State Performance Plan 2005-2012 - Part B - Arkansas Department Of Education (Page 179 of 277) in pdf

State Performance Plan 2005-2012 - Part B - Arkansas Department Of Education Page 179

Arkansas Department of Education Special Education Unit

Part B State Performance Plan

o Item #5: Student involvement in identification of strengths, needs, and preferences within the

transition assessment process

• TAKE OFF! (Transition Activities Keeping Effective Options First and Foremost). This training is

offered to teachers on how to create and execute an exit portfolio for students with disabilities in

their senior year. TAKE OFF! is a set of activities designed to help teachers compile information to

create a successful graduation packet. The portfolio training focuses on

o how students can assist in writing their Summary of Performance (SOP)

o storing all agency contacts and correspondence in a portfolio

o maintaining student testing data relative to qualifying assessments for enrollment in post-

secondary schools

o activities to engage parents in the transition process

Districts have the opportunity to purchase student, parent and teacher manuals for TAKE OFF!

implementation.

• Arkansas Transition Summit, February 6-7, 2008. The third annual transition summit will provide

existing teams and new teams an opportunity to come together to focus on student focused planning

and interagency collaboration, in an effort to improve post-school outcomes for youth with IEPs.

National speakers with expertise in these areas will present general sessions and breakout sessions.

Arkansas teachers and agency personnel will also present successful programs in an effort to get

other teachers to replicate them in their schools. Each team will have four separate planning sessions

in which to assess their needs, set goals and develop an action plan to achieve those goals. Local

team meetings will continue to be encouraged so teams continue making progress on their plans. It is

anticipated that over 200 participants will be in attendance

• The Fourth Annual Arkansas Transition Summit is set for October 1-2, 2009. The focus will be

Family Involvement and Self-Determination. Previously identified teams will participate and

continue work on current plans, as well as attend presentations by local and national presenters to

revise and improve plans. Information on all the indicators will be discussed and plans will be

developed by districts to improve outcomes for those indicators. Approximately 200 will attend.

• College Bound 2008 will be held June 18-20, 2008 at UCA in Conway, AR.

• Implementing a plan to work with the Division on Aging and Adult Services (DAAS) to produce a

program to be shown on AETN in the spring of 2009 which will explain more of the transition

process including SSI, SSDI, applying for PASS plans, etc. This program will use easy to understand

language with a focus on parents and students in an effort to increase their knowledge and

understanding of what is available to them.

• Participation from various consultants on CASSP teams around the state.

• Plan and conduct Transition orientation nights for parents for each education cooperative area.

• Plan and conduct Transition fairs for students and families to learn about area agencies and services

they provide.

• Sponsor Transition youth conferences throughout the State. Two youth conferences will be held in

2008, one in Southwest Arkansas and another in Southeast Arkansas in February targeting junior and

senior high students with disabilities.

• Submit proposals for presentations on Transition activities at the state and national level.

• Attendance at the Secondary Transition State Planning Institute. Members of Arkansas Transition

Services will attend this annual meeting in May 2008 to continue work on a state plan to improve

indicator outcomes. The group will convene again in May 2009.

• Newsletters. Each Transition Consultant provides a monthly newsletter to teachers, supervisors and

others in his service area with a focus on transition related issues and highlights of successful

programs.

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State Performance Plan 2005-2012 - Part B - Arkansas Department Of Education Page 179

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