Transition Planning

1
Transition Planning

• Sue Severson, Ed.D.
• Minnesota State University Moorhead
• severson_at_mnstate.edu
• Jon Enderle, M.S.
• Moorhead Public Schools

2
Agenda

• Review of transition mandates
• Transition planning model
• Transition assessment model
• Review of ESTR Scales
• Assessment Summary

3
IDEIA 2004

• Transition services means a coordinated set of
  activities for a child with a disability that
• Is designed to be within a results-oriented
  process, that is focused on improving the
  academic and functional achievement of the child
  with a disability to facilitate the childs
  movement from school to post-school activities,
  including postsecondary education vocational
  education integrated employment (including
  supported employment) continuing and adult
  education adult services independent living or
  community participation and is based on the
  individual childs needs, taking into account the
  childs strengths, preferences and interests

4
IDEIA 2004

• Beginning not later than the first IEP to be in
  effect when the child turns 16 and then updated
  annually thereafter, the IEP must include
• Appropriate measurable postsecondary goals based
  upon age-appropriate transition assessments
  related to training, education, employment and
  independent living skill, where appropriate
• Transition services needed to assist the child in
  reaching those goals, including courses of study
  and
• Beginning not later than one year before the
  child reaches te age of majority under state law,
  a statement that the child has been informed of
  the childs rights under this title, if any, that
  will transfer to the child on reaching the age of
  majority.

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Coordinated Set of Activities

• Transitional services happen over time.
• Age 14 (or 16) until exit from school
• Informally
• Day to day activities transitioin twist
• All players
• Formally
• Within the IEP
• All team members

6
IDEIA 2004

• Results oriented process
• Post-school outcomes
• postsecondary education, vocational training,
  integrated employment (including supported
  employment, continuing and adult education, adult
  services, independent living or community
  participation

7
Results Orientation

• Previous language outcome oriented
• Planning for student participation in
• Employment, Recreation/leisure, Home living,
  Community participation, Post-secondary education
• Not just focusing on the diploma
• Assessment Implication Identify learners
  desired postschool outcomes in all transition
  areas

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IDEIA Definition

• based on the individual childs needs, taking
  into account the childs strengths, preferences
  and interests
• Transition Assessment Implications
• Identify needs in transition areas
• Identify strengths in transition areas
• Know and understand STUDENT interests and
  preferences and focus on these in the transition
  planning process

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Age 16

• Proposed regulations provide IEP teams with the
  authority to initiate transition planning before
  age 16 (DCDT)
• Earlier planning
• Opportunity to connect students to high school
  course of study to reach goals
• Opportunity to initiate services that support
  students to remain in school
• Transition Assessment Implications
• Assessment in evaluation period prior to age 16
• Transition assessment in a outside of 3-yr
  evaluation

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Appropriate Measurable Postsecondary Goals

• Based upon age-appropriate transition assessment
• Completed as part of the transition planning
  process
• Related to training, education, employment and
  where appropriate independent living skills
• Completed prior to age 16 to ensure appropriate
  consideration of transition goals and services
  (DCDT)

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Summary of Performance

• Final Performance Summary
• Include result of transition-focused assessment
• Written in a way that will communicate key
  information to assist student to gain access to
  an participate in post-secondary education and
  employment
• Clearly indicate students postsecondary goals
  and the progress made toward achieving those
  goals (DCDT)
• To eliminate unnecessary testing improve
  interagency linkages, central component should be
  review of previous disability documentation
  functional impact of of the disability
• Transition Implication
• Contents of the online assessment summary

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Transition Assessment Model
Elementary
Middle School/Junior High
High School
Postsecondary
Basic Skills Assessment
100
50
Assessment
Transition Assessment/ Career Exploration
0
13
Transition Assessment Planning
Teaching of skills/knowledge (goals objectives,
general education curriculum)
Initial Identification of Needs
Transition Planning
In-Depth Assessment of Select Areas
Linkage to services/supports (activities)
Adapted from Transition Planning Inventory, Clark
Patton, 1997.
Adapted from Transitin Planning Inventory, Clark
Patton, 1997.
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Initial Identification of Needs

• ESTR Scales
• ESTR-J-Revised
• ESTR III
• Transition Planning Inventory (TPI)

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In Depth Assessment of Select Areas

• Brigance Scales
• Life skills
• Employability skills
• LCCE Knowledge Performance Battery
• Teacher made tests

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Transition Planning

• Linkages and supports
• Course of study
• Statement of needed transition services
• Activities to address needs
• Goals and objectives

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Postsecondary Goals (preferences interests)
ASSESS
Course of Study
Present Level Of Educational Performance --------
------- Build on strengths, address needs
Statement of Needed Transition Services
ASSESS
Goals Objectives
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Questions Transition Assessment Must Answer

• What are the learners desired future
  outcomes/goals?
• Results oriented process.
• Needs, strengths, preferences and interests.
• What skills does the student possess? (strengths)
• Relative to their goals.
• What skills must the student acquire to achieve
  their goals? (needs)
• What planning issues need to be addressed?
  (needs)

