1. Partnering in Student Success
Division of Special Education Services and Supports,
Division of Career, Technical and Agricultural Education,
and
Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency
January 2017
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3. Student Success: Imagine the Possibilities
State Systemic Improvement Plan
Georgia’s brand:
“Student Success: Imagine the Possibilities”
Georgia’s plan has identified 50 intensive districts.
206 LEAs in Georgia with 209,106 students with disabilities
All districts have SSIP plans.
Many districts have included GVRA as a partner in their work.
There are high expectations across the state because of the exciting opportunities with WIOA and E3/Transition Services.
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4. “Student Success: Imagine the Possibilities”
State identified three main barriers to student success that ultimately impact school completion:
Access to the General Curriculum
Access to Positive School Climate
Access to Specially Designed Instruction
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6. Strategic Focus
Our goal is to increase the graduation rate for students with disabilities.
All students should have the opportunity to earn a regular diploma.
The dropout rate must decrease.
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7. Transition Best Practices: Priorities for 2016-2017
Effective partnership within the Georgia Department of Education and across agencies
Key partner: Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency (GVRA)
Increased knowledge and understanding of:
Career Clusters and Pathways
Move on When Ready
Georgia’s Dual Enrollment Program
Strategies to integrate the increased knowledge of MOWR and Career Pathways to impact every IEP meeting
Building capacity to meet Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) requirements
9/18/2018

8. Priorities for
Meaningful annual goals in transition plans to lead to intentional, incremental steps to reach the student’s post-secondary goal
Transition plans should not be developed in isolation but as a part of the IEP meeting
Increase student and parental involvement in the planning and meeting process
Assistive technology must be considered and integrated to support students
9/18/2018

9. Priorities for 2016-2017 Transition planning must begin early
Emphasis on middle school
Essential partners are GVRA and school counselors
Must be true partners in our work beginning in middle school and each step along the continuum
Utilize the Individual Graduation Plan in the IEP meeting
Collaborate rather than duplicate career assessments
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10. Transition Best Practice vs Compliance Transition Plan Compliance FY16
Indicator 13
98.41%
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12. Are our results really 98.41%?
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13. FY16 data

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17. Transition Data 50 Targeted Intensive Districts
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19. Comparison of FY15 to FY16 Data
50 Intensive Districts
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20. Annual Event Graduation Rate Comparison
FY15
FY16
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21. Dropout Rate
FY15
FY16
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22. Results Driven Accountability
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23. Putting the pieces together
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24. CTAE concentrators have a 94
CTAE concentrators have a 94.9% graduation rate – almost 16 points higher than the state average!
CTAE
Graduation Rate
94.9%
Let’s look at some of the CTAE data.
FY 15 CTAE Annual Report
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25. Career Pathway, Increasing the Graduation Rate and Career Technical Instruction
Academic integration reinforces the skills learned in academic classes
Help students realize the application between academics and the world of work
Hone in students’ interests, keep them engaged and in school
Gives students opportunity to earn industry credentials
Career Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs) provide leadership opportunities
Cultivates a strong relationship between teacher & students
9/18/2018

26. Move on When Ready (MOWR)
Georgia’s Dual Enrollment Program
Partnered with Division of Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE) to provide training and information to special education leaders across the state
A guidance document has been developed for students with disabilities participating in MOWR
Partnering with the Technical College System of Georgia, Office of Disabilities, to effectively support students, parents and educators
9/18/2018

27. A closer look – Assistive Technology
According to the National Longitudinal Transition Study (NLTS2) :
Comparing postsecondary outcomes of students with high incidence disabilities who reported receiving assistive technology (AT) in high school to those who reported not receiving AT (study included 305,000+ students)
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28. Look a little further According to NLTS2
99.8% of the students who received AT graduated while only 79.6% of those who did not receive AT graduated.
80.9% of students who received AT attended a postsecondary institution while only 40.1% of students who did not receive AT attended a postsecondary institution.
80% of those who received AT had a paying job after high school while only 50.8% of those who did not receive AT had a paying job.
Only 7.8% of students with high-incidence disabilities reported receiving AT in high school.
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29. Assistive Technology What are the implications of the study?
How can we better collectively support students based on this information?
9/18/2018

30. Key Points CTAE pathway completers graduate at higher rates
Data reflects assistive technology has a significant impact on graduation rate as well as success after high school
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31. Partnerships and Initiatives
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32. Partnerships and Initiatives to Support Meaningful Transition
Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE)
Professional Learning on Career Clusters and Pathways
Career Technical Instruction (CTI)
Move on When Ready (MOWR)
Georgia’s Dual Enrollment Program
Georgia Inclusive Post-Secondary Education Consortium (GAIPSEC)
Project SEARCH
9/18/2018

33. Partnerships and Initiatives to Support Meaningful Transition
ASPIRE - Active Student Participation Inspires Real Engagement
Quality Indicators of Exemplary Transition Programs Needs Assessment
Professional Learning
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35. WIOA and Transition Services
GVRA
WIOA and Transition Services
The Act as amended by WIOA (Act) places a heightened emphasis on the provision of services, including pre-employment transition services, to students and youth with disabilities to ensure they have meaningful opportunities to receive training and other services necessary to achieve employment outcomes in competitive integrated settings.
9/18/2018

