Transition Practices Self Assessment: Supporting Districts with the Effective Implementation of Transition Planning and Practices

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Transition Practices Self AssessmentSupporting
Districts with the Effective Implementation of
Transition Planning and Practices
2009 Special Education Directors
Conference August 6, 2009
Presented by
Susan Walter Transition Consultant Illinois
State Board of Education 618-651-9028 swalter_at_isbe
.net or smwalter_at_charter.net
Diane Morrison, Ed.D. Loyola University
Chicago School of Education 312-915-9202 dmorri_at_lu
c.edu
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Purpose of the TPSA

• Self assessment and reporting tool allows
  districts and/or special education cooperatives
  to
• Reflect on research-based transition practices
  and current status of implementation
• Use a data-based decision-making model to
  identify priorities for modifying, updating, or
  infusing transition planning and service
  delivery.
• Based on the work of Dr. Paula Kohler in Taxonomy
  for Transition Programming
• Kohler, P. 1996. Taxonomy for Transition
  Programming.
• Challenges

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Why are Research-Based Practices so important to
transition planning?

• Outcomes for students with disabilities improve
  with transition-focused education.
• Collaboration between educators, families,
  students, community members and organizations
• Adult outcomes focus
• Academic, career and extracurricular instruction
  and activities
• Variety of instructional and transition
  approaches
• Responsive to local context and students
  learning and support needs
• Transition planning is the fundamental basis of
  education that guides development of students
  educational programs.
• Not an add-on activity when students reach 14 ½
  

Kohler, P. (1996)
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The Taxonomy for Transition Programming

• Family Involvement
• Family Training
• Family Involvement
• Family Empowerment

• Student-Focused Planning
• IEP Development
• Student Participation
• Planning Strategies
  

• Program Structure
• Program Philosophy
• Program Policy
• Strategic Planning
• Program Evaluation
• Resource Allocation
• Human Resource Development

• Student Development
• Life skills Instruction
• Career Vocational
• Curricula
• Structured Work Experience
• Assessment
• Support Services

• Interagency Collaboration
• Collaborative Framework
• Collaborative Service Delivery

Kohler, P.D. (1996). Taxonomy for transition
planning. Champaign University of Illinois
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Program Structure and Attributes
Program structures and attributes are features
that relate to efficient and effective delivery
of transition-focused education and services,
including attributes of a school that provide the
framework for a transition perspective. By
operating from the transition paradigm, schools
put in place those structures and policies that
reflect the notion that outcomes and activities
of 100 of the students are important.
Kohler, P. (1996). Retrieved on November 2, 2003
from www.kresa.org/transition/pdf/briefs/taxonomy.
pdf
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Interagency Collaboration
Interagency collaboration practices facilitate
involvement of community businesses,
organizations and agencies in all aspects of
transition focused education. Interagency
agreements that clearly articulate roles,
responsibilities, communication strategies, and
other collaborative actions that enhance
curriculum and program development foster
collaboration.
Kohler, P. (1996). Retrieved on November 2, 2003
from www.kresa.org/transition/pdf/briefs/taxonomy.
pdf
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Student-Focused Planning
Student-focused planning practices focus on using
assessment information and facilitating students
self-determination to develop individual
education programs based on students post-school
goals.
Kohler, P. (1996). Retrieved on November 2, 2003
from www.kresa.org/transition/pdf/briefs/taxonomy.
pdf
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Student Development
Student development practices emphasize life,
employment and occupational skill development
through school-based and work-based learning
experiences. Students assessment and
accommodations provide the fundamental basis for
student development that results in successful
transition.
Kohler, P. (1996). Retrieved on November 2, 2003
from www.kresa.org/transition/pdf/briefs/taxonomy.
pdf
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Family Involvement
Family involvement practices are associated with
parent and family involvement in planning and
delivering education and transition services,
including facilitating such involvement.
Family-focused training and family empowerment
activities increase the ability of family members
to work effectively with educators and other
service providers and vice-versa.
Kohler, P. (1996). Retrieved on November 2, 2003
from www.kresa.org/transition/pdf/briefs/taxonomy.
pdf
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How was the TPSA developed?

• Partnership
• Illinois State Board of Education/IS-TAC and
  Loyola University Chicago Center for School
  Evaluation, Intervention Training
• Developing, refining and validating the TPSA
• Using the Kohler Transition Taxonomy and a four
  question evaluation framework
• If you train, do people implement?
• If they implement, do they do so with fidelity?
• If they implement with fidelity, do the
  interventions sustain?
• If the interventions sustain, what is the impact
  on your clients?
• Alignment process
• data sources, level (e.g., system, practice,
  data), and the Kohler Taxonomy
• State Performance Plan
• Validity checks - internal and external

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Protocol for Completing the TPSA

• Who completes the TPSA?
• Recommended assemble a district and/or
  school-based interagency transition team (if one
  doesnt already exist)
• In lieu of or in addition to interagency
  transition team
• All staff at a staff meeting (goal of 40 of all
  staff)
• Individuals from a representative group (e.g.,
  Interagency Transition Team or Transition
  Planning Committee (TPC)
• Team member-led focus group (e.g., consensus with
  one score for the group)
• Random selection of up to 10 people within the
  school , based on demographics (e.g., 2
  administrators, 3 general educators, 2 special
  educators, 1 support staff, 1 community/agency, 1
  family member/student)

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Protocol for Completing the TPSA

• When and how often should the TPSA be completed?
• At least annually and preferably at the same time
  each year (e.g., beginning of school year, end of
  school year)
• How is the TPSA completed?
• Demographic data
• Who? (e.g., team consensus, team individuals,
  all staff etc.)
• Data are entered into a web-based information
  management system administered by Loyola
• Reports are generated

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How will the TPSA support schools?

• Support for Indicator 13 improvement
• Assists school districts in determining current
  practices and setting priorities
• Internal decision-making
• Building awareness of staff
• Action planning to scale up transition
  practices, service delivery and collaborative
  planning
• Assessment of change over time
• Team validation
• Accessing transition-specific technical
  assistance and training through ISBE and the
  Statewide Technical Assistance Center (IS-TAC)

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Getting Started Recommendation Assemble a Team

• CRITICAL COMPONENT
• School-based interagency transition team
• Extension or sub-committee of existing
  school/district leadership team
• Represent ALL stakeholders
• Students and families
• Teachers, transition personnel and support staff
• Administrators
• Community agencies and advocacy representatives
• Vocational rehabilitation counselors and adult
  agency personnel

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? Using Your TPSA Data ? Strategic Planning

• Critical questions should be answered with
  respect to the implementation of evidenced-based
  transition services.

http//loyolacseit.com/Presentations/TPSA_ActionPl
anning_20090223/player.html
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SWOT

• SWOT Analysis is a strategic planning method used
  to evaluate strengths, weaknesses, opportunities
  and threats revealed through the self-assessment
  (TPSA).

SWOT Analysis process is from Dr. David Bell,
St. Xavier University, Chicago
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In order for change to occur, the driving forces
(strengths) must exceed the opposing forces
(weaknesses) thus shifting the balance of power
or equilibrium (Lewin, 1948)
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Using the TPSA to conduct a SWOT analysis

• Current TPSA has 35 statements
• Program Structure (PS), 6
• Collaboration (COLAB), 5
• Student-Focused Planning (SFP), 11
• Student Development (SD), 8
• Family Involvement, (FI), 5
• Review the TPSA reports for each section.

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Using the TPSA to conduct a SWOT analysis

• PHASE 1-
• Analyze the TPSA as whole and compare to the
  table in the following slide.

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Using the TPSA to conduct a SWOT analysis
Implementation Level Range
Maintaining 4.0 3.5
Achieved 3.5 2.5
In Progress 2.5 1.5
Not Started 1.5 1.0
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Using the TPSA to conduct a SWOT analysis

• PHASE 2- Analyze the subsections
• Use the Tally report that states the number of
  in-place items for each sub-section

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Using the TPSA to conduct a SWOT analysis
Practice Area (e.g., Program Structure, Collaboration, Student-Focused Planning, Student Development, Family Involvement) Range
Maintaining 4.0 3.5
Achieved 3.5 2.5
In Progress 2.5 1.5
Not Started 1.5 1.0
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Using the TPSA for Action Planning

• Analyze subsections to determine
• Areas of celebration (top three items in place
  per sub-section)
• Areas of need (top priority items ranked as
  highest need)

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Using the TPSA to conduct a SWOT analysis

• Understand facilitators and barriers that impact
  sustainable change
• SWOT the various subsections

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SWOT
Strengths What does your school do well? Weaknesses What does the school not do well? What resources are missing that can improve the operation?
Opportunities What internal and external opportunities are open to the school that can minimize or eliminate the identified weaknesses and or threats? Threats What are the barriers (internal or external to the school) that impact your ability to address your weaknesses? What are the threats if the weaknesses are not addressed?
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Example
Strengths Student data/information from person-centering planning, student and family interviews and other age-appropriate transition assessments are used to develop future plans, e.g., IEP transition plan components Weaknesses Current student experiences are not community-based
Opportunities We have strong community partners who are willing to support students. Staff ranked this as a high priority on the TPSA. Threats We do not have time to develop formal partnerships.
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Discussion Questions

• Are there weaknesses that are beyond your
  control?
• Do the opportunities available to the school
  outweigh the threats/barriers?
• How can you build the capacity to address your
  weaknesses?
• What resources (human, financial, etc) are
  available or needed to address your weaknesses?

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Action Planning
Transition Practice Task Person Responsible When Assessment
TPSA SFP7 The transition plan reflects active participation of post-school agencies with students, families and school (e.g. rehabilitation services, mental health, developmental disabilities, health, post-secondary education, generic community service agencies) Administration reviews current roles of school counselor to determine of additional FTE can be reallocated to support developing partnerships. Check school improvement plan for next steps for community involvement School Team Administration Spring, 2010 Spring, 2010 Change in Role/FTE District Improvement Plan
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Action Planning for Change

• Process repeats until you have developed a
  systematic plan to address the various
  subsections on the TPSA

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Questions/Answers
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Jack Kinder.
High achievement always takes place in the
framework of high expectation.
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N othing will ever be attempted if all possible
objections must be first overcome.
Samuel Johnson.
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Acknowledgements

• Dr. Hank Bohanon, Diane Morrison and Agnes
  Kielian at Loyola University Chicago Center for
  School Evaluation, Intervention and Training
• Dr. Paula Kohler, Western Michigan University
• Dr. David Bell, St. Xavier University, Chicago
• Illinois State Board of Education, Special
  Education Services Administration