V. Scott Solberg, PhD (@vsolberg; ssolberg@bu.edu)
School of Education, Boston University
National Collaborative on Workforce & Disability for Youth
2
3

Introduce the Nature and Promise of ICAPs

Use multiple sources of evidence to delineate state,
district and state implementation recommendations
4
School preparing my child
for post high school
transi ons
70%
83%
Child Taking Leadership
Role in ILPs
32%
60%
With IEPS
Child Involved in ILP
79%
88%
Family Helping With ILP
88%
90%
0%
Without IEPS
20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Altarum (2011). Parent and educator perspec ves on ILPs: Final recommenda ons
From a four state report. Report available from Altarum.
5
School preparing my child
for post high school
transi ons
70%
83%
Child Taking Leadership
Role in ILPs
32%
60%
With IEPS
Child Involved in ILP
79%
88%
Family Helping With ILP
88%
90%
0%
Without IEPS
20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Altarum (2011). Parent and educator perspec ves on ILPs: Final recommenda ons
From a four state report. Report available from Altarum.
6
Create a personalized learning environment in which
youth:

Create stronger relational connections with their
family, teachers, and peers;

Choose a more rigorous course schedule; and

Engage in a wide range of career exploration and workbased learning activities.
7
“When we do sit down, we talk about her
career goals and we’ll talk about her grades
now and we also talk about alternate
(careers)… There are other avenues she can
think of, like a vet assistant.”
Reported on more than one occassion:
“Because of the [ICAP], I have a better
relationship with my mother.”
8
“I love it. For my students, it has been their
roadmap. It gets them focused and maps out
what they need to take in order to prepare for
careers and college.”
“The kids that we get have never been spoken to
about college even being an option, or guided as
to how they get through it. So when they dive
into that, all of a sudden, it’s kind of ‘Oh, I can do
that? Really?’ The whole concept of their future
changes.”
9
[ICAPs] are the game changer
in education and the glue that
ties together all of the other
initiatives
10
1.00 Statement of Basis and Purpose
•
Pursuant to SB 09-256, the State Board of Education is required to
promulgate rules to establish standards for Individual Career and
Academic Plans (“ICAP”) for students enrolled in public schools in
the state. The intent of this provision in the legislation is to ultimately
decrease dropout rates and increase graduation rates by assisting
students in developing and maintaining a personalized postsecondary
plan that ensures readiness for postsecondary and workforce success.
•
An ICAP shall be designed to assist a student and his or her parent or
legal guardian in exploring the postsecondary career and educational
opportunities available to the student, aligning course work and
curriculum, applying to postsecondary education institutions, securing
financial aid and ultimately entering the workforce.
11
12
13
14
From the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
15
16
All youth need access to a caring and
supportive adult who maintains the
highest expectations for their potential.
17
18
19
20
ICAPs enable youth and their families to build
the self-exploration, career exploration, and
career planning and management skills
needed to navigate between their interests,
skills and values and the plethora of world of
work opportunities.
21
22
Disabili es
Without Disabili es
Becoming Career
Ready
40%
Not Becoming
Career Ready
60%
40%
60%
23
100%
100%
High Income District
95%
90%
74%
80%
70%
60%
69%
50%
54%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Students in
grad cohort
2006
Graduate
within 5 years
Enrolled in
college
(Immediate
Fall)
Persistently Obtain a degree
enrolled in
within 6 years
college
24
Youth Who are Becoming Career Ready Can:
 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
 Exercise these skills throughout life – Ready to engage
in lifelong career planning & management
25
“We get to learn about some of the students
better and learned about their hobbies. I got
one girl that loves plants and wants to learn all
about plants. I didn’t have any idea that’s what
she wanted to do. I got one that wants to travel
to Australia and I didn’t know that, so I’ve
learned things about students personally and
that’s one thing I like about the ILP.
26
“We are now talking in 8th and 9th grade
meetings about Transition Plans and [ICAPs]
in a more organized fashion.”
“[Schools] develop a 6th–12th [grade] system
of advisement for all students through
systematic, comprehensive, and
developmental advisement.”
27
ICAPs are implemented most effectively
when there is whole-school buy-in and thus
small groups of students are assigned to an
educator who meets with them on ICAPs
about two times per week
28
[ICAP] “definitely gave them a sense … that they
had set goals around this. It wasn’t, you know, ‘oh,
here it is, the first grade check and I’m getting a C,
oh, that’s okay.’ It was, ‘I had written a goal that I
was going to get an A-minus or better and I’m not
there and I’m the one that did this, I’m the one that
said this.’ The ownership and responsibility piece I
think is greater for my girls because they lead this
conference, they tell me what they’re going to do,
[and] I listen, basically.”
29
32
33
Quality Indicator 1: Self-Awareness
Definition: An understanding of how one’s unique
interests, talents, and aspirations play a role in
decision-making and interpersonal relationships.
Individual thoughts and feelings that get students
excited about life and learning, and the ability to
articulate passions and dreams; including
recognizing challenges and potential barriers to
attaining goals, and how healthy lifestyles
contribute to personal and professional success.
34
Quality Indicator 2: Career Awareness
Definition:
An understanding of the difference between jobs,
occupations, and careers and the impact this might
have on one’s career satisfaction. Ability to articulate
the implications of a wide range of local regional,
national, and global career pathways and
opportunities, while giving consideration to economic,
cultural influences, and the impact of stereotypes on
career choice.
35
Quality Indicator 3: Postsecondary
Aspirations
Definition:
Participation in career exploration activities
centered on students’ passions, interests,
dreams, visions of their future-self, and
perceived options.
36
Quality Indicator 4: Postsecondary Options
Definition:
The knowledge and application of a variety of
postsecondary and career opportunities and
advancements available by using tools such as
career clusters, personality assessments and
learning style inventories highlighting individual
strengths and capabilities.
37
Quality Indicator 5: Environmental
Expectations
Definition:
An ecological system in which school,
family, community, culture, and worldview
influence the students’ career development
and post-secondary plans.
38
Quality Indicator 6: Academic Planning
Definition:
The skills and knowledge necessary to map
out and pass the academic courses
required to achieve postsecondary goals.
39
Quality Indicator 7: Employability Skills
Definition:
To define, develop, and hone skills that increase
the likelihood of becoming and remaining
successfully employed and civically responsible
citizens.
40
Quality Indicator 8: Personal Financial
Literacy
Definition:
Having an awareness of and be able to
articulate the cost of postsecondary options
and apply this awareness to their
postsecondary career and academic planning
process.
41






