Transition and Vocational Assessment

1
Transition and Vocational Assessment

• Edward M. Levinson, Ed.D, NCSP
• Chairperson and Professor
• Department of Educational and School Psychology
• Indiana University of Pennsylvania

2
Transition and Vocational Assessment Agenda

• Introduction Definition and Legal Issues
• Systemic Transition /Vocational Assessment
  Planning Program Development Best Practice
  Issues
• Vocational/Career Development The Basis for
  Program Development

3
Transition and Vocational Assessment Agenda

• Vocational Assessment Program Examples
• Vocational Assessment Domains and Techniques
• Roles, Responsibilities, and Instrumentation

4
As students approach the end of their formal
schooling, we frequently ask what they will be
doing after school ends. Unfortunately, when we
look back to determine what preparations have
been made for students to live and work in our
communities, we often see a series of disjointed
efforts lacking focus on skills necessary to
confront the new expectations of adult life

• (Halloran, 1989)

5
The mission of special (or general) education
is not restricted to the teaching of academic
subjects, nor is it to protect students from a
harsh adult environment. It is to prepare them to
participate fully in the mainstream adult world

• (Siegel and Sleeter, 1991)

6
But we cant accomplish these objectives if we
cant keep kids in school
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Dropout Prevention A National Issue

• 407,000 U.S. students dropped out of school
  between October 2005 and October 2006
• Enough to fill 12,000 school buses

(National Center for Education Statistics, 2008.
Dropout and Completion Rates in the United
States 2006.)
8
Dropout Prevention A National Issue
State Graduation Rates 2004-05  (Using 9th
grade enrollment as base)

• Worst Graduation Rates
• Nevada 55.8
• South Carolina 60.1
• Georgia 61.7
• Mississippi 63.3
• Louisiana 63.9

• Highest Graduation Rates
• Nebraska 87.8
• Wisconsin 86.7
• Iowa 86.6
• Vermont 86.5
• North Dakota 86.3

(National Center for Education Statistics, 2008.
Dropout and Completion Rates in the United
States 2006.)
9
Dropout Prevention A National Issue

• Students with Disabilities
• Nationwide, dropout rates among students with
  disabilities for all categories of disability
  combined is approximately double that of general
  education peers.
• Dropout rates vary substantially among the
  various categories of disability.

10
Dropout rates Among Individuals with Disabilities

• USDE (2009) data show a dropout rate of 31.1 and
  a graduation rate of 54.5 when all disability
  categories are combined (04-05 academic year)
• Good News
• Special ed drop out rate decreased from 45.1 in
  93-94 to 37.6 in 01-02
• The dropout rate from 01-02 (37.6) to 02-03
  (33.6) is the largest ever single year decrease.
  
• These rates vary by disability category

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• Drop Out Rates
• SLD..29.1
• MR27.6
• SED..52.3

U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special
Education and Rehabilitative Services, Office of
Special Education Programs, 28th Annual Report to
Congress on the Implementation of the Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act, 2006, vol. 1,
Washington, D.C., 2009.
12
Dropout rates Among Individuals with Disabilities

• 51.9 students in special education graduate with
  a diploma but
• 74.7 of students in general education graduate
  with a diploma

(National Center for Education Statistics, 2008.
Dropout and Completion Rates in the United
States 2006)
13
Dropout rates Among Individuals with Disabilities

• Research has consistently demonstrated that
  students with disabilities dropout of school more
  frequently than do students without disabilities
  and that students with learning and emotional
  disabilities are at the greatest risk of dropping
  out.

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Why do kids drop out of school?
15

• The National Dropout Prevention Center has
  identified 15 strategies that have had positive
  effects on the dropout rate (www.dropoutprevention
  .org)
• Included are
• Alternative schooling
• Out-of-school experiences
• Community collaboration
• Family involvement
• Career education/workforce readiness

16
Career and Technical Education

• Career Technical Education (CTE) includes a wide
  array of career-based instruction
• K-12 career education
• A comprehensive guidance program
• School- and work-based experiences

17
Career and Technical Education

• CTE Formats
• School-based programs
• Internships and apprenticeships
• Work-based programs
• Career Academies
• Tech Prep

18
Career and Technical Education

• Impact of CTE
• Enrollment in CTE does not increase the
  likelihood of students dropping out. (USDE, 2003)
• Career guidance increased students remaining in
  school from 50 to 85. (Bauer, 1992)
• Higher percentages of CTE experiences lower the
  probability of dropping out. (Plank, 2001)

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Career and Technical Education

• Impact of CTE
• Youth participating in CTE activities were half
  as likely to drop out as youth who did not
  participate.
• Youth in work-based learning were 30 less
  likely to drop out than students in other
  curriculum areas.