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ESTR Scales

• ESTR Scales
• ESTR-J-Revised
• Transition specific assessment for students with
  mild disabilities
• Learning disabilities, emotional disorders,
  hearing impairments, visual impairments,
  physical/health disabilities, speech/language
  disorder (mild levels)
• ESTR-J-Revised Parent Form
• ESTR-J form to gather information from parents
• ESTR III
• Transition specific assessment for students with
  more disability
• Cognitive disabilities
• Moderate to severe range
• ESTR III Parent Form
• ESTR II form to gather information from parents
• Transition Planning in the Schools Using the
  ESTR Scales

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ESTR III

• Items reflect the original scale (published in
  1991).
• 5 transition areas-
• Employment, Recreation Leisure, Home Living,
  Community Participation, Post Secondary Education
  
• Areas are inclusive of the areas identified in
  IDEA
• Useful when assessing students with more
  disability.

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ESTR-J-Revised

• Reduced number of items from ESTR-III.
• Same 5 transition areas-
• Employment, Recreation Leisure, Home Living,
  Community Participation, Post Secondary Education
  
• Areas are inclusive of the areas identified in
  IDEA
• Useful when assessing students with MILD
  disabilities.

22
ESTR-III Administration

• Respondents
• Parent form (crème form)
• Rating system
• 2Independent and consistent.
• 1Participates with assistance or is
  inconsistent.
• 0Does not participate at this time.

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ESTR III Scoring

• For each section
• Count the number of 2s-enter in appropriate
  space on front cover
• Count the number of 1s-enter in appropriate
  space on front cover
• Items where 0 is indicated are not counted
• On front cover
• Multiply the number of 2 scores by 2
• Multiply the number of 1 scores by 1
• Add TOTALS for 1s and 2s
• Add these scores for Total Performance Score

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ESTR-J-Revised Administration

• Respondents
• Parent Form (gray form)
• Rating system
• YesIndependent and Consistent
• No Not performed or performed inconsistently.

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ESTR J-Revised Scoring

• For each section
• Add up 1 scores and enter number in appropriate
  space on front cover.
• On the front cover
• Once all scores are recorded-
• Determine the percentage for each area.
• Add raw scores for all areas-record as Total
  Performance Score.
• Calculate Total Performance Percentage.

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What do these scores mean?

• Total Performance Score scores for each
  subscale are reference points.
• ESTR III Score indicates degree of independence
  as well as areas of participation where
  assistance is provided.
• Low score at graduation indicates that support
  systems need to be in place.
• ESTR-J--Scores indicate skill levels and the
  status of planning.

27
Measurable Postsecondary Goals(Results Oriented
Process)

• Students dreams and aspirations for their
  future.
• Students preferences and interests.
• Looking beyond the diploma.
• Realistic/unrealistic.
• ESTR Worksheets
• Student form.
• Parent form.

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Measurable Postsecondary Goals

• Included in the IEP.
• I statements.
• Coordinated set of Activities that comprise
  transition planning focus on identified future
  outcomes/goals
• Identified by the learner (parent).

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Present Levels of Performance

• Summarizes information gathered about students
  skills, and the status of planning issues.
• Written into IEP at age 14 (16?).
• Comprehensive descriptions of student functioning
  in each transition area
• Detailed information about strengths and needs
  (ESTR-J)-or-
• Activities the learner is participating in with
  assistance and activities in which the learner is
  not participating (ESTR III).

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Sitlington, Clark, and Kolstoe (2000)
The most central and critical use of transition
assessment information is as a component of the
Present Level of Educational Performance in the
students IEP. Transition goals and objectives,
along with official linkages with nonschool
agencies, would come directly from
transition-referenced assessment and the
information in the Present Level of Educational
Performance. The data should have direct
implications for instructional program decisions,
including program design, program placement,
curriculum planning, instructional procedures,
and additional assessment requirements. ( p. 123)
31
ESTR-J-Revised Present Level of Performance

• Each item of the scale should be summarized
  including other descriptive information.
• Efficient means of organizing information
• Strengths
• Possible areas of concern.

32
ESTR III Present Levels of Performance

• Addresses every item of the ESTR III along with
  other relevant information.
• Organized around the areas of
• 2-Independent and Consistent
• 1-Participates with Assistance or is
  Inconsistent,
• 0-Does Not Participate.

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Computer Assisted Performance Levels

• NEW!!
• Worksheet for transition planning.
• Online entry.
• Purchase of assessment reports.
• Enter information online.
• Report generated in PDF format.

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Assessment Summary Report

• Contents
• Demographic information
• Description of assessment instrument
• Future goals information
• Strengths/needs
• Future goals
• Other information-such as..

35
Assessment Report
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Next Steps

• Course of study
• Statement of Needed Transition Services
• Goals and Objectives
• Lesson plans/instruction