MiConnections High School/High Tech for Michigan’s Youth MiConnections is funded under a grant/contract supported by the Office of Disability Employment.

MiConnectionsHigh School/High Tech for Michigan’s Youth

MiConnections is funded under a grant/contract supported by the Office of Disability Employment Policy of the U. S. Department of Labor, grant/contract #E-9-4-3-0069

MiConnections = Good Transition

Michigan CEC Conference

March 3, 2005Grand Plaza Hotel

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Presenters:Marcie Alling

Shannon Berkin

Ronald Irvine

High School/High Tech

• An enrichment program for youth • A year round program serving youth between

14 – 22 who have disabilities • Built upon at least 2 years of a youth

participating • Many activities are after school and on

Saturdays • Focus is on careers in technical occupations

Why MiConnections?

Youth with disabilities have• Poor education and bleak prospects for work• Higher dropout rates than the general

population• Low rates of college enrollment• 70% of youth with disabilities remain

unemployed two years after they’ve graduated

Postsecondary Transition Concerns

US General Accounting Office report:

“Federal Actions Can Assist States in Improving Postsecondary Outcomes for Youth”

Congress asked GAO about:

1. Proportion of IDEA students completing high school with a diploma or alternative credentials & their postsecondary status

2. Transition problems being reported & state & local actions to address them

3. Types of transition services provided by VR, WIA and Ticket to Work & Self-Sufficiency programs, & factors affecting participation of IDEA youth.

GAO Found

Of all IDEA youth leaving high school during 2000-01, 57 % received a standard diploma

An additional 11% received an alternative credential.

High school completion patterns remained stable

GAO Found

Youth with disabilities have difficulty developing necessary attitudes & skills to prepare for post-school lives

Suggests: Youth who obtain self-determination skills are more likely to achieve positive education & employment outcomes.

01020304050607080

General Education and Special Education Exit Status Fall 2002 to Spring 2003 Students Ages 14 to 22+

CEPI Database Fall 2002, Spring 2003, End-of-Year 2003 Michigan Department of Management and Budget

Died Maximum Age

Certificate Dropped Out

Graduation

0.140.49 01.05 0

10.66

26.4832.64

73.39

55.15

Special Education General Education

MiConnectionsPurpose

MiConnections is an enrichment project

that links youth with disabilities to opportunities to explore jobs

and careers in technology-related fields

State and Local Goals

• To ensure youth with disabilities are exposed to careers in high demand & in high tech industries

• To use the HS/HT design to provide both in-school & extracurricular opportunities for youth with disabilities

• To improve education, training & employment outcomes for youth with disabilities

What Is a Technology-Related Career?

Engineer Medical Assistant or

Technician Office Assistant Telecommunications

Line Installer Automotive Technician Construction Worker Pharmacy Technician Food Inspector

Registered Nurse Graphic Artist Chemical Process

Technician Electrician Accountant Lighting Technician Computer Systems

Analyst Laboratory Technician

“Technology” as defined for the purpose of High School/High Tech

“The tangible objects of the human designed world and the systems of which these objects are a part, as well as the people, infrastructure, and processes required to design, manufacture, operate, and repair the objects.”

(Adapted from the Committee on Technological Literacy, Technically Speaking, 2002)

HS/HT Design Features

4 Categories based on research of proven effective practices:

• Preparatory Experiences• Connecting Activities • Work-Based Experiences • Leadership Development

Design Feature IPreparatory Experiences

Activities & servicesto get ready

1) Career Assessment 2) Opportunity

Awareness• Guest Speakers• Informational Interviews

Design Feature II Connecting Activities

Activities to establish supports &strengthenpartnerships• Academic Tutoring• Mentoring Support • Assistive Technology• Transportation

•Workforce Preparation

•Post Secondary Education

Design Feature III Work-Based Experiences

On-the-Job Experiences

• Site Visits and Tours• Job Shadowing• Internships - paid and

unpaid • Entrepreneurship

Education

Design Feature IVLeadership Development

Activities to assistyouth to becomeself-sufficient &productivemembers of society

• Personal Growth• Adult Role Models & Mentors • Leadership Opportunities

Benefits

• Improve outcomes for youth with disabilities• Align resources in a community, utilizing existing

programs to their potential• Develop a solid planning process for youth• Increase individual ability to earn a living wage• Increase individual capacity for economic self-

sufficiency

Aligning Community Resources:Conducting an Environmental Scan

Designed around HS/HT four design features

Identifies who/what/when/where/how of activities/services to local youth

Offers picture of gaps/needs in order to develop strategic plan

Kent County MiConnections

Kent County MiConnections

Kent County MiConnections

What we are doing? Improving outcomes through increasing research-based activities– Areas of Focus: Youth Leadership, Mentoring,

EntrepreneurshipHow are we doing it?

– Creating Supportive NetworksCommon theme throughout schoolsLack of safety net is affecting outcomes

Kent County MiConnections

– Who do you turn to when the bottom falls out?Most of us have developed a group of

friends and relatives that we can turn to Is this the case with our students?Where do they turn?

– In Kent County, we see this as the critical first step, if we are going to impact outcomes.

– If this is affecting outcomes for graduates, what about the dropouts?

Kent County MiConnections

Interviews with students that had dropped out of school shows that– Most kids thought about dropping out before 8th

grade– Less that 5% reported talking to someone at schools

about their thoughts– Of students that participate in at least one

extracurricular activity, 70-75% graduate.– Of students that participate in no extracurricular

activities, 15% graduate.(Larry Kotering, Appalachian State University)

Kent County MiConnections

Three levels of Supportive Networks being developed

1. Local Sites

2. Individualized Networks for each student

3. Countywide Network

Kent County MiConnections

1. Local Sites Identify at least one staff person in each

school Begin with at least five students that are

– Fired up to create, plan, and do activities that they are interested in

– Willing to do the planning

Kent County MiConnections

Local Sites (cont….)Funding available for activitiesNetwork expands as youth

– Invite their buddies– Venture into the community and do

more activitiesStories

Kent County MiConnections

2. Individualized support networks through pre-IEP Student Planning Process

Based on research-based group planning process– Strategic Planning

Consider at all potential influences Systems approach Build on strengths to minimize

barriers (red flags)

Kent County MiConnections

2. Individualized support networks through pre-IEP Student Planning Process (cont….)

– Strength / Asset Based Planning– Appreciative Inquiry and Dialogue

Principles– Person-centered planning– Wraparound Services Model

Kent County MiConnections

3. Countywide MiConnections Network 22 developing sites Youth, adults, community partners Learning community is being created for

– Dissemination of effective practices– Sharing resources and information– Collaboration

We have so many effective practices across the county. But how do they improve outcomes across the whole county???

Kent County MiConnections

Future Direction: Countywide Micro-Enterprise Network Our Goal: Mentoring for all youth

– Kent County Mentoring Collaborative– Community Partners

Summer Youth Leadership Forum– In conjunction with MI Youth Leadership

Forum and community partners Focused outreach to at-risk youth

MiConnectionsYouth Profile

Is between the ages of 14 & 22 at enrollment Has a disability Has an interest in exploring technology-related

jobs or careers Has the potential to pursue employment and/or

postsecondary education or training Is serious about learning & working hard; agrees

to participate to best of his/her ability Is able to obtain work identification

MiConnectionsWhere Do the Youth Come From?

Special Education settings General Education settings Alternative Education settings Private schools Charter schools Home schooling Training settings Not in school (graduated, dropouts, homeless) Adjudication

MiConnectionsState Level & Local Level

• Identify shared goals across organizations• Maximize resources• Address systems barriers• Disseminate quality practices• Demonstrate impact • Implement sustainable policies & practices

MiConnections Is…

A set of activities with a specific focus

(i. e. technology)A frameworkA tool

MiConnectionsLocal Affiliate Sites

Prototypes Incubators

… for promising & effective practices

MiConnectionsAs a Tool

To bring together a community around youth & develop a community vision

To develop a common languageTo do strategic planning for youth,

including youth with disabilitiesTo strengthen linkages

MiConnectionsAs a Tool Cont’d.

For engaging youth more effectively & consistently

For tying together EDP, IEP & Transition Plan into a coordinated, comprehensive, meaningful student-centered road map

MiConnectionsAs a Tool Cont’d.

For planning & developing transition services on a programmatic & individual student level

To actualize the Taxonomy for Transition Programming

MiConnectionsAs a Tool Cont’d.

To address continuous improvement strategies

or, in other words, To actualize TOP (Transition Outcomes

Project)

To impact systems through design/enhancement/change

Affiliated Sites

Ingham CountyKent CountyBay/Arenac/Midland/Saginaw Counties

Consortium

Requirements for Local Affiliation:

Local Steering Group (may use existing group) Environmental/Community Resource Scan HS/HT 4 Design Features MI Vision, Purpose, Framework Local Affiliate Form Standardized Forms Standardized Data Collection & Reporting

MiConnections Offers:

Technical Support & Assistance Information, Resources, Contacts

(local, statewide, national) Small Pool of Funds for Initial Site

Development Activities Toolkits & Website & Listserv E-Mentoring Program Statewide Networking

Available Resources

Starter Kit disk

Transition Explorer resource disk

Website & Toolkit & Listserv—coming soon

E-Mentoring Program

MiConnectionsPartners

Michigan Rehabilitation Services (MRS) – fiscal agent Michigan Commission for the Blind (MCB) MI Dept of Education/Office of Special Ed. & Early

Intervention Services--------------------------------------------- Michigan Works! Association (MWA) MI Statewide Independent Living Council (SILC) MI Rehabilitation Council (MRC) MI Commission on Disability Concerns (MCDC) MI Disability Rights Coalition (MDRC)

MiConnections Contacts

Marcie Alling 517-335-0390

- [email protected]

Lynn Boza 517-241-3957

- [email protected]

Shannon Berkin 269-337-3449- [email protected]

Other Resources

• Toll Free Help Line (877) 871-4748• National program manual• Monthly program bulletin• Information briefs• Website www.highschoolhightech.net• Job Accommodation Network (JAN)

(800) 526-7234 www.jan.wvu.edu • Employer Assistance Referral Network (EARN)

(866) EarnNow www.earnworks.com