Age-Appropriate Transition Assessment November 9, 2011

1. Age-Appropriate Transition AssessmentNovember 9, 2011 • Type your name and email address (along with all team members participating with you) in the ‘Chat Box’ on the left. • CCTS will conduct a sound check at 2:50 and 2:55 . We’ll begin at 3:00 and end by 4:00. • Use the ‘Chat Box’ to type in questions and/or responses; we’ll address these mid-way through the webinar and during the last ten minutes. • After the webinar, you will receive a follow-up email requesting that you complete a quick survey. Thank you for joining us today!

2. CCTSCenter for Change In Transition Services Seattle UniversityOSPI STATE-NEEDS PROJECT Age-Appropriate Transition Assessment:Meaningful Connections Website: www.seattleu.edu/ccts Email: CCTS@seattleu.edu Phone: 206.296.6494

3. Agenda Measurable Post-secondary Goals Quality Transition Assessment Identification of Needs Career Assessment Career Planning within the School Day Students as Partners Next Steps

4. Age-Appropriate Transition Assessment 34 CFR 300.320(b) - WAC 392-172A-03090(1)(j)(i) Transition assessment • The ongoing process of collecting data on the individual’s needs, strengths, preferences, and interests as they relate to the demands of • current and future working environments • educational, living, personal and social environments. • Assessment data serve as the common thread in the transition process to form the basis for defining goals and services to be included in the IEP. These data are gathered from multiple sources.

5. Goals of Transition Planning • High school completion • Post-secondary participation • Employment • Community Inclusion • Living situations and activities • Adult service agency connections

6. Self-Determination Define and reach goals based on foundation of knowing and valuing oneself (Field & Hoffman, 1998, 2006).

7. A Model of Self-Determination Teach self-determination. Self-awareness and understanding. Explore personal life, jobs, education and training, and living on your own. Develop and direct own IEP to extent possible. Implement transition plans.

8. Guiding Questions for Age-Appropriate Transition Assessment Strengths: What strengths does the student have in meeting some of life’s demands as they relate to education/training, employment, and independent living? Needs: What are the main barriers to the student reaching postsecondary endeavors (e.g., college/training program, a job/career, accessing the community, or living independently)? Interests: What are the student’s interests, currently and in the future? What activities/experiences promote curiosity and catch their attention? Preferences: Given the opportunity to choose from available options in the areas of education/training, employment, and independent living, what options, according to the student, will motivatethe student and make him/her happiest?

9. Age-Appropriate Transition Assessment IS: IS NOT : A single student interview Interest inventories only Conducted by the special education teacher only Conducted by the school psychologist only Formal assessments only Informal assessments only Psych evaluation or re- evaluation only • Conducted by IEP Team • Academic & functional assessments • Interest & aptitude tests • Student, family, teacher, employer interviews • Family, teacher, employer observations • Employer evaluations • Psych reports • Entrance/placement exams

10. Personal Futures Planning History – Where have I been? Who am I? – Strengths and Abilities Goals and Dreams Who can help me? – Support Network What could get in my way (fears)? Short term objectives for 3 months Next steps – who/when to meet next?

11. Quality Assessment What does your district do well in transition assessment?

12. Participants • School personnel • Career/tech, special & general ed. • Counseling staff • Student • Family • Service agency and adult service providers

13. Transition Assessment Temperaments Interests Aptitudes Academic Skills Anticipated Post-secondary Goals Opportunities for Preparation

14. Career assessment is: More than a “one-shot” approach More than one test Powerful Can change a life, and…… Can occur during the school day!

15. Career Assessment Determines vocational potential Global concept Systematic process Essential to student planning

16. Temperaments Temperaments are personality traits that, when matched with demands of the job, keep one happy at work. Temperament surveys are non-threatening, a good starting point, and interesting to youth.

17. Interests & Aptitudes • Interest surveys are valid when a student has experiences through career exploration. • Aptitudes are skills, but may not be developed due to lack of interest or opportunity.

