1. Susie May & Vickie Mitchell
The Future of Texas Transition: The Vision of TEA and the Student-Centered Transitions Network
Susie May & Vickie Mitchell

2. To begin with the end in mind…

3. Presentation Agenda
The Roles of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Workforce and Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) in Workforce Development
Post-Secondary Transition
Texas Transition Vision
Resources
Questions

4. The Role of IDEA and WIOA in Workforce Development

5. These laws ensure that:
Overview of Laws
These laws ensure that:
Students and their families are informed
Due process is provided
Students get appropriate educational opportunities
These federal mandates require a free, appropriate, public education (FAPE) for SWD and appropriate accommodations and modifications to access the curriculum.
Schools are protected from frivolous accusations

6. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (2004)
Ensures that all students with disabilities (SWD) from birth up to 21 years of age have access to a free appropriate public education (FAPE).
Seeks to provide the needed services and accommodations to students with disabilities to offer an appropriate educational setting.
IDEA ensures that all students with disabilities (SWD) from birth up to 21 years of age have access to a free appropriate public education (FAPE) that emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs and prepare them for further education, employment, and independent living.
IDEA seeks to provide the needed services and accommodations to students with disabilities to offer an appropriate educational setting.

7. IDEA Goals and Expectations
To ensure that students with disabilities have opportunities for productive and independent adult lives, they need:
access to an education system with high academic achievement standards,
preparation in employability skills, and
IDEA assists SEAs and LEAs in providing specialized services for eligible students with disabilities, so they improve educational results and are prepared for independent living and economic self-sufficiency. IDEA protects eligible students and their families, and assists SEAs and LEAs in preparing students for further education and employment. The SEA is responsible for establishing long-term goals for student performance on key indicators (e.g., graduation, postsecondary outcomes) and identifying measures of interim progress that are consistent with goals and standards for general education students.
Further, IDEA requires that each student have an IEP that outlines individual annual goals and expectations based on his or her needs.
Beginning at age 14 in Texas, the IEP must also include a transition plan that outlines measurable postsecondary goals related to training, education, employment, and independent living skills.
clear student performance goals.

8. Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act (WIOA)
Align programs and support job seekers and workers in accessing and succeeding in the labor market
Employment;
Education;
Training; and
Services
Promote employment and match employers with workers to compete in the global economy
Skills
Qualifications
WIOA Title I funds the public workforce development system, which matches labor market needs with education, training, and support services for youth and adults looking for meaningful employment.
Section 4 of the Act now provides VR agencies across the nation with the opportunity to provide expanded services in five specific focus areas to students with disabilities. Pre-Employment Transition Services (PreETS) are available to students whether or not applied for VR services and include:
Job Exploration Counseling to support a discovery process using customized tools that help students discover their skills, abilities, and interests
Post-secondary Exploration to provide counseling on opportunities for enrollment in local community college / post-secondary education programs
Instruction in Self-Advocacy to assist students in gaining the knowledge and skills to effectively communicate, convey, negotiate, or assert their own interests and/or desires
Work-Place Readiness Training to develop social skills and independent living
Work-based Learning Experiences to provide work opportunities and experiences outside of the traditional school setting

9. WIOA Goals and Expectations
Improve the quality of the workforce
Prepare adults and youth for in-demand jobs
The goal of WIOA is to:
Assess programs and align services
Why is WIOA important for Secondary Students with Disabilities and Families?
WIOA ensures students with disabilities have meaningful opportunities to receive the training and other supports needed to achieve meaningful employment outcomes after they leave high school. PreETS are the earliest set of VR services a student can access; they provide an “early start” for job exploration for students with disabilities. PreETS are intended for secondary school students with disabilities:
Students with an IEP, a 504 Plan or meet the definition of a disability under Section 504
Students still enrolled in school and receiving special education services
Students who meet certain age requirements and are enrolled in postsecondary or other approved training
Enhance productively and competitiveness

10. Transition Services across IDEA & WIOA
Coordinated Set of Activities
Instruction
Related services (IDEA)
Community experiences
Development of employment and other post-school adult living objectives
If appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills and provision of a functional vocational evaluation.
Engagement of families (WIOA)

11. More Transition Services across IDEA & WIOA
Post-School Activities
Post-Secondary Education
Integrated Employment (including Supported Employment)
Continuing and Adult Education
Vocational Education
Adult Services
Independent Living
Community Participation

12. Shared Responsibilities of Schools & Vocational Rehabilitation (VR)
Providing Assessment Services
Career Development
Exposure to World of Work
Skill Development
Connecting Services
Employment Outcomes

13. School’s Roles & Responsibilities
Invitation to VR Counselors to participate on Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) committees
Deliver the Transition Services included in the Individualized Education Program (IEP)
Course of Study supports career and post-secondary education and training
Provide opportunities to develop employment skills and participate in community experiences
Provide available student information to assist in VR eligibility determination
Assist VR counselors to access the school environment and identify opportunities to work with students

14. VR’s Roles & Responsibilities
Partner with schools to develop and support Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) services to any student with a disability including potential applicants.
Engage employers in developing opportunities for integrated employment experiences.
Utilize supported employment funds to support eligible transition age youth.
Determine eligibility for individual VR services and develop an Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE).
Participate as a member of VR eligible student’s ARD team to assist in coordination and delivery of IEP and IPE services.

15. Post-Secondary Transition

16. TEA Strategic Priorities

17. Connection to the TEA Strategic Goal
ESC
Every child, prepared for success in college, career, or the military
Enabler 2: Ensure compliance, effectively implement legislation, and inform policymakers
TEA Strategic Priorities
Outlines a system of ongoing efforts to achieve strong outcomes for all students with disabilities
TEA Strategic Plan for Special Education
Address critical topics in the state and provide resources to any LEA to leverage best practice
Technical Assistance Networks
Purpose is to equip students with disabilities in meeting their transition goals from early childhood through high school graduation and post-secondary readiness.
Network Nine: Student-Centered Transition
Resources (products & services) rebranded, developed, and disseminated
Every Child, Prepared for Success
Improved Student Outcomes
LEA
(1200+ TEDs)
Campus
Teacher
Student

18. State Performance Plan Connections
Critical Interrelationships
Positive Post-School Outcomes Indicator 14
Graduation Indicator 1
Dropout Indicator 2
Secondary Transition Indicator 13
Early Transition
Indicator 12

19. VR Performance Indicator
Alignment Between VR Performance Indicator 4 and IDEA State Performance Plan (SPP) Indicators 1 and 2
VR Performance Indicator
IDEA Part B Indicator
Percentage of participants enrolled in an education or training program who attain a recognized post-secondary credential or secondary school diploma or equivalent during participation in or within one year of exit from the program.
Percent of youth with IEPs graduating from high school with a regular diploma.
Percent of youth with IEPs dropping out of high school.
Note: Supporting the attainment of a high school diploma may help decrease dropout rates.

20. VR Performance Indicators
Alignment Between VR Performance Indicators 4 & 5 and IDEA SPP Indicator 13
VR Performance Indicators
IDEA Part B Indicator
who attain a recognized post-secondary credential or secondary school diploma or equivalent
education or training program that leads to a recognized post-secondary credential or employment
measurable postsecondary goals, including courses of study, that will reasonably enable the student to meet those postsecondary goals
a representative of any participating agency
Percentage of participants enrolled in an education or training program who attain a recognized post-secondary credential or secondary school diploma or equivalent during participation in or within one year of exit from the program.
Percentage of participants who, during a program year, are in an education or training program that leads to a recognized post-secondary credential or employment and who are achieving documented academic, technical, occupational or other forms of progress towards such a credential or employment.
Percent of youth with IEPs aged 16 and above with an IEP that includes appropriate measurable postsecondary goals that are annually updated and based upon an age appropriate transition assessment, transition services, including courses of study, that will reasonably enable the student to meet those postsecondary goals, and annual IEP goals related to the student’s transition services needs. There also must be evidence that the student was invited to the IEP Team meeting where transition services are to be discussed and evidence that, if appropriate, a representative of any participating agency was invited to the IEP Team meeting with the prior consent of the parent or student who has reached the age of majority.
Note: Measurable secondary and post-secondary goals, while tracking and documenting courses of study and skills gained, may increase performance and education outcomes.

21. VR Performance Indicator
Alignment Between VR Performance Indicators 1-4 and IDEA SPP Indicator 14
VR Performance Indicator
IDEA Part B Indicator
employment during the 2nd and 4th quarters after program exit.
employment during the second quarter after exit
who attain a secondary school diploma or equivalent during participation in or within one year of exit from the program
employed or enrolled in an education or training program leading to a recognized post- secondary credential within one year after exit.
enrolled in higher education within one year of leaving high school.
enrolled in higher education or competitively employed within one year of leaving high school.
enrolled in higher education or in some other post-secondary education or training program; or competitively employed or in some other employment within one year of leaving high school.
Percentage of program participants who are in unsubsidized employment during the 2nd quarter after program exit.
Percentage of program participants who are in unsubsidized employment during the 4th quarter after program exit.
The median earnings of participants who are in unsubsidized employment during the second quarter after exit from the program.
Percentage of participants enrolled in an education or training program who attain a recognized post-secondary credential or secondary school diploma or equivalent during participation in or within one year of exit from the program AND who were employed or enrolled in an education or training program leading to a recognized post-secondary credential within one year after exit.
Percent of youth who are no longer in secondary school, had IEPs in effect at the time they left school and were:
Enrolled in higher education within one year of leaving high school.
Enrolled in higher education or competitively employed within one year of leaving high school.
Enrolled in higher education or in some other post-secondary education or training program; or competitively employed or in some other employment within one year of leaving high school.
Note: Successful transition planning that includes post-secondary and employment goals with continued engagement and partnership with VR and Education may increase student’s ability to perform and the agencies long term education and employment outcomes.

22. Student Focused Planning
Implementation of Evidence-Based Practices
Family Engagement
Involvement
Empowerment
Preparation
Student Focused Planning
IEP Development
Planning Strategies
Student Participation
Program Structures
Strategic Planning
Resource Development & Allocation
Student Development
Life, Social & Emotional Skills
Employment/Occupational Skills
Student Supports
Interagency Collaboration
Collaborative Framework
Collaborative Service Delivery
Taxonomy for Transition Programming (Kohler, 1996)

23. Texas Transition Vision

24. Texas Memorandum of Understanding
Increase Coordination/Communication
Improve Transition Planning
Collaborative Identification of Needs
Share Roles and Responsibilities of all Parties
Strengthen Relationships
Facilitate Successful Outcomes for Students with Disabilities
Memo

25. Texas Employment First Policy
TWC/TEA/HHS will promote competitive employment of individuals with disabilities and the expectation that they are able to meet the same employment standards, responsibilities and expectations as other working-age adults. TWC/TEA/HHS acknowledges that it is the policy of the state, as set forth in Texas Government Code § , “that earning a living wage through competitive employment in the general workforce is the priority and preferred outcome for working-age individuals with disabilities who receive public benefits.”

26. What We Learned From Focus Groups
Lack of familiarity with agreement
Inconsistency across agencies in implementation
Communication between educational and VR agencies was limited in some areas of the State
Limited understanding of “agreement” Roles and Responsibilities

27. Student-Centered Transitions Network (SCTN) Activity
Collaborate with:
Texas Workforce Solutions Transition Vocational Rehabilitation to survey Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors (TVRC and VRC),
Local educational agencies, and charter school transition-related personnel to collect and analyze data to identify priority needs at the state/regional level.
Develop resources in response to data analysis to support program improvement at practitioner level which will be housed on the Texas Transition website.

28. Transition and Employment Designee (TED)
Texas Education Code (TEC) (b)* requires each local education agency (LEA) or shared services arrangement (SSA) to designate at least one employee to serve as the LEA or SSA designee on transition and employment services for students enrolled in special education programs.
*House Bill (HB) 617, 83rd Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2013

29. Duties of the LEA or SSA TED
The amended law requires that an individual identified as the transition and employment designee provide information and resources about effective transition planning and services and interagency coordination to ensure that local school staff communicate and collaborate with:
Health and Human Services Commission;
Department of Aging and Disability Services;
Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services;
Department of State Health Services; and
Department of Family and Protective Services.

30. TED Directory
Education Service Center (ESC) 18: The Legal Framework

31. Collaboration Communication Cooperation
Three C’s for Success
Collaboration
Communication
Cooperation
Three C’s for success: Collaboration, communication, and cooperation.
Contact case manager in the early stages
Revisit accommodations / BIP
Invite the case manager to observe the class
Work together (teacher, case manager, student) on intervention possibilities
Be proactive: do not wait until the IEP to bring up concerns

32. Collaborating: Local Level
Administrative support
Connect VR Counselors to all potentially eligible students with disabilities
Understanding of joint and individual roles and responsibilities
Effective formal and informal communication structure
Implementation of evidenced based practices
Use of data driven decision making

33. Collaborating: Individual Student Level
Student led planning
Engagement of family
Understanding of roles and responsibilities
Alignment of IEP and IPE
Course of study supports employment goal
Work based learning opportunities
Paid work experience while in high school
Seamless transition to post-school training/employment

34. Resources

35. National Technical Assistance Resources
Competitive Integrated Employment Toolkit:
Pre-ETS documents, etc. on WINTAC site:
School Community Business Partnership Guide:
NTACT Quick Guides:

36. More Resources…
OSERS-Transition Guide: A Transition Guide to Postsecondary Education and Employment for Students and Youth with Disabilities
Local Level Discussion Prompts:
WINTAC – Workforce Innovation Technical Assistance Center:
NTACT – National Technical Assistance Center on Transition:

37. Questions

38. Thank you! Contact: Susie May, State Transition Coordinator
Dr. Vickie Mitchell, Associate Professor