Community of Practice…

Richard Clark, Iowa Voc Rehab

Kim Drew, Iowa Dept. of Ed

Building State & Local Interagency Collaboration Focused on Outcomes

How did we get to where we are today?

• Shared professional development• State planning team

• Content coach structure/transition action team (TAT)

• Summer institute

• Shared webinars and professional development

Historical perspective

• 1980s – Dept. of Ed and Vocational Rehab working in silos

• 1990s – Directors of both organizations see a need to collaborate

• Common vision - Working toward the same outcomes

• Maximizing capacity – Working smarter, not harder

• Better overall outcomes for kids

Historical perspective – cont’d.

• 1998 – TAP begins

• 2003 – CTP begins

• 2011 – METS begins

• 2012 – Project Search begins

• 2015 – Making the Grade

Transition Alliance Program (TAP)

• Funding is a 50/50 split between VR and LEA

• Nine in existence – primarily in larger school districts

• Program begins when students are freshmen

• Offers enhanced and expanded services from what school district would normally provide

• Employment goal determined after assessments are completed

• Work continues with students until age 25

Collaborative Transition Protocol

• Began in 2003

• Developed in order for VR to be able to utilize information included in student’s IEP for eligibility purposes

• Acted as a springboard for more in-depth conversations between VR and schools

• Implemented in each of the 9 AEAs statewide with a majority of school districts participating

Model Employment Transition Sites (METS)

• Project intent: To improve systems so that youth with developmental and intellectual disabilities transition from secondary education to fully integrated, competitive work, regardless of where they live in the state

• 5 sites across the state representing various demographics

Model Employment Transition Sites (METS) – cont’d.

• 4 essential elements• Early planning and experiences to focus student

career preferences

• Early and ongoing collaboration

• Paid work experience

• Support and follow up needed to stabilize employment

Early Planning & Experiences to

Focus on Student Preferences• A system of intentional activities that:• Assess and build career interests into career

preferences beginning no later than age 14

• Activities at each grade level align with previous year’s activities

• Promote a natural progression to the student being employed after high school

Early & Ongoing Collaboration

• Formalized relationships and processes to:• Maximize use of the expertise and perspectives of

students, parents, educators, IVRS counselors and others

• Plan for and provide individualized services, supports and activities

• Lead to a natural progression to the student being employed after high school

Paid Work Experience

• Explicit expectations that a student will have a paid work experience while in high school whether through the school or other means

• Systematic way of identifying if students have experienced paid work and ensuring that they do

• If paid work is not available, the student has a work experience in student’s preferred work area

Support & Follow Up Needed to Stabilize Employment

• The system has established processes to provide supports needed for student to have stabile employment

• Including connections to provide needed support to obtain and maintain employment after high school

Project Search

• Partnered with Mercy Hospital, Easter Seals, Des Moines Public Schools and IVRS

• Starting its 4th year

• 80+% employment rate post participation

Making the Grade

• Will begin this year in 7 school districts throughout the state of Iowa

• Is designed to work with schools, VR and CRPs to collaborate to get students summer and school year paid work experience

• Job Seeking/Job Keeping skills are a required part of the program

• IVRS is funding 100% of the cost

• Schools provide appropriate students to get connected to VR

• CRPs provide the services through the contract

Employment Dashboard

• Quantitative – based on data

• Qualitative – based on staff perception

• Reports at multiple levels • Local Education Agency (LEA)

• Area Education Agency (AEA)

• VR office

• State

Mapping of Existing System

• Identified existing flow of services

• Determined overlaps and gaps in services

• Aligned services so that youth are prepared for employment• Connect curriculum and services

• Manage caseloads

METS Flow of ServicesFreshma

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Positive Personal Profile

IVRS Intake

IPE Developed

Linkages (e.g., CRP, Higher Ed)

Paid Employment

Post-school follow-up

• Knowing the Youth • Career Assessments

• Summer Work

• Summer Work

• Family engagement and participation

• Workplace knowledge and skills development linked to the Iowa Core and 21st Century Skills (e.g. soft skills, communication, work behaviors, math, problem solving, etc.)

• Work Experience (e.g., job shadows, worksite tours, internships)

In paid employment receiving supports from CRP (if needed)

or

Enrolled postsecondary education

• Dual credit

Possible Transition Partners

• Key partners: VR & schools

• Organic process to identify other potential partners• Families

• Higher education

• Community Rehab Providers

• Workforce development

• Employers

• Others as defined

School Partner Responsibilities

•Discovery & assessment• Development of Positive Personal Profile (P3)

• IHAPI

• Career planning• IEP transition goal

• Career exploration

School Partner Responsibilities – cont’d.

• Career development• Skill development

• Soft skills

• Career placement• Job development

• Employer outreach/networking

• Workplace support & follow up

What a Positive Personal Profile (P3) IS

• Part of getting to know the youth

• Informal inventory

• Way to include key stakeholders

• Collection of positive attributes

• A structure for a ‘Marketing Script’ – features to sell to an employer

• An easy-to-use tool

What a Positive Personal Profile (P3) IS NOT

• A review of records

• A collection of test scores

• A list of the things a youth cannot do well

• A scientific tool

Vocational Rehab Partner Responsibilities

• Getting to know the youth• Assessment

• Positive Personal Profile (P3)

• Career planning• Development of individual plan for employment

• Share employer contact/networks

• Job placement

• Workplace support

Community Rehab Provider Responsibilities

• Job development

• Training• Skills training

• Soft skills

• Employer outreach/networking

• Workplace support

Impacts of Collaboration

• Expanded paid work experience opportunities

• Improved partnership between schools and VR (on-going and open communication, joint planning and continuous case reviews)

• Increased number of Summer Work Programs that provide paid work experience

Impacts of Collaboration – cont’d.

• Increased understanding of strategies for employer engagement, job development and job retention strategies

• Improved infrastructure & policy

• Increased opportunity for key partners (schools, VR, CRPs) to meet and discuss individual cases

Questions