Using Transition Assessment Results to Write

Transition Plans

Dr. Amber McConnell

University of Oklahoma

Zarrow CenterWeb: zarrowcenter.ou.edu

Postsecondary Goals Students of transition age must have further

education and employment postsecondary goals Independent living optional

Students have input and write goals based on answers to three questions: Where do I want to live after completing high

school? What type of work do I want to do after

completing high school? How do I want to learn to do my job after

completing high school? Need to be updated annually

Postsecondary Goals

Three-Part Transition

Assessment Model

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Transition Assessment Model Components

1. Education/Training

2. Employment

3. Independent Living

Measurable Annual Goals

Annual goal must be measurable

A measurable goal includes the behavior or skill that can be measured at periodic intervals against some criterion of success.

Annual Goals Need to Include Condition

involve the application of skills or knowledge and describe the materials and environment necessary for the goal to be completed.

Behavior identifies the performance that is being monitored.

Criterion how much, how often, or to what standards the behavior must

occur Timeframe

usually specified in the number of weeks or a certain date for completion

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Education/Training Assessments

Part 1 of the 3-Part Transition Assessment Model

To create goals based on academics, functional academics, life centered

competencies or career/technical or agricultural training.

Guide to Assessing College Readiness Landmark College Assessment

http://www.iidc.indiana.edu/styles/iidc/defiles/INSTRC/Webinars/College-Readiness_Assessment.pdf

Read each item with student and discuss Provides Assessment for Self-Advocacy to include in

annual transition goals Five Domains

Academic Skills Self-Understanding Self-Advocacy Executive Functioning Motivation and Confidence

Transition Planning Inventory

ProEd

Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB)

PLAN ACT SAT GED WorkKeys

Self-Advocacy Checklists

Self-Advocacy crucial self-determination concept Students speak and act on their own behalf

Self-Determination and Self-Advocacy Skills Questionnaire Student form Parent form Teacher forms (A & B)

TAGG

An easy-to-use transition assessment based upon behaviors and experiences research has identified as associated with post-school employment and further education

Our TAGG assessment yields priority ranked annual transition goals and an overall strengths and needs profile.

TAGG Constructs

Strengths and Limitations

Disability Awareness Student Involvement

in the IEP Persistence

Goal setting and attainment

Interacting with Others

Employment Support Community

Write an Annual Transition Goal for Education / Training

Could you identify Strengths? Needs? Goals?

Instruction

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Development of Employment Assessments

Part 2 of the 3-Part Transition Assessment Model

To create goals based on occupational awareness, employment related knowledge and skills and specific career pathway knowledge and skills.

Employment Options

Individual Competitive Employment Individual Supported Employment Group Supported Employment At Home or Community-Based

Entrepreneurial Jobs

Career Clusters

Career Tech uses career clusters to sort programs.

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Vocational Interests for High Achieving Students With Mild

Disabilities

Group Interest Inventories ACT Explore ACT Plan

U.S. Dept of Labor O*NET www.onetcenter.org Interest profiler, ability profiler Look left under Products Select career exploration tools

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On-Line Free Interest Inventories Nebraska Career Connections

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Career Awareness & Exploration Watching

Video http://acinet.org/acinet/videos.asp?id=27,&nodeid=27 Provides numerous videos for students to watch

English or Spanish Job cluster and skill categories Horse Training Coast Guard Assistant Construction Workers

Annual goal must be measurable

A measurable goal includes the behavior or skill that can be measured at periodic intervals against some criterion of success.

Annual Goals Need to Include Condition

involve the application of skills or knowledge and describe the materials and environment necessary for the goal to be completed.

Behavior identifies the performance that is being monitored.

Criterion how much, how often, or to what standards the behavior must

occur Timeframe

usually specified in the number of weeks or a certain date for completion

Write an Annual Transition Goal for Employment

Employment

Functional Vocational Evaluation

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Independent Living Assessments

Part 3 of the 3-Part Transition Assessment Model

(Skills for self-determination, interpersonal interactions, communication, health/fitness

and knowledge needed to successfully participate in Adult Lifestyles and other Post

School Activities (e.g. skills needed to manage a household, maintain a budget and

other responsibilities of an adult.)

Life Skills Inventory 15 domains (money, hygiene, safety, etc) Four levels: basic, intermediate, advanced,

exceptional Must know 3 of 5 to advance from basic to

intermediate Must know the person or have family member

complete Cost: free Available

athttp://www.dshs.wa.gov/pdf/ms/forms/10_267.pdf

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Enderle-Severson Transition Rating Form ESTR-J

Students with mild disabilities Parent (available in Spanish) and Teacher version Five Transition areas

ESTR-III Students with “more” disabilities Parent and Teacher version Five Transition areas

ESTR-S Students with severe/multiple impairments Parent and Teacher versions Employment, Rec/leisure, home living, community

participation, and adult life Estr.net (each costs about $2.00)

ESTR Automatic Scoring

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Casey Life Skills Web based and FREE!!! Spanish, French or English, with numerous

supplemental assessments Youth and caregiver formats Automatically scored and sent to you Can obtain class summaries Provides different levels of questions for

students across functioning levels www.caseylifeskills.org

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CLSA

Appropriate for all youth ages 14 to 21 regardless of living circumstances (i.e., in foster care, with bio-parents, in group homes or other places).

Comprehensive with 113 assessment items categorized within eight areas for skills, knowledge and awareness. Youth can complete one area at a time or finish the whole assessment in approximately 30-40 minute

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Younger Youth

Youth Assessment Level I (elementary ages) This 33-item assessment is appropriate for younger

youth ages 8-9 or any young person with reading and/or developmental challenges. Youth can self-report on communication, daily living, home life, self-care, and work and study skills.

Youth Assessment Level II (middle school ages) With 49 items, this assessment is for youth ages 10-

13. Like Youth Level I, it may be useful for young people with reading and/or developmental challenges. It assesses areas in communication, daily living, self-care, social relationships, and work and study skills

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Independent Living Assessments Personal Preference Indicators

Informal and free Life Skills Inventory

Informal and free http://www.dshs.wa.gov/pdf/ms/forms/10_267.pdf

Independent Living Skills Assessment (and others) https://sites.google.com/a/apps.edina.k12.mn.us/

odin-b-portfolio/independent-living-skills

Personal Preference Indicators

Interview format Family members, friends, professionals who

know student well Designed for students with significant support

needs Likes, dislikes, social indicators, choices Health, body clock, future Personal Preference Indicators Cost: free

Life Skills Inventory 15 domains (money, hygiene, safety, etc) Four levels: basic, intermediate, advanced,

exceptional Must know 3 of 5 to advance from basic to

intermediate Must know the person or have family member

complete Cost: free Available

athttp://www.dshs.wa.gov/pdf/ms/forms/10_267.pdf

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Enderle-Severson Transition Rating Form ESTR-J

Students with mild disabilities Parent (available in Spanish) and Teacher version Five Transition areas

ESTR-III Students with “more” disabilities Parent and Teacher version Five Transition areas

ESTR-S Students with severe/multiple impairments Parent and Teacher versions Employment, Rec/leisure, home living, community

participation, and adult life Estr.net (each costs about $2.00)

Annual goal must be measurable

A measurable goal includes the behavior or skill that can be measured at periodic intervals against some criterion of success.

Annual Goals Need to Include Condition

involve the application of skills or knowledge and describe the materials and environment necessary for the goal to be completed.

Behavior identifies the performance that is being monitored.

Criterion how much, how often, or to what standards the behavior must

occur Timeframe

usually specified in the number of weeks or a certain date for completion

Write an Annual Transition Goal for Independent Living

Daily Living Skills

Related Services

Community Experiences

Interagency Linkages

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Transition Rulings and Decisions

Travis Pace v. the Bogalusa City School Board (2001)

Parents allege the school district did not invite other agencies to the transition planning meeting

The district documented contact with state and local agencies, yet scheduling conflicts arose

SCHEDULING CONFLICTS MAY PRECLUDE ATTENDANCE BY AGENCIES, HOWEVER, SCHOOL MUST DOCUMENT THE CONTACT AND AGREED UPON SERVICES, AND PARENTS MUST BE NOTIFIED OF POSSIBLE SERVICES

Caribou School Department (2001)

The student was not invited to the transition meeting

The transition plan stated “Graduation” as the postsecondary goal for the student

“TRANSITION PLANNING MUST BE MORE THAN GRADUATION.” The student was awarded college tuition, incidental costs of college attendance, and tutoring services.

Sherri High et al v. Exeter Township School District The student’s postsecondary education goal

was to attend college The plan included 32 opportunities for transition

counseling, transition assessment, job shadowing and internship, assistance with college testing, and career fair attendance.

The student did not complete college While the district helped the student identify

her desire to attend college, the district was not required to ensure she was successful in this pursuit.

Student with a Disability, 51 IDELR 89 (N.Y. SEA 2008) Parents filed due process, alleging that the district failed to

provide an appropriate transition plan. The transition plan contained “attend a postsecondary

institution for a Master of Science degree, live independently, and be competitively employed.”

The school argued the academic goals were linked to the post-school goal to attend college with math and writing goals.

The transition plan was deemed appropriate. Transition services should relate to the student’s post-school goals and annual goals must be linked to that goal.

Lancaster Independent School District (1998) Transition services were offered in the last semester of

high school Parents stated, “It was unreasonable to expect a

student operating on a sixth grade level, in his strongest subject, to take the SAT or know how to start a cosmetology business.”

THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WAS ORDERED TO PROVIDE THE RECOMMENDED COUNSELING SERVICES AND TO CONDUCT EVALUATIONS TO DETERMINE WHICH ADDITIONAL TRANSITION SERVICES WERE NEEDED.

San Diego Unified School District, 2002 A parent of an 18 year-old with Down Syndrome

alleged an inappropriate reading program was a barrier to the student’s post-school employment.

The school district focused on learning sight words in the community and first-grade books

HEARING OFFICER RULED THAT NO ONE TAUGHT THE STUDENT THE READING SKILLS NEEDED FOR SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT AND INDEPENDENT LIVING, INCLUDING “JOB APPLICATION, JOB DESCRIPTION, MEDICAL PRESCRIPTION, BUS SCHEDULES, MAPS, STORE PRICES, AND FOOD LABELS.” THE DISTRICT PAID FOR A 1-YEAR INDEPENDENT STUDY PROGRAM.

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Amber McConnell, Ph.D.

University of Oklahoma

Zarrow Center for Learning Enrichment

338 Cate Center Drive, Room 190

Norman, OK 73019

Phone: 405-325-8951

E-mail: ambermcc@ou.edu

Web: zarrowcenter.ou.edu

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