1. NSTTAC Institute May 2, 2007 2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Transforming Transition at the National, State, and Local Levels through Communities of Practice: Strategies for Fostering Interagency Collaboration
NSTTAC Institute
May 2, 2007
2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
May 2, 2007
IDEA NASDSE

2. IDEA Partnership @ NASDSE
Working Across States and Stakeholders to Build Interagency Bridges for Youth:  The IDEA Partnership’s Community of Practice on Transition
Joanne Cashman, Director, IDEA Partnership at NASDSE
Debra Grabill, Interagency Liaison and Consultant, NH Dept of Education
Tina Greco, Program Specialist - Youth & Transition, NH Vocational Rehabilitation
Joan Kester, Statewide Transition Specialist, PA Office of Vocational Rehabilitation
Ellen Romett, Managing Director, PA Training & Technical Assistance Network
Linda Maitrejean, Director, Wisconsin Statewide Transition Initiative (WSTI)
Steve Gilles, Steve Gilles, Transition Consultant, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
May 2, 2007
IDEA NASDSE

3. What is the Practical Value of a Community of Practice?
As we talk about Communities of Practice, we ask you to consider….
“Could a Community approach help address some of the persistent problems in transition?”
“When you imagine what ‘could be’ in transition… might Community connections make it more likely?”
May 2, 2007
IDEA NASDSE

4. The Spirit of Community: We Are In This Together!
A way of working
Involving those who do shared work
Involving those that share issues
Always asking “who isn’t here?”
A way of learning
Create new knowledge grounded in ‘doing the work’
Involve those who can advocate for and make change
May 2, 2007
IDEA NASDSE

5. The Policy to Practice Gap
Policies are often not understood in the field
We have ‘islands’ of effective practice, but effective practice is often not well distributed
Sometimes effective practices often do not transfer across organizations.
Practices often do not transfer across sites within the same organization.
May 2, 2007
IDEA NASDSE

6. Communities of Practice
Those that ‘do the work’ have important insights to share.
Those that are the ‘intended beneficiaries’ have important goals that must frame the future work.
Transition outcomes are not ‘one system’ outcomes. We need each other!
Real leadership means bringing practitioners and consumers into the work as allies
May 2, 2007
IDEA NASDSE

7. Communities of Practice
Sharing
Supporting
Learning
Involving the people that do the work
Encouraging investments that move the work
Translating learnings to policy
Creating new relationships among policymakers, researchers, & implementers
May 2, 2007
IDEA NASDSE

8. The National Community of Practice
States
Federal Agencies
National Organizations
National TA Centers
May 2, 2007
IDEA NASDSE

9. IDEA Partnership @ NASDSE
New Eyes: Why Are Federal Agencies Interested in Communities of Practice?
Changing outcomes for youth
Making the research-to -practice connections
Taking efforts to scale
Improving the performance of state and local systems
Making the most of the federal TA Investment
May 2, 2007
IDEA NASDSE

10. OSERS and the Community
Learning from and with the states
Working across education (OSEP) and VR (RSA)
Learning what it will take to move policy to practice
May 2, 2007
IDEA NASDSE

11. IDEA Partnership @ NASDSE
New Eyes: Why Are Professional Organizations Interested in Communities of Practice?
Organizations as leverage for information spread
Organizations as thought leaders and change agents
Organizations as allies with SEAs to create opportunities to involve members in real change
Build sustainability by building understanding and involvement
May 2, 2007
IDEA NASDSE

12. National Organizations and the Community
National Roles
State Roles
Communication Channels
Focus on New Ideas
May 2, 2007
IDEA NASDSE

13. IDEA Partnership @ NASDSE
Communities in States
Pennsylvania
New Hampshire
California
Alabama
Arizona
Virginia
Delaware
Wisconsin
North Dakota
D.C.
May 2, 2007
IDEA NASDSE

14. IDEA Partnership @ NASDSE
New Eyes: Why Are State Education Agencies (SEAs) interested in Communities of Practice?
Build connections across agencies that share responsibility for transition age youth
Make the connection between decisionmakers and those that do the work everyday
Learn what works at the local level. Support sharing across sites
Learn with states that face similar problems
May 2, 2007
IDEA NASDSE

15. Multi-scale Learning: Learning Loops Built through Community
FEDERAL
STATE
LOCAL
SITE
INDIVIDUAL
May 2, 2007
IDEA NASDSE

16. The Communication Structure
The IDEA Partnership
Community of Practice
State to State
State to Local
Local to Local
Local to State
Federal to State
State to Federal
May 2, 2007
IDEA NASDSE

17. IDEA Partnership @ NASDSE
Learning Loops in the State Community: Communication Network and Learning What Works
May 2, 2007
IDEA NASDSE

18. IDEA Partnership @ NASDSE
Learning Loops in the Local Community: Sharing What Works and Creating Support Networks
May 2, 2007
IDEA NASDSE

19. Year-Round Communication Network: www.sharedwork.org
sharedwork.org is a website funded by the U. S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and sponsored by the IDEA Partnership at the National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE) for the purpose of connecting stakeholders in the national Communities of Practice (CoP), participating states’ CoP and Practice Groups to develop their shared work.
May 2, 2007
IDEA NASDSE

20. Year-Round Communication Network: www.sharedwork.org
This website is used to…
Announce new products developed.
Announce training events.
Disseminate the results of state pilot projects.
Share promising practices.
Encourage local-to-local sharing.
Seek input from the field on matters of shared interest that are being discussed by one or more of the Community of Practice partners.
Advise the development of the key national, state, regional, and local meetings.
Other opportunities that become evident as we communicate more routinely.  
May 2, 2007
IDEA NASDSE

21. IDEA Partnership @ NASDSE
Cross System Work
Interagency Collaboration
Lead by Joan Kester & Ellen Romett (PA)
May 2, 2007
IDEA NASDSE

22. IDEA Partnership @ NASDSE
Year-Round Strategy
Creating An Environment where Local Stakeholders can Learn from One Another
May 2, 2007
IDEA NASDSE

23. Youth Leadership Youth Development
Meaningful Youth Role
Youth Leadership
Youth Development
State to Local Connections – Joan & Stacie (PA)
Using Sharedwork to do real work (Joan, Stacie, & Kevin)
States supporting States (NH, WI, PA)
May 2, 2007
IDEA NASDSE

24. State to State Learning Around Issues
Career Assessment
Statewide Meetings
Transportation
High School Redesign
May 2, 2007
IDEA NASDSE

25. State to Local and Local to Local Learning Around Issues
Shared Communication
Meaningful Youth Involvement – Christine Cashman (NASDSE), Josie Badger (PA), Joan Kester (PA), Linda Maitrejean (WI), and Jane Razeghi (DCDT)
Family Engagement/Outreach to Families from Diverse Backgrounds – Joan Badger (PA), Heather Thalheimer (NH), Al Perez (Fiesta Educativa)
High School Redesign – Jay Engeln (NASSP)
May 2, 2007
IDEA NASDSE

26. Why Are Communities of Value?
Provide the support that individuals need
Respect the ‘expertise’ that individuals bring
Recognize the differences in the settings where people do their work
Seek commonality within differing viewpoints
Unite individuals in action
Focus on ‘learning’
Use ‘learning’ to transform practice
May 2, 2007
IDEA NASDSE

27. IDEA Partnership @ NASDSE
Your Insights
Could a Community approach help address some of the persistent problems in transition?”
“When you imagine what ‘could be’ in transition… might Community connections make it more likely?”
May 2, 2007
IDEA NASDSE

28. IDEA Partnership @ NASDSE
Contact Information
Joanne Cashman,
Debra Grabill,
Tina Greco,
Joan Kester,
Ellen Romett,
Linda Maitrejean,
Steve Gilles,
May 2, 2007
IDEA NASDSE

29. The IDEA Partnership
More information on the Interagency Transition Community and other Cross-State/Cross Role Communities is now available at: or
…or call us toll free at:
IDEAINFo
May 2, 2007
IDEA NASDSE