(Stone, 2004)
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Preparation for Workforce?

• Greene and Winters (2005) report
• The National percentage of students who have the
  requisite skills or qualifications to attend
  college increased from 25 in 1991 to 34 in 2002
• 41 for Pennsylvania
• 40 of white students are college ready, but only
  23 of African American and 20 of Hispanic
  students are
• The number of students who are college ready and
  the number of students who enroll in college for
  the first time is about the same

21
Preparation for Workforce?

• Only 37 of urban students who received special
  education services have attended any
  post-secondary school 3-5 years after graduating
  (68 of high school grads have) (Urban Disabled
  Children Lag Behind Non-City Peers, 2000)
• 27 of students with IEPs who complete high
  school enroll in postsecondary education (69 of
  students in general population do) (U.S.
  Commission on Civil Rights, 2002)

22
Preparation for Workforce?

• According to the 21st annual Report to Congress
  on the Implementation of the IDEA (U.S.
  Department of Education, 1999)
• Students were less likely to drop out of
  school, and more likely to be competitively
  employed, when they received adequate vocational
  education training in high school.

23
Primary post-high-school goals of secondary
students with disabilities 2001-02 (USDE, 2006)
24
Preparation for Workforce?

• So
• Most students are not prepared to enter college.
  However, there is still a large emphasis on
  sending students to four year colleges.
• More emphasis on preparing students for work, and
  on technical schooling is needed.
• Efforts to prepare all students, but especially
  students with disabilities, for the workforce are
  vital.

25
Unemployment/UnderemploymentRates

• Compared to their non-disabled peers, students
  with disabilities are more likely to experience
  unemployment or underemployment, lower pay, and
  job dissatisfaction (Dunn, 1996).
• The Rehabilitation Research and Training Center
  on Disability Demographics and Statistics (2008)
• 36.9 of people with disabilities were employed
  compared with 79.7 of those without disabilities.

26
Unemployment/UnderemploymentRates

• Unemployment for people with disabilities was
  over 70 in 1999 (National Council on Disability,
  2000)
• Dropouts with disabilities have a 40
  unemployment rate, compared to 38 for students
  with disabilities who graduate (U.S. Department
  of Education, 2005)
• 1/3 of adults with disabilities lived in
  household making less than 15,000. This only
  applied to 12 of those without a disability.
  (Bush, 2001)
• In 2002, unemployment for those with a work
  disability was 13.6 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2003)
• Post-Gazette Article

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Reasons/Needs for Transition/Vocational
Assessment Services

• Drop out rates among students with disabilities
• Unemployment rates among individuals with
  disabilities
• Economic costs to society
• Quality of life issues
• Legislation

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Transition Definition IDEA

• (34) TRANSITION SERVICES.The term transition
  services
• means a coordinated set of activities for a child
  with a disability
• that
• (A) 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 post-secondary education, vocational
  education,
• integrated employment (including supported
  employment),
• continuing and adult education, adult services,
  independent
• living, or community participation
• Individuals With Disabilities Improvement Act of
  2004, 20 U.S.C 1400, Section 602, (34)(A-C)

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Transition Definition IDEA

• (B) is based on the individual childs needs,
  taking
• into account the childs strengths, preferences,
  and
• interests and
• (C) includes instruction, related services,
  community
• experiences, the development of employment and
  other
• post-school adult living objectives, and, when
  appropriate,
• acquisition of daily living skills and functional
  vocational
• evaluation.
• Individuals With Disabilities Improvement Act
  of 2004, 20 U.S.C 1400, Section 602, (34)(A-C)

30
Coordinated set of activities??

• Linkages (interagency agreements) should be
  established between schools and community
  agencies to insure smooth service delivery.
• Activities to be listed in IEPs include
  instruction, community experiences, development
  of employment and post-school adult living
  objectives, and if appropriate daily living
  skills and functional evaluation

31
Secondary students with disabilities whose
schools contacted outside agencies regarding
post-high-school programs or services 2001-02
(USDE, 2006)
32
Post-School Activities???

