NASDSE Presentation California Community of Practice on Secondary Transition Practicing Authentic Engagement Leading by Convening Fred Balcom, Director, Special Education Division California Department of Education (CDE) Jill Larson, Education Programs Consultant, CDE Jennifer Bianchi, Education Programs Consultant, CDE Sue Sawyer, President, California Transition Alliance Liz Zastrow, Program Specialist, Lodi (CA) Unified School District Vicky Shadd, Director of SELPA/Student Services Glenn County Office of Education October 7, 2014

2 Our Challenge How do we build a community that embraces what we’ve learned from transition research to improve postsecondary outcomes for students with disabilities in our community, our region and our state? Research Practice Implementation Evaluation

3

2014 Growing COP 1983 Work Ability I MOUs 1988 Systems Change Grant SWITP 1997 School To Career All Youth One System 2005 COP Second Attempt 1987 Transition Partnership Programs 2004 Improving Transition Outcomes Projects Bridges 2001 COP First Attempt Building a COP is Like Riding a Roller Coaster 2010 COP Third Attempt 4

Appreciation: We Value These Contributions Dr Fred Balcom, California Department of Education Leadership, Willingness to Collaborate, Support with Staff Dr. Joanne Cashman, Shared Work / IDEA Partnership Encouraging, Support, Guidance, and Persistent Dr. John Johnson, Facilitator, Friend, Prodder, Challenger, Encourager The opportunity to engage with the National Centers for technical assistance, research and informing our work.

Lessons Learned As We Worked to Build the COP Tried Top Down and Bottom Up 6 Both have worked to some degree 1985 Memos of Understanding led to a contract with Department of Rehabilitation that has sustained support for Transition Partnership Programs and PROMISE Grant. Or not Agency driven support is impacted by changes in leadership, shifting agency priorities and political challenges.

We Have Learned: The value of committed, but shared, leadership The whole is greater than the sum of its parts Allow “bubble up” effect Create sense of inclusion Shared purpose/vision/issue/intent Everyone brings what they can to the table Suspend turf issues Bring the right drivers to the table Grassroots approach works when it can leverage support from essential partners. 7

A Leadership Team Is Essential Receive technical assistance from national experts and researchers. Create a Statewide Action Plan Get Action Plan input from the COP at large Implement the Action Plan Include practitioners throughout the state Evaluate the effectiveness of the Action Plan Develop strategies to engage youth and their voice Develop strategies to engage business partners

The Intermediary System Works in CA! Fred Balcom, CDE: Support, Leadership and Commitment Sees Value of Dedicated Staff: Jill Larson, Jennifer Bianchi Current CA COP is supported by grassroots efforts that thrive because of the relationship with agencies (CA Department of Education, CA Department of Rehabilitation) which developed as a result of CA administrators in Sacramento seeing action and results from CA COP. The CA Transition Alliance plays the role of Intermediary or Convener

Goal: Expand CA COP Are all the partners that should be involved at the table? Who else do we need to invite? How do we engage parents? Youth? Business? Can we improve communication with all partners?

FAMILY LEAs Local COP Teachers CARS CA. Dept. Education CA DOR Community College Youth University DDS NEA/CTA CA Transition Alliance CA Promise Adult ED Mind Institute CA Career Resources Diagnostic Center Community SELPA FAMILY WorkAbility CECY How Many Hats Do Each of Us Wear? Are there any Hats that are missing for Your Table? What hats do you partner with the most? What new opportunities are emerging in your state?

The CA COP Action Plan- Year 4 1.Enhance the CA COP structure and sustain the COP Transition Leadership Team. Focus efforts on local, regional collaboratives. 2.Develop and implement a multi-faceted capacity building strategy to identify best practices that lead to successful student outcomes. 3.Analyze statewide data to document outcomes, and identify successful models on a local, regional and statewide level. 4.Increase youth and family involvement and shared leadership in the implementation of evidence-based transition practices (EBTPs).

Strategies to Build Connections IDEA Partnership / Shared Work Engage leadership team at COP/NSTTAC Invite all to join the CA COP Utilize conference calls as tools for communication Offer information and resources Be responsive to new, emerging issues Develop and maintain strategic partnerships

Evaluate Our Efforts Are people engaged? How can we improve youth and family engagement? Business? Do we connect with economic and workforce development? One Stop/WIOA Families and youth: Can we do a better job of addressing their needs?