36. GVRA
Definition
Student with a disability (361.5(c)(51) – has three components:
Age requirement (14 -22).
Educational program attendance.
The requirement that the individual is eligible for and receiving special education or related services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), or is an individual with a disability, for the purpose of section 504 of the Act.
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37. EXPLORE, ENGAGE, EMPLOY
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38. Partnerships and Initiatives to Support Meaningful Transition
EXPLORE, ENGAGE, EMPLOY
Troup, Hall, Paulding, Decatur, Atlanta Area School for the Deaf, Georgia School for the Deaf and Georgia Academy for the Blind
High School High Tech
9/18/2018

39. Exciting News: GVRA and SSIP
Will assign a Service Area Manager/Career Pathways Specialist to each GLRS
Participate in Collaborative Communities
Serve on the SSIP Regional Team
Meet with intensive districts
Build relationships
Work together – not separately
9/18/2018

40. Expectations Build relationships Listen and learn from each other
Exchange information
Increase awareness of services available
Identify regional needs
Leverage resources
Understand opportunities and challenges from both perspectives
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41. Help build the bridge
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42. Partnering in Professional Learning
CTAE College and Career Counseling Workshop:
Transition, Advisement and Individual Graduation Planning Overview
9/18/2018

43. CTAE Partnership Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE)
Professional Learning on Career Clusters and Pathways
Counseling for Careers, Career Development, Transition, and Workforce Development
Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) to deliver professional learning
Two day sessions
January 26-27, 2017 and February 7-8, 2017
Will train more than 500 administrators and teachers as well as leaders from GaDOE, GLRS and GVRA
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44. CTAE Partnership Team from each intensive district
CTAE Director, Special Education Director, High School/Middle School Principals, High School/Middle School Special Education and CTAE Teachers, High School/Middle School Counselor and GVRA Career Specialist - Maximum of 8 participants from each district
Georgia Learning Resource System Directors, GaDOE District Liaisons and Georgia Network for Educational and Therapeutic Support will also be included
GVRA will send 50 participants to embed with assigned districts
Follow-up plan through SSIP next steps to be submitted July with the consolidated application
Seamless alignment with SSIP across GaDOE divisions and in partnership with GVRA
9/18/2018

45. Participating School Districts
Submit their district’s goals to the GaDOE through the next steps section of the system SSIP in July 2017.
Metrics to collect and monitor data containing the percent of students completing an individual graduation plan and a career pathway must be included.
Implementation will begin in the school year.
Participants will re-deliver workshop information and professional learning activities to school faculties to aid in the development of a school-wide advisement program.
9/18/2018

46. Georgia Career Information System
Will replace GAcollege411
Career assessments are available in GCIS
Collaborate rather than duplicate
GVRA and GaDOE entered a Memorandum of Understanding for GVRA to provide GCIS for all middle and high schools throughout the state providing an integrated approach for Georgia’s students.
9/18/2018

47. Building Capacity
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48. Pre-Employment Transition Services
Job exploration counseling
Work-based learning experiences, which may include in- school or after school opportunities, or experience outside the traditional school setting (including internships), that is provided in an integrated environment to the maximum extent possible
Counseling on opportunities for enrollment in comprehensive transition or postsecondary educational programs at institutions of higher education
Workplace readiness training to develop social skills and independent living
Instruction in self-advocacy, which may include peer mentoring.
9/18/2018

49. Building Capacity – Proposal
Career Specialists to work directly with the 50 intensive districts
Regional Career Specialists to provide universal support
Emphasis on Governor’s High Demand Career Initiatives
Career/clusters and pathways –roadmap for annual steps
MOWR expert
Support for entrance exam and securing accommodations
Increase interaction with school counselors
9/18/2018

50. Fidelity of Implementation
Responsibilities
Funding
In-kind support from LEA and GLRS/RESA
Supervision
Expectation of the LEA
Professional Learning
State, Region and District level to implement to fidelity
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51. Assistive Technology – Proposal
Regional Assistive Technology Specialist located at each GLRS
Leverage resources
In-kind-support
Provide technical assistance
Lending center
Direct services to districts
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52. Self-Advocacy Shared state level coordination
Increase the use of student-led IEP process (ASPIRE)
Implement the use of the ADA and Self-Advocacy for Students training developed by Burton Blatt Institute
9/18/2018

53. Aligning our Purpose: Finding a Common Language
There are 66,463 students with disabilities ages in Georgia (October 2016).
CTAE, GVRA and Special Education are supporting the same students and their families. CTAE and GVRA are both career experts.
Division of Special Education Services and Supports needs the support of CTAE and GVRA.
GaDOE and GVRA have services that overlap such as assistive technology units. Must leverage resources and align.
GVRA has 1400 employees working to support individuals with disabilities to find integrated employment with competitive pay – a career not just a job.
We must understand each other and speak a common language.
Barriers must be removed for our students and their families.
We want to function collectively through a seamless and intentional approach.
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54. Strive for the best
We must ensure effective and meaningful transition plans are developed and implemented for all students.
Our students are counting on us!
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55. Questions
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56. Contact information
Wina Low, Transition Program Specialist/SSIP State Team Lead
GaDOE Special Education Services and Supports
Tammy Caudell, Program Specialist, Special Populations
GaDOE Career, Technical and Agricultural Education
Dr. John Pritchett, Middle School Curriculum Coordinator
Georgia Department of Education
Dr. Myrel Seigler, Program Manager, School Counseling
Dale Arnold, Chief Client Management Officer
Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency
Lauri Tuten, Assistant Director of Transition
9/18/2018