A National Leadership Summit on Improving Results for

A National Leadership Summit on Improving Results for Youth Policy and Practice Implications for Secondary and Postsecondary Education and Employment for Youth With Disabilities September 18 and 19, 2003 Washington, DC

Using Postschool Data for Program Improvement Cinda Johnson, Ed. D. Center for Change in Transition Services University of Washington Seattle, Washington

Measures of Success for Special Education n Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) Drop-out rates Postschool Outcomes q q Postsecondary attendance Employment Engagement in one or both Agency Connection

Special Education Goals, Objectives and Performance Indicators n n n Increase the rate of postsecondary enrollment Increase the rate of employment Increase the rate of linkages with adult service agencies (OSPI, 2000)

History n n Postschool data collected by University of Washington (Edgar, et al. ) UW Systems Change Project Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction contracts with UW (1998 -present) Part of Local Educational Agency application

The IEP and Postschool Outcomes Washington State Postschool outcome data is connected to the anticipated outcome on the Individualized Education Program (IEP) n Postsecondary training as a goal n Employment as a goal n Agency connection as a goal

Research n n n How can we collect and disseminate postschool data to facilitate use for program improvement? How do schools use data for program improvement? How does the state use data for program improvement?

Use of Data for Improvement at the State Level n n n State Improvement Grant, Goal 2, Improve the postschool outcomes for youth in special education. State team with agency personnel examining data. Agencies outside of OSPI using data for strategic planning (DVR). County community councils. Training and technical assistance.

Support of Data Collection n n Tied to Biannual Report LEA applications State Improvement Grant State Needs Project at UW q q n LEAs collect data UW enters, analyzes, and reports Report back to stakeholder, constituents, local, state, and federal level.

Lessons Learned, and learned… n n n Buy in from districts is difficult. Entering data is time consuming, expensive and tedious. Last minute data collection is difficult. Start early spring prior to IEP archiving. Involve students.

Lessons Learned, and learned… n n n Share the data with other agencies. Value the support of the OSPI. Buy in from districts can be developed. Involve teachers and staff. Caller ID is not our friend

Contact Information http: //depts. washington. edu/ccts Cinda Johnson, Ed. D Center for Change in Transition Services Box 357925 University of Washington Seattle, Washington 98195 cindajoh@u. washington. edu 206 -543 -4011