Interagency Collaboration The Final Frontier Kendra Williams-Diehm, Ph.D. Zarrow Center for Learning Enrichment

The Purpose of this session is to: Learn about the importance of Interagency Collaboration Understand what federal legislation says about interagency collaboration Identify the main barriers to successful interagency collaboration Learn how to maximize strategies to improve interagency collaboration

Taxonomy of Transition Programming 2.0

What is Interagency Collaboration a clear purposeful and carefully designed process that promote cross agency, cross program, and cross disciplinary collaborative efforts leading to tangible transition outcomes for youth” (Rowe et al., 2015, p.122) WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

Connection to Federal Legislation DID YOU KNOW? Interagency Collaboration is in both IDEA and the State Performance Plan required by IDEA? DISTRICTS MUST DO THIS!!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDh5VnZD RAE&index=6&list=PLD9FD974BAEE3E85C

Connection to Federal Legislation DID YOU KNOW? Interagency Collaboration is in both IDEA and the State Performance Plan required by IDEA? DISTRICTS MUST DO THIS!!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDh5VnZD RAE&index=6&list=PLD9FD974BAEE3E85C

So whose Role is it? Transition Coordinator or Special Education Teacher??? Listen to Dr. David Test discuss this very concept! https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/tran- ic/cresource/q1/p02/#content

Check In Question #1 What is Interagency Collaboration????

Major Barrier to Interagency Collaboration Lack of Knowledge Lack of Communication Lack of Persistence Lack of Planning

Strategy #1: Get to Know your Co-workers! Reach out in your district! Collaboration can be with the teach across the hall! Establishes better connections in your building

Strategy #2: Learn the Service Providers in your Area What is Community Mapping? What are the agencies? Where are they located? Community mapping also helps organizations accomplish the following: Identify new resources Determine if resources are being used correctly Determine gaps in available resources

Strategy #3: Establish a Transition Fair What is this and how does it work? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aURBGZ9NA6E

Check In Question #2 Who Do Invite to a Transition Fair?

Strategy #4: Attend Professional Development outside Education Staying current and learning new information about transition is key to overcoming barriers to interagency collaboration. To stay current, educators should participate in professional development at the state and national level directly related to transition planning. Vocational Rehabilitation Youth Technical Assistance Center (Youth-TAC) and the Workforce Innovation Technical Assistance Center (WINTAC) both provide excellent professional development opportunities teachers can attend.

Strategy #5: Conduct Effective Transition Team Meetings

Strategy #7: Learn to Use Data The percentage of youth with IEPs who are enrolled in general education classes more that 50% of their day The percentage of youth with IEPs who are passing end-of-course exams The percentage of youth with IEPs who are receiving uncharacteristically high office referrals The percentage of youth with IEPs who experience a high rate of absences and tardies

Strategy #7: Learn to Use Data Indicator 1: The percentage of youth with IEPs that graduate from high school with a regular diploma Indicator 2: The percentage of youth with IEPs that drop out of high school Indicator 13: The percentage of youth age 16 or above with an IEP with adequate goals and transition services Indicator 14: The percentage of youth who had IEPs, are no longer in high school and who are either competitively employed, enrolled in postsecondary education, or both within one year of leaving high school

Strategy #8: Plan for Sustainability Develop a Memorandum of Understanding Have regular planning meetings THINK SMALL AND IMPLEMENT WELL

Strategy #9: START EARLY

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