Coordinating the IEP and IPE YTP Fall Summit February 21, 2008 Clayton Rees, YTP Coordinator Barbara Garland, Madras HS SpEd Director

CAPTURING YOUR ATTENTION  Mary was as interested in Joey as she was in a two-day old tuna sandwich left on the kitchen table, hidden by a dishcloth. This perplexed Joey.  We sincerely hope that what follows will be more interesting than Mary’s tuna sandwich and won’t leave you perplexed.

IEP-IPE Intent and Purpose  IEP –Developed by team of people (IEP Team) –Student with a disability –Defined by IDEA  IPE –Developed by team of people – student and VR counselor –Has an impediment to employment –Defined by the Rehab Act

The purpose of IDEA is: –to ensure that all children with disabilities have available to them a free appropriate public education that emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs and prepare them for further education, employment, and independent living.

Transition Services– a coordinated set of activities  results-oriented process,  Improve academic and functional achievement  to facilitate movement to: post-secondary education, vocational education, integrated employment, continuing and adult education, adult services, independent living, or community participation;

IEP Process  Referral  Evaluation  Eligibility –Meets minimum criteria? –Needs special education?

Age Transition Services Begin Beginning not later than the first IEP to be in effect when the student is 16, and updated annually thereafter.

Transition Services (continued) Based on needs Consider strengths, preferences, and interests Includes: instruction, related services, community experiences, development of employment post-school adult living objectives, acquisition of daily living skills functional vocational evaluation.

Key changes in IDEA  Beginning not later than the first IEP to be in effect when the student is 16, and updated annually thereafter.  IEPs must contain –Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance –annual goals, –Agency participation –Graduation Date (anticipated) –Post Secondary Goals (training, education, employment, and possible independent living skills) –Transition Services (including course of study) –Transfer of Rights (age of majority)  Summary of Performance

Summary of Performance The district must provide the student with a summary of the student’s academic achievement and functional performance, which shall include recommendations on how to assist the student in meeting the student’s postsecondary goals.

FROM CHAOS COMES ORDER

OVRS PROCESS DEFINED  VR is an eligibility based program  Application  When can it occur?  Who can submit an application?

VR PROCESS:  VR is not an entitlement program  The referral process  Eligibility criteria: Substantial impediment.  What information is acceptable under the Rehab Act?  Who can provide that information ?

VR PROCESS CONT graduates  Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE) – (should be developed early in the transition process.) It is expected that the IPE will be completed and signed before youth leaves school. (NOTE: This does not say, “before youth graduates.”)  Substantial Services-outlined in the IPE  Positive outcome, i.e., employment

OVERVIEW  Youth with disabilities –higher drop out rate; lower graduation; lower for competitive employment.  Youth with disabilities report that the most significant barrier in adult living is social isolation.  Solution: Networking and setting up social contacts before the youth graduates.

The Cost of Dropouts Dropouts from the Class of 2007 alone will cost the nation nearly $329 billion in lost wages, taxes, and productivity over their lifetimes (Alliance for Excellent Education 2007).

Cost Savings  If U.S. high schools and colleges raise the graduation rates of Hispanic, African American, and Native American students [and youth with disabilities], to the levels of white students [and students without disabilities] by 2020, the potential increase in personal income would add more than $310 billion to the U.S. economy (Alliance for Excellent Education 2006a).

ENGAGEMENT – KEY TO SUCCESS  Transition services can play a significant role in improving the probability of graduation and successful transition to post secondary education or employment.  Collaboration and Engagement are the keys.

OTHER KEYS TO SUCCESS  Cooperation between agencies – interagency agreements.  Collaboration – what does that mean?  Working with other community partners  Transition Team  Family

ELEMENTS OF INTERAGENCY AGREEMENT  Scope and purpose: Commitment of ODE and OVRS to cooperate in activities leading to successful transition.  Responsibility of each party: promote outreach to and ID of students with disabilities. ODE liaison to LEA’s and OVRS. OVRS branch managers will assign specific counselor as contact with LEA.

IT’S ALL IN PERSPECTIVE

SUMMARY  Youth transition is a fact of life, but one we can all benefit from.  Important that we all support the concept.  Questions.

WHERE TO GET MORE INFORMATION  Office of Vocational Rehabilitation Services.  Department of Education  National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities