College and Career Ready = Transition Focused Education Core Standards With a New Lens Catherine H. Fowler National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center Idaho Transition Cadre October 2, 2013

Objectives Overview college and career readiness factors Consider alignment of evidence-based practices and predictors within the Idaho Core Standards Resources

Reauthorizing NCLB/ ESEA “every student should graduate from high school ready for college and a career, every student should have meaningful opportunities to choose from upon graduation from high school” President Obama in Blueprint for Success, 2010 The administration has a goal that by 2020, the U.S. will return to having the highest proportion of college graduates in the world

“old wine in new bottles”…sort of Secondary Transition = College and Career Ready

Purpose of Common Core The Common Core State Standards…  only include what is most essential for students to know and be able to do in ELA and math  are focused  include both content and skills  have a clear, logical progression of content and skills from grade to grade  are about student mastery, not content coverage

“Standards are not curriculum. This initiative is about developing a set of standards that are common across states. The curriculum that follows will continue to be a local responsibility (or state-led, where appropriate)” (CCSSO, 2012).Standardsstandards

College Readiness Enter ready to succeed in credit bearing courses CCSSO, 2010

…more College Readiness content knowledge critical thinking: problem formulation, research, communication, accuracy learning strategies: test-taking, note-taking, collaborative group skills, time management, technology skills transition knowledge and skills: applications, college culture, self-advocacy Conley, 2010

…more behaviors mindsets: sense of belonging, ownership of learning, self-awareness, perseverance, effort, motivation, grit and tenacity! learning strategies social skills: interpersonal skills such as empathy, cooperation, assertion, responsibility, accountability Farrington, Roderick, Allensworth, Nagaoka, Keyes, Johnson, & Beechum (2012)

College Is 4-year 2-year Vocational, business, technical College-based transition programs

Students with Disabilities: Total Enrollment – ’88 to ‘08 * = HEATH, 2001 #= IES/NCES ^ = NCES, Horn and Berktold Hart, Madaus, Dukes, 2013

Skills/ Attributes/ Behaviors and College Success Academic preparation Knowledge of disability needs and early communication ( Lightner, 2012; Karp & Bork, 2012 ) Self-management (e.g., time, workflow, behavior) Communication skills Social integration/ participation ( Mamisiseishvili & Koch, 2010 ) Hart, Madaus, Dukes, 2013

Current Data on College Ready In 2012, 67% of all high school graduates met the English College Readiness Benchmark (ACT, 2012) 25% of all high school graduates met readiness benchmarks for English, Reading, Math, and Science (ACT, 2012) 36% of ALL first year undergrads took remedial courses (NCES, 2012)

…and for students on IEPs 50+% do not consider self to have disability ( NLTS2, 2009 ) Many do not understand accommodations (e.g., personal needs, process for requesting; Getzel & Thoma, 2009 & Lightner, 2012 ) Student knowledge and skills do not match professor/ college expectations ( Karp & Bork, 2012 ) Hart, Madaus, Dukes, 2013

Career Readiness Common Core intends to prepare students for careers that: 1. Offer competitive, livable salaries above the poverty line 2. Offer opportunities for career advancement 3. Are in a growing or sustainable industry Work ready = basic expectations (punctuality, appropriate dress) Job ready = specific training necessary Career ready = key content knowledge and key learning skills and techniques Conley, 2012CCSSO, 2012

Skills/ Attributes/ Behaviors and Employment Success Communication (giving and receiving information) Attitude/ enthusiasm Teamwork Networking Problem solving Professionalism (blending and applying above skills) Office of Disability and Employment Policy (Skills to Pay the Bills, 2012)

Skills/ Attributes/ Behaviors in Growing Industries Non-routine analytical (e.g., problem-solving, math applications) Non-routine interactive (e.g., planning, self- awareness, self-monitoring) Non-routine manual (e.g., physical coordination, agility) Council of Economic Advisors, 2011 I choose C

Anxiety “…While I like the idea of everyone in the nation finally (with skepticism) being taught and held to the same academic standards, I wonder how that will have an impact on students with exceptionalities…” (Richard, on CEC blog)

Standards-Based Education ≠ Special Education? Need for standards Individualized to preferences, interests, and needs Shift as students get closer to graduation StandardsTransition Individualized Self- Determination Life SkillsEmploymentStandardizedMathReadingWriting

Relevance How do we insure that relevant, transition-focused skills (employment, independent living, social, career planning, decision making, self-advocacy, college success) are taught as students demonstrate progress in the Idaho Core?

Reflect on Predictors and EBPs Self-determination and ELA standards Social skills using peer mediated instruction* Application of knowledge in math standards (and Science) Informational texts in English Language Arts (and Social Studies and Science)

… Evidence based practices to teach academic skills Evidence based practices to teach life skills with some math and reading components Technology skills and student involvement in the IEP

… Using Self-Management Instruction to Teach: Academic Skills Social Skills Job Specific Skills Using Self-Monitoring Instruction to Teach: Functional Life Skills

… Embedding self-determination within academic instruction and aligning with core instruction  Goal setting in teaching writing paragraph or persuasive essay  Self-awareness and self-advocacy through research and presenting ideas  Problem-solving applied in mathematics, science, and other content

…more ideas (not necessarily EBPs) Discuss accommodations and provide opportunities to request Note-taking strategies Time-management  Syllabus review  Use technology Clubs, extracurricular College searches (including 529, etc.) College 101/ orientation course Career fair/ mock interviews

…more possibilities (not necessarily EBPs) Use vocabulary of accommodations and strategies in class Provide opportunities to negotiate accommodations, assistance Force to problem solve Team/ peer projects Career exploration Work Based Experiences Student-directed SOP

What do you do?

Example: ELA Standard: Reading: Key Ideas and Details Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the course of a text. Academic Context: To Kill a Mockingbird Real life Skill: Self-Determination Instruction: Do a character study of Boo Radley. Analyze his relationships with other characters (e.g., Scout and Jem). Identify how the relationship changes and why including what makes him hide. Apply Boo’s situation to your own. Explain how your disability/difference affects your life and potential friendships.

Example: Math - Transformations in the Plane

Slide

Rotation

Think Tank Activity

Be Intentional Understand the Idaho Core Standards Use student performance data (academic and other) Which skills need to be taught to multiple students? Remember – everyone’s focused on college and career readiness What “transition-focused skills” need to be taught to one student?

Be Intentional (contin.) Explicit instruction? Process (e.g., social skills through collaborative groups, career knowledge through online research) Make a plan

Universal Design for Learning Multiple means of representation Multiple means of expression Multiple means of engagement

Online Resources  Evidence-Based Predictors, Predictor Resources  Evidence Based Practices, Practice Descriptions Organized by Skill Taught  Evidence Based Practices, Lesson Plans, Student Development Life Skills (self-determination components)  101 on College and Career Readiness and 101 on Universal Design for Learning  411 on Disability, Skills to Pay the Bills  Community of Practice on Transition

Additional Resources – resources and current information on the adoption and implementation of the Common Core State Standards assessment/index.html assessment/index.html

Opportunity

Contact Me! Catherine Fowler