Introduction and OverviewReaching the Summit of Success, September 16th and 17th, 2014

Dr. Tiana Povenmire-Kirk and Kimberly Bunch-Crump

CIRCLES Supports IDEAA coordinated set of activities …..including:• postsecondary education, •vocational education, •integrated employment (including supported employment), •continuing and adult education, •adult services, •independent living, or •community participation (300.42(a)(1).

IDEA - The coordinated set of activities must be…

…based on the individual student’s needs, taking into account the student’s strengths, preferences and interests; and includes –

1. Instruction2. Related services 3. Community experiences 4. The development of employment and other post-

school adult living objectives; and 5. If appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills and

provision of a functional vocational evaluation.

IDEA: Adult Service Provider Involvement

The public agency, to the extent appropriate, ……must invite to the IEP meeting a

representative of any participating agency that is likely to be responsible for providing or paying for transition services [34 CFR §300.321(b)(3)].

IDEA: School System Accountability For Agency Follow-through

If a participating agency fails to provide agreed-upon transition services described in the IEP of a student with a disability, the public agency must reconvene the IEP team to identify alternative strategies to meet the transition objectives for the child set out in the IEP (300.324(c)(1).

Emerging Field of Collaborative Teaming

• Improved efficiency• Increased

productivity• Enhanced outcomes• Enhanced

sustainability• Attention to diversity• Leadership growth

Interagency Collaboration is Supported by Research

• Interagency collaboration is an evidence-based predictor of post-school success in education and employment (Test et al., 2009).

• Students who received assistance from 3 to 6 agencies (compared to 0 to 2 agencies) were more likely to be engaged in post-school employment or education (Bullis et.al., 1995).

• Transition interagency council characteristics (i.e., agency directories, agreements, councils, general information, local business advisory boards, parent network) were positively correlated with postsecondary education (Repetto et al., 2002).

CIRCLES Conceptual Model

CIRCLES’ Goals and the Path to Get There

Multi-Level Approach to Transition Planning for Students with Disabilities

Community Level Team

School Level Team

IEP Team

Community Level Team

• Agencies/Service Providers

• Discuss policy/braid together resources

• Collaborate for service delivery

• Do NOT work directly with students

• Meet 2-4 times/year• MOST IMPORTANTLY…

BOSSESExecutive-Level Folks

APPOINT a Representative to Serve on School Level Team

Community Level Team

School Level Team

Appointed Representative

School Level TeamAgencies/Service Providers,

School Personnel • Work DIRECTLY with

students/families• Collaborate to provide

services to INDIVIDUAL students

• See students from multiple schools for transition planning

• Meet Monthly• AND – pre-plan transition

goals for the IEP team

Direct Service Providers

Submit Pre-planned Transition Goals to IEP Team

IEP Team

School Level Team

Transition Goals

Student Level or IEP TeamSchool Personnel, Related Services Personnel Specific to Individual Students

• Prepare students to present at the School Level Team meeting

• Bring pre-planning from School-Level Team back to the IEP meeting to

• Write transition goals

School and Student-Specific Team Members

Inter-Agency Collaboration = Post School Outcomes

Community Level Team

School Level Team

IEP Team Post School Outcomes for Students with Disabilities

CIRCLES Provides Evidence for Indicator 13

CIRCLES Facilitates and Enhances Interagency Collaboration

• Overcomes gaps • Multiple agency

involvement• Varied eligibility

requirements • Reduces duplication• Joint planning• Increases comfort level

What Best Describes the Extent of Your Organization’s General Collaboration (n=12):

Cabarrus Co. 2013 Very Small/Small/

Somewhat

Great/ Very Great

Partner organizations take your organization's opinions seriously when decisions are made about the collaboration.

8% 92%

Your organization brainstorms with partner organizations to develop solutions to mission-related problems facing the collaboration.

17% 83%

Partner organizations (including your organization) agree about the goals of the collaboration.

0% 100%

Your organization shares information with partner organizations that will strengthen their operations and programs.

8% 92%

Your organization achieves its own goals better working with partner organizations than working alone.

0% 100%

My organization can count on each partner organization to meets its obligations to the collaboration.

0% 100%

Extent to Which Transition Collaborative Team (n=12):

Cabarrus Co. 2013 Very Small/Small/

Somewhat

Great/ Very Great

Coordinates requests for and dissemination of information (e.g., to parents, employers)

25% 75%

Reduces systematic barriers to collaboration 8.33% 91.66%

Collaborates in the development and use of assessment data

42% 58%

Coordinates and shares delivery of transition-related services

17% 83%

Disseminates agency and service delivery systems information among cooperating agencies

0% 100%

AIR Student Self-rating and Educator Rating

Preliminary Results CIRCLES Business as Usual

Student (n=133)3.85 3.91

Educator (n=146)3.57* 3.26

Note. *For the educator ratings, there was a significant difference between the means, with the CIRCLES group having a higher means. For the student ratings, there was no statistically significant difference between means scores.

Student Leadership Team Participation

• Of the 205 students, 193 (94%) lead their CIRCLES presentation.

• The average rating (using 0 to 5 point scale) was 4.19 (SD = .84), ranging from .11 to 5.00.

Results of Parent Satisfaction Survey 2012-2013 (n = 101)

All Counties Agree/ Strongly

Agree

1. I understand the process of preparing my child for life after high school. 98%2. I have had an active role in the process of preparing my child for life after high school. 97%3. I communicate on a regular basis with school personnel on the process of preparing my child for life after high school. 91%4. I understand my child’s needs and goals.

100%5. The school is doing a good job preparing my child for employment after high school. 96%6. The school is doing a good job preparing my child to live in the community after high school. 95%7. The school is doing a good job preparing my child to live in the community after high school. 96%

Results of Student Satisfaction Survey 2012-2013 (n = 167)

All Counties Agree1. I am prepared for school (e.g., college, university, training) after high school. 62%2. I am prepared for a job after high school.

77%3. The school was helpful in preparing me for school (e.g., college, university, training) after high school. 82%4. The school was helpful in preparing me for a job after high school.

81%5. The school was helpful in preparing me for living in the community after high school. 64%6. I know what agencies/adult service providers will help me after high school (voc rehab, social security, department of social services, etc.). 69%7. I have been involved in preparing myself for school (college/university) after high school. 73%8. I have been involved in preparing myself for a job after high school.

81%9. I have been involved in preparing myself for living in the community after high school. 69%10. I have been involved in preparing goals for my future.

89%

Preliminary Post-School Outcome Data 2011-2012 (n=10)Indicator 14 Percentage

A. Enrolled in higher education within one year of leaving high school.

30%

B. Enrolled in higher education or competitively employed within one year of leaving high school.

50%

C. Enrolled in higher education or in some other postsecondary education or training program; or competitively employed or in some other employment within one year of leaving high school. (20 U.S.C. 1416(a)(3)(B))

50%

Next Steps – Taking CIRCLES Home

• Develop Community Level Teamo Use/modify something that already exists?o Train members in CIRCLES goals/roles/expectations

• Develop School Level Team– Train members in CIRCLES goals/roles/expectations

• Train teachers to prepare students for CIRCLES– We can help!– Website: http://circles-uncc.com

• CIRCLE your students!

Questions?

Dr. Tiana Povenmire-KirkProject Coordinator – CIRCLES Grant

Department of Special EducationUniversity of North Carolina Charlotte

tpovenmi@uncc.edu541-912-2678