 581-015-2000 (d)581-015-2000 (d) Federal Regulations Concerning Transition are found in 34 C.F.R. Sections Federal Regulations Concerning Transition are found in 34 C.F.R. Sections

300.42, 300.320, 300.321, 300.322, 300.324 and 300.520.300.42, 300.320, 300.321, 300.322, 300.324 and 300.520. Transition services can stand alone as special education, if provided as specially Transition services can stand alone as special education, if provided as specially

designed instruction, or related services, if required to assist a student to benefit from designed instruction, or related services, if required to assist a student to benefit from special education. (CFR 300.42 (2)(b)) (special education. (CFR 300.42 (2)(b)) (notenote: if possible infuse into academic goals): if possible infuse into academic goals)

• If all this causes review of the IEPIf all this causes review of the IEP Are IEP goals met?Are IEP goals met? Is additional time needed to provide services ?Is additional time needed to provide services ? Does the student continue to need special education, including transition Does the student continue to need special education, including transition

services?services? It is strongly recommended that transition services be incorporated into It is strongly recommended that transition services be incorporated into

academic goals academic goals

What’s Really Behind The What’s Really Behind The Curtain? (continued)Curtain? (continued)

• What about “retrieving” drop-outs?What about “retrieving” drop-outs? As a practical matter, the student must be enrolled in the school district as an As a practical matter, the student must be enrolled in the school district as an

active student. Local enrollment application procedures would apply here.active student. Local enrollment application procedures would apply here. The student would need to be eligible for Special Education services. Therefore, The student would need to be eligible for Special Education services. Therefore,

the district must follow either initial eligibility procedures (OAR 581-015-0053) the district must follow either initial eligibility procedures (OAR 581-015-0053) or triennial evaluation procedures (OAR 581-015-0074) to establish this fact.or triennial evaluation procedures (OAR 581-015-0074) to establish this fact.

ORS 343.157 and 343.221 establish a district’s affirmative obligation to provide ORS 343.157 and 343.221 establish a district’s affirmative obligation to provide special education to students with disabilities.special education to students with disabilities.

OARs 581-15-0064 through 581-15-0070 establish IEP procedures including OARs 581-15-0064 through 581-15-0070 establish IEP procedures including describing how transition services are to be reflected.describing how transition services are to be reflected.

• Now what?Now what? Although an educational program that is “stand-alone” transition services may Although an educational program that is “stand-alone” transition services may

not serve solely as a high school completion program, it may keep the drop-out not serve solely as a high school completion program, it may keep the drop-out “engaged” or “re-engage them”“engaged” or “re-engage them”

Such a student may have a program that is a combination of community-based Such a student may have a program that is a combination of community-based instruction, community experiences, development of employment, and other instruction, community experiences, development of employment, and other adult living goals.adult living goals.

The student’s program may compare more closely to “home instruction” or The student’s program may compare more closely to “home instruction” or “alternative education” where credit recovery is a goal, flexible hours are “alternative education” where credit recovery is a goal, flexible hours are available, etc.available, etc.This is true but the focus should be on vocational preparation This is true but the focus should be on vocational preparation instead of credit recovery. The Credit recovery would apply when the student is instead of credit recovery. The Credit recovery would apply when the student is a 5a 5thth year senior and expects to graduate give a little more time. year senior and expects to graduate give a little more time.

Is This The Yellow Brick Is This The Yellow Brick Road?Road?

• Admissions and residency: Keys to the cityAdmissions and residency: Keys to the city• State school funds and data reports: State school funds and data reports:

Currencies of the realmCurrencies of the realm– School fund claims based on membership or School fund claims based on membership or

timetime– State School and District Report Card and State School and District Report Card and

Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) reportsAdequate Yearly Progress (AYP) reports• Diploma requirements and credit options: Diploma requirements and credit options:

Somewhere over the rainbowSomewhere over the rainbow

This Will Take Some This Will Take Some Brains, Courage, a Lot of Brains, Courage, a Lot of

Heart!Heart!• Brains = accountability, tracking instruction, re-Brains = accountability, tracking instruction, re-enrollment mechanisms, may be fiscally self-supporting, enrollment mechanisms, may be fiscally self-supporting, engages eligible and enrolled students, figures out why, engages eligible and enrolled students, figures out why, who, and how who, and how Springfield email addressed some of this Springfield email addressed some of this very nicelyvery nicely

• Courage = innovation, delivers relevant instruction, offers Courage = innovation, delivers relevant instruction, offers a menu of services, wraps services around student need a menu of services, wraps services around student need Excellent—might want to tie in the fact that if you can Excellent—might want to tie in the fact that if you can keep these kids from dropping out, districts won’t run the keep these kids from dropping out, districts won’t run the risk of having to find them a year out (Indicator 14) to see risk of having to find them a year out (Indicator 14) to see if they are competitively employed or in post secondary if they are competitively employed or in post secondary school. Districts would have more time to prepare them school. Districts would have more time to prepare them for leaving.for leaving.

• Heart = it’s the right thing to do, re-engages Heart = it’s the right thing to do, re-engages disenfranchised students, makes school relevant, considers disenfranchised students, makes school relevant, considers a productive future for the student, can be strength-based a productive future for the student, can be strength-based rather than deficit-based rather than deficit-based Goal based for the studentGoal based for the student

To Avoid Melting…To Avoid Melting…Tips!Tips!

• Transition services may stand alone as activities, but Transition services may stand alone as activities, but cannot generate “double-basic school support” if they cannot generate “double-basic school support” if they don’t require specially designed instruction.don’t require specially designed instruction.

• Transition services that require instruction require Transition services that require instruction require goals on an IEP. Whenever possible, incorporate goals on an IEP. Whenever possible, incorporate transition into academic goals.transition into academic goals.

• Districts that are below the SpEd 11% funding cap can Districts that are below the SpEd 11% funding cap can claim double basic school support for IEP students.claim double basic school support for IEP students.

• Transition services can be viewed as a form of Transition services can be viewed as a form of alternative education, and can be delivered in small alternative education, and can be delivered in small group or tutorial.group or tutorial.

• 5 hours of instruction in tutorial = 5 days of 5 hours of instruction in tutorial = 5 days of membershipmembership

For More InformationFor More InformationContact:Contact:

Peter FitzGeraldPeter FitzGeraldTechnical Assistance ProviderTechnical Assistance Provider

Youth Transition ProgramYouth Transition ProgramUniversity of OregonUniversity of Oregon3425 NE 25th Avenue3425 NE 25th Avenue

Portland, OR 97212-2508 Portland, OR 97212-2508 (503) 522-6973(503) 522-6973

petefitz@qwest.netOROR

Cliff BrushCliff BrushOregon Department of EducationOregon Department of Education

255 Capitol Street NE255 Capitol Street NESalem, Oregon 97310Salem, Oregon 97310

Phone: 503.378.3600, Ext.2285Phone: 503.378.3600, Ext.2285cliff.brush@state.or.us