ILPs are not required by federal law. They are required by state
law or executive edict.
ILPs do not replace IEPs.
ILPs can promote collaboration among school admin and staff
to support the Special Ed students’ career development
(Connects Counseling, Spec Ed, CTE, Gen Ed staff).
Students may work on their ILPs in an advisory period or
weekly class (Ongoing Process, Part of Regular School Day).
Students may meet frequently with an adult mentor/advisor
or small group to work on ILP (Inclusive, Personal Support).
ILPs inform the IEP/Transition Planning process - Students &
families come to table with understanding of student’s
interests, options, goals, & current plans.
42
Final Model Students with Disabilities
Family
Involvement
Career Search
Self-Efficacy
Academic SelfEfficacy
GPA; Career
Decision-Making
Readiness;
Distress
General Sample:
GPA (std. est. = .023, p. < .001).
Career decision-making readiness (std. est. = .030, p. < .000).
Distress (std. est. = -.034, p < .000).
Disability Sample:
GPA (std. est. = .023, p. < .001)
Distress (std. est. = -.046, p. < .027).
A child's life is like a piece of paper
on which every person leaves a mark
– Chinese/Malay Proverb
45
A bit of fragrance clings to the hand
that gives flowers
- Chinese/Malay Proverb
46
V. Scott Solberg
ssolberg@bu.edu
Curtis Richards
richardsc@iel.org
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
47
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
4
8






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)
4
9

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.
50

Engages youth in:
◦ 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
5
1



ILPs enable youth to become career ready
Becoming career ready results in students becoming
aware of the relevance and utility of academic courses
and out of school learning opportunities
As a result students select a more rigorous academic
course schedule, increase effort to perform well
academically, seek out work-based learning
opportunities, and establish intentions to pursue a
post-secondary training or degree program
52
Why Use ILPs?
Findings from National Research Study
Engaging in
Quality
ILPs
Increases
Goal
Setting
Increases
Motivation
Increases
Academic
SelfEfficacy
Improves GPA,
Career
DecisionMaking
Readiness;
Lowers
Distress
53

Evaluated themes separately from each State and
District Official

Evaluated Themes across each official type
◦
◦
◦
◦
State Officials Overseeing ILPs
State Officials Overseeing Special Education
District Officials Overseeing ILPs
District Officials Overseeing Special Education
54

Analysis of 52 focus groups consisting of family
members, educators, and students from 15 schools in
the four original states

Survey of 1400 families and 525 educators from 14
schools in the four original states and follow up focus
groups with educators and families from these schools
55






Break down silos between special education and school
counseling
Increase engagement of general educators in transition
readiness activities
Be most effective when incorporating annual student-led
parent-teacher conferences
Increase number of students with disabilities graduating
with a general education diploma
Increase access to transition assessments
Makes career & education plans portable, accessible
outside school when using ePortfolio as part of an online
career information system
56
◦ General and special education officials and
educators work together to ensure accessibility
of ILP resources and activities.
◦ Begin ILPs in middle school and should engage
families in the process so that students and
families can be stronger advocates.

States should provide guidance and examples of
how to integrate ILPs into the IEP plans including
a focus on post school outcomes.
• States develop professional development materials
and training venues to staff responsible for ILPs and
IEPs are equipped with the knowledge and skills to
assist students in developing goals and identifying
skills, interests, and accommodation-related needs in
both plans.

