V. Scott Solberg, PhD
School of Education
Boston University
National Collaborative on Workforce & Disability for Youth

Why ILPs (ICAPs)?

Perspective on Transitions and CCR

What are ILPs?

Evidence

Comparing ILPs and IEPs

Promising Impact Indicators and Implementation
Practices
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Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL)’s Center for
Workforce Development

National Collaborative on Workforce & Disability for Youth, a
national technical assistance center

Focus on needs of ALL youth, including youth with disabilities
and other disconnected youth
◦ Improve state and local policy
◦ Strengthen workforce development service delivery
◦ Improve competencies of youth service professionals
◦ Engage youth and families

Supported by Office of Disability
Employment Policy, U.S. Department of Labor
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It makes good economic sense (cents)
4
•
Nationally, there are over 6.7 million out of
school non-working youth between the ages
of 16 and 24
•
Collectively reduce the tax base across their
lifetimes by $1.56 trillion while
•
Adding an estimated $4.75 trillion in social
costs.
Belfield, C. R., Levin, H. M. & Rosen, R. (2012). The economic value of opportunity
youth. Civic Enterprises. Retrieved from:
http://www.civicenterprises.net/MediaLibrary/Docs/econ_value_opportunity_youth.
pdf.
High school graduates who fail to complete a
post-secondary training or degree program are
likely to have nearly identical financial and
occupational outcomes as high school dropouts
Neild,
R. C. & Boccanfuso, C. (2010). Using State unemployment insurance to
track student post-secondary outcomes. NASSP Bulletin, 94, 253-273.
“Between 2010-2040, the number of senior residents
in Wisconsin will nearly double, increasing from
777,000 to 1,544,000.
Over the same time, our working age population will
grow from 3,570,000 to 3,585,000, an increase of
0.4%.”
Working age population increase:
Retirement age adults increase:
15,000
767,000
In comparison to high school dropouts,
 Each H.S. graduate contributes an additional $145,000
to state and local tax base across their lifetime while

Each four-year college graduate contributes over
$330,000.
McLaughlin et al. (2007). State and local fiscal consequences of high school
dropout problems in Massachusetts. Center for Labor Market Studies
Publications. Paper 6.
8
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What is the cost to state and local economies when
our youth with disabilities are not provided with the
secondary and post-secondary learning opportunities
needed to enter the workforce?
We know that only xx% participate in the workforce
and xx% are unemployed
These represent lost opportunities for the individual
and our community.
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
International Classification of Functioning (WHO)
◦ Optimal development for youth with and without
disabilities:
 Extent to which the context (schools, after-school, family,
community resources) provides the learning
opportunities and accommodations necessary to
maximize functioning (Accommodations, RtI, Resiliency,
SEL, Self Determination, etc.)

Initial CCR = Academic skills – SAT/ACT test scores
(Achieve, 2008)

Secret: Career readiness drives college readiness
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Guideposts for Success (NCWD-Y)


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School-based Preparatory Experiences
Career Preparation & Work-Based Learning
Youth Development & Leadership Opportunities
Connecting Activities
Family Involvement & Engagement
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
States use different names – Student Success Plan in CT,
Individual Career & Academic Plan in CO, many more
37 states and DC require or encourage ILPs
ILPs typically begin in middle school
Purposes:
◦ To personalize learning
◦ To develop college and career readiness
◦ To prepare early to meet graduation requirements
Long history of individualized plans in Special Education
Not the same as an Individualized Education Program (IEP)
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
A document consisting of:
(a) course taking and post-secondary
plans aligned to career goals; and
(b) documentation of the range of
college and career readiness skills
that the student has developed.

A process that enhances the relevance of school and outof-school learning opportunities, and provides the student
access to career development opportunities that involve
building skills in self exploration, career exploration, and
career planning and management.
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
Develops Competency Skills Related to:
◦ Self Exploration - Exploring their personal interests, skills,
values to better understand themselves
◦ Career Exploration - Learning about various career options
using online career information AND hands-on activities
(meeting employers, job shadowing, career mentors, work
experiences, etc.)
◦ Career Planning & Management - Defining own goals &
plans for pursuing careers, postsecondary ed, & other life
goals; Developing career & college readiness skills; Making
informed decisions about secondary courses, in & out-ofschool activities and postsecondary ed
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Evidence Indicators of Becoming Career Ready
 Identify one or more careers of interest
 Clearly describe plans to pursue the careers of interest
 Connect career plans to personal interests, skills &
values
 Identify how current courses relate to career plan
 Articulate skill & entry requirements for careers
 Engage in additional learning opportunities
 Describe their needed skills & future development plan
Solberg et al., (2013).
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 Higher academic self-efficacy
 More career decision-making readiness
 Lower psychological/emotional distress
 Lower academic stress
 Stronger motivation to attend school
More Promising Evidence
Findings from National Research Study
Engaging in
Quality
ILPs
Increases
Goal
Setting
Increases
Motivation
Increases
Academic
SelfEfficacy
Improves GPA,
Career
DecisionMaking
Readiness;
Lowers
Distress
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
Not replicated for youth with disabilities

?
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
ILPs are not required by federal law. They are required by state
law or executive edict.

ILPs do not replace IEPs.

Students work on their ILPs more regularly and own the ILP
portfolio

ILPs should inform the IEP/Transition Planning process
◦ Kentucky, the state legislative code specifically states that
transition services must be aligned with the student’s ILP
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
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Breaks down silos between special education and school
counseling
Increased engagement of general educators in transition
readiness activities
Annual student-led parent-teacher conferences using
ILPs results in strong student self-advocacy
Officials perceive it has increased students with
disabilities graduating with a general education diploma
Increased access to transition assessments
Access to ePortfolio/Career Info System makes career &
education plans portable, accessible outside school
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
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Engage students in activities involving Self-exploration, Career
exploration, and Career planning & management
Use online career info systems/ E-Portfolios to make activities
& plans easy to access anywhere, anytime (ensure Section
508 complaint)
Make career development activities part of regular school day
- advisory periods, integrate into weekly class
Assign each student a mentor/advisor – same teacher or
counselor from grade to grade who supports career dev.
Adopt student-led parent-teacher conferences & IEP meetings
Engage employers & community partners – work experiences,
guest speakers, job shadowing, career mentors, career
projects
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“Promoting Quality Individualized Learning Plans:
A How to Guide Focused on the High School Years”
www.ncwd-youth.info/ilp/how-to-guide



Includes:
Lessons, activities & resources to support implementation of ILPs
Strategies for gaining whole school buy-in
Strategies for developing and monitoring ILP implementation
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Sample Lessons, Activities & Tools in the Online ILP How-to Guide
address:
• Job Search Skills
• Youth Development and Leadership
• Career and Work-Readiness Skills
• Work-Based Learning
• Financial Literacy
Access the guide online: http://www.ncwd-youth.info/ilp/how-toguide/section-1/career-planning-and-management/job-search-skills
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Engaging Youth in Work Experiences: An Innovative Strategies
Practice Brief: http://www.ncwd-youth.info/innovativestrategies/practice-briefs/engaging-youth-in-work-experiences
◦ Features strategies from 10 successful programs nationwide
Work-based Learning Jumpstart: http://www.ncwdyouth.info/work-based-learning
Ch. 3 in High School High Tech Program Guide:
http://www.ncwd-youth.info/hsht/program-guide
Guide to Internships for Students with Disabilities: http://ncldyouth.info/Downloads/intern-guide-final.pdf
Strategies for Youth Workforce Programs to Become EmployerFriendly Intermediaries, http://www.ncwdyouth.info/information-brief-12
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Briefs:
 Understanding the New Vision for Career Development: The Role
of Family, http://www.ncwd-youth.info/node/1463
 Helping Youth Develop Soft Skills for Job Success: Tips for Parents
and Families, http://www.ncwd-youth.info/information-brief-28
 Helping Youth Build Work Skills for Job Success: Tips for Parents
and Families, http://www.ncwd-youth.info/information-brief-34
 Tapping into the Power of Families: How Families of Youth with
Disabilities Can assist in Job Search & Retention,
http://www.ncwd-youth.info/infobrief/tapping-into-the-power-offamilies
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Using Career Interest Inventories, http://www.ncwdyouth.info/innovative-strategies/practice-briefs/using-careerinterest-inventories-to-inform-career-planning
 Career Exploration in Action, http://www.ncwdyouth.info/innovative-strategies/practice-briefs/careerexploration-in-action
 Skills to Pay the Bills: Mastering Soft Skills for Workplace
Success, http://www.dol.gov/odep/topics/youth/softskills/
 411 on Disability Disclosure: A Workbook for Youth:
http://www.ncwd-youth.info/411-on-disability-disclosure

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 ILP Fact Sheet: http://www.ncwd-youth.info/factsheet/individualized-learning-plan
 Policy Brief: “Using Individualized Learning Plans to
Produce College and Career Ready High School
Graduates” http://www.ncwd-youth.info/ilp/producecollege-and-career-ready-high-school-graduates
 ILP Resources Home Page: www.ncwd-youth.info/ilp
 Kick Start Your ILP (for Youth):
http://www.dol.gov/odep/ilp/kickstart.htm
 ILP Info Comic (for Youth):
http://www.dol.gov/odep/topics/youth/ShellySaves.htm
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V. Scott Solberg
ssolberg@bu.edu
Mindy Larson
Ph. 202.822.8405 Ext. 169
LarsonM@iel.org
NCWD/Youth: www.ncwd-youth.info
Funded by ODEP, U.S. DOL: www.dol.gov/odep
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