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