Cheryl M. Jorgensen, Ph. D. Cheryl M. Jorgensen, Ph. D. Internationally recognized author, researcher, and consultant in inclusive education Common Ground: Creating a Community Where All Belong 9 th Annual Inclusive Communities Conference March 25, 2015 Movin’ On: Using Person-Centered Planning to Support Transitions

What Kinds of Transitions are You Interested In? Grade to grade? School to school? Self-contained to inclusive classroom? High school to adult life?

Goals for Today To learn how to use MAPS – a person- centered planning process as a support for any transition To review the steps in grade-to-grade or school-to-school transitions To describe a person-centered process for moving a student from a self-contained class to an inclusive one To describe a person-centered process for moving a student from high school to an inclusive adult life

Thank You Marsha Forest Marsha Forest John O’Brien

Transition Resources on the PEAL Website Grade to Grade Transition Planning Grade to Grade Transition Planning Planning the Move from Self-Contained to Inclusive Class Planning the Move from Self-Contained to Inclusive Class Transition Planning: School to Adult Life Transition Planning: School to Adult Life Person-Centered Planning: A Tool for Transition Person-Centered Planning: A Tool for Transition MAPS for School to Adult Life – 2 handouts MAPS for School to Adult Life – 2 handouts

Other Person-Centered Planning Resources Inclusion Press Inclusion Press Google ered+Planning+Disability&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8 Google ered+Planning+Disability&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8 ered+Planning+Disability&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8 ered+Planning+Disability&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8 YouTube person-centered+planning YouTube person-centered+planning person-centered+planning person-centered+planning Pinterest lity%20person-centered%20planning Pinterest lity%20person-centered%20planning lity%20person-centered%20planning lity%20person-centered%20planning

What is MAPS? MAPS, or Making Action Plans, is one kind of person-centered planning process used by teams to help students plan for their futures. The process uses a person-centered approach in which the plans for the future are built upon the student's dreams, fears, interests, and needs.

What are the MAPS Questions? What is this student’s history? What are this student’s dreams? What are the fears? What is the nightmare? Who is this student? What are this student’s needs?

Who’s Involved? A MAPS facilitator The student Parents/guardians Student’s friends Student’s siblings or other relatives People important in the student and/or his parents/guardian’s life Educators People who might support this student in adult life

Why MAPS? Traditional planning processes tend to focus on deficits – MAPS talks about the whole student Empowers students to speak for themselves Builds trust between families and schools or other support agencies The “rules and regulations” sometimes get in the way of really thinking about the student and what he/she needs Students’ and parents’ vision and preferences should form the basis for students’ educational programs and adult life Parents can be overwhelmed by professional expertise at formal meetings

What MAPS Isn’t The IEP or Transition plan A substitute for other information that might be helpful Controlled by professionals A tool for making a segregated situation “better” Value-neutral A quick fix

When Should MAPS be Done? Entry into preschool, transition to Kindergarten, transition to middle school, transition to high school, transition out of school into adult life, yearly thereafter To support moving a student from a self-contained into an inclusive classroom When the information on a previous MAPS needs to be updated

Pre-Planning for MAPS Share information about MAPS with all potential participants Identify a skilled facilitator Send an invitation from the student and family Obtain parent permission for the students’ friends to participate Find an inviting location Assemble materials to bring – flip chart paper, markers, food and drink

The MAPS Space Inviting with no interruptions Inviting with no interruptions Accessible – physical, sensory Accessible – physical, sensory Wall space for posting flip chart pages Wall space for posting flip chart pages Chairs arranged in several semi- circles Chairs arranged in several semi- circles Food and drink – gluten free options, vegetarian options Food and drink – gluten free options, vegetarian options

The Room Lay-Out Front of Room: Facilitator and Recorder Student, Friends, Family Relatives, Neighbors, Pastors Professionals

Beginning the MAPS Welcome Purpose Norms – positive, strengths-based, no limits, no judgments about what is “realistic” Participants and observers Follow-up is critical Take photos of the flip chart pages

What is this Student’s History?

What are this Student’s Dreams?

What are the Fears?

Who is this Student?

personality temperament culture language likes dislikes preferences talents gifts relationships

What are this Student’s Needs?

Think About an “Ideal” Day Before school Before school At school At school After school After school Morning Morning Noon Noon Evening Evening Weekends Weekends Choice and control Choice and control Safety Safety Purpose and contributions Purpose and contributions Interdependence Interdependence Growth Growth Fun Fun Relationships Relationships Getting around Getting around Making money Making money

Ending the MAPS Facilitator summarizes the big ideas resulting from the MAPS Facilitator summarizes the big ideas resulting from the MAPS All participants are thanked All participants are thanked The flip chart pages are rolled up and given to the student, parent/guardian, or someone who will type the information into a digital form – eventually they are given to the student and family The flip chart pages are rolled up and given to the student, parent/guardian, or someone who will type the information into a digital form – eventually they are given to the student and family A person in charge schedules subsequent meetings to ACT ON the MAPS info – IEP meeting, transition meeting, etc. A person in charge schedules subsequent meetings to ACT ON the MAPS info – IEP meeting, transition meeting, etc.

Questions & Answers

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Steps for Grade to Grade or School to School Transitions Schedule a time for Sped. Teacher and Parents to observe an inclusive classroom/s to identify the common teaching routines, behavioral expectations, teaching style, environment, etc. Identify who next year’s Sped. Teacher/Inclusion Facilitator will be and ask that person to attend planning meetings in the spring prior to the transition. Identify the teacher/s the student will have in next grade and schedule each of them to observe the student (or view an iPad video) this year

Steps for Grade to Grade or School to School Transitions Identify a time when next year’s Sped. Teacher/Incl. Fac. and key members of his IEP team can observe this year’s team during an instructional planning meeting. If a school to school transition is happening, schedule a meeting with the principal to meet the student and parents/guardians. They should share their vision with the principal. Schedule a meeting between this year’s and next year’s Sped. Teachers/Incl. Fac. to pass along important information – IEP, adapted materials, students’ method of communication, positive behavior supports, sensory supports, social relationship strategies, etc.

Steps for Grade to Grade or School to School Transitions Create a template or list of all team members’ roles and responsibilities on this year’s team and create a similar template with next year’s team. Create student’s weekly schedule, courses, and when each IEP team member will be providing services. Make a list of all of the materials, tools, technology (hardware and software licenses), and other resources that will need to be in place Day 1 of the next grade and have next year’s Case Manager order/acquire them. Make sure student-specific equipment and tools are delivered to the next school and that any necessary technical infrastructure is in place (extra computer memory, updated software licenses, lighting, seating)

Steps for Grade to Grade or School to School Transitions Schedule 2 days of compensated “team work time” during the summer so that several weeks’ worth of instructional planning can be completed and ready for Day 1 of the next grade. Compensate next year’s Sped. Teacher/Inc. Fac. for 2 days of summer work to organize the student’s educational program, his schedule, providers’ schedules, modified materials, etc., so that they are ready to go on Day 1 of the next grade. Set up a Google Drive or other document sharing platform and upload forms or other resources that will be helpful for next year’s team.

Steps for Grade to Grade or School to School Transitions Create a short, narrated video of the student touring the new classroom or school and use it many times during the summer to preview his new environment and schedule. Host a summer barbeque/party for several of the student’s classmates who will be in his “cluster” or “section” or classes next year.

Steps for Grade to Grade or School to School Transitions Provide professional development to next year’s team members on: Inclusive education in general. The student’s learning and communication styles as well as the specific supplementary aids and services that he needs. Focused training on programming and using his AAC and AT. Creating adapted materials that provide the student with access to the general education curriculum. How to use instructional planning form/s during weekly planning meetings.