Engaging Families

to Help Students

Transition into Post-

Secondary

OpportunitiesPresented by:

Terri McLaughlin, Transition Specialist

Margaret C. O’Hare, Project Director

Federation for Children with Special Needs

INFORMING, EDUCATING, EMPOWERING FAMILIES617-236-7210 | www.fcsn.org | fcsninfo@fcsn.org

Families play a powerful role in their children’s education!

Today’s Outcomes

• Review research trends about families helping students during secondary transitions

• Explore how schools can partner with parents through whole school and special education processes

• Develop strategies for collaborating with community partners

• Identify ways that parents can support students through the transition process

What do YOU believe about how families can help their

students plan for their future???

Overall Findings from 40 Years of Research

When families are involved at home and at school…

children do better in school…

…schools are better at educating children.

AND

Parent Family Involvement Engagement

Random Acts Systemic

Events-driven Student outcome-oriented

Add-on Integrated

No infrastructure Sustainable over time

Compliance Ownership and continuous improvement

What are parents’

motivations for becoming involved?

Factors Motivating Parental Engagement

in Their Child’s EducationPersonal Motivators

• Parental role: “Do I believe I’m supposed to be involved?”

• Sense of efficacy for helping the child to learn:

“Do I believe my involvement will make a difference for my

child?”

*Adapted from work of Kathleen Hoover-Dempsey

Factors Motivating Parental Engagement in Their Child’s Education

Contextual Motivators• School climate:

“Is the school welcoming? Do people at school tell me they want me involved?”

• Invitation from teachers: “Does the teacher ask me to be involved? Does she

offer specific requests for my involvement?”

• Invitations from the student: “Does my child want or need my involvement?”

Factors Motivating Parental Engagement

in Their Child’s EducationLife Context Variables

• Parents’ knowledge and skills: “What can I do to help? What do I like to do?”

• Parents’ time and energy:

“What can I reasonably choose to do considering all the

demands upon my time and energy?”

• Parents’ culture:

“What are appropriate roles for my involvement? What do I

think would be useful for me to do?”

Why Families Get Involved

• Understand that they should be involved

• Feel capable of making a contribution

• Feel invited by the school and by their children

(Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler)

Family members are more likely to become involved when they:

How do families become engaged in

helping their students envision post-secondary options?

Cultural Differences

For students from culturally and linguistically

diverse backgrounds, the issues regarding

the unique difference between school-based

individualist planning and family collective

decision-making should be recognized and

addressed prior to TRANSITION

planning meetings.

(Wehmeyer, 2007)

• Leverage strengths among family members

• Build productive home-school relationships

• Go beyond typical school-based events

• Support mutual responsibility for education success

• Stress developmental readiness skills

Ready, Willing, and Able: A Developmental Approach to College Access and Success by Savitz-Romer, M., and Souffard, S.M.

Helping Families Support College & Career Readiness

Identity Development• Building upon strengths, interests and preferences

• Understanding self in relation to others

• Dealing with identity conflicts

Setting goals that set up success

Aiming high

Managing the motivational balancing act

Motivation & Goal Setting

Self-Regulation Skills

• Focusing and maintaining attention

• Delaying gratification

• Planning and overcoming obstacles

• Reflecting on behaviors and impact on others

• Finding opportunities for practice

Strategies to Engage Families

• Communicate with family members on an ongoing basis.

• Involve all families in post-secondary exploration activities.

• Help families connect and build networks.

• Facilitate family-youth discussions about post-secondary options.

• Organize student-led discussion and events.

It’s MYPlan !

Start

Getting Ready

Making the TRANSITION Plan

Planning Ahead

Leaving School?

Moving On Employment

Local Colleges

Residential College

Training

TRANSITION - PREPARATION FOR LIFE!

• School to community

• Exploration of: post-secondary vocational experiences employment opportunities housing transportation

• Each student’s BIG vision• Self advocacy & self determination• Skill based learning

LIFE’sPUZZLE

EMPLOYMENT

INSTRUCTION

EDUCATION

RELATEDSERVICES

RECREATION

Social Skills& Networks

TRANSPORTATION

COMMUNITYLIVING

POSTSECONDARYEDUCATION

FUNCTIONALVOCATIONALEVALUATION

COLLABORATION: Schools

How can families partner with: • Schools, especially in whole school initiatives

• Adult agencies

• Employers

• Higher education

• Other community partners

To Partner Effectively withTheir School Districts

Families need and want to understand the TRANSITION planning process.

• What should I ask about ?

• When should I ask about it ?

• Whom should I ask about TRANSITION?

