1. Partnering with Families: Promoting High Expectations
Sean Roy – TransCen
Mary jane Williams – Family to Family Network
2017 Texas Transition Conference

2. TransCen
Established 1986
Dedicated to being a transition center to improve employment and education outcomes for youth with disabilities
Research, training and technical assistance, and direct service
Slide 2: Agenda
Session agenda
Presenters should state that the workshop topic is postsecondary education for youth with disabilities. Attendees will learn about the different options for education and training after high school, how college differs from high school, and how to use the high school years to prepare students for college success. Blended into all of this is the idea that families play a pivotal role, but a role that is distinctly different than the role families may have played while advocating for their youth during high school.

3. Family to Family Network
Founded in 1988
Providing families of children with disabilities/chronic illnesses with information, referral, training & support as they navigate the complex systems of education, social services, & health care.
Texas Project FIRST website
Annual Conference
Disability Leadership Network of Houston
Guided Transition Program
Success for Children with Disabilities!

4. Warren Buffet
“Someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.”

5. High Expectations Rooted in Legislation and Policy
“Disability is a natural part of the human experience and in no way diminishes the right of individuals to participate or contribute to society.”
ADA
IDEA
WIOA (“competitive, integrated employment”)

6. Family Involvement Frameworks
The Guideposts for Success
NASET Standards
Kohler’s Taxonomy (1996)
U.S. DOE Dual Capacity Framework

7. Parent Expectations and Outcomes
Students with one or more parents who participated in the IEP meetings during 11th and 12th grades were more likely to be engaged in post- school employment
Students with parents who had HIGH EXPECTATIONS were more likely to be engaged in postsecondary education and employment

8. Impact of Disability
Parents are likely to have strong feelings and questions about how disability will impact their youth’s future.
It’s OK to modify hopes and dreams, but it is not OK to stop having hopes and dreams.

9. Parent Perspective Systems = Labels/Evaluations/No explanations
Overwhelmed, Confused, Concerned, Frustrated, Lose Hope, Blame, What do we do? How do we fix it?
Disability vs. Life
Other families – Support vs Guilt
Partners in Policymaking (Disability is OK)
Transitions & Feelings

10. Parental Expectations
What are the factors that influence what parents expect for their youth with a disability? What do educators and other professionals do (knowingly or unknowingly) to influence this?

11. Dual Capacity
Consider focused efforts to help increase the capacity of families and professionals to:
Hold high expectations
Convey high expectations

12. High Expectations Brief
Led by NTACT
Parents of youth with disabilities shared their stories and suggestions about maintaining high expectations for youth during transition planning process
Put together in draft form

13. Activity Please consider: Realistic vs. healthy risk
The role of choice
Putting youth in charge (does not means parents go away)

14. MJ’s advice Share the positive Youth participation in IEP Meetings
Help Youth/Families make connections/build networks
Provide training to families & youth
Support Decision making/Guardianship & Social Security Work Incentives (how to report)
Transition is a Collaborative Process – Ask what families can do to help
Remember ALL cultures value independence differently
Help families have high expectations
Think outside the box!

15. Contact
Sean Roy Mary Jane Williams