University of Oregon

Introduction

In the Community Transition Program (CTP), young people with disabilities are aided in making the transition from school to the adult working world, or to post-secondary education, through intensive, individualized support from a Transition Specialist. The program operates at the district level, and serves youth in a number of settings, including two regular education high schools; several alternative education settings, both public and private; and in the community. Any youth who qualifies for special education services is eligible, so long as the youth wants to be involved with the CTP, and demonstrates an attitude that he or she is willing to take responsibility for his or her future. Youth who have dropped out of school, or are on the verge of dropping out, are also eligible for CTP, and are connected with services that are appropriate, according to individual needs.

The Community Transition Program delivered a pattern of service that contained five essential features.

Community Transition Program
Goal Setting through Individualized Planning

Every student receiving Special Education Services is eligible to receive services from the CTP, as are youth who appear to be on the verge of dropping out of school, or who have already dropped out of school. A youth's involvement with the Community Transition Program begins with an assessment. The Transition Specialist works with the students to gather information they will need to develop transition plans. In every area of the student's life, namely finance, vocational skills, personal skills and independent living skills, Transition Specialists and students work to identify the student's strengths, hopes and dreams for the future, and identify barriers the student confronts. This process allows students to develop a realistic and positive vision of their adulthood that includes how they want to live, where they will live, what they will do to earn money, and how they plan to interact with the people in their lives. For this protocol, refer to Mount and Zwernik's Making Futures Happen: A Manual for Facilitators of Personal Futures (1990). Some youth need help from key individuals in their lives to identify their strengths, abilities and personal qualities.

With the vision for the student's future in place, the Transition Specialist uses this process to develop concrete goals for the student's academic life, independent living situation, employment future, and personal/social life. Then, they translate these ideas into an action plan for working toward each of these goals, with concrete steps to overcome obstacles and make their dreams a reality. This method, known as Person-Centered Planning, develops a coordinated set of goals, objectives, and resources to help the young man or woman plan meaningfully to build a future.

Community Transition Program
Educational, Vocational and Social Skills Training

The CTP, in conjunction with school special education staff, offers students instruction in a variety of areas designed to help them make the transition into adulthood. Areas of instruction include (1) functional academics such as establishing checking/credit accounts, managing money, paying bills; (2) vocational skills such as career exploration, job seeking skills, and how to keep a job; (3) personal and social skills like problem solving and anger management; and (4) independent living skills such as household management and how to seek out healthy entertainment in the community. In high schools, these skills are taught in the context of a two-part intervention for students in special education; the first offered at the freshman-sophomore level and the second taught at the senior level. This intervention picks up from the first assessment interview and guides students individually toward their own goals. In addition, the district offers a required course called Personal Finance for all High School Seniors. Personal Finance Teachers and Transition Specialists often collaborate together to organize vocational learning opportunities, such as a school wide job fair, where employers from the community come and perform mock interviews with students. These community members go over students' resumes with them and comment on students' interviewing skills so that youths get hands-on experience and feedback about how to best pursue competitive employment. Other options for delivering this important transition content includes after school job clubs, peer support groups, mentoring programs with members of the community, and student-run businesses.

Community Transition Program
Community Partnerships for Paid Job Training

Many of the youth entering the CTP have a limited understanding of the expectations of the working world. Often, they have had negative job experiences, and many have living situations which require that they earn money to help support themselves financially. Transition Specialists, once they have learned the employment interests of each student, try to connect those who are ready to enter the working world with a job experience that is aligned with the student's goals. Sometimes this means creating lasting relationships between the Community Transition Program and employers in the community, but more often, the interests of the students are so diverse that Transition Specialists cultivate these opportunities individually. For example, one student had an interest in becoming a construction worker, so the Transition Specialist looked for a construction company that had entry-level positions open. Another student wanted to become a professional glass blower, so the Transition Specialist called a local artisan and created an apprenticeship for the student. Transition Specialists try to make certain that each student entering a paid job training placement is prepared with the social skills necessary for operating in the professional world. Sometimes students aren't successful the first time they are placed, or are disappointed in the job. Making transitions from one job to the next are also important learning moments for each student. In fact, most students go through two or three job placements by the time they leave the Community Transition Program.

Community Transition Program
Ties with Other Agencies for Individual Support Services

Throughout a student's involvement in the program, Transition Specialists are in a position to be familiar with the student's needs and what is happening in the student's life. When crises occur, the Transition Specialist is there to make certain youth are connected with appropriate services so that no one falls through the cracks. All students in the CTP receive an array of services ranging from universal, school based services to small group services to individualized, one-on-one support. Depending on what each individual youth needs, transition services could include

Very often, CTP staff helped youth find a reliable form of transportation, whether this meant taking advantage of public transportation, or obtaining a driver's license. Vocational Rehabilitation agencies are often willing to pay for specialized driver's education. School staff provide support for passing the written driver's test, and CTP staff help youth learn to save their earnings for a car. During the assessment interview, often the Transition Specialist finds that a youth is in need of services that could be provided by another social service agency, such as welfare, mental health, or drug counseling. Once youth are connected to another Social Service Agency, Transition Specialists keep in contact with their case workers to make certain the youth are taking advantage of these services, and to monitor progress. Transition Specialists also connect regularly with youth, either approaching them individually at school or their alternative education setting, within the context of their Transition Classes, or by calling youth at home to see how they are doing.

Youth exit the Community Transition Program because they graduated high school with a regular diploma, they reach the age of 21, they become competent in managing their own lives, or are showing little interest in continuing voluntary services with CTP. Transition Specialists work with them to find a stable, long-term placement, either in competitive employment, or in a post secondary education program. Each final placement is individually designed, and often incorporated continuing education elements with work placements which are appropriate to the long term goals of the youth. If the youth still shows signs of needing support but has reached the age of 21 and is no longer eligible for services from the school district, the final placement connects the youth with an appropriate agency. Very often, these youth are served by Vocational Rehabilitation agencies, or by Mental Health.

Even after the final placement, Community Transition Program personnel are available to youth who might need help. Often a young person contacts his or her Transition Specialist saying he or she would like to change jobs, but needs help planning how to do it. The Transition Specialist works with the youths, identifying the steps that would be necessary to find a job in their desired careers, and guides them through seeking any necessary education, preparing a resume or job application, and practicing what to say during the job interview. Post program support is informal, and non-intensive, but still offers youths a stable source of help in making transitions.

Community Transition Program
The Origins of the Community Transition Program

The Community Transition Program is an ongoing part of the special education program within the Springfield School District in Springfield, Oregon. Two federally funded research projects formed the foundation of the CTP: (a) the Youth Transition Program (YTP), which served high school youth with emotional/behavioral and other disabilities who were at-risk of school and community failure; and (b) the ARIES Project (Achieving Rehabilitation, Independent Living, and Employment Success), which served the district's youth with emotional/behavioral and other disabilities who were not engaged in high school and who were seriously at-risk of failure due to a number of complex individual, family, and environmental factors (e.g., chronic mental illness, court adjudication, substance abuse, homelessness/unstable living situation, history of extensive absenteeism).

The YTP operated in the Springfield school district from 1990 to 1997 through a combination of federal, state, and district funds as part of a network of school district sites statewide. The ARIES project operated in the district from 1995 to 1998 through a federal research grant. Both projects were a collaboration between the district and the University of Oregon. Research conducted as part of the projects demonstrated the effectiveness of the services associated with the YTP and ARIES projects for improving students' rates of school completion and post school engagement in employment and continuing education The school district incorporated the YTP and ARIES projects into the special education program and budget, and renamed them the Community Transition Program (CTP), effective with the 1998/99 school year.
 

Community Transition Program
CTP Student Outcome Data

The data below are from the YTP and ARIES projects upon which the CTP was based. These data are used for two reasons: (a) the CTP as a program is so new it does not have sufficient long-term data, and (b) the staff roles and pattern of services describes for the CTP are based on the YTP and ARIES projects, so it is appropriate to include these data.

A total 525 students were served by the YTP (n=440) and ARIES (n=85) projects between 1990 and 1998.

Students Served:

Distributions for gender ( 67% male; 33% female) and ethnicity (12% ethnic minorities; 88% non minority) are consistent with general distributions for these demographic characteristics statewide.

Students entered the program with a number of barriers to school and community success:

School Completion Employment/Continuing Education Community Transition Program
Resource Requirements Summary

Population Receiving Services from CTP

240 students served by CTP, total, in 2 high schools with combined population of 3,000 students
100 students in various alternative education placements

Staffing Requirements
 
CTP Staff Position Titles Staff Time Per Person Duties
1 Special Education Administrator  .25 Full Time Equivalency Completes administrative tasks involved with CTP with respect to the school system.
3 Teacher Coordinators, 1 for each school/alternative setting  2.0 Full Time Equivalency Certified teachers, one who coordinates program operations in each high school, and one who coordinates operations in alternative education or community settings
3 Transition Specialists, 1 for each school/alternative setting 6.25 hours/day x 215 days/year Classified positions in each high school, working approximately 215 days per year, who work individually with students on transition services.
Collaborating Agency Staff Title Staff Time Per Person Duties
Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor(s) NA Collaborates with CTP staff in planning activities and supports training needs of motivated students.

Categories of Activities
 
Activity Category Staff Hours Required Staff Responsible
Staff recruitment and training. 65 hours/year SpEd Administrator/Teacher Coordinator
Relationship building with school staff, community partners, and students/families. 160-200 hours/year Teacher Coordinator/Transition Specialists
Data collection, materials development, and public relations. 160-200 hours/year Teacher Coordinator/Transition Specialist
Direct Services to students in school and community settings 36-108 hours/student/year Teacher Coordinator/Transition Specialist
General Administration 10-12 hours/week Teacher Coordinator

Resource Requirements for Start-Up
 
Start-Up Duties Staff Responsible Supplies Needed
Hire/re-assign Teacher Coordinators (TC) SpEd Administrator
Hire Transition Specialists (TS) SpEd Administrator / TC
Train CTP staff in community based transition services and wrap-around service coordination CTP/University Staff
Set-up office space in each building SpEd Administrator/CTP staff phone, office equipment, cell phones/pagers for TS
Negotiate specific support roles of TS in each building SpEd Administrator / TC
Provide orientation to building staff CTP Staff
Build relationships with community partners (i.e. vocational rehabilitation, service providers, employers.) CTP Staff Phone Time, brochure, business cards, transportation
Work with building staff to identify and recruit students CTP Staff

Resource Requirements for Continuous Operations
 
Operations Duties Staff Responsible Time Needed
Begin building personal connection with students through meetings, conversations and social activities. Transition Specialist 4 hours/week
Work with student, family and school staff to collect information on students' hopes/dreams/goals and strengths/ abilities/ personal qualities, and barriers. Transition Specialist 2 hours/student
Revise IEP to reflect person-centered qualities and barriers. Transition Specialist, TC, SpEd Administrator 1 hour/student
Work with student, family, school staff and community partners to implement plan in education, employment and support service areas. Transition Specialist 20 hours/student
Assist student with placement in employment and/or continuing education upon leaving school. Transition Specialist 4 hours/student
Provide post-program follow-up services as requested/needed. Transition Specialist Minimal
Meet weekly as entire staff to problem solve student issues and coordinate services/activities. All Staff 2 hours/week
Work with school staff to infuse transition and post school outcomes perspective into school curriculum. TC, Transition Specialist, SpEd Administrator 80-100 hours/semester
Work with community partners to ensure strong school-community relationships. TC, Transition Specialist, SpEd Administrator 80-100 hours/semester
Continue to meet and build positive personal connections with students. TC, Transition Specialist 80-100 hours/semester
Collect data on services and student outcomes. Transition Specialist 80-100 hours/semester
Develop materials on program effectiveness and present periodically to school staff and administrators, community partners, students/families, school board. TC, Transition Specialist 80-100 hours/semester

References

Benz, M.R., & Lindstrom, L.E. (1997). Building school-to-work programs: Strategies for youth with special needs. Austin, TX: PRO-ED.

Bullis, M., & Fredericks, H. D. (Eds.). (in press). Providing effective vocational/transition services to adolescents with emotional and behavioral disorders. Champaign-Urbana, IL: Research Press.

Mount, B., Zwernik, K. Making Futures Happen: A Manual for Facilitators of Personal Futures Planning. ERIC Publication No. 421-90-036. 1990

Contact:

Mike Benz, University of Oregon, 175 College of Education, 5260 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97503-5260   mbenz@oregon.uoregon.edu
 

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