• Post-secondary education, vocational training,
  integrated employment, continuing and adult
  education, adult services, independent living,
  and community participation
• Hence, transition planning is meant to address
  more than just employment it should address
  needs within the broader focus of life in the
  community

33
Results-Oriented Process???

• IEPs should address long-term and short-term
  goals in the areas of employment, post-secondary
  education, vocational training, continuing and
  adult education, adult services, independent
  living, and community participation

34
When must transition planning be initiated?

• By age 16

35
Who determines what services are needed?

• The law states that the following individuals
  must be involved in transition planning
• - the student
• - the students teacher(s)
• - a representative of the school
• - the parents
• - representatives from outside agencies

36
How does the team determine needed services?

• IDEA does not specifically address this
• IMHO, needs should be identified via a
  comprehensive transdisciplinary assessment which
  addresses potential needs in the following areas
  employment, post-secondary education, adult
  services, independent living, and community
  functioning.

37
Who provides transition services?

• The school is primarily responsible for providing
  transition services, though clearly the law
  suggests that community agencies need to be
  involved in providing services as well.

38
IDEA 2004 Requirements

• Related services added to the list of required
  transition services
• Students with disabilities are to participate in
  statewide testing
• Functional behavior assessment is required
• Increasing student self determination is added as
  a goal of transition
• Measurable transition goals must be included in
  IEP beginning at age 16 and updated annually

39
Factors Associated with Positive
Secondary/Post-Secondary Outcomes

• Participation in vocational education
  (occupationally-specific instruction) during last
  two years of high school.
• Participation in paid work experiences in the
  community during the last two years of high
  school
• Competence in functional academics, community
  living, personal social, vocational, and
  self-advocacy skills
• Participation in transition planning
• Graduation from high school

40
Transition/Vocational Assessment Best Practices

• Develop a system-wide program
• Link planning to career development theory and
  K-12 career development activities
• Base planning on a sound assessment
• Involve parents, students, and community
  representatives in planning from the start
  (establish inter-agency agreements)
• Insure that students with disabilities have
  vocational, occupational and work experiences

41
Is there evidence that Best Practices are being
Implemented?

• No

42
Secondary students with disabilities whose
schools contacted outside agencies regarding
post-high-school programs or services 2001-02
(USDE, 2006)
43
Participation in job training and work-related
activities by secondary students with
disabilities 2001-02 (USDE, 2006)
44
Systemic Transition/Vocational Assessment
Planning Three Phases

• Planning
• Develop a task force
• Conduct needs assess.
• Develop a model
• Develop interagency agreements
• Identify funding requirements/sources

• Implementation
• Appoint a coordinator
• Develop a procedures manual
• Select and purchase materials
• Train school/community personnel
• Conduct in-service workshops
• Pilot test the program

45
Systemic Transition Planning Three Phases

• Program Evaluation
• Identify aspects of the program in need of
  evaluation
• Identify preliminary standards for program
  evaluation
• Hire a program evaluator and conduct the
  evaluation
• Plan and implement program improvements

46
Effective Assessment for Transition

• Uses only reliable and valid assessment
  techniques
• Uses a transdisciplinary team to conduct the
  assessment
• Incorporates a multitrait, multimethod, and
  multifactored approach to assessment
• Links assessment to career development theory
• Insures that assessment is functional and ongoing

47
Process of identifying an individuals physical,
mental, and emotional abilities, limitations, and
tolerances in order to..

• Predict current and future employment potential
  and adjustment

48
Process whereby an individuals attitudes,
aptitudes, interests, capabilities, physical
capabilities and tolerances are evaluated by
utilizing standardized tests..

• Job sampling, job trait and other standardized
  techniques and procedures

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These are Definitions of Vocational Assessment
50
As defined by the Vocational Evaluation and
Work Adjustment
Association

• Vocational assessment is a comprehensive process
  that utilizes work, real or simulated as the
  focal point of assessment and vocational
  exploration, the purpose of which is to assist
  individuals in vocational development.

