10 Ways Principals Can Support Post School Success for Students with IEPs

by Alicia Reinhard, Transition Consultant, WI DPI

Transition planning for students with IEPs begins at age 14 per Wisconsin State Statute 115.787 (2)(g)1. Completing a student’s individualized postsecondary transition plan (PTP) is just the beginning of how school staff support positive post school outcomes for students who receive special education services through an Individualized Education Program (IEP).

What does the Data Tell Us?

Fortunately, there is a wealth of transition related data that principals can easily locate and utilize to help understand current trends and needs relating to postsecondary transition of youth with IEPs. Indicator 14 helps describe the further education and competitive employment experiences of youth with IEPs as they transition from high school to adult life. Indicator 14 of the State Performance Plan (SPP) requires states report an unduplicated count of the:

“Percent of youth who are no longer in secondary school, had IEPs in effect at the time they left school, and were:

A. Enrolled in higher education within one year of leaving high school.
B. Enrolled in higher education or competitively employed within one year of leaving high school.
C. Enrolled in higher education or in some other postsecondary education or training; or competitively employed or in some other employment within one year of leaving high school”

The 2019 Wisconsin Indicator 14 Survey of 2017-2018 exiters had a 66% response rate of 4,508 former students one year after leaving high school. Of the 2019 respondents, 27% were engaged in postsecondary education, 43% were competitively employed and another 4% of respondents were engaged in other postsecondary education or training. These rates showed a decline in postsecondary education engagement but a slight increase in competitive employment of young adults with disabilities. In addition, 8% of respondents were not competitively employed and 18% of respondents did not meet engagement criteria. This equates to nearly 1100 former students who had not completed a term of postsecondary education or training or were not competitively employed.

Overall 82% of former students were engaged in a positive post school outcome as evidenced by the 2019 Indicator 14 survey. While this percentage is positive on many accounts, there is still work to be done to support positive transitions of students with IEPs from high school to adult life. The overall engagement rate of our students with IEPs is declining and less students are accessing postsecondary education. In addition, statewide WISE dash data tells us that students with IEPs are graduating at significantly lower rates than their peers and are twice as likely to drop out of school. Fortunately there are many evidenced based strategies school staff, including principals, can utilize to support positive post school outcomes for one of the most marginalized groups of students in our schools.

1. Encourage robust transition planning.

Transition planning begins at age 14 in Wisconsin and is completed at least annually through the Post Secondary Transition plan or the PTP. Transition planning is most effective when it begins early and includes robust conversations about postsecondary goals, supports, course of study and transition services. The Academic and Career Planning Process (ACP) and the College and Career Ready IEP (CCR IEP) process are great ways to support a robust transition plan for a student with an IEP. Principals and school staff can learn more about writing effective PTPs by visiting the Transition Improvement Grant’s (TIG) website and resources.

2. Become familiar with the predictors of post school success.

The National Technical Assistance Center on Transition has identified predictors of post school success for students with IEPs based on research. These predictors are reviewed and aligned to success in the areas of post school education, employment and independent living. The list includes 23 predictors of post school success and was most recently updated after a research review in 2019. The predictors that indicate success in the areas of education, employment and independent living include:

Inclusion
Paid employment/work experience
Parent expectations
Self-care, student support
Youth autonomy
Psychological empowerment
Self-realization.

Principals can support these predictors of success through conversations with school staff and families, encouraging student participation in IEP meetings, and reviewing curriculum and extracurricular options that students with IEPs may access.

3. Encourage collaboration between school staff and outside services/supports.

Collaboration is not only an integral part of the IEP process but it is also critical to the transition process. Collaboration among school staff can promote inclusive opportunities for students, provide supports to address disability-related needs and is a best practice for all students. The benefits of collaboration do not end at the school door. Collaborating with outside agencies such as the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR), Long Term Support, local employers, universities, service providers etc. can be integral in navigating a successful transition from school to adulthood. The Transition Action Guide/Interagency Agreement provides a framework for how collaboration can support the transition process and outlines for principals and other LEA representatives of IEP teams the various roles that key agencies should fill in an IEP team meeting during transition planning.

4. Engage students and families in the transition process.

Engaging students and families in the transition process is critical to post school success. Parent expectations and student autonomy are both research based predictors of success in education, employment and independent living. Engagement also goes beyond including these individuals in the IEP conversation regarding transition goals and services. It includes helping parents and students discover areas of interest, connect to services and supports and maintain high expectations. Principals can help students become more engaged in IEP meetings by encouraging families, students, and staff to utilize two tools that encourage parent and student engagement in the IEP process. These tools are the Self Directed CCR IEP Guide and the WiTransition Application.

5. Promote inclusive opportunities for students with IEPs.

One of the greatest predictors of post school success for students with IEPs is access to inclusive opportunities. Research has shown that inclusion in general education promotes greater enrollment in postsecondary education but also higher rates of employment and independent living. Students with IEPs should also be provided the options for inclusive opportunities that will support their transition from high school. This may include participation in Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways and apprenticeship programs or college preparation activities such as financial aid nights and campus tours. Principals can ensure teachers are aware of and utilize resources from the National Technical Assistance Center on Transition (NTACT) such as this NTACT resource that includes more details about providing inclusive opportunities with fidelity to students with IEPs.

6. Maintain high expectations for all students.

The expectations of all stakeholders in the transition process are crucial to a student reaching their maximum potential. High expectations need to be held by not only school staff but also parents and students. If these individuals expect a student to be engaged in positive post school outcome activities the individual is much more likely to succeed in these environments after high school. One way principals can encourage conversations that lead to high expectations is to ensure students, families, and educators have tools that allow them to share their hopes, dreams, and goals for their future. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction and the Transition Improvement Grant developed the WiTransition App as a resource to parents, students, and school staff to begin the conversation with a student about their post school goals.

7. Promote self advocacy skills.

Students who spend time developing self advocacy skills while in high school are more likely to be successful in post school environments. This is especially true for students with IEPs who must rely on self advocacy skills to access supports and services they may need to be successful as an adult. Principals can ensure educators are aware of and utilizing a suite of self advocacy tools for educators to utilize with students.

8. Utilize formal transition improvement tools.

One of the biggest ways principals can make a difference is their ability to impact an entire school’s system on how they plan and support transition for students with IEPs. The Transition Improvement Grant has developed research based tools to improve outcomes for students with IEPs that were designed at the systems level. The Transition Improvement Plan (TIP) focuses on the predictors of post school success from NTACT. The Graduation Rate Improvement Plan (GRIP) is based on resources from the National Dropout Prevention Center and What Works Clearing House. Visit TIG’s website to learn more and explore the resources/research associated with each tool to improve systems of transition planning and support in your school.

9. Establish representation on the local County Community of Transition (CCoT).

A County Community on Transition (CCOT) is a regional community that comes together (networks) regularly to identify issues, barriers, supports & solutions to assisting students with disabilities make a successful transition based on student postsecondary goals related to training or education, employment and independent living. The key to CCOT success is sharing successful transition resources,, establishing effective communication, and developing new relationships to develop a culture of collective responsibility. Principals can ensure their district has established representation on the local CCoT so schools can effectively engage in collaboration with key transition partners. Learn more about your local CCoT by visiting TIG’s website. In addition, school staff may be interested in attending TIG’s Employment/CCoT Summit on April 30, 2020 in Wisconsin Dells, WI.

10. Participate in the annual Indicator 14 survey.

Each district is required to participate in the Indicator 14 survey once every five years as part of DPI’s cyclical indicator data collection process. All districts with a secondary population, however, are invited to participate in the survey each year to gather data on the post school outcomes of their students. This data is a valuable resource to schools in improving practices to support transition for students with IEPs. In addition, any district participating in the survey is eligible to earn up to $1,000 for each student whose response to the Indicator 14 survey indicates that they met the specified postsecondary education/paid work outcome criteria as part of the Transition Incentive Grant program. Principals can connect with their district leadership and learn more about the Indicator 14 survey by visiting DPI’s webpage.