1. Introduction and Overview Reaching the Summit of Success, September 16 th and 17 th, 2014 Dr. Tiana Povenmire-Kirk and Kimberly Bunch-Crump

2. CIRCLES Supports IDEA A coordinated set of activities …..including: postsecondary education, vocational education, integrated employment (including supported employment), continuing and adult education, adult services, independent living, or community participation (300.42(a)(1).

3. IDEA - The coordinated set of activities must be… …based on the individual student’s needs, taking into account the student’s strengths, preferences and interests; and includes – 1.Instruction 2.Related services 3.Community experiences 4.The development of employment and other post- school adult living objectives; and 5.If appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills and provision of a functional vocational evaluation.

4. IDEA: Adult Service Provider Involvement The public agency, to the extent appropriate, ……must invite to the IEP meeting a representative of any participating agency that is likely to be responsible for providing or paying for transition services [34 CFR §300.321(b)(3)].

5. IDEA: School System Accountability For Agency Follow-through If a participating agency fails to provide agreed-upon transition services described in the IEP of a student with a disability, the public agency must reconvene the IEP team to identify alternative strategies to meet the transition objectives for the child set out in the IEP (300.324(c)(1).

6. Emerging Field of Collaborative Teaming Improved efficiency Increased productivity Enhanced outcomes Enhanced sustainability Attention to diversity Leadership growth

7. Interagency Collaboration is Supported by Research Interagency collaboration is an evidence-based predictor of post-school success in education and employment (Test et al., 2009). Students who received assistance from 3 to 6 agencies (compared to 0 to 2 agencies) were more likely to be engaged in post-school employment or education (Bullis et.al., 1995). Transition interagency council characteristics (i.e., agency directories, agreements, councils, general information, local business advisory boards, parent network) were positively correlated with postsecondary education (Repetto et al., 2002).

8. CIRCLES Conceptual Model

9. CIRCLES’ Goals and the Path to Get There

10. Multi-Level Approach to Transition Planning for Students with Disabilities Community Level Team School Level Team IEP Team

11. Community Level Team Agencies/Service Providers Discuss policy/braid together resources Collaborate for service delivery Do NOT work directly with students Meet 2-4 times/year MOST IMPORTANTLY… BOSSES Executive- Level Folks

12. APPOINT a Representative to Serve on School Level Team Community Level Team School Level Team Appointed Representative

13. School Level Team Agencies/Service Providers, School Personnel Work DIRECTLY with students/families Collaborate to provide services to INDIVIDUAL students See students from multiple schools for transition planning Meet Monthly AND – pre-plan transition goals for the IEP team Direct Service Providers

14. Submit Pre-planned Transition Goals to IEP Team IEP Team School Level Team Transition Goals

15. Student Level or IEP Team School Personnel, Related Services Personnel Specific to Individual Students Prepare students to present at the School Level Team meeting Bring pre-planning from School-Level Team back to the IEP meeting to Write transition goals School and Student-Specific Team Members

16. Inter-Agency Collaboration = Post School Outcomes Community Level Team School Level Team IEP Team Post School Outcomes for Students with Disabilities

17. CIRCLES Provides Evidence for Indicator 13

18. CIRCLES Facilitates and Enhances Interagency Collaboration Overcomes gaps Multiple agency involvement Varied eligibility requirements Reduces duplication Joint planning Increases comfort level

19. What Best Describes the Extent of Your Organization’s General Collaboration (n=12): Cabarrus Co. 2013Very Small/ Small/ Somewhat Great/ Very Great Partner organizations take your organization's opinions seriously when decisions are made about the collaboration. 8%92% Your organization brainstorms with partner organizations to develop solutions to mission-related problems facing the collaboration. 17%83% Partner organizations (including your organization) agree about the goals of the collaboration. 0%100% Your organization shares information with partner organizations that will strengthen their operations and programs. 8%92% Your organization achieves its own goals better working with partner organizations than working alone. 0%100% My organization can count on each partner organization to meets its obligations to the collaboration. 0%100%

20. Extent to Which Transition Collaborative Team (n=12): Cabarrus Co. 2013Very Small/ Small/ Somewhat Great/ Very Great Coordinates requests for and dissemination of information (e.g., to parents, employers) 25%75% Reduces systematic barriers to collaboration 8.33%91.66% Collaborates in the development and use of assessment data 42%58% Coordinates and shares delivery of transition-related services 17%83% Disseminates agency and service delivery systems information among cooperating agencies 0%100%

21. AIR Student Self-rating and Educator Rating Preliminary Results CIRCLESBusiness as Usual Student (n=133) 3.853.91 Educator (n=146) 3.57*3.26 Note. *For the educator ratings, there was a significant difference between the means, with the CIRCLES group having a higher means. For the student ratings, there was no statistically significant difference between means scores.

22. Student Leadership Team Participation Of the 205 students, 193 (94%) lead their CIRCLES presentation. The average rating (using 0 to 5 point scale) was 4.19 (SD =.84), ranging from.11 to 5.00.

23. Results of Parent Satisfaction Survey 2012-2013 (n = 101) All Counties Agree/ Strongly Agree 1. I understand the process of preparing my child for life after high school. 98% 2. I have had an active role in the process of preparing my child for life after high school. 97% 3. I communicate on a regular basis with school personnel on the process of preparing my child for life after high school. 91% 4. I understand my child’s needs and goals. 100% 5. The school is doing a good job preparing my child for employment after high school. 96% 6. The school is doing a good job preparing my child to live in the community after high school. 95% 7. The school is doing a good job preparing my child to live in the community after high school. 96%

24. Results of Student Satisfaction Survey 2012-2013 (n = 167) All CountiesAgree 1. I am prepared for school (e.g., college, university, training) after high school. 62% 2. I am prepared for a job after high school. 77% 3. The school was helpful in preparing me for school (e.g., college, university, training) after high school. 82% 4. The school was helpful in preparing me for a job after high school. 81% 5. The school was helpful in preparing me for living in the community after high school. 64% 6. I know what agencies/adult service providers will help me after high school (voc rehab, social security, department of social services, etc.). 69% 7. I have been involved in preparing myself for school (college/university) after high school. 73% 8. I have been involved in preparing myself for a job after high school. 81% 9. I have been involved in preparing myself for living in the community after high school. 69% 10. I have been involved in preparing goals for my future. 89%

25. Preliminary Post-School Outcome Data 2011-2012 (n=10) Indicator 14Percentage A. Enrolled in higher education within one year of leaving high school. 30% B. Enrolled in higher education or competitively employed within one year of leaving high school. 50% C. Enrolled in higher education or in some other postsecondary education or training program; or competitively employed or in some other employment within one year of leaving high school. (20 U.S.C. 1416(a)(3)(B)) 50%

26. Next Steps – Taking CIRCLES Home Develop Community Level Team o Use/modify something that already exists? o Train members in CIRCLES goals/roles/expectations Develop School Level Team – Train members in CIRCLES goals/roles/expectations Train teachers to prepare students for CIRCLES – We can help! – Website: http://circles-uncc.comhttp://circles-uncc.com CIRCLE your students!

27. Questions? Dr. Tiana Povenmire-Kirk Project Coordinator – CIRCLES Grant Department of Special Education University of North Carolina Charlotte tpovenmi@uncc.edu 541-912-2678