18. Type of Information Individual’s stated interests Academic skills Aptitudes Temperaments Learning ability, reasoning, problem solving Communication skills

19. Type of Information, Cont. Self-awareness and self-advocacy skills Physical strengths and limitations Healthcare needs Learning style Work experiences Community based evaluation Leisure and recreational

20. Informal Methods Observation checklists Student self-evaluations Job history Academic data Previous testing Curriculum-based assessment

21. Formal Assessment STW assessment ASVAB Academic tests Commercial assessment

22. Informal versus Formal: When would you use informal and when would you use formal assessments?

23. Curriculum: Best Practices Integrated curriculum Career unit Embed academics Provides information for the assessment process The art and science of planning the conditions of learning (Pratt, 94).

24. Student Portfolio Interests Job Shadows P.S. Institutions Work Attitudes Academics Aptitudes Temperaments

25. Formal Assessments ●Self-determination Assessment Tools • The Zarrow Center for Learning Enrichment • AIR Self-determination Assessment, ARC Self-determination Scale, ChoiceMaker Self-determination Assessment, Field & Hoffman Self- determination Assessment. ● Transition Assessment Data through Standardized Instruments • The Transition Coalition • Examples of Standardized Tests Specifically Designed for Transition Planning with Adolescents *Search www.seattleu.edu/ccts for links to these resources

26. Formal Assessments ● Directory of Commonly Used Published Tests • National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth • Extensive lists of formal assessments in four domains: educational, psychological/diagnostic, vocational/career, medical • Assessment listings have publisher website, target group, norming procedures, administration qualifications, reliability/validity and costs. ● College admissions • The College Board • Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), Pre-SAT (PSAT/NMSQT) • ACT • Explore, PLAN, Quality Core, College Readiness Standards, WorkKeys, DISCOVER, COMPASS, EPAS (Ed Planning and Assessment System), CAAP.

27. Informal Assessments √ Interviews and questionnaires 1. conducted with a variety of individuals; 2. used to determine needs, strengths, preferences and interests relative to postsecondary goals; 3. involve gathering information about a student and the family’s current and future resources; Tools: • Transition Assessment Checklist (CCTS); • Needs Planning Survey (CCTS); • Transition Needs and Preferences Survey (CCTS); • Transition Survey for Parents (CCTS)Dream Sheet; Employment –related Questionnaire (NSTTAC); • Planning for the Future (Transition Coalition);

28. Informal Assessments √ Direct observation: 1. Conducted within natural or school employment, postsecondary, or community setting; 2. Direct observations are done most times by an “expert” in the environment: parent, teacher, job coach, co-worker, paraprofessional, other persons in a student’s natural support system; 3. Includes organized collection of information for behaviors (work/home/school), task completion, affective information (happy/sad/angry); Tools: Transition Information Gathering Form (CCTS); Worker Rating Standards (CCTS); Community Work Site Evaluation (CCTS)

29. Informal Assessments √ Environmental or Situational Assessment 1. Carefully examined environments where activities normally occur (ex. Student wants to attend leisure activities at local YMCA: analyze environment for member expectations at Y, transportation to Y, social interactions at Y) 2. Analysis of a job situation comparing job requirements to student’s skills and accommodations needed: job restructuring, modifying equipment, adaptive devices

30. Informal Assessments √ Curriculum-based assessments: 1. Designed by educators; 2. Gather information about a student’s performance in a particular curriculum; 3. Develop instruction for the student; Educator might use task analyses, work sample analysis, portfolio assessments, and/or criterion-referenced tests. * Search www.seattleu.edu/ccts for links to these resources and more

31. Questions?

32. Upcoming Webinars 12/14/11: Making Post-School Data Count 01/11/12: Writing IEPs for Transition-Age Students 02/08/12: Rural and Remote: Transition Services 03/14/12: Developing Transition Services: QuIST 04/11/12: Their Stories: Post-School Leavers 05/09/12: Transition: Connecting the Dots 06/13/12: How Did We Do? Following Our Students

33. Thank You from the CCTS Technical Support Team Cinda Johnson, Principal Investigator Beth Charles, Project Coordinator Wendy Iwaszuk, Director Website: www.seattleu.edu/ccts Email: ccts@seattleu.edu Phone: (206) 296-6494