Post School Outcomes and Mock Sheltered Workshops Who, what, and why Oregon Statewide Transition Conference - 2017

Objectives Overview of changes in transition services Review of PSO data and how to use when implementing transition program changes Review of MSW guidance and supporting documents to use in transition programs

Executive Order 15-01 DHS (VR and ODDS) and ODE shall work: “…to further improve Oregon’s systems of designing and delivering employment services to those with intellectual and developmental disabilities …” Work “toward fulfillment of Oregon’s Employment First Policy,” including Reduced state support of sheltered work over time Increased investment in employment services (February 2, 2015)

In Partnership, ODE will…

Background Lane v. Brown Unnecessarily segregated people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) in sheltered workshops; and Denied supported employment services that would allow people the opportunity to work in the community alongside others without disabilities.

Two Target Groups Identified in Lane v. Brown (1)Individuals with I/DD who worked in a sheltered workshop after January 25, 2012; (2) Individuals with I/DD who are transition age between 2012 and 2022. Do we need this? PJ

The proposed settlement agreement is intended to resolve the class action lawsuit “Lane v. Brown” filed on Jan. 25, 2012.

Expectations of Education 1. VR, ODDS and ODE will encourage and assist school districts to continue and expand evidence-based transition practices. 2. VR, ODDS and ODE will develop a professional development plan for transition services that includes technical assistance. Afternoon break out sessions will be around evidence based practices OSTC,BEST,PD requests such as today Agency engagement at earlier age, asking about this on exit

Expectations of Education 3. ODE will require transition process to include opportunities to experience supported employment services in integrated settings. 4. ODE will collect data from Exit and follow-up interviews 5. ODE will prohibit mock sheltered workshop activities in school curriculum and transition programs. Afternoon break out sessions will be around evidence based practices OSTC,BEST,PD requests such as today Agency engagement at earlier age, asking about this on exit

What does this mean for adult service agencies? 1. Aligned funding opportunities for more successful transition from school to employment 2. Expanded services for vocational exploration

What does this mean for adult service agencies? 3. Career Development Plan to discuss employment goals as a team 4.Training opportunities to gain knowledge around education process

Settlement Agreement includes Data and Reporting on PSO from ODE The number of youth enrolled in ODDS service who exited school The number of youth who exited high school with a job The number of youth who received postsecondary services after exiting (went to school) Types of employment these individuals obtained after exiting State does a match so that we can look at data and be able to match eligibility for schools with ODDS IDD

Actions Needed in Oregon All districts will complete the PSO collection each year All District will submitted data on time - 98% completed online, on time with 2937 interviews completed! 80% did Exit interviews ODE will add a stoplight to the SPR&I dashboard ODE has added PSO data reports as a part of SPR&I Consolidation Plan to improve transition practices and programs 2016 Follow Up Collection participation rose to a all time high of 2937 former students interviewed 98% of Oregon school districts completed their interview online and on time 80% of school districts conducted EXIT Interviews

Mock Sheltered Workshops ODE Guidance What are MSW activities? How this requirement impacts planning for appropriate vocational instructional activities How to avoid MSW activities

The Settlement Agreement defines MSW activities as: "Mock sheltered workshop activities" are prevocational training activities (for example, folding, sorting, shredding, packaging, and labeling activities) that are: Conducted during the school day; Performed only by students with disabilities;

The Settlement Agreement defines MSW activities as: Closely resemble the vocational work tasks performed by adults with I/DD in Sheltered Workshops, including by being activities: designed to fulfill the demands of a contractor, business, charitable organization, school or school district, retail store, or other entity; and performed by individuals without compensation or in exchange for subminimum wages; and Not part of an instructional sequence, such as teaching generalization of skills. Instructional sequence does not include instruction that consists solely of the activities described in all of (a), (b), and (c) above.  (Section II.6).

Become familiar with definition and language of MSW Appropriate pre-vocational activities/transition services must be included in a student’s program as a part of a vocational instructional sequence instructional sequence Must be aligned to a student’s measurable post-secondary goals that are based upon the student’s preferences, interests, needs and strengths (PINS). Appropriate and measurable post-secondary goals for students with disabilities, including intellectual and developmental disabilities, are competitive, integrated employment opportunities   It is important to become familiar with the definition, language and scenarios of MSWs in order to help make determinations about appropriate activities in your district.

What Is An ‘Instructional Sequence’? An instructional sequence is the effective ordering of content in such a way as to help the student learn a skill. It is the task analysis of a skill, whereby the task is broken down into its component parts for the purpose of systematic instruction.

What Is An ‘Instructional Sequence’? A vocational instructional sequence should be related to the student’s post-secondary goal of integrated employment. The vocational instructional sequence should also be tied to the student’s transition services focusing on interests and needs.  

What Is An ‘Instructional Sequence’? Periodic reviews of student progress should be conducted so that a student does not continue with a vocational instructional sequence after the skill has been mastered and generalized. When skills are achieved, the student, parent and IEP team should identify and implement new vocational goals that support successful work experiences.  

Examples of Mock Sheltered Workshop Activities A sheltered workshop contracts with a school district to provide labeling of packages at a district high school. The school district arranges for students with intellectual disabilities to do the labelling work – nondisabled students are not involved.  The school sees some benefits for students with disabilities, but the labeling is not part of an instructional sequence.  The students are paid a subminimum wage.    2. A school district program operates its own coffee cart. The only students working with the cart are students with disabilities, though peers without disabilities may sometimes assist in mentoring. The program benefits from the proceeds of the coffee cart to support its continued availability.  Students learn how to make coffee drinks, serve patrons and order needed materials. They also gain some good work habits, but this is not part of an instructional sequence related to individual student’s IEP goals or transition program. 3. Students with intellectual disabilities are assigned by a school to help shred papers. Some staffs believe the tasks will benefit the students, but the tasks are not part of an instructional sequence.  Students without disabilities do not participate in this activity, which is unpaid and meets a need of the school.

Each of these pre-vocational/transition activities are MSW because the school activity: 1) is conducted during the school day 2) is performed only by students with disabilities 3) is similar to work tasks performed in sheltered workshops and designed to fulfill the demands of a business or school without compensation; and 4) is not part of an instructional sequence, such as teaching generalization of skills.  

Examples of Appropriate Pre-vocational Activities/Transition Services That are NOT Mock Sheltered Workshop Activities   1. A high school is engaged in a fundraiser to support its students and programs.  A special education classroom at the school consists of students with intellectual disabilities. Students with and without disabilities stuff envelopes together with letters to parents asking them to help with the fundraiser.  Students in the special education classroom participate. 

Appropriate Prevocational Activities/ Transition Services A high school is engaged in a fundraiser to support its students and programs.  A special education classroom at the school consists of students with intellectual disabilities. Students with and without disabilities stuff envelopes together with letters to parents asking them to help with the fundraiser.  Students in the special education classroom participate.  This is not a mock sheltered workshop activity, because the activity is not performed only by students with disabilities.

Recycling A school has a voluntary recycling program, in which students are asked to help out by sorting cans and bottles. Proceeds from the program help pay for school activities.  The IEPs for some students with intellectual disabilities provide that students should spend a limited time in sorting activities, including the sorting of recycling materials, as part of an instructional sequence related to the student’s measurable post-secondary goals, to be followed as appropriate by other instructional activities in the sequence. Students with and without disabilities participate together in the program during the school day. Students are not paid for this activity. This is not a mock sheltered workshop activity, because the work is part of a vocational instructional sequence for students, related to their post-secondary goals, including teaching generalization of skills. In addition, both students with and without disabilities work in the recycling program.    

These activities ARE NOT considered a MSW activity because the school activity: 1) is not performed only by students with disabilities 2) is not similar to activities performed by adults with I/DD in a sheltered workshop solely designed to fulfill the needs of a business or school 3) pays students at minimum wage, or 4) is part of a vocational instructional sequence, such as teaching generalization of skills.

Other Considerations Related to Expectations and Student Progress Students with intellectual disabilities can achieve competitive, integrated employment, Oregon public schools will prepare these students to successfully transition to integrated work opportunities. The IEP development for each student should be individualized to address unique post-secondary goals based on needs, interests and areas of strength, through age-appropriate transition assessments.

Other Considerations Related to Expectations and Student Progress The instructional sequence should include periodic progress reports so that early achievement of skills can be recognized new goals developed, as the student gains proficiency. Continuation of the same IEP goals from year to year, without review and revision, is not best practice; IEP goal development should challenge the student to gain additional skills and experiences leading to the post-secondary outcome of competitive, integrated employment.

Flowchart & Assessment Tool

Supporting Document MSW School-Based Business/Work Activity Self-Assessment Form This form is designed to be used as a self-assessment tool for districts and schools to gather information related to the operation of a school-based business or other work activity, and to assist in determining whether the business or activity meets the criteria for a Mock Sheltered Workshop (MSW) activity.  

Activity (5 minutes) Select a partner Think a of a vocational activity taking place in a school or EDS that is for an individual student or group of students Practice using the document to decide whether or not it is a MSW activity What could you do change it from MSW to Non-MSW activity? What questions need to asked before deciding this is MSW activity?

Questions

Transition Technical Assistance Network Your Transition Network Facilitator can provide support and technical assistance for any questions you may have regarding the MSW guidance. They are there to help!

Resources Oregon Department of Education Secondary Transition for Students with Disabilities http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/results/?id=266 Transition Community Network (TCN) http://tcntransition.org National Technical Assistance Center on Transition (NTACT) http://transitionta.org/effectivepractices Settlement Agreement Lane V. Brown http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/EMPLOYMENT/EMPLOYMENT-FIRST/Documents/Lane%20v%20Brown%20Proposed%20Settlement.pdf

or your Regional Transition Network Facilitator. Contact Information Mitch Kruska mitch.kruska@state.or.us Heather Lindsey Heather.lindsey@state.or.us Pattie Johnson johnsop@wou.edu Sally Simich Sally.Simich@state.or.us contact ) at 503-947-5791 or your Regional Transition Network Facilitator.