2. What is district/department policy regarding programming for special education students aged 18-21, primarily LD/ED students? Does the MPSD have a need for additional transition programs to help LD/ED students transition into post-secondary options?
3. Engineers or Custodians?A summary… NCLB requires transition goals for exceptional students starting at the age of 14 Focus to improve post-school outcomes for disabled individuals Transition primarily focused on improving independent living and employability skills Little regard for college access and enrollment Students classified at EBD have more substantial needs compared to those classified as LD Many students struggle to transfer skills from the classroom to real world situations…community based instruction helps them do this! Transition is a team effort (families, student, teachers, community agencies and supports)
4. What do the numbers say? National Longitudinal Transition Study-A Glimpse 47% of students w/disabilities intended on enrolling in a 2 or 4 year college/university 69% of students w/disabilities took only gen. ed. classes in their final two years of high school
5. Study… 12 Special Education Teachers CD/LD/EBD 7 Respondants 57.1% somewhat agreed that current transition programs met the needs of their students HOWEVER… 57.1% somewhat disagreed that these programs provide their students with the skills to find and maintain gainful employment after graduation 57% of teachers felt that students with disabilities did not have equal access to opportunities that would help them develop the skills to participate in post-secondary
6. Recommendations We need to recreate what transition looks like for our LD/EBD students RELEVANT Alternative Learning Environments Increase supports for college bound special needs students
