ERIC ED398704: Using Information To Improve Services to Minnesota Youth with Disabilities in Transition from School to Adult Life.

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by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
EC 304 996
ED 398 704
Thompson, James R.
AUTHOR
Using Information To Improve Services to Minnesota
TITLE
Youth with Disabilities in Transition from School to
Adult Life.
Minnesota State Dept. of Education, St. Paul.
INSTITUTION
Interagency Office on Transition Services.; Minnesota
Univ., Minneapolis. Inst. on Community
Integration.
Minnesota State Dept. of Education, St. Paul.;
SPONS AGENCY
Minnesota State Dept. of Jobs and Training, St.
Paul.; Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative
Services (ED), Washington, DC.
PUB DATE
Jan 94
H15810040
CONTRACT
30p.; Report from the Data Collection Symposium
NOTE
(Minnesota, April 28, 1993). For a related document,
see EC 304 995.
University of Minnesota, Institute on Community
AVAILABLE FROM
Integration, 102 Pattee Hall, 150 Pillsbury Drive,
SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455 ($3).
Descriptive (141)
PUB TYPE
Reports
EDRS PRICE
MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage.
DESCRIPTORS
Access to Information; *Data Collection;
*Disabilities; *Education Work Relationship;
Information Dissemination; *Information Management;
*Information Needs; Information Policy; Information
Utilization; Secondary Education; *Transitional
Programs; Young Adults
*Minnesota
IDENTIFIERS
ABSTRACT
This report summarizes the discussion and
recommendations of a symposium which focused on issues addressing the
collection, sharing, and use of information to improve transition
services and supports to youth and young adults with disabilities.
Participants included representatives from state agencies, advocates,
family members, and Community Transition Interagency Committee (CTIC)
members. Section 1 discusses an information-based approach to
supporting youth in transition. Section 2 provides four types of
information needed to improve transition services and supports.
Section 3 makes recommendations for collecting and sharing
information. Recommendations include: conduct regular assessments of
local needs; develop methods for sharing information across agencies;
compile and review data on students' Individualized Education Program
transition objectives; implement postschool follow-up studies at the
local level; establish efficient strategies to manage information;
develop resource directories at the local level; collect consumer
information to improve services; and encourage networking among CTICs
and other interagency committees. A list of 8 references and 20
resources are given in Sections 4 and 5. Section 6 includes the
following appendices: responses to questions concerning information
collected by Minnesota state agencies, the symposium agenda, a list
of CTIC chairs in Minnesota, and excerpts from transition
legislation.
(CR)
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
ED
TIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION
CENTER (ERIC)
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received from the person or organization
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Points of view or opinions stated in this
O
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C
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OO
Q
o r
Information
To Improve Services to Minnesota
Youth with Disabilities in Transition
from School to Adult Life
EST COPY AVAIIIABLE,
Institute on Community Integration (UAP)
College of Education
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
2
Using
Information
To Improve Services to Minnesota
Youth with Disabilities in Transition
from School to Adult Life
January 1994
Institute on Community Integration (UAP)
College of Education, University of Minnesota
Published January, 1994
This report was prepared at the Institute on Community Integration (UAP), College
of Education, University of
Minnesota by:
James R. Thompson, Project Coordinator, Institute on Community Integration
David R. Johnson, Associate Director, Institute on Community Integration
This report is presented by the Minnesota Transition Systems Improvement Initiative:
Stephanie Corbey, Project Director, Minnesota Department of Education, Interagency Office
on Transition Services
Cathy Carlson, Department of Jobs and Training, Division of Rehabilitation Services
Sandra J. Thompson, Project Coordinator, Minnesota Department of Education, Interagency
Office on Transition Services
Additional copies may be ordered by contacting:
Institute on Community Integration
University of Minnesota, 109 Pattee Hall
150 Pillsbury Drive SE, Minneapolis, MN
55455
[phone]
Production of this report was funded in part by the Minnesota Department of
Education and the Minnesota Department of
Jobs and Training through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Education
Office of Special Education
and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) grant #H15810040 "Statewide Strategies for
Improving the Delivery of Transition
Services for Youth with Disabilities and Families in Minnesota". Points of view
or opinions stated in this report do not
necessarily represent the positions of the U.S. Department of Education, the Minnesota
Department of Education, the
Minnesota Department of Jobs and Training, or the University of Minnesota.
The U.S. Department of Education, the
State of Minnesota, and the University of Minnesota
are equal opportunity employers.