51
As defined by the Vocational Evaluation and
Work Adjustment
Association

• Vocational assessment incorporates medical,
  psychological, social, vocational, and economic
  data in the attainment of the goals of the
  evaluation process

52
Purposes of vocational assessment (from
voc.ed/voc. rehab. lit.)

• To assess intellectual potential, present work
  skills, expected work skills, physical
  capability, work behavior, and learning problems
• To determine whether students have adequate
  prerequisite skills for voc-ed programs
• To suggest needed support services

53
Purposes of vocational assessment (from
voc.ed/voc. rehab. lit.)

• To suggest effective teaching techniques and
  instructional modifications for special students
• To provide the vocational teacher with improved
  information about the student
• To bridge the gap between special educators and
  vocational educators

54
Rationale for school psychologist involvement in
vocational/transition issues

• Relationship between psychology and work
• Schools emphasis on preparing students for work
• Federal legislation
• Drop-out, Unemployment and underemployment rates
  among individuals with disabilities
• NASP standards

55
Previously
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NASP Standards Consultation

• 4.3.1.3 School psychologists provide skill
  enhancement activities (such as in-service
  training, organizational development, parent
  counseling, program planning and evaluation
  vocational development, and parent education
  programs) to school personnel, parents, and
  others in the community, regarding issues of
  human learning, development, and behavior

57
NASP Standards Assessment

• 4.3.2.2 psychological and psychoeducational
  assessments include evaluation, as appropriate,
  of the areas of personality, emotional status,
  social skills and adjustment, intelligence and
  cognitive functioning, scholastic aptitude,
  adaptive behavior, language and communication
  skills, academic knowledge and achievement,
  sensory and perceptual-motor functioning,
  educational setting, family/environmental-cultural
  influences, career and vocational development,
  aptitude, and interests.

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NASP StandardsDirect Service

• 4.3.3.2 School psychologists design direct
  service programs to enhance cognitive, affective,
  social, and vocational development

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Currently
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Domains of School Psychology Training and Practice

• 2.4 Socialization and Development of Life Skills
• School psychologists...incorporate appropriate
  strategies when developing intervention
  programs...These intervention programs
  include...school to work transitions
• 2.6 School and Systems Organization, Policy
  Development and Climate
• School psychologists use their knowledge to
  assist...in designing, implementing, and
  evaluating...transition plans...

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In order to develop a sound vocational assessment
program.

• We must understand and apply vocational/career
  development theory

62
Theories of Career Development

• Developmental Theories (Supers Theory)
• Trait Factor Theories (Minnesota Theory,
  Hollands Theory)

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Minnesota Theory of Work Adjustment

• Proposes two aspects of work adjustment
• Job Satisfaction
• Job Satisfactoriness

65
Individual
Job
Reinforcer System
Needs
Correspondence
Job Satisfaction
66
Work-Related Needs

• Creativity
• Independence
• Moral Values
• Recognition
• Responsibility
• Security

• Achievement
• Activity
• Advancement
• Authority
• Compensation
• Co-workers

67
Work-Related Needs

• Ability Utilization
• Policies and Practices
• Social Service
• Social Status
• Supervision (Technical/Human)
• Variety
• Working Conditions

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Individual
Job
Ability Requirements
Correspondence
Abilities
Job Satisfactoriness
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Components of Career Maturity

• Self Awareness
• Occupational Awareness
• Decision making skills
• Harrens decision making styles
• Dependent
• Intuitive
• Rational

70
Components of a Comprehensive Vocational
Assessment

• Mental Ability
• Academic Achievement
• Small/Large Motor Coordination
• Vocational Interests
• Vocational Aptitudes
• Vocational Adaptive Behavior
• Career Maturity

71
Vocational Assessment Techniques

• Paper pencil tests
• Interviewing
• Behavioral Observation
• Performance tests
• Work Sampling
• Simulated Work Experience
• Work Experience

72
Advantages of Interfacing Vocational Assessments
and Triennial Reevaluations

• Time and cost efficiency
• Multidisciplinary cooperation
• Involvement of the school psychologist
• Holistic assessment

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Instrumentation Interests/Personality

• Self-Directed Search (SDS)
• Career Key (CK)
• Occupational Aptitude Schedule and Interest
  Survey - III (OASIS-III)
• Non-Reading Interest Inventories
• Issues in Selection Reading level, Developmental
  level, Vocational aspiration, Available training

75
Instrumentation Aptitudes

• Consider Use of Cognitive Assessment Measures
• OASIS-III
• DAT
• GATB/NATB

76
Instrumentation Career Maturity

• Career Development Inventory
• Career Maturity Inventory
• Assessment of Career Decision-Making

77
Case Examples