Lack of communication materials to explain purpose
and value of ILPs to different stakeholders.

Lack of accountability systems for measuring ILP
impact and ROI.

Lack of evidence-based grade-specific ILP curriculum
that includes measurable benchmarks.

Lack of leadership support for establishing wholeschool buy-in

Dearth of staff knowledgeable about career
development

General and special education educators need
clarification as to their respective roles and
responsibilities for engaging in ILPs.

Many transition staff do not understand how ILPs
complement and support IEPs.

Lack of connectivity between online career information
and student information systems doesn’t allow districts
to evaluate quality ILPs impact on academic outcomes

Many states are not providing an online career
information system with ILP ePortfolio for all residents.

Inaccessibility of assessment tools and career
information for students with significant disabilities.

Families need access to the online resources and ILP
activities.

More family related ILP activities need to be available.

ILP implementation has not effectively considered the
assessment and curriculum access needs for students
with significant disabilities.

There is lack of evidence for adopting/ adapting ILP
curriculum/strategies for use for youth with significant
disabilities.

Capacity Building Strategies
◦ Develop an ILP/Career Development Implementation Guide
◦ Provide Access to Online Career Information System(s)
◦ Provide Access to Professional Development

Coordination Strategies
◦ Create a Cross-sector Task Force
◦ Expand CCR Activities, Especially Access to Work-Based
Learning
◦ Create Communication and Marketing Materials
64

Monitoring and Evaluation Strategies
◦ Work with Online Career Information System Vendors to
Establish Dashboard Data on Implementation and Impact
◦ Connect ILP data to State Longitudinal Data System

Collaborate with Family Advocacy Organizations and
Design Strategies to Engage Families

Launch Demonstration Sites
◦ Offer Challenge Grants
65

Establish grade-level curriculum beginning in middle school or
sooner and that engages students in developing selfexploration, career exploration, and Career planning &
management skills

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
66

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
67
“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
68
Purpose: To help students become aware of their interests, skills, and
values to guide career exploration & planning
Student Competencies
Activities
Identify own abilities, strengths,
skills, and talents
Complete online career interest,
ability, and values assessments
using O*NET
Identify own social skills that will
support future employability
Complete “Why Should I Hire
You?” Activity
Identify skills and personal traits
needed to manage your career
(e.g., resiliency, self-efficacy,
ability to identify trends and
changes, and flexibility
Complete “Do You Have The
Universal Skills Employers Seek?”
Activity
69
More Sample Lessons, Activities & Tools:
• I Am Who I Am … And As Others See Me (NCWD/Youth Guideposts
for Success Activities)
• Identifying Personal Values (Utah Education Network)
• How Likes and Dislikes Can Influence Career Choices (Georgia
Career Resource Network)
• O*NET Ability Profiler (identify your strengths), Interest
Profiler (identify types of work activities you like), Work
Importance Locator (identify what is important to you in a job)
• 411 on Disability Disclosure: A Workbook for Youth with Disabilities
Find links to these & more in NCWD/Youth’s Online ILP How-to Guide:
http://www.ncwd-youth.info/ilp/how-to-guide/section-1/selfexploration
70
Purpose: To help students learn about the skills and qualities required
to be successful in various careers and the secondary and postsecondary education and training necessary to pursue each career
Student Competencies
Activities
Able to describe short- and long-term Complete “Goal Setting Begins with a
career and life goals
Dream” Activity
Able to use different types of career Complete “Considering Labor Market
information resources (i.e.,
Information in Your Career Choice”
occupational, educational, economic, Activity
and employment) for career planning
Able to develop a career plan to meet Design a travel map that identifies
own career goals
one's main goals and stops along the
road (learning opportunities,
experiences) needed to help reach
the ultimate destination
71
More Sample Lessons, Activities & Tools:
• Exploring Customer Service Jobs in Your Own Community;
Generations at Work (NCWD/Youth Guideposts for Success Activities)
• Career Investigation (Utah Education Network)
• Career Clusters Review and Occupational Exploration (Georgia Career
Resource Network)
• My Next Move - O*NET tool allows students to match a profile of
interests with different kinds of careers
• Career One Stop videos (U. S. Department of Labor,
Employment and Training Administration)
Find links in NCWD/Youth’s Online ILP How-to Guide: http://www.ncwdyouth.info/ilp/how-to-guide/section-1/career-exploration
72
Purpose: To help students develop a range of skills needed to secure and
succeed in employment, navigate career changes, and pursue growth
opportunities throughout a lifetime.
Student Competencies
Activities
Able to identify strategies for improving
educational achievement & options for
continued education & training
Complete “Connecting Education
to Our Careers” Activity
Career Readiness/ Work Readiness Skills
(Communication; Enthusiasm & Attitude