Improving Secondary Education and Transition Using Research-Based Standards and Indicators An initiative of the National Alliance on Secondary Education and Transition, supported by the National Center on Secondary Education and Transition

Robert A. Stodden, Ph.D. Director, Center on Disability Studies and Partner in the National Center on Secondary Education and Transition (NCSET), University of Hawai’i at Mānoa Australian Association on Special Education September 23-26, 2005 Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Presenter

What the Research Says Research shows that many students, including those with disabilities, continue to experience difficulties in achieving positive school and postschool outcomes: – Academic performance – Postsecondary education – Employment – Independent living – Other outcomes

Current Challenges Critical need to bridge discussions between professionals in general education, special education, and workforce development, concerning programs, strategies, and interventions that systematically address the needs of all students. Emerging issues related to students’ access to the general education curriculum, including their participation in state and local assessment and accountability systems.

Current Challenges (cont.) Ongoing challenge of interagency collaboration and service coordination. Increased number of requests from school districts and service providers for information on research- based best practices, programs, and services and quality indicators. New challenges for a focus on accountability for all.

Purpose: To bring together a national, voluntary coalition to create a shared agenda on the improvement of secondary education and transition policies and programs for all youth. National Alliance on Secondary Education and Transition (NASET)

To identify and build consensus on a set of research-based secondary education and transition principles, strategies (best practices), and indicators that ultimately leads to broad adoption at all levels To begin to prioritize and address significant issues of national scale that have a positive impact on secondary education and transition services and policies for all youth Why NASET was Established

Development of a common and shared framework to help valued partners in school systems and communities identify what youth need in order to achieve successful participation in postsecondary education and training, civic engagement, meaningful employment, and adult life. Current NASET Activity

More than 30 national organizations and additional experts were assembled and met over a 14-month period to achieve consensus on a set of research- based standards and quality indicators in 5 key areas: –Schooling –Career Preparatory Experiences –Youth Development and Youth Leadership –Family Involvement –Connecting Activities Development of the Framework

Why a Framework? To respond to increased requests from states, school districts, and service providers for information on: –Research-based practices, programs, and services; and –Benchmarks for effective secondary education and transition practices. To address new responsibilities for states to focus on accountability for each and every young person.

The Framework… Reflects all youth (not just youth with disabilities); Resonates with different audiences that serve youth; Reflects both research- and evidence-based practices;

The Framework…(cont.) Identifies what is needed for youth to achieve successful participation in postsecondary education and training, civic engagement, meaningful employment, and adult life; and Focuses on practices within secondary education and transition programs and services.

Assumptions of the Framework Quality secondary education and transition programs and activities: –Must have the expectation that all youth can achieve successful postschool outcomes; –Result from the support and commitment of highly qualified and knowledgeable personnel; –Hold high expectations for all youth, recognize individual needs, and strive to improve ways to meet changing needs; and –Promote successful postschool outcomes when they connect youth to positive, responsible, and caring adults.

Opportunities Provided by the Framework Establish one direction (eliminate parallel systems, meet the needs of all youth, meet the needs of many audiences—everyone sees their needs); Allow school districts to have benchmarks for effective practice; Establish networks of cross-discipline youth-serving organizations; and Demonstrate how secondary education and transition fits across different areas.

The Framework Why is it important? Schooling Career Preparatory Experiences Youth Development and Youth Leadership Family Involvement Connecting Activities

Schooling 1.1 Provide youth with equitable access to a full range of academic and non-academic courses and programs of study. 1.2 Use appropriate standards to assess individual student achievement and learning. 1.3 Systematically collect data on school completion rates and post-school outcomes and use these data to plan improvements in educational and post- school programs and services.

Schooling (cont.) 1.4 Offer educators, families, and community representatives regular opportunities for ongoing skill development, education, and training in planning for positive post-school outcomes for all youth. 1.5 Establish and implement high school graduation standards, options, and decisions that are based on meaningful measures of student achievement and learning.

Career Preparatory Experiences 2.1 Youth experience career awareness, exploration, and preparatory activities in school-based and community-based settings. 2.2 Academic and non-academic courses and programs include integrated career development opportunities. 2.3 Schools and community partners provide youth with opportunities to participate in meaningful school-and community-based work experiences. 2.4 Schools and community partners provide career preparatory activities that lead to youths’ acquisition of employability and technical skills, knowledge, and behaviors.

Youth Development and Youth Leadership 3.1 Youth acquire the skills, behaviors, and attitudes that enable them to learn and grow in self- knowledge, social interaction, and physical and emotional health. 3.2 Youth understand the relationship between their individual strengths and desires and their future goals and have the skills to act on that understanding. 3.3 Youth have the knowledge and skills to demonstrate leadership and participate in community life. 3.4 Youth demonstrate the ability to make informed decisions for themselves.

Family Involvement 4.1 School staff members demonstrate a strong commitment to family involvement and understand its critical role in supporting high achievement, access to postsecondary education, employment, and other successful adult outcomes. 4.2 Communication among youth, families, schools is flexible, reciprocal, meaningful, and individualized. 4.3 School staff actively cultivate, encourage, and welcome youth and family involvement. 4.4 Youth, families, and school staff are partners in the development of policies and decisions affecting youth and families.

Connecting Activities 5.1 Organizations align their missions, policies, procedures, data, and resources to equitably serve all youth and ensure the provision of a unified flexible array of programs, services, accommodations, and supports. 5.2 Organizations connect youth to an array of programs, services, accommodations, and supports, based on a personalized planning process.

Connecting Activities (cont.) 5.3 Organizations hire and invest in the development of knowledgeable, responsive, and accountable personnel who understand their shared responsibilities to align programs, services, resources, and supports necessary to assist youth in achieving their individual post-school goals.

Framework Utilization: A Sample of Possible Options National Association of Special Education and Transition Personnel Post on association’s website copies to association members Make suggestions to members for using guidelines in their states (e.g., working with stakeholder groups, establishing community of practice around transition efforts) Identify ways to collaborate with other groups Disseminate to active communities of practice

Other national associations and professional organizations Use as an educational tool for postsecondary professionals Disseminate to business roundtable of the Chamber of Commerce Market in curriculum package to teachers Use the career preparatory standards to identify appropriate work-based learning experiences Framework Utilization: A Sample of Possible Options (cont.)

Brief those who are working on employment policy legislation Disseminate as a resource to organization’s members Use as a resource to make members aware of best practices and to spark ideas for collaboration Use for certification of workforce development professionals Use to begin a conversation on the state of the country’s youth Framework Utilization: A Sample of Possible Options (cont.)

Community/Family Centers Post on website Feature the framework in newsletter articles Highlight framework practices in transition trainings Disseminate framework to families and professionals Discuss the framework at state transition and annual parent conferences Shape systems change efforts at state and local levels Inform transition planning Framework Utilization: A Sample of Possible Options (cont.)

Next Steps Work with NASET member organizations to embed standards into their ongoing work. Develop a comprehensive agenda for dissemination –Present at national conferences –Work with individual organizations –Develop publications which may be used by state and local education agencies, workforce development professionals, youth development professionals, families, and youth.

For more information on the National Alliance on Secondary Education (NASET), please contact Bob Stodden at: National Center on Secondary Education and Transition website: National Center on Secondary Education and Transition (NCSET)