Transition Coordinator Interview

David Wolfe

Part of the structure of education of the commonwealth. Middle between the state education agency and the local

school districts. Designed primarily to provide services to local school districts

that can be operated more effectively and efficiently on a regional basis.

Intermediate Units also have been given the responsibility of providing programs/services to students attending the non public schools in their regional area. (Act 89)

Supported by federal, state or district contributions. Do not have taxing power -

Pennsylvania Intermediate Units

Services to Students OT, PT EI Etc.

Staff Development Summer Institute Rural Leadership

Technology Services SWAN Streaming Video

Curriculum Services Strategic planning , school improvement, Special Ed PLAN

Management Services Access billing ,child count, transportation

Education/Vocational Services L.S. Life Skills/ CTC

Intermediate Unit Services

Provide training in Pennsylvania Department of Education initiatives at the local school level in accordance with Pennsylvania's State Performance Goals for Students with Disabilities ( rolling out LRE- rolling out Transition Audits)

Assist local school districts in developing training activities – (Disability Awareness, transition grid, )

Provide Consulting services to local school districts.- (Indicator 13, 1, 2.)

TAC ConsultantsTraining and Consultation

CASSP is an acronym for the Child and Adolescent Service System Program, a comprehensive system of care for children and adolescents with behavioral health needs and their families.

CASSP

School districts can refer students to CASSP. -

CASSP and Schools

1. Contact the family to inform them of your intent to refer the child and obtain a signed CASSP release of information form. NOTE: Release must be signed by parent/guardian and child if age 14 or older.

2. Complete the referral form providing as much information as possible.

3. Send referral form and release to your local CASSP Coordinator. All original forms must be received prior to the meeting.

4. The CASSP Coordinator will contact you and the other involved parties to coordinate the meeting as soon as possible. -

The CASSP referral process

Team members from various agencies come together for an hour long meeting. Members include:

CASSP Coordinator Probation Mental Health Drug and Alcohol IU9 Representative Any other agency involved with the student. Family and client are encouraged to attend. -

Team

♦ Identify child’s strengths and needs ♦ Identify possible services and treatment

options ♦ Develop a plan which meets the child’s

needs ♦ Provide follow-up contact to make sure

the service plan is implemented and working

Goal of the Meeting

The CASSP Core Teams review cases referred, make recommendations for services and develop a service plan for the client and his/her family. Individual agencies/services providers will provide actual services -

Implementation

Transition

Secondary Transition is…..•“a coordinated set of activities for a child with a disability that is designed within a result-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 post-secondary education, vocational education, integrated employment (including supported employment), continuing and adult education, adult services, independent living, or community participation.” (IDEA 2004) -

Transition can be thought of as a bridge between school programs and the opportunities of adult life, including higher education or training, employment, independent living and community participation.

Transition planning is required by Federal Law *

In Layman’s terms

In Pennsylvania Transition planning begins at age 14

Students consider their goals for the time after graduation through career awareness exploration activities.

The transition process continues through high school as academic instruction and community experiences help clarify and support students’ goals.

The entire process is based on individual student’s needs, taking into account each student’s strengths, preferences, and interests. -

When does it start?

Step One: Use assessment to identify the student’s post- secondary desired goals or vision.

Step Two: Describe the student’s Present Levels of Academic Achievement / Functional Performance (PLAAFP), embedding Assessment data

Step Three: Establish Transition Team partnerships Step Four: Design a Transition Plan that includes

courses of study and Services/Activities (transition grid)

Step Five: Determine Measurable Annual Goals that address skill deficits and lead to post-secondary goals

Step Six: Monitor progress and adjust instruction based on data. -

Summary of the Transition ProcessNotes

PA still has not met SPP guidelines. -Target: 100% compliance! –2005 Baseline data: 72% compliance –2006 data: 69% compliance –2007 data: 75% compliance –2008 data: 75.1% compliance -

Change is on the Horizon

Percent of students, age 14 and above, with IEPs that meet transition requirements

–coordinated, measurable, annual IEP goals, and

–transition services that will lead to post-secondary goals

-data collected through BSE cyclical monitoring -

State Performance Plan (SPP) Transition Requirements.

In order to improve, 5 pilot districts have been picked in order to participate in state transition audits.