About this Report
On April 28, 1993, the Data Collection Symposium was held to discuss issues regarding the collection, sharing, and
use of information to improve transition services and supports to youth and young adults with disabilities. The Minne-
sota Department of Education Interagency Office on Transition Services and the State Transition Interagency Corrardrax:
(STIC) sponsored the symposium to draw upon the expertise of a diverse group of individuals in Minnesota who were
interested in improving information collection and management efforts. Symposium participants included representa-
tives from state agencies, advocates, family members, and Community Transition Interagency Committee (CTIC)
members. Discussions were focused on:
the types of information that CTICs, state agencies, and individual transition planning teams need;
ways to use information that is currently collected;
ways that information can be efficiently shared across state agencies and organizations;
ways to encourage and institute systematic follow-along and follow-up of youth with disabilities; and
methods to effectively manage different sources of information.
The themes presented in this publication emerged from the thoughtful contributions of the symposium participants.
The purpose of this report is to synthesize the major themes expressed at the Symposium and describe strategies for
collecting, managing, and sharing information at the state and community levels. In Section I, the context in which
transition is being addressed in Minnesota is discussed and the rationale for using information to improve services and
supports is presented. In Section II, the types of information that state agencies, CTICs, and individual transition
planning teams need are described and classified into four broad categories. In Section III recommendations for inter-
agency information management and sharing efforts are provided and several examples of exemplary information
sharing practices in Minnesota are described. The remaining sections offer additional information on the Data Collection
Symposium and Community Transition Interagency Committees in Minnesota. Also, a brief listing of additional
resources is provided.
Acknowledgements
The authors gratefully acknowledge the following individuals
for their participation and valuable insights during the
Data Collection Symposium on April 28, 1992:
Gayle Anderson
Tom Prescott
Community Collaboration Team
Benton/Stearns Community Transition Interagency
MN Dept. of Education
Committee
Stephanie Corbey
Roberta Pisa
MN Dept. of Education
MN Dept. of Jobs and Training
Interagency Office on Transition Services
Division of Rehabilitation Services
Larry Eisenstadt
Delores Pospesel
MN Dept. of Jobs & Training
MN Dept. of Education
Community Based Services
Vocational Special Needs Programs
Jim Franczyk
Rachel Quenemoen
MN Dept. of Human Services
Lac Qui Parle Community Transition Interagency
Division for Persons with Developmental Disabilities
Committee
Barb Guy
Glenn Samuelson
University of Minnesota
Social Security Administration
Institute on Community Integration
Steve Scholl
Marge Goldberg
MN Dept. of Jobs and Training
PACER Center, Inc.
Div. of Rehab. Services
Carol Hokenson
Marty Smith
MN Dept. of Education
Public Policy Consultant
Office of Data Management
Roger Strand
Susan Hasazi
MN Dept. of Administration
University of Vermont
Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities
Lezlie Ingvalson
Sandy Thompson
MN Dept. of Education
MN Dept. of Education
Vocational Special Needs Programs
Interagency Office on Transition Services
Linda Lingen
Toni Dahl Wish
MN Dept. of Jobs and Training
MN Council on Disability
State Services for the Blind
Mark Wolak, facilitator
Mike Mills
People Works
MN Dept. of Human Services
Division for Persons with Developmental Disabilities
The authors would also like to acknowledge Stacey Halpern for her assistance in the editing
and design of this
publication.
Table of Contents
Section I.
An Information-Based Approach to Supporting Youth in Transition
1
in Minnesota
Section II.
Four Types of Information Needed to Improve Transition Services
2
and Supports in Minnesota
Section III. Recommendations for Collecting and Sharing Information in Minnesota
5
Section IV. References
9
Section V.
Resources
10
Section VI.
Appendices
Appendix A -
Information Collected by Minnesota State Agencies
11
Data Collection Symposium Agenda
Appendix B -
16
Appendix C -
Community Transition Interagency Committees in Minnesota
17
Appendix D -
Transition Legislation in Minnesota
22
Information -Based Approach
1
Section I: An Information-Based Approach to
Supporting Youth in Transition in Minnesoata
individual transition planning teams) that focus on tic
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s Minnesota has been
unique abilities, needs, and interests of each youth.
one of the most proactive states in the country in address-
Achievement of essential interagency goals at the
ing the school-to-adult life transition needs of youth with
state and community levels requires that comprehensive
disabilities. Minnesota was among the first states in the
information be systematically gathered and shared among
nation to establish a state level interagency committee on
interagency participants. Informed decisions regarding
transition, enact legislation requiring that transition goals
program improvement and policy implementation can be
and objectives be included on student Individualized
made only when accurate information is available
Educational Plans (IEPs), and pass legislation establishing
concerning: 1.) the characteristics of youth with disabili-
Community Transition Interagency Committees (CTICs)
ties and their needs for school and postschool services; 2.)
to address transition issues at the local level. These and
the experiences and status of youth throughout their
other progressive actions have contributed to numerous
school and postschool years; 3.) the missions and services
statewide and local initiatives that have received national
of local organizations and agencies; and 4.) the opinions
recognition for their innovative approaches.
and viewpoints of those who have received services. The
Despite Minnesota's excellent efforts, findings from
next section will discuss how these four types of informa-
recent school-to-adult life follow-up studies conducted in
tion can facilitate collaborative efforts and present ways
Minnesota (e.g. Johnson, Thompson, & Lin, 1992;
in which these sources can be collected and examined by
Bruininks, Thurlow, Lewis, & Larson, 1988; Thurlow,
state and community level decision makers.
Bruininks, & Lange, 1989; Thurlow, Bruininks, Wolman,
& Steffens, 1989) reveal that many youth with disabilities
continue to experience difficulties in achieving desired
employment and community living goals following their
departure from high school. It is evident that the develop-
ment and provision of transition services and supports in
Minnesota is far from being completed and that profes-
sionals and family members must continue to work
together to improve opportunities for young adults with
disabilities.
Using Information to Facilitate Interagency
Collaboration
Developing responsive systems of services and
supports to assist youth with disabilities during the
transition period requires collaborative, interagency
approaches that involve young people with disabilities,
parents, and professionals at the state and community
levels. This has been an important premise underlying
Minnesota's current efforts to improve school and
postschool transition services. A major interagency goal
at the state level is to coordinate the activities of state
agencies so that service delivery can proceed in a compre-
hensive and cost effective manner. At the community
level, the primary challenge is to delineate the roles and
responsibilities of schools, agencies, and community
service organizations and develop effective interagency
strategies to address the needs of youth. Community level
collaboration also involves forming supportive teams (i.e.
8
2
Types of Information
Section II: Four Types of Information Needed to
Improve Transition Services and Supports in Minnesota
Type 1: Information on Individual Charac-
Type 2: School and Postschool Information
teristics, Needs, and Future Adult Goals
Effective planning and management of transition
programs and services must be based on ongoing and
Information concerning the needs, aspirations, and
systematic evaluations of both the postschool outcomes
characteristics of youth with disabilities is essential for
of former students and accurate and complete in-school
individual transition planning teams. While regulations
follow-along information on school characteristics and
concerning data privacy and confidentiality may pose
student performance. Such information can be usefully
barriers to sharing some types of information across
integrated and serve as a basis for planning and improving
organizations, transition planning team members should
transition policies, programs, and interagency practices.
be persistent in efforts to assure that all members have an
Without adequate data collection and the sharing of
adequate knowledge base regarding the youth with whom
information on the school and postschool status and
they work. Collaborative approaches to individualized
experiences of youth, the evolution and ultimate improve-
transition planning cannot be successful unless all team
ment of transition policies, programs, and services will
members have accurate and sufficient information.
continue to rely solely on the best intentions and subjec-
Information on consumer characteristics and needs
tive judgements of those who are in positions to make
should also be collected and used on an aggregate basis
decisions.
by Community Transition Interagency Committees
Much of the information currently collected by
(CTICs) and state agencies to address broader transition
schools and public agencies has been gathered for
issues. Moreover, school and postschool services must be
accounting and compliance reporting rather than for
regularly assessed in terms of their capacity to meet the
program evaluation and improvement. Because compli-
needs and interests that are explicitly expressed by youth
ance data (e.g. child counts, documentation of services
with disabilities and families.
delivered, etc.) reflect processes rather than outcomes, the
Aggregate information can be obtained in several
data are of limited value to those who are primarily
ways, but the most useful method is by an annual assess-
interested in the efficacy of services and practices.
ment of community needs. Information from a commu-
Postschool outcome data pertain to the status of
nity needs assessment can assist decision makers in
youth in a variety of community adjustment situations
determining how resources should be allocated and how
such as their living arrangements, employment status,
service options should be organized. Comparing actual
social relationships, citizenship, and recreational/leisure
services delivered with the needs and preferences of
pursuits. This information is typically collected by
consumers can also serve to identify new programs,
surveying former secondary students one to five years
services, and supports that need development.
after they have left high school. While postschool
It is critical that the needs and interests of youth be
outcome data provide useful general indicators of the
evaluated prior to their departure from high school so that
effectiveness of special education and transition pro-
agencies and organizations have sufficient time to assure
grams, outcome information alone has limited value in
that adequate postschool services and supports are in
terms of improving transition services and supports. In
place. Systematic and routine evaluation of student needs
the absence of information regarding factors that may
will do much to prevent situations where youth experi-
have influenced outcomes (e.g. the characteristics of the
ence long waiting lists for services upon school departure
young people, their experiences prior to leaving school,
or situations where youth "fall through the cracks"
the characteristics of the school program, etc.), there is
because no adult agency is structured to meet a particular
little basis to guide system improvement efforts.
need. For example, an adult service organization that has
School data must be collected in conjunction with
been aware for several years that approximately
postschool outcome data to assess the overall efficacy of
twenty-five youth will need long-term supported employ-
transition policies and practices. School data pertain to
ment services at the conclusion of the school year will be
factors that are associated with the school program and
in a much better position to address this need than if such
transition experiences that are presumed to influence the
information was received one month before the students'
postschool outcomes of youth with disabilities. Informa-
graduation date.
3
Types of Information
disabilities were able to articulate future plans at the time
tion on school characteristics and experiences as well as
of their graduation in comparison to youth with disabili-
transition services and supports is essential. Prospective
ties, that might be an indication that youth with disabili-
(i.e. follow-along) and/or retrospective data collection
ties would benefit from more extensive counseling and
efforts are needed to accurately collect information on the
career planning to assist them in identifying postschool
school and postschool status and experiences of youth.
goals. In addition, monitoring the extent to which the
Prospective (i.e. follow-along) data collection efforts are
"gap" between the young adult outcomes of youth with
longitudinal in that they involve coilecling school data at
and without disabilities either widens or diminishes in
one point in time and postschool outcome data at another
subsequent years may provide a useful indicator of the
point in time. Retrospective data collection efforts
efficacy of transition policies and practices.
involve collecting school data through the examination of
It is also important to compare school and postschool
school or other records at the same time that postschool
data on youth with disabilities before and after new prac-
outcome data are collected. Determining the impact that
tices are introduced. For example, if a CTIC had initiated
school experiences have on postschool adjustment will
an effort to increase the participation of youth with dis-
never be understood unless school and postschool
abilities in postsecondary education and training pro-
information are routinely and systematically gathered.
grams, it would be critical to assess the levels of involve-
Interpreting information on the school and postschool
ment of youth with disabilities in postsecondary programs
experiences and status of youth with disabilities is a
before and after the approach was instituted. Such data
relative process. In order to draw conclusions from
are needed to assure that approaches to transition remain
information collected on youth with disabilities, similar
in a continual state of growth and improvement.
information must be available on youth from the general
Case studies provide an additional means by which to
population. For example, information indicating that 25%
obtain relevant information concerning the school and
of youth with disabilities have not held jobs or attended
postschool experiences of youth with disabilities.
postsecondary educational programs since departing high
Whereas the goal of data collection efforts on groups of
school is much more meaningful when the percentage of
youth with disabilities is to obtain information that is
former students in the general population who have not
representative of a certain population or sample of
held jobs or attended postsecondary educational programs
individuals, the goal of the case study is to obtain a rich,
is known.
holistic description of the experiences of one or a few
In comparing groups of youth with and without
individuals. In contrast to quantifiable, straightforward
disabilities it is important to consider the demographic
questions and responses that characterize survey data
factors that may influence discrepancies among the two
collection procedures (e.g. How many hours do you work
groups. De Stefano and Wagner (1992) cite data from the
each week?), the case study is less structured and more
National Longitudinal Transition Study (NLTS) which
personalized, providing a qualitative understanding of an
indicate that in comparison to the general population of
individual's experiences. In its best format, the case
youth, young people with disabilities are more likely to:
study requires that an observer maintain periodic contacts
be male (69% to 51%); be African American (24% to
with an individual over an extended period of time. The
12%); reside in urban areas (30% to 22%); be members of
benefit of case study information lies in the potential to
families where there is a single parent (37% to 26%); and
obtain a more detailed and personal understanding of the
live in families where the annual household income is less
transition experiences of youth with disabilities. Because
than $25,000.00 (30% to 22%) and the head of the
of the manner by which case study findings can compli-
household did not graduate from high school (41% to
ment aggregate data, the collection of both types of
22%). Demographic factors known to be associated with
information is especially useful for the purposes of
postschool educational attainment and employment ad-
program evaluation and improvement.
justment must be considered when attempting to under-
stand the challenges that face youth with disabilities and
Type 3: Information on Community Re-
when assessing the effectiveness of different approaches.
sources and Characteristics
It may be unwise to expect educational or other
intervention efforts to result in equivalent young adult
Youth, family members, professionals, and other
outcomes for youth with and without disabilities. How-
members of transition planning teams must be aware of
ever, understanding the differences in the characteristics,
the resources available in their communities in order to
school experiences, and postschool outcomes of these
effectively develop transition goals and plans for indi-
groups is essential to identifying areas where youth with
vidual students. It is imperative that each CTIC develop a
disabilities require special supports and services. For
resource directory that provides a description of the
example, if a far greater percentage of youth without
10