From Disability to Possibility: The Power of High Expectations in Transition Planning 1 Developed under a grant from the Office of Special Education Programs. CFDA#84.323A Award#H323A070019

Agenda You will learn about: Setting high expectations for youth and why these expectations are important Exploring what’s possible Using advocacy skills to promote high expectations Creating commitment to high expectations Putting it into practice 2

High Expectations 3

Neither you nor the world knows what you can do until you have tried. -Ralph Waldo Emerson 4

From Disability to Possibility Challenge yourself to consider more than limitations Acknowledge the emotional impact Become involved and take steps to move forward 5

Parents Provide the Foundation Support your child in deciding what is important to him or her Build on your child’s interests and motivation Focus on your child’s success Teach your child to make choices and assume responsibility 6

What Are High Expectations and Why Are They Important? 7

Laws Support Having High Expectations for Individuals with Disabilities Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) The Rehabilitation Act of 1998 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Higher Education Opportunity Act and others 8

Impact of Low Expectations Isolation Low achievement – Low school expectations – Low family expectations 9

Explore What’s Possible 10

What Do You Expect? Families can create a vision for the future based on their child’s maximum potential for success What is the most I expect my child to achieve? 11

Find Balance When expectations meet realities: What your child is able to do Challenges Program issues 12

Explore What’s Possible: Parents Learn about possibilities Become an adult services “detective” Talk with other parents 13

Explore What’s Possible: Students Life after high school Do they want to go to school or college? What kind of job do they want? Where will they live? What will they do for fun? Who will they need to help them? 14

Advocacy Skills 15

Parent Advocacy Skills Advocates are people who speak up for themselves or others to make a situation better No one knows your child as well as you do. No one cares about your child’s success as much as you do. 16

Effective Parent Advocates Understand their child’s disability Know the key players Know their role, rights and responsibilities 17

Effective Parent Advocates Use clear and direct communication – Be assertive, not aggressive – Be persistent, flexible and positive – Work in partnership as a member of a team – Know how to resolve disagreements – Ask questions 18

Support Student Self-Advocacy Skills Self-advocacy means taking the responsibility for communicating one’s needs and desires to others Self-advocacy is a critical tool for increasing self-sufficiency and achieving life goals 19

Create a Commitment to High Expectations Don’t just think it—ink it! Use your voice Gain investment Give youth the opportunity to express interests and participate in decision making 20

Family involvement is a greater predictor of successful outcomes for youth than income or social status. 21

Putting High Expectations into Practice 22

Using the Transition Planning Process Identify a student’s strengths, needs, interests and preferences Determine desired outcomes for after high school (postsecondary outcomes) Work backwards to design school and community experiences to gain skills and connections needed to achieve outcomes 23

Building Blocks to Create the Bridge from High Expectations to Realities Transition services – Course of study – Measureable annual goals – Services and supports – Linkages 24

Revise Expectations Presume competence Try supports and accommodations Reassess Adjust when necessary 25

Ready or Not… Take Final Steps Before Graduation Actively link with adult service providers Collect final documents such as: – Summary for Postsecondary Living, Learning, and Working – Supports for Accommodations Request Create a Plan A and a Plan B 26

If we did all the things we were capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves. -Thomas Edison 27

Thank You for Coming! 28