Districts were chosen based upon past Penn Data numbers. -

Audits

Different type of transition interventions for youth that are at risk for drop out. (RENEW/ TIPS/ High Fidelity Wraparound Model)

Targets SPP #1-2 –Graduation/Dropout

New Initiatives

: A planning and engagement process for youth at risk of failure in home, school, and community that is strengths-based, focused on self determination, and links the youth with resources to successfully complete high school and transition into adult life. -

Renew

History-influenced success Who You Are Today-Now Strengths & Accomplishments People-Helpful What Works and Doesn’t Work (Preferences) Dreams Fears, Concerns, Barriers The Goals Next Steps Essential Next Steps and Follow Up (Action

Plan)-

The RENEW MAPS

TAC consultant sits on CASSP team to offer their expertise for the benefit of the child .

Facilitates Transition meetings. Offers trainings to districts to implement state

initiatives. Providing support to administrators and teachers. Liaison between the students and related

agencies. Supporting other TAC staff. Coordinating community activities. (Career Fair, Career Field Trips, Etc)

Connecting it all together

Questions?

Stop

The Intermediate Unit The Intermediate Unit is a part of

Pennsylvania’s educational system. Established July 1, 1971, the Intermediate Units replaced the County Offices of Education. By legislation, all 501 school districts in Pennsylvania belong to one of the twenty-nine Intermediate Units.

About Intermediate Unit Nine Intermediate Unit Nine is the Intermediate

Unit in Pennsylvania which replaced the Offices of Education of Cameron, Elk, McKean and Potter Counties. It serves 13,679 public school students in fourteen school districts and 1,184 non-public school students in eight schools. Intermediate Unit Nine covers an area of 3,300 square miles with a population of 105,102.

Purpose of the Intermediate Unit The Intermediate Unit is an organization through

which school districts can work cooperatively to provide services which they cannot afford or prefer not to offer individually. By providing certain services cooperatively, districts can avoid duplication of personnel, building space, instructional materials, and equipment. The Intermediate Unit also has been assigned responsibilities by the Legislature and by the Department of Education.

Financing the Intermediate Unit The Intermediate Unit receives a basic subsidy from

Title I (No Child Left Behind Act of 2001)..........................................6

Title II (No Child Left Behind Act of 2001)..........................................6

Alternative Education.............................................................................6

Seneca Highlands Wide Area Network (SHWAN)................................7

Technology Education Center (TEC).....................................................7

Driver Education....................................................................................7

Legislative Service (Occasional)...........................................................7

Special agreement programs

Services to Disabled Students..............................................................8

Services to Gifted Students...................................................................8

Core Services........................................................................................8

Federal Programs..................................................................................9

Early Intervention Programs................................................................

Special ed

Secondary Program.............................................................................11

Adult Education....................................................................................11

Cooperative Vocational Education......................................................11

Perkins Act...........................................................................................

Vo tech

Adult Basic Education and General Education Development.............12

Family Literacy.....................................................................................

Adult

Instructional Media statistics...............................................................14 Overview usage of all services............................................................15 Yearly Printing Timeline.......................................................................15 Graphic Design and Printing Service..................................................16 Color Copies/Color Printing.................................................................17 Poster Production................................................................................18 Xerox Copies........................................................................................18 Badge Production................................................................................19 Laminating............................................................................................19 AV Repair.............................................................................................20 Media Circulation.................................................................................20 Distance Learning and Other Services...............................................21 Chronology of Growth (5 years)...........................................................

Instructional Media Services

They are asking that you prepare a presentation on the following:

  What is the role of the IU and TAC consultants? 

What is the transition   process and how is it changing for districts? 

What is the CASSP process   and what is the role of the TAC consultant

within this group?

CASSP referrals are discussed with parents or guardians when a child / adolescent has mental health needs and also requires the services of other child-serving systems. If the child is age 14 or older, they are included in the discussion. If the parents agree to participate in the CASSP meeting, the case manager or school representative completes the CASSP referral packet (pdf) and mails it to the CASSP Coordinator, who then schedules the meeting.

Prevent drop out

Different type of transition interventions for youth that are at risk for drop out. (RENEW/ TIPS/ High Fidelity Wraparound Model)

Secondary Transition is the process of preparing students for adult life after they leave high school. In Pennsylvania Transition planning begins at age 14, or younger if determined appropriate by the IEP team, as students consider their goals for the time after graduation through career awareness exploration activities. The transition process continues through high school as academic instruction and community experiences help clarify and support students’ goals. The entire process is based on individual student’s needs, taking into account each student’s strengths, preferences, and interests. Transition can be thought of as a bridge between school programs and the opportunities of adult life, including higher education or training, employment, independent living and community participation. The Secondary Transition in a Standards Aligned System:Roadmap provides an overview of this process that includes:

Transition IU9 facilitates transition services for post-secondary education, employment,

and community living outcomes of students with a disability, through collaboration with agency representatives, families, and community organizations.

The Process

NOTES

State Performance Plan (SPP) •Required for each State •Evaluates the State’s efforts to implement the requirements and purposes of IDEA

•Describe how the State will improve IDEA implementation –6-Year Plan –20 Indicators related to the 3 priorities –Annual Performance Report (APR) for State and

State Performance Plan (SPP) – 20 Indicators 1.Graduation 2.Drop-Out 3.Participation and performance on statewide assessments 4.Suspension and Expulsion 5.LRE school age students (age 6-21) 6.LRE early intervention (3-5) 7.Early intervention improvement goals 8.Parent involvement 9.(and 10) Disproportionality ( over identification)

11.Evaluation timelines 12.Transition from birth - 3 to early intervention (ages 3-5) program 13.Transition services for students age 16 – 21 14.Post-school outcomes

15-20 General Supervision Monitoring, state agency complaints, due process, mediation, resolution sessions, data reporting 1

Child and Adolescent Service System Program

POTTER COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES KARA JOHNSTON P.O. BOX 241 NORTH STREET ROULETTE PA 16746 Phone: (814) 544-7315 Fax: (814) 544-9062 E-mail:

kjohnston@pottercountyhumansvcs.org

MCKEAN COUNTY MH/MR PROGRAM MANDY REESE 17155 ROUTE 6 SMETHPORT PA 16749 Phone: (814) 887-3461 or 887-3350 Fax: (814) 887-3228 E-mail: arreese@mckeancountypa.org

CAMERON/ELK MH/MR KATHY KROEGER 94 HOSPITAL STREET 4TH FLOOR RIDGWAY PA 15853 Phone: (814) 772-8016 X150 Fax: (814) 772-8337 E-mail: kkroeger@cemhmr.com

Indicator 14: •Students achieving their post-secondary goals

•Indicators 1 and 2: •Students actively engaged, staying in school and graduating

•Indicator 13 •High quality IEPs designed to help students achieve their post-secondary

goals

•The foundation: •High quality, rigorous, standards-aligned secondary school programs for all

students

Every student by name regardless of background, condition or circumstance… Proficient in core subjects Graduates from high school, ready for post-secondary education and career Achieves high outcomes

The CASSP Core Team consists of staff from mental health, substance abuse, mental retardation, education, juvenile justice, and child welfare systems.

The Core Team meets with parents (and adolescents aged 14 and over), additional family members, staff from school, and other key people in the child / adolescent's life to review their situation, make recommendations for service, and together develop a plan of service for the individual and family.

Stresses Effective Practices that will help LEAs and Charter Schools to provide instructional programming that will improve outcomes for students with disabilities (Indicator 14)

•Not focused on “minimal compliance” for cyclical monitoring

Pennsylvania’s unemployment statistics for 2006 averaged 4.6% while unemployment for people with a mental illness in Pennsylvania’s Behavioral Health system is estimated at 85%. (2) (3)

Provide training and technical assistance to school districts and public charter schools. E.g. Transition services how to complete etc locating transition assessments. LRE help

Provide training in Pennsylvania Department of Education initiatives at the local school level in accordance with Pennsylvania's State Performance Goals for Students with Disabilities- Indicator 13- drop out rates. ( RENEW)

Develop and disseminate information on Pennsylvania Department of Education Programs- Send PATTAN Announcements for trainings.

Assist local school districts in developing training activities and specific support services for including students with disabilities in regular education classrooms – LRE how to make accomodations in reg ed setting co-teaching etc.

TAC Consultants