Community Based Planning Strategies…

While In High School or After Senior Year

* INDEPENDENT LIVING *

HEALTH & WELLNESS / FITNESS

MEDICAL MANAGEMENT / ADULT MEDICAL CARE

TECHNOLOGY DEVICES / SOCIAL NETWORKS

NUTRITION / MEAL PLANNING / FOOD SHOPPING

COOKING / HOME AND PERSONAL SAFETY

FRIENDS / RELATIONSHIPS

* EMPLOYMENT *

JOB CARVING / JOB COACH / MENTOR

CAREER EXPLORATION / JOB DEVELOPMENT

INCLUSIVE PAID COMPETITIVE EMPLOYMENT

REAL WORK - REAL PAY / NATURAL SUPPORTS

ONE STOP CAREER CENTERS / MRC

WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARDS

COMPETITIVE WAGES

* COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION *

COMMUNITY SERVICE / VOLUNTEERING

TRAVEL TRAINING / LEISURE ACTIVITIES

VOTING / CULTURE / RELIGION / SOCIAL NETWORKS

SELF ADVOCACY / MENTORING / CITIZENSHIP

RECREATION in the COMMUNITY

CHARITY EVENTS

* EDUCATION *

COLLEGE / COMMUNITY COLLEGE

INSTRUCTIONAL COACH / STUDY HELP

ICE - Inclusive Concurrent Enrollment - DESE

TECHNICAL SCHOOL / SKILLS TRAINING

ADULT EDUCATION / CONTINUING ED MUSIC

ART / DRAMA CLASSES

TRANSITION PROGRAMS

To Support Their Children Through

the TRANSITION Process

Families Want To Understand:

• The unique differences in the IEP process during the TRANSITION years

• The federal law IDEA and state special education laws around TRANSITION

COLLABORATION: Adult Agencies

Chapter 688 referral process vs. ELIGIBILITY

• Department of Developmental Services - DDS

• Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission - MRC

• Massachusetts Dept. of Mental Health - DMH

• Massachusetts Commission of the Deaf and Hard of

Hearing - MCDHH

• Massachusetts Commission for the Blind - MCB

• Department of Children and Families - DCF

• Department of Youth Services - DYS

COLLABORATION: Employers• Identify services, agencies, and disability programs available in your

community. Start early especially around the issues of guardianship, supported employment and long-term living arrangements

• Job shadowing programs which may exist in your own community: local cable station, veterinary technicians, library, local hospital/nursing facilities

• When possible, introduce activities that will help find or lead to future employment: using computers, using a bank account, creating menus

• Interviewing people that have jobs in which the student might be interested

• Going to an actual workplace for a tour

• Getting a job and trying it out

• Community service

Great Websites for Youth Career & Job Exploration• www.careerideasforkids.com/kid's.htm Career Ideas for Kids helps students

uncover their special interests and abilities.

• www.Youthhood.org is a web-based program designed for students and adults in an interactive format around issues of post-secondary education, careers, and independent living.

• www.Mynextmove.org is a youth-friendly website developed by the Department of Labor to assist youth with career exploration, job expectations, and assists with appropriate high school or post-secondary course selection.

• http://www.onetonline.org/ O*Net OnLine has detailed descriptions of the world of work for use by job seekers, workforce development and HR professionals and students.

• https://masscis.intocareers.org Massachusetts Career Information System provides occupational and educational information to help people make better-informed career and school choices.

(c) Feb. 2009 belongs to Andrew Sinclair- use with permission

ICE Partnership Program• Dual enrollment/early admit opportunity for

students,18-22, with significant disabilities

• Grant-funded from the MA Dept. of Elementary and Secondary Education in partnership with the Dept. of Higher Education and the Institute for Community Inclusion

• Supported by the MA Legislators

COLLABORATION: Higher Education

• Adult Agencies

• Multicultural community based organizations and groups

• City/town boards local government, Commission for Citizens with Disabilities

• Employers and Work focused groups i.e. Regional Employment Board, Workforce Investment Board, Career Center, job fairs

• Transportation systems, local para transit, Easter Seals Project Action

• Independent Living Centers

• Federation for Children with Special Needs, ICI

COLLABORATION: Community Partners

Support families to make the link to community partners who can play an important role in the child’s life after high school

Support Networks ….

• Leverage the support networks around your community

• Support comes from everywhere…. parents, teachers, agencies, community organizations, friends, mentors & others

• Given time, and lots of help along the way, a child can carve their own path, make their own way… and dreams can come true

• Thanks to your dedication and hard work, a child can reach the sky

Any Questions???

Thank YouTerri McLaughlin, Transition Specialist

tmclaugh@fcsn.org

(617) 399-8336

Margaret C. O’Hare, Project Director

mcohare@fcsn.org

(617) 399-8344