Lauren K. Bethune & David W. Test

National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center & UNC Charlotte

Characteristics of Evidence-Based Predictors of Post-School

Success

Reaching the Summit Conference, Greensboro, NC, September 16, 2014

Learning Outcomes

2

Session will provide participants with: knowledge and information about NSTTAC’s

evidence-based predictors of post-school success knowledge of a process to evaluate existing

programs (at the student, school, and district level) to determine alignment with predictors of post-school success

Critical Interrelationships for Achieving PSO

3

Quality IEPs

(Indicator 13)

Staying in School

(Indicator 2)

Positive Post-School Outcomes(Indicator

14)

Graduating

(Indicator 1)

Good Planning

4

Data-Based Decision Making

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School

State

District

Actionable DataTypes of Data Input Process Outcomes Satisfaction

Information

Types of Decisions to Drive Program Improvement Address students’ needs (e.g., access to transition

programs, and skill development) relative to youths’ post-school success

Prioritize student needs to improve post-school success Set and assess progress toward goals in targeted action

plan Develop targeted action plan for implementation Identify/reallocate resources in reaction to youths’ post-

school success Enhance processes to improve outcomes Evaluate effectiveness of targeted action plan Assess whether student needs are being met

Do you know your students’ outcomes?

Graduation rate?Dropout rate?Employment rate?Enrollment rate?How many females are full time? How many students in the 18-22 year

old program are working 1 year out of high school?

How many students enrolled in post-secondary completed a term?

Preparing for an Informed Conversation

How is your State and local District using Secondary Transition Data (i.e., Indicators 1, 2, 13, & 14) for decision-making, accountability, and transition program improvement? Read your State’s SPP and APR, specifically the sections for

Indicators 1, 2, 13, & 14 https://osep.grads360.org/#program/spp-apr-resources

Contact your State Transition Coordinator to get your Secondary Transition Data for use with your district

Who in your district organizes the data for the State?

Is your school in the data set? How would it compare if it were?

Data-Based Decision Making

• How does your students’ data compare to other districts/ schools?

• What patterns can be seen in the data when looking at type of disability, gender, high school exit, and race/ethnicity?

• Are there youth who are engaged after high school at higher rates? What do you think contributes to the higher rates in this area?

• What evidence-based predictors should be reflected in your students’ IEPs that may encourage better outcomes?

What can you/your organization do to increase the likelihood of youth being engaged (i.e., obtaining competitive

employment or higher education) after high school?

Start with What you Know is the Best Available Evidence

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Flash Back to 1984

What to do ?????

Transition Practices Research

Macro LevelSystemsProgramsGeneral

practices/ skills

Micro Level Specific

interventions

Predictors!Practices!

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What We Have Done• Reviewed experimental research to identify

evidence-based practices in secondary transition

• Identified 63 evidence-based practices• Developed over 75 Research to Practice

Lesson Plan StartersTaxonomy Category

Evidence-Based Practices

Research to Practice Lesson

Plan Starters

Student Focused Planning

6 9

Student Development 56 98

Family Involvement 1 0

Program Structure 9 9

Student Focused-Planning

Teaching Student Knowledge of Transition Planning Using Whose Future Is It Anyway?

Teaching Student Participation in the IEP Meeting:

Using Check and Connect Using Computer Assisted Instruction Using the Self-Advocacy Strategy Using the Self-Directed IEPUsing Published Curricula 

In-School Predictors by Outcome Area

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Predictor IndicatorsI-1 I-2 I-13 I-14

Education Employment

Career Awareness   X   X XCommunity Experiences   X X   XExit Exams/High School Diploma Status   X X   X

Inclusion in General Education   X X X XInteragency Collaboration     X X XOccupational Courses   X X X XPaid Employment/Work Experience   X X X XParental Expectations       X XParental Involvement         XProgram of Study   X X X XSelf-Advocacy/Self-Determination   X X X XSelf-Care/Independent Living   X X X XSocial Skills   X X X XStudent Support X X X X XTransition Program   X X X XVocational Education X X X X XWork Study   X X X X

Are you implementing predictors of post-school success in your

students’ educational programs?

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To what extent are you implementing predictors of post-school success for students in your district, school building, or classroom?

How can you determine the level of implementation?

Predictor Self-Assessment: What it looks like

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Using the Self-Assessment, Assess Your Degree of Implementation

Self-Determination Definition

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Self-Determination is the ability to make choices, solve problems, set goals, evaluate options, take initiative to reach one’s goals, and accept consequences of one's actions.

Rowe, D. A., Alverson, C. Y., Unruh, D., Fowler, C. H., Kellems, R., & Test, D. W. (2013). Operationalizing evidence-based predictors of post-school success: A Delphi study. Manuscript in revision.

Self-Determination Program Characteristics

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Utilize a student driven IEP process to allow students to demonstrate self-awareness, goal setting, problem solving, and self-advocacy.

Collaborate with general education teachers to embed choices into the general curriculum and daily lessons and provide opportunities for students to practice self-determination skills.

Teach students to self-monitor self-determination skills (e.g., accommodations and modifications) and provide opportunities for students to practice the self-monitoring strategy.

**As you work with students, take into consideration the cultural nuances involved in teaching self-determination skills and providing opportunities to develop self-determination to students from CLD backgrounds.

Ensure all students, including those with significant disabilities, have a functional communication system to engage in choice making, problem-solving, goal setting, taking initiative to reach goals, and accepting consequences for one’s actions.

Level of Implementation

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For each program characteristic, consider your evidence, and decide whether it is:

1.Not currently being implemented2.Intermittent implementation3.Emerging implementation4.Currently being implemented

Sample Rating Implementation

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Program Characteristic Rating

Utilize a student driven IEP process to allow students to demonstrate self-awareness, goal setting, problem solving, and self-advocacy.

1

Collaborate with general education teachers to embed choices into the general curriculum and daily lessons and provide opportunities for students to practice self-determination skills.

2

Teach students to self-monitor self-determination skills (e.g., accommodations and modifications) and provide opportunities for students to practice the self-monitoring strategy.**As you work with students, take into consideration the cultural nuances involved in teaching self-determination skills and providing opportunities to develop self-determination to students from CLD backgrounds.

4

Types of Evidence

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Evidence of Implementation:What evidence do you have to support your decision regarding what degree you are implementing the predictor characteristic?

• No evidence• Copies of curricula, copies of training materials, in some

IEPs• Referenced in school or district procedures and policies,

documented in IEPs• Consistent evidence of implementation and impact (e.g.,

documented in IEPs, program evaluation data, marketing materials)

• Other?

Sample Rating & Type of Evidence

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Program Characteristic Rating Type of Evidence

Utilize a student driven IEP process to allow students to demonstrate self-awareness, goal setting, problem solving, and self-advocacy.

1 No evidence

Collaborate with general education teachers to embed choices into the general curriculum and daily lessons and provide opportunities for students to practice self-determination skills.

2 Teacher lesson plans include activities in which students have choices.

Teach students to self-monitor self-determination skills (e.g., accommodations and modifications) and provide opportunities for students to practice the self-monitoring strategy.

4 • At the beginning of the school year, students write letters to their teachers describing accommodations needed.

• All special education teachers are using the SDLMI to teach students to set goals, and monitor progress toward goals.

• All students are administered the AIR self-determination scale each year

Time for Action

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• What questions do we still have?• Where do we go from here?

o When will we answer the unanswered questions?

o Are other additional data needed to answer the unanswered questions?

o When will we meet again? o What resources do we need to gather before

we meet again? o What are the specific action steps we will

take between now and our next meeting? o Who is missing?

Action Planning

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How are you going to answer the questions you have identified throughout this session related to improving the outcomes of youth with disabilities you serve? How do I improve employment outcomes? What practices am I currently implementing and

how can they be improved? What EBPs need to be implemented to improve the

chance of youth obtaining positive outcomes? What are the specific action steps we will take

between now and our next meeting? What resources do I need? Who else needs to assist me?

Time to Plan!! (macro level)

Engage with the state/district/school stakeholder group.As a group:

Refer back to data, what area(s) is in most need of improvement?

Prioritize area(s) of need.

Choose one Predictor based on priority area from the predictor self-assessment.

Rate the implementation status for each of the characteristics listed.

Identify which characteristics are not currently being implemented.

Is this a state, district, or school level action?

Think about if state/district/school has the resources to implement the characteristics and the time it will take to get it up and running.

Of these characteristics, choose one to take action on.

Prioritizing Areas of Need

When examining the program characteristics of self-determination/self-advocacy, the following characteristics require action at the school/macro level: Collaborate with general education teachers to

embed choices into the general curriculum and daily lessons and provide opportunities for students to practice self-determination skills

Provide direct instruction in self-determination using a structured curriculum or evidence-based instructional strategy, with guided practice in natural school and community-based settings

Time to Plan!! (micro/ student level)

Engage with IEP team/ other teachers/ student. Prioritize area(s) of need. Which predictor area needs the most focus (and

aligns with resources you may access)? What evidence-based practices reflect or are

relevant to that predictor? Select one or more to implement within an Annual

IEP goal or Transition activity Get started

Prioritizing Areas of Need

When examining the program characteristics of self-determination/self-advocacy, the following characteristics require action at the student/micro level:

Teach students to self-monitor self-determination skills (e.g., accommodations and modifications) and provide opportunities for students to practice the self-monitoring strategy.

As you work with students, take into consideration the cultural nuances involved in teaching self-determination skills and providing opportunities to develop self-determination to students from CLD backgrounds

Conduct age-appropriate transition assessments in order for students to learn about themselves, set goals, solve problems, use information make decisions, and to identify long-range goals.

IEP Team/Student ExamplePredictor area: Self-Determination/Self-AdvocacyEvidence-Based Practice: Self-Advocacy StrategyPost-School Goal: After high school graduation, Jason

will attend GTCC and work towards an Associates degree in computer programming.

IEP Goal: To prepare for his postsecondary goal of succeeding at GTCC, by May 2014, Jason will prepare notes for and present his goals at his IEP meeting, based on instruction in the Self Advocacy Strategy.

Transition Activities: Self-Advocacy Training Discuss goals & accommodations with gen. ed.

teacher Meet with Disability Services at GTCC

Resource Connecting Predictors and Practices

How can you use this?

Why take time to develop a plan?

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To ensure you do not overlook any details

To understand what is and what is not possible in your classroom, school, or community

For efficiency, to save time, energy, and resources in the long run

For accountability – to increase the chances that people will do what needs to be done to improve the services for youth with disabilities in your classroom, school, and community.

1. Determine what key people should be involved in planning

2. Develop an action plan • Steps for remedying the problem should have

a direct link to the data analysis. • Any action listed must be specific,

observable, and measurable. • Sufficient detail is needed so that it is

possible to determine when the action has been implemented.

3. Review your completed action plan4. Follow through5. Evaluate your efforts

How to Write an Action Plan

Action Plan Template

Area for Improvement

Next Steps

1- Goal 2 –Next Step 3 –Person Responsible

4- Due Date

To increase the number of student-directed IEPs from 0 to 10 students, by March 2014, the school will teach youth in 2 resource classrooms (i.e., 30 youth) how to lead their own IEP meetings using the Self Advocacy Strategy.

• Provide professional development to two resources teachers on how to use the Self Advocacy Strategy.

• Allow time for teachers to practice using the curriculum until teachers implement with 100% fidelity.

• Implement Self-Advocacy Strategy (SAS) in two resource rooms.

• Assess student knowledge of strategy using SAS knowledge battery.

• Allow students to practice directing their IEP meetings in simulated environment.

• Have students direct IEP meetings.

• District Administrators

• SPED teachers• Students

March 2014

What’s Next?

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Use this tool to: Choose one Predictor (or related “cluster” of predictors) from

the predictor self-assessment. Rate the implementation status for each of the characteristics

listed. Identify which characteristics are not currently being

implemented. Think about if you have the resources to implement the

characteristics and the time it will take to get it up and running. Of these characteristics, choose one to take action on (as a

school or within individual student’s educational program)

What Resources Can Help Me?

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Evidence-based Practice Descriptions and Research to Practice Lesson Plans at www.nsttac.org

http://www.nsttac.org/sites/default/files/assets/pdf/pdf/ebps/Evidence-Based_Practice_Flyer.May2013.pdf

http://www.nsttac.org/content/lesson-plan-starters

Purposeful

planning

Effective

Intervention

Effective

Implementat

ion

Positive outcomes for students

Formula for Successful Goals

Adapted from Fixen & Blasé (2009)

Questions??

Contact

www.nsttac.orgLauren K. Bethune, M.Ed

Graduate Research Assistant/Doctoral StudentNational Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center

University of North Carolina at Charlottelbethune@uncc.edu

David W. TestDepartment of Special Education and Child Development

University of North Carolina at CharlotteCo-Director, National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance

Centerdwtest@uncc.edu