Emerging Opportunities Student Success Act Student Success Act Employment First Adult Ed Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Senate Autism Committee Industry Sectors

Goal 2: Capacity Building - Current Efforts Build A Bridge to the Future Institute Transition Planning: The Basics Transition Planning: The Essentials Webinars Local and regional workshops Challenges: Evaluating effectiveness: Did our efforts have a positive impact? Have we changed behavior? Have outcomes improved? Seeking new opportunities – cross-agency training 16

New Efforts for Transition Planning: The Basics is our training resource. Secondary transition is not an IEP, but a process. Outlines mandates and corresponding best practices that have the greatest likelihood of leading to successful outcomes. Subsequent training incorporates the booklet. Transitioning Planning: the Essentials Certifying trainers is required to assure a common message. California Transition Nuggets is an effort to capture good ideas, tips and best practices being implemented throughout the state.

Create Strategies to Build Connections CA COP CA Transition Alliance Events Projects Resources Focus on Outcomes Employment Postsecondary Education Independent Living Opportunities Career Pathways Trust Student Success Act AB 86 Adult Education ROP/Career Technical Ed. Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Bridge to the Future II Statewide Secondary Transition Institute Capacity Building Opportunities Transition Planning: The Essentials Train the Trainer Model Certification Meetings, Webinars, Website New Partners Community College Chancellor’s Office California Career Resource Network Transition Essentials Trainers Challenges Data Collection Focus on Documenting Outcomes Implement Employment First Policy Support, Sustain, Grow Local / Regional Community Collaboratives 19

Are We Making a Difference? 20 Our Criteria Do we have an impact on improving transition? Are we impacting learning? Changing practice? Changing attitudes? Which capacity building efforts are the most effective? What measurement should we incorporate in training? Can conferences make an impact? Feedback from Institute:

Factors: How did the Institute Impact Transition Locally YesNo My knowledge and skills have increased.93%7% There will be a positive impact on my professional work. 94%6% My ability to advocate for transition age youth increased 92%8% I expanded my networking with individuals doing similar work. 90%10% I would recommend that the COP and CA Transition Alliance continue this type of work. 96%4%

How Do We Know the Value of Our Work? Transition Planning: The Essentials (a Train the Trainer Program) Participant knowledge increased by 33% Participants found the training useful - average 4.68 on a 5 point scale 73% rated the usability at 5 out of 5. Overall, the training was also highly rated -average of % rated the event overall 5 out of 5.

Nothing About Us Without Us Who is the VIP at the IEP

YLF is an annual five day leadership program that provides information and resources about employment, education, independence and assistive technology. In addition, students have the opportunity to interact with students their own age and staff with various disabilities to develop long lasting friendships. YLF is held in Sacramento. Students will get to stay in the dorms on campus at California State University, Sacramento.

“My adults are my parents, friends, and co-workers who I work with now at DHSS. When I need help I can go to my adults allies. They help me with problems. They also believe in me”. Engage Families

Adult Allies – Characteristics Asks Probing Questions Open Opportunities for Youth to Fully Express Themselves Shares Genuine Interest & Values Young People Family Empowerment Centers Parent Training/Information Fiesta Educativa

Secondary Transition Planning: The Basics From Mandates to Practices that Lead to Successful Outcomes Write IEPs that meet the legal mandate! Compliance+ Effective Practice = Positive Outcomes Secondary Transition: The Essentials A Workshop Based on The Basics Focus: Develop an effective IEP Transition is a Process Not an IEP

Apply to CalSTAT for Technical Assistance Funds to assist your district in their capacity building efforts in regard to secondary transition for youth with disabilities.  Improve compliance  Increase the use of evidence- based practices  Identify effective and useful resources  Have a positive impact on the lives of transition age youth with disabilities To find a qualified trainer in your local area, please contact the California Transition Alliance Contact person: Sue Sawyer, Executive Director Phone: CalSTAT Technical Assistance: Secondary Transition Training

California Transition Nuggets We are kicking off a campaign to collect tips, strategies, resources and programs that transition practitioners throughout California recommend as an effective tool to prepare youth with disabilities for successful transition. Nuggets will be submitted through the website. They will be vetted by the CA Transition Alliance to verify they meet the standard of an effective transition best practice.

Reflection Sustain and Grow the Statewide COP Encourage, support and train to develop local/regional COP Many parts of the state are geographically large and sparsely populated Continue to engage individuals in effective transition training Fine tune the way we evaluate our CA COP efforts Keep up with Change! Embrace new and emerging trends and legislation as opportunties

Coming together is a beginning… Staying together is a process… Working together is success!