ASPIRE ASPIRE Active Student Participation Inspires Real Engagement September 25, 2013 Presented by: Colleen Lambert & Cindy Saylor ASPIRE Consultants

ASPIRE A Collaborative Initiative between The Georgia Department of Education, Division for Special Education and Student Services and The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities Funded by the Georgia State Personnel Development Grant (SPDG), Georgia Department of Education through a grant from the Office of Special Education Programs, United States Department of Education and is a collaboration with the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities.

Expectations  No fewer than 3 teachers  No fewer than 9 students  Appoint Team Leader  Appoint Parent Representative  Four hour training to include parents  or re-deliver information to parents  Completion of assessments, surveys and data

School engagement  meaningful, challenging curriculum  connecting school to personal goals  perceiving adults care Family involvement Development of basic personal skills  functional and social  self-determination Factors That Help Create Success

Self-Determination What is the importance of self-determination in the process of implementing student led IEPs?

What is Self-Determination? Field, Martin, Miller, Ward, and Wehmeyer (1998) defined self-determination:  A combination of skills, knowledge, and beliefs that enable a person to engage in goal-directed, self- regulated, autonomous behavior.  An understanding of one’s strengths and limitations, together with a belief of oneself as capable and effective are essential to self-determination.  When acting on the basis of these skills and attitudes, individuals have greater ability to take control of their lives and assume the role of successful adults in our society.

In Plain English  Knowing and believing in yourself  Knowing what you want in the future AND making plans to achieve those goals  Knowing and asking for the supports you need to achieve your goals

Research “Providing support for student self-determination in school settings is one way to enhance student learning and improve important post-school outcomes …and to meet federal mandates to actively involve students with disabilities in the Individualized Education Planning process.” Deci & Ryan July 21,2004 psychologymatters.org “Students using this process (SLIEP) knew more about their disabilities, legal rights, and appropriate accommodations than other students and that students gained increased self-confidence and the ability to advocate for themselves.” Mason, McGhee-Kovac, Johnson &Stillerman, 2002

Student led IEPs are one way of helping students become better self- advocates; learning to apply the skills of self-determination, goal setting, and self- evaluation. Self-determination and self-advocacy are interrelated (Field, 1996)  Self-determination: Involves making and implementing choices based on personal needs, interests, and values.  Self-advocacy: Involves the actions that one takes on one’s own behalf. How are Student Led IEPs and Self-Determination Linked?

Fostering Self-Determination  Intentional instruction  Infuse into the curriculum  Embed in the IEP goals  Support student participation in the IEP meeting  commonly referred to as student-led IEP

What’s In a Name? ASPIRE : Active Participation Inspires Real Engagement  Students actively participating in their IEP  Self-Directed IEP  Student-Led IEP

 A way to increase student and family involvement and representation in the IEP process.  Encourages students to play a larger role in developing their IEP, participating in their IEP meeting, and implementing their IEP.  Shifts the focus from adult-centered to student centered. What is a Student-Led IEP?

…your student  Creating an invitation to their IEP meeting.  Introducing themselves and others at the meeting.  Selecting pictures to show at the IEP meeting about a typical school day with them doing the things they enjoy. Just Imagine…

…your student  Clicking a mouse on a computer to move from one slide to the next in a Power Point presentation and describing each slide during the meeting.  Help narrate and select images for a slide presentation that portray the subject areas they are good at, those they struggle with and how teachers can help.  Discussing goals for life after high school and how to reach them. Just Imagine…

…your student  Facilitating the agenda of the IEP meeting.  Leading the meeting and mentoring other students. Picture your student doing these things to participate in a student led IEP Just Imagine…

Student Led IEP Meeting What are students, parents and teachers saying about student led IEPs?

17 Student might have little knowledge of purpose for meeting, the IEP and its contents, or his/her disability Adult team members generally take the lead in determining content of IEP Student might not participate in discussion or decision-making Student is aware of purpose for IEP meeting, contributes to the content of the IEP document, and understands his/her disability Student helps determine content of IEP and how it will be discussed at the meeting Student is often the discussion leader and presents information in a variety of ways

Meeting may focus on the student’s deficits or “can’t dos” IEP contains jargon & “legal-ese”- not understood by student or parent Meetings might not be valued by students, general education teachers, and parents Meeting emphasizes capabilities, student interests and plans for the future Wording of IEP document is user-friendly for all participants Meetings have improved participation as teachers and parents respond to invitations from student

Students and parents may not understand how the accommodations help instruction IEP might not reflect the student’s interests or concerns Meetings sometimes are not a collaborative effort Students and parents have a better understanding of student accommodations and their role in instruction IEP reflects intent to increase student voice in educational decisions, producing a dynamic document reflective of student’s personality Meeting becomes a cooperative experience of working together to assist the student

While the concept of involving students in developing their own IEPs may seem difficult at first, in fact, students have much to gain by being involved. During the process they can:  learn more about their disability,  including how to talk about and explain the nature of their disability to others  learn what accommodations are and what types of accommodations might help them succeed Why are Student Led IEPs Important? Kupper, 1995

During the process they can:  learn how to speak for themselves…  learn about goals and objectives that form the basis of their education and why these goals and objectives are important for them; and  ultimately, become more involved in their own education. Why are Student Led IEPs Important? Kupper, 1995

Students of all ages  Kindergarten through age 22 Students with all disabilities  Mild, moderate or severe cognitive disabilities  Physical impairments  Visual impairments  Hearing impairments  Other health impairments  Speech and/or language impairments Students in any instructional setting  General Education Classroom  Collaborative Classroom  Co-Taught Class  Part Day Separate Class  Full Day Separate Class Implemented with ALL Students

A Different Degree of Participation The vocabulary and degree of participation will vary from student-to-student. However, the emphasis remains on the student, what is important to them and using that information in planning. What does a student led IEP look like for students in general education classes?

A Different Degree of Participation What does a student led IEP look like for higher functioning students?

Benefits for Your School How do student led IEPs relate to your school/system improvement plan?

 Ability to define their strengths and challenges  Express interests, likes, and dislikes  Practice communication and negotiation skills, such as talking with teachers about accommodations, classroom progress and needs Benefits for the Student

 Students see it is important for them to attend and people care about their opinions and their success  Students become engaged in their own education and transition planning  Participate in team situations and understand compromise Benefits for the Student

Benefits for the Families  Studies show that students who included self- determination goals in their Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) were more likely to earn a higher income one year after graduation. (Wehmeyer, 2004)  Improved communication with teacher  More self-determined child  Positive interaction with school personnel

The Ultimate Benefit Students develop self-determination skills:  problem solving,  self-evaluation,  choice-making,  decision-making Increases Student and Family Engagement

 Helps students see relevance of school work to their lives  Provides structure for goal setting and attainment  Allows students to learn new skills which can lead to a decrease in paperwork  Increased parental involvement and improved communications with teacher  More focused, motivated youth  The IEP process makes sense to everyone involved… “It’s not just paperwork anymore” Results of Participation

What’s the Mystery?

Assessments and Evaluations Pre-Survey Perception of IEP involvement Fidelity Checks Post Survey Participation level and evaluation Exit Checklists Only for students new to ASPIRE OPTIONAL but useful For all ASPIRE students, educators and family members OPTIONAL but useful

 Identify Students  Notify Parents – Address questions and concerns  Take Pre-Survey – Student, Educator, Parent  Talk to Student about ASPIRE  Evaluate Pre-Survey and determine which skills to teach Getting Started

 Determine tools that will best fit your classroom style and your students abilities.  Invitations  Lesson plans  Power Point  Poster  Individualize instruction about IEP meeting to increase familiarity of terms, documents and the process.

Instruction and Preparation  Determine level of participation.  Inform the IEP team  Conduct the meeting with the student’s active participation  Complete the Post Survey

Sample Lesson Plan  Self-awareness  Goal Setting  Terminology  Social and communication skills

Steps for Student Participation 1.Attend meeting and observe; prepare invitations. 2.Introductions, likes and dislikes. 3.Explain strengths and weaknesses; explain current accommodations. 4.Assist teacher to identify goals for new school year and share them at meeting. Discuss accommodations needed. 5.Present actual portions of the IEP at a meeting. 6.Contribute to the IEP meeting using the skills and activities learned.

Preparing students for the Meeting  Create an agenda  Help student create prompts  Discuss relaxation techniques  Hold mock meetings - - PRACTICE!

Guidelines for a Successful Meeting  Start on time  Don’t interrupt when another person "has the floor" (This includes no “sidebar” conversations)  Remain open-minded and non-judgmental  Respect the ideas of others  Expand on ideas shared by others

Guidelines for a Successful Meeting  No person may dominate the meeting  Be willing to compromises when necessary  Stick to the agenda  The facilitator must enforce the guidelines

After the Meeting  E E valuate  S Send thank you notes CCelebrate

 Keep them informed  Explain the benefits:  increase in graduation rates  decrease in drop out rates  decrease in inappropriate behavior  Ask for assistance with:  student participation  parental notification  confidentiality and access  scheduling Involving Administrators

 Collaborate with the Parent Mentor  Explain the process  Reassure parents that their participation is still valued and needed and encourage them to:  talk with their child about setting goals  help their child understand how accommodations can assist them  help their child understand their disability, strengths and challenges Involving Parents

Challenges Will SLIEPs take more time? Initially, YES because of the additional time needed to communicate with students on an individual basis. However, you can:  Start with just a few students.  Pick a student who you think could be successful  Choose a student who already exhibits self-determination  Choose a basic level of participation for most students the first year After becoming better acquainted with this process, teachers may find that some students are able to assume responsibility for drafting portions of their IEP (i.e., talking to teachers or asking the teacher to complete a form about their present level of performance)

How do I fit this into my teaching schedule? Each school, class and teacher is unique. Some teachers: Create a special class on self-determination and student led IEP. Include instruction in existing course structure, teaching about SLIEP topics through group and individualized instruction. Incorporate instruction in the general curricula, such as a language arts class, using group and/or individualized instruction. Have students come in for individual planning meetings before school starts in the morning, during lunch, and/or at the end of the school day. Challenges

 Time  Students  High stakes testing  Student disability level  Fear of the unknown  No one else at my school wants to…

Focus on each individual student and his/her interest in and unique ability to participate in the development and implementation of their IEP and IEP meeting.

Why Is This Cake On Fire? Jamie L. Van Dycke, James E. Martin, and David L. Lovett

Guided Planning Let’s get started! Planning and sharing session

Contact Information Georgia Department of Education Division for Special Education Services and Support Professional Learning Unit Cindy Saylor, ASPIRE Consultant Colleen Lambert, ASPIRE Consultant ASPIRE Student Led IEP initiative is funded by the Georgia State Personnel Development Grant (SPDG), Georgia Department of Education through a grant from the Office of Special Education Programs, United States Department of Education and is a collaboration with the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities.