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November 17, 2009
Transition Practices Self-Assessment:
Supporting Schools
Presented by:
Sue Walter, Transition Consultant
Illinois State Board of Education
618-651-9028
swalter@isbe.net
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Why are Research-Based Practices so
important to transition planning?
Outcomes for students with disabilities improve with transition-
focused education.
Collaboration between educators, families, students, community
members and organizations
Adult outcomes focus
Academic, career and extracurricular instruction and activities
Variety of instructional and transition approaches
Responsive to local context and students’ learning and support needs
Transition planning is the fundamental basis of education that
guides development of student’s educational programs.
Not an “add-on” activity when students reach 14 ½
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Kohler, P. (1996)
Purpose of the TPSA
Self assessment and reporting tool allows districts and/or special
education cooperatives to:
Engage in program evaluation for secondary transition
Internal Evaluation - district level, team approach to evaluate transition
practices, programs, policies and procedures
Formative – implementation of the TPSA assists in the formulation of goals
and priorities, provides direction for planning and guides program
management
Summative – the TPSA is used as an evaluation tool on an annual basis or
gauge success and begin the formulation of the next level of goals and
priorities
Process – the TPSA evaluates the extent to which goals and priorities are
being carried out and also judge the quality
Outcomes – over time the TPSA will be used in conjunction with SPP
Indicators to judge the impact on student outcomes
Based on the work of Dr. Paula Kohler in Taxonomy for Transition
Programming
Kohler, P. 1996. Taxonomy for Transition Programming.
Challenges
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How was the TPSA developed?
Partnership
Illinois State Board of Education/IS-TAC and Loyola University Chicago –
Center for School Evaluation, Intervention & Training
Developing, refining and validating the TPSA
Using the Kohler Transition Taxonomy and a four question evaluation
framework
If you train, do people implement?
If they implement, do they do so with fidelity?
If they implement with fidelity, do the interventions sustain?
If the interventions sustain, what is the impact on your clients?
Alignment process
data sources, level (e.g., system, practice, data), and the Kohler Taxonomy
State Performance Plan
Validity checks - internal and external
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How will the TPSA support schools?
(Evaluation Purposes)
Assessment of merit and worth
Assist school districts in determining current practices and setting
priorities
Internal decision-making
Building awareness of staff
Program and organizational improvement
Action planning to “scale up” transition practices, service delivery and
collaborative planning
Assessment of change over time
Team validation
Oversight and Compliance
Support for Indicator 13 improvement
Accessing transition-specific technical assistance and training through
ISBE and the Statewide Technical Assistance Center (IS-TAC)
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The Taxonomy for
Transition Programming
Student-Focused Planning Family Involvement
•IEP Development •Family Training
•Student Participation •Family Involvement
•Planning Strategies •Family Empowerment
Program Structure
Student Development
•Program Philosophy
•Life skills Instruction
•Program Policy
•Career & Vocational
•Strategic Planning
Curricula
•Program Evaluation
•Structured Work Experience
•Resource Allocation
•Assessment
•Human Resource Development
•Support Services
Interagency Collaboration Kohler, P.D. (1996). Taxonomy for transition
•Collaborative Framework planning. Champaign: University of Illinois
•Collaborative Service Delivery 6
Program Structure
and Attributes
Program structures and attributes are features that
relate to efficient and effective delivery of transition-
focused education and services, including attributes
of a school that provide the framework for a
transition perspective. By operating from the
transition paradigm, schools put in place those
structures and policies that reflect the notion that
outcomes and activities of 100% of the students are
important.
Kohler, P. (1996). Retrieved on November 2, 2003 from www.kresa.org/transition/pdf/briefs/taxonomy.pdf
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Interagency Collaboration
Interagency collaboration practices facilitate
involvement of community businesses, organizations
and agencies in all aspects of transition – focused
education. Interagency agreements that clearly
articulate roles, responsibilities, communication
strategies, and other collaborative actions that enhance
curriculum and program development foster
collaboration.
Kohler, P. (1996). Retrieved on November 2, 2003 from www.kresa.org/transition/pdf/briefs/taxonomy.pdf
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Student-Focused Planning
Student-focused planning practices focus on using
assessment information and facilitating students’
self-determination to develop individual education
programs based on student’s post-school goals.
Kohler, P. (1996). Retrieved on November 2, 2003 from www.kresa.org/transition/pdf/briefs/taxonomy.pdf
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Student Development
Student development practices emphasize life,
employment and occupational skill development
through school-based and work-based learning
experiences. Students’ assessment and
accommodations provide the fundamental basis for
student development that results in successful
transition.
Kohler, P. (1996). Retrieved on November 2, 2003 from www.kresa.org/transition/pdf/briefs/taxonomy.pdf
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Family Involvement
Family involvement practices are associated with
parent and family involvement in planning and
delivering education and transition services,
including facilitating such involvement. Family-
focused training and family empowerment activities
increase the ability of family members to work
effectively with educators and other service
providers and vice-versa.
Kohler, P. (1996). Retrieved on November 2, 2003 from www.kresa.org/transition/pdf/briefs/taxonomy.pdf 15
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Protocol for Completing the TPSA
Who completes the TPSA?
Recommended – assemble a district and/or school-based
interagency transition team (if one doesn’t already exist)
In lieu of or in addition to interagency transition team:
All staff at a staff meeting (goal of 40 % of all staff)
Individuals from a representative group (e.g., Interagency Transition
Team or Transition Planning Committee (TPC)
Team member-led focus group (e.g., consensus with one score for
the group)
Random selection of up to 10 people within the school , based on
demographics (e.g., 2 administrators, 3 general educators, 2 special
educators, 1 support staff, 1 community/agency, 1 family
member/student)
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Protocol for Completing the TPSA
When and how often should the TPSA be completed?
At least annually and preferably at the same time each year
(e.g., beginning of school year, end of school year)
How is the TPSA completed?
Demographic data
Who? (e.g., team consensus, team individuals, all staff etc.)
Data are entered into a web-based information
management system administered by Loyola
Reports are generated
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Using Your TPSA Data
Strategic Planning
Critical questions should be answered with
respect to the implementation of evidenced-
based transition services.
http://loyolacseit.com/Presentations/TPSA_ActionPlanning_20090223/player.html
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Strengths Weaknesses
SWOT
Threats Opportunities
SWOT Analysis is a strategic planning method used to evaluate strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities and threats revealed through the self-
assessment (TPSA).
SWOT Analysis process is from Dr. David Bell, St. Xavier University, Chicago
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Using the TPSA to conduct
a SWOT analysis
Current TPSA has 35 statements
Program Structure (PS), 6
Collaboration (COLAB), 5
Student-Focused Planning (SFP), 11
Student Development (SD), 8
Family Involvement, (FI), 5
Review the TPSA reports for each section.
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Using the TPSA to conduct
a SWOT analysis
To understand facilitators and barriers that impact
sustainable change
SWOT the various subsections
Strengths Weaknesses
SWOT
Threats Opportunities
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“SWOT” your data
Strengths Weaknesses
What does your school do well? What does the school not do well?
What resources are missing that can
improve the operation?
Discussion Question: Are there weaknesses Discussion Question: How can you build the
that are beyond your control? capacity to address your weaknesses?
Opportunities Threats
What internal and external opportunities What are the barriers (internal or
are open to the school that can minimize external to the school) that impact your
or eliminate the identified weaknesses ability to address your weaknesses?
and or threats? What are the threats if the weaknesses
are not addressed?
Discussion Question: What resources (human, Discussion Question: Do the opportunities
financial, etc) are available or needed to available to the school outweigh the
address your weaknesses? threats/barriers?
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Example
Strengths Weaknesses
Student data/information from person- Current student experiences are not
centering planning, student and family community-based
interviews and other age-appropriate
transition assessments are used to develop
future plans, e.g., IEP transition plan
components
Opportunities Threats
We have strong community partners who We do not have time to develop formal
are willing to support students. partnerships.
Staff ranked this as a high priority on the
TPSA.
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Action Planning
Transition Task Person When Assessment
Practice Responsible
TPSA – SFP7 Administration School Team Spring, 2010 Change in
The transition plan reviews current Role/FTE
reflects active roles of school Administration Spring, 2010
participation of counselor to District
post-school determine of Improvement Plan
agencies with additional FTE
students, families can be
and school (e.g. reallocated to
rehabilitation support
services, mental developing
health, partnerships.
developmental Check school
disabilities, health, improvement
post-secondary plan for next
education, generic steps for
community service community
agencies) involvement
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Action Planning for Change
Process repeats until you have developed a systematic
plan to address the various subsections on the TPSA
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Keep it going!
Plan to implement the TPSA on an annual basis
Celebrate successes
Plan for new goals, next steps
Long-term impact
State Performance Plan Indicators 1, 2, 4, 5, and 14
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Questions?
http://www.isbe.net/spec-ed/pdfs/tpsa09.pdf
http://loyolacseit.com/Presentations/TPSA_ActionPlanning_20090407/player.html
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Acknowledgements
Hank Bohanon, Dr. Diane Morrison and Agnes Kielian at
Loyola University Chicago – Center for School Evaluation,
Intervention and Training
Dr. Paula Kohler, Western Michigan University
Dr. David Bell, St. Xavier University, Chicago
Illinois State Board of Education, Special Education
Services Administration
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