Resources to Start and Sustain your Florida Postsecondary Comprehensive Transition

Program (FPCTP)

VIVIAN C. VIETA, ED.D. PROJECT TOPS, PROGRAM DIRECTOR

ROBERT MORGAN EDUCATIONAL CENTER & TECHNICAL COLLEGE

Project TOPSTransitions tO PostSecondary InstitutionS

Forward thinking by Mr. Robert Gornto, Assistant Superintendent, Office

of School Operations

Grant opportunity offered by Florida Development Disabilities Council

(FDDC)

TOPS began in late 2015 and is now beginning Year 3

The goal was to enroll 5-7 students, Year 1.

We finished Year 1 with 17 and have ended our first trimester of Year 3

with 28 students and a waiting list.

TOPS is a Career Technical Education (CTE) Model.

TOPS Facts

Student criteria is specific to adult students with

developmental and/or intellectual unique

abilities.

RMECTC offers 25 CTE programs

TOPS offers supports and case management in these four CTE programs:

•Baking & Pastry Arts

•Commercial Foods & Culinary Arts

•3D Animation and

• Commercial Art Technology

TOPS applied for and received the status of Florida Postsecondary

Comprehensive Transition Program

on July 2017.

Student Success

Completion of Occupational Completion Points (OCP)

Program Completer (completes all the OCPs

for the program)

School site Internships with faculty and district

staff

•Business cards, flyers, program, logos, newspaper ads

Graphics of the Americas Conference sponsored by Florida

Printing Association and district office

• Bronze Medal, Regional Baking

• Gold, Silver and Bronze Medals in Regional and State Levels, Employment Application Process

• Bronze Medal, National Level, Employment Application Process

Some students currently maintaining part-time

jobs

Employment interviews, Resumes and Portfolios

Start-up pointers

Communication… …Communication!!!

Reflect on your institution, the needs of the student community and develop a vision and mission.

What are the academic, social/emotional and employment needs of potential students?

Where are you?

What are your existing supports?

Where do you want to go?

Start-up pointers / Building a Team

Who is travelling on this incredible journey?

“It takes a village to raise a child.”

•A part of our village is here today and each member is valued!

•The team includes:

•District administration and resources

•School site administration: Principal, Vice Principal and Assistant Principal

•Faculty, instructors, support staff, clerical

•Financial aid staff

•Counselors

•Parents, guardians, care givers, group home caregivers

•Agency collaboration (Vocational Rehabilitation, APD, etc...)

Suggestions to obtain FPCTP approval

Each institution

is UNIQUE!

Develop an

outline and then

begin your

process

Ask questions

Visit other sites and ask more questions

Review available resources:

♦ FDDC

♦ FCSUA

♦ Florida Consortium on Inclusive Higher Education

♦ Think College

Establish your Student Academic

Performance (SAP)

Standards

Collaborate with

administration, faculty,

financial aid, K12, parent

groups, local advocacy

groups, private organizations and your VR

partners

Project TOPS Use of FDDC Funds

Full Time, Program Director

Part-Time Day Facilitator

Team of After School Facilitators

Materials and Supplies to focus on tools for CTE:

♦ After school sessions with the “Pros”/ Young Professionals

♦ Printing resources to share with parents/guardians and students’ portfolios

Project TOPS Use of Funds

Enhancement Grant / Florida Center for Students with Unique Abilities

Full Time, Program Coordinator

After school Facilitator

Materials and Supplies to focus on tools for CTE:

♦ Study guides and interactive practices for Industry Certifications Exams (ICE)

TOPS Next Steps…

Implementation of the Florida Postsecondary Comprehensive Transition Program, including the scholarship component.

1

Applying for the Federal Comprehensive Transition Program (CTP).

2

Continuing to build our terrific team.

3

Establishing system change and developing new procedures within the RMECTC community.

4

Moving Forward

The entire process

system change and a change of

mind set.

Increase knowledge and awareness for faculty, staff,

students & parents/guardians.

Ongoing Professional Staff Development

District Administration

Transition Specialists

Vocational Rehabilitation

Team Faculty Counselors

Instructors of CTE

Individual student/parent/

guardian meetings with TOPS Team

Collaborative process with

administration and teachers of

CTE.

Mrs. Anthenisia J. Jackson, Instructional Supervisor

Mr. Tim Martin,

Instructor of Creative Arts

Resources we utilize…

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is the foundational

component

Quizlet (Internet and Mobile)

Remind (App)Quick Resume

(App)

Individualized organizational

strategiesJIST Surveys

Professionalism: Skills for Workplace Success (Pearson)

For Creative Arts:

• Adobe Connect

• Pluralsight

• Lynda.com

Resources

Florida Developmental Disability Council (FDDC)https://www.fddc.org/ and https://www.fddc.org/publications

Florida Center for Students with Unique Abilities (FCSUA)http://fcsua.org/

Florida Consortium of Inclusive Higher Education (FCIHE)https://fcihe.com/

Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Florida Department of Educationhttp://www.rehabworks.org/

Think Collegehttps://thinkcollege.net/

CAST

http://www.cast.org/

From our experiences….

Yes

Yes, you may feel overwhelmed.

Yes

Yes, there are many layers to building a model.

Yes

Yes, there will be many tasks to complete.

Yes

Yes, you and your team will need to reflect, revise and reflect again along the way.

Yet, …

You will build a team to establish

collaborative partnerships and begin…

to watch students succeed – both through personal

growth and academic accomplishments that lead to independence, employment and build

a life…

Program Director,

vvieta@dadeschools.net