Supporting the NYS Exiting Credentials
for Transition-Aged Students
Letah Graff and Candy Tavernier, Transition Specialists
Capital District/North Country Regional Special Education
Technical Assistance and Support Center
www.tinyurl.com/transition123
Charles Miskovsky, Senior Coordinator of Transition
The Arc of Rensselaer County
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1. Skills and Achievement Commencement Credential
and
2. Career Development and Occupational Studies (CDOS)
Commencement Credential
• Become effective with 2013-2014 school
year
• No IEP diploma is available on or after
July 1, 2013
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NYSAA Students exit with a
SKILLS AND ACHIEVMENT COMMENCEMENT CREDENTIAL
Who Is Eligible To Take The
New York State Alternate Assessment?
Students who:
• Have severe cognitive disability…
and
• require highly specialized educational
program…
and
• require educational support systems…
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Definition
Students With Severe Disabilities
Students
HAS NOT CHANGED!!
– with limited cognitive abilities combined with behavioral and/or
physical limitations
– who require highly specialized education, social, psychological
and medical services in order to maximize their full potential for
self-fulfillment and meaningful participation in society.
– who may experience significant speech, language, and/or
perceptual-cognitive impairments
– who may have challenging behaviors that interfere with learning
and socialization opportunities
– may also have extremely fragile physiological conditions and
may require personal care, physical/verbal supports and
assistive technology devices.
Intellectually Disabled, Multiply Disabled, Autism, Traumatic Brain Injury, Deaf/Blind
What is the Purpose of the
SKILLS CREDENTIAL?
• Emphasize curriculum and instruction related to
CDOS Learning Standards
• Promote learning and work-based experiences to
support functional, basic academic and career skills
• Provide documentation of a student’s strengths,
independence and level of skill achievement
• Improve post-secondary outcomes for students with
disabilities
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What Is The Student Exit Summary for
Students Obtaining a Skills Credential?
A Document that must be completed before they exit
school that:
• Describes student’s strength and interests,
achievements and accomplishments
• Indicates student’s academic skills as measured by
NYSAA
• Indicates student’s level of achievement and
independence for CDOS Learning Standards
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NYS Career Development and Occupational
Studies (CDOS) Commencement Credential
• Certificate, not a diploma
• Recognition of student’s preparation for
entry-level employment
• Students must still be provided with
opportunities to earn a Regents or local
high school diploma
– Meaningful access to participate and
progress in the general curriculum
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NYS Career Development and Occupational Studies
(CDOS) Commencement Credential
• Supplement to a Local or Regents Diploma
(students with disabilities only)
OR
• Exiting credential
For a student with a disability who is unable to earn a
regular diploma and is not taught/assessed on
NYSAA
With exiting credential, parent must receive written notice that
the student is still eligible for a free appropriate public
education (FAPE) until he/she earns a Regents or local high
school diploma or until the end of the school year in which the
student turns age 21, whichever comes first
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NYS CDOS Credential – Option #1
Instruction, Coursework and Work-based Learning
Meaningful access to participate and progress in
general education curriculum
(opportunities to earn a HS diploma)
CDOS Learning Standards
Equivalent of 2 units of study in CTE and/or WBL
(at least 54 of the 216 hours must be WBL)
Documentation Requirements
Commencement Level Career Plan
Employability Profile
Documentation: The Career Plan
1. Student Developed
2. Annually reviewed, and as appropriate revised
3. Ensure active engagement in career exploration
Includes but not limited to:
Student-identified career interests
Career related strengths and needs
Career goals
Career and technical coursework and workbased learning experiences
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www.p12.nysed.gov/cte/careerplan
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CAREER ZONE
http://www.careerzone.ny.gov
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Developing the Career Plan
How can Agencies support schools to complete
the Career Plan?
–
–
–
–
–
Interest Inventories
Transition Assessments
Work Based Learning Assessments
Person Centered Transition Planning
OTHER IDEAS
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Job-site
Assessment
Name:
Assessment site and location:
Job title:
Site contact & title:
Assessment dates:
Total Hours:
Employment Specialist:
Rating Scale:
0. Cannot complete task
1. Needs hands on instruction to complete task
2. Needs verbal prompts throughout the task to complete
3. Needs verbal prompts, but performs independently once started
4. Performs accurately without coaching (meets employer standards)
Not observed
Job Task/Work Skill
Rating
Developed by
the Northeast
ARC
Collaborative
Special thanks to
Gretchen Lesson
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6. Attendance
7. Job Knowledge
8. Responsibility
9. Organization of Work Materials
10. Time Management
11. Quality of Work
12. Response to Supervision
13. Teamwork
14. Interpersonal Skills
15. Level of Independence
16 .Initiative
17. Flexibility
18. Stability
19. Work Ethic/Professionalism
20. Courtesy
Based on the results of this situational assessment:
1. Does the student wish to pursue employment in this area?
Yes
No
Unsure
2. Would you recommend that the student pursue this type of job?
Yes
No
a. If yes, what supportive services and/or accommodations would you recommend:
Job coaching
Skill training
Travel training
Work behavior training
Social skill training
Employer/co-worker training and support
Accommodations:
b. If no, identify the factors or issues that render this type of work inappropriate:
c. What additional supports or training could benefit:
Comments
Developing the Career Plan
Questions about the Career Plan
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CDOS Instruction and Skills
Career Development and
Occupational Studies
• Part of NY STATE Learning Standards
• Not just a special education initiative– for ALL students
• Should be integrated into instruction in ALL CLASSES
• 3 Levels (elementary, intermediate, commencement)
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CAREER
DEVELOPMENT
knowledge
CDOS
Standard 1
Self-knowledge
Who am I?
Career exploration
Where am I going?
Career Plan
How do I get there?
INTEGRATED
LEARNING
What am I learning?
Why am I learning it?
How can I use it?
application
UNIVERSAL
FOUNDATION SKILLS
(SCANS)
What do I need to know?
What skills are
CDOS
Standard 2
Questions
students
should be able
to answer
important for me?
skills
CDOS Standard 3A
CDOS learning standards
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http://www.p12.nysed.gov/cte/cdlearn/documents/cdoslea.pdf
1. Career Development: Commencement Level
STANDARD
Students will be
knowledgeable about the
world of work, explore
careers and relate personal
skills, aptitudes, and abilities
to future career decisions.
Performance Indicators
Complete Career Plan
to permit entry into
career of interest
This is evident when students
Develop resumes, letters
of application
Design a plan containing
steps to attain goal
Analyze job skills and
relate to your skills
Research a job
including job
requirements
2. Integrated Learning: Commencement Level
Performance Indicators
STANDARD
Students will demonstrate
how academic knowledge and
skills are applied in the
workplace and other settings.
Use academic
skills/knowledge in an
occupational context
Analyze skills and
Demonstrate
abilities required
application of skills in
in a career and
school learning, work
relate to own skills
and personal lives
and abilities
This is evident when students
Read job descriptions to
identify application of
academic and technical
skills and job outlook
Use effective skills in a
simulated job interview
Complete an internship
and do presentation on
skills required
Thinking Skills
Basic
Skills
Can Read
Can Write
Perform Math Functions
Listens Effectively
Speaks Clearly
Can Think Creatively
Uses Decision Making
Skills
Thinking Leads to
Problem Solving
Knows How to Learn
Applies Knowledge to
New Situations
Technology
Selects /Applies
Technology
Maintains
Equipment
Designs and Creates
To Meet Needs
Interpersonal Skills
Teaches Others
Serves Clients
Exercises Leadership
Negotiates/Communicates
Works as a Member of a Team
Works with Diversity
CDOS
Standard 3A
Universal Foundation Skills
Managing Resources
Managing
Information
Acquires
and Evaluates
Information
Organizes/Maintains Information
Interprets/Communicates Information
Uses Computers to Enter, Modify,
Retrieve and Store Data
Understands
how to use:
Materials
Facilities
Time
Money
Human Resources
Networking
Systems
Improves & Designs Systems
Monitors & Corrects Performances
Understands How Systems Perform
Related to Goals, Resources and
Organizational Function
Personal Qualities
Demonstrates:
Responsibility
Ability to Plan
Ability to Take Independent Action
Integrity/Honesty
Self-determination and ability to
self-evaluate knowledge, skills and
abilities
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Supporting CDOS Learning Standards
Look at the CDOS Learning Standards Examples
Brain Storm and Shout Out….
1. Take 60 seconds to brain storm your ideas
about how you can help students to meet
the CDOS Standards?
2. Turn to a colleague and combine your ideas.
3. Shout Out - What are your ideas and
off the wall thoughts about how you can
help students to meet the CDOS Standards?
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NYS Career Development and Occupational
Studies (CDOS) Commencement Credential
Student will successfully complete not less
than the equivalent of 2 units of study in:
– Career and technical education
course(s)
and/or
– Work-based learning experiences
 Minimum of 54 hours of documented, school supervised
WBLE
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Registered Work-Based Learning Programs
Career Exploration
Internship Program
(CEIP)
• School-business partnership initiative
• Non-paid, on-site, career exploration
experiences
• Elective credit
Cooperative CTE
Work Experience
Program (CO-OP)
• 150 to 600 hours paid or unpaid skill specific
experience,
• Supported by related in-school instruction in
specific CTE discipline & supervised by school
• Can award credit
General Education
Work Experience
Program(GEWEP)
• Career awareness program for students age 16
and above; 150 to 600 hours paid, schoolsupervised work experience
• Supported by related in-school instruction in
specific CTE discipline & provides elective
credit
Work Experience and
Career Exploration
* Paid experiences
Program
(WECEP)
• Similar in design and operation as the General
Education Work Experience Program, but for atrisk students age 14-15
• Provided by local district for elective credit
http://www.p12.nysed.gov/cte/wbl/home.html Memo June 2013 – Attachment 3
Other (Nonregistered) Work Based Learning Options
Community Based
Work Programs
Job Shadowing
Community
Service
• Observation of work environment
• Exposure to jobs and careers
• Participate in volunteer experiences to learn responsibility
• Learn about community and needs of others
Service Learning
Senior Projects
School-based
Enterprise
• Students with disabilities work in the community
• Helps students identify career interests, assess their skills
and training needs
• Develop employment skills and work habits
• Integrated classroom learning with service activities
• Real life application of academic knowledge to real life
community needs
• Research a topic or career interest in a specific career
pathway
• Guide the student in learning about the college preparation
and skills training needed to be successful in that pathway
• Business enterprise exists within the school to provide
services for students and/or staff
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CDOS Memo Attachment 3
CTE COURSEWORK
AND/OR
WBL
Minimum hours WBL
# hours CTE course
# additional WBL
The minimum equals
54
+
216
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The Employability Profile and
Work Based Learning
Situational
Assessment
WBL
Employer
Evaluations
Teacher and
Job Coach
Evaluations
Employability Profile
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Documentation Requirements:
Employability Profile Documents the Student’s
– Attainment of each of the CDOS standards
– Attainment of technical knowledge and work-related
skills
– Work experiences
– Performance on industry-based assessments and other
work-related academic achievements
Completed by designated staff and/or other individuals knowledgeable
about the student; must be maintained in the student’s permanent record
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Employability Profile
How can Agencies support schools to complete the Career Plan ?
Look at the employability Profile
Find 3 items that your program
could address.
Provide 2 reasons that you can do it
better than the school
Identify 1 person that you can follow
up with on this idea.
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RARC
CDOS Instruction and
WBL Activities – Agency Perspective











Classroom Instruction (CDOS)
Job Shadowing
Tours- Business and Community
Guest Speakers
Senior Projects
Career Fairs
Internships
Paid Employment
Summer Employment
World of Work Class
College Next
RARC
Post Secondary Ed
 College

Degree and Certificate Programs
 Trade
Schools
 Apprenticeships
 Identified
group of students earning diplomas
 Under represented in post secondary education
 Connected with local colleges/Trade SchoolsImprove retention
 Imagining College or Continuing Ed as an option
 Families not familiar with college entry process
 Can I afford it?
RARC
College Next- Today
50 Students a Year Entering College
 Campus
Tours
 Attend a College Class
 Disability Resource Center- Apply, Visit and
Practice
 College Applications Assistance
 Financial Aid- visit, revisit and revisit again
 College Sponsored workshops at High Schools
 Student Guest Speaker
RARC
ACCEPTED!!! (but more to do…)
Placement Test
Class
Schedules
More Tours
Practice Using Assisted Technology
Letters of Accommodations
OPTION #1
C
D
O
S
Access to General Education Curriculum
CDOS Instruction
Active
engagement
CTE coursework and/or
Career
Development
Accommodation
2 credits (216 hrs.) WBLE
Instructional
Materials
Specially
Designed
Instruction
How curriculum
is taught
Instructional
Environment
Integrated
Learning
Universal
Foundations
Skills
Career Majors
taught by CTE
certified teacher
Registered
Programs (require
WBL coordinator
extension)
This option must also
include a minimum of
54 hrs. WBL
Grades 9-12
Locally approved or
State approved
Other Options for
students with
disabilities
Student’s Career Plan
Employability
Profile
OPTION #2
National
Employability
Skills Credentials
Skills USA
NWRC
WorkKeys
(ACT)
Workforce
Skills
Certificate
C
R
E
D
E
N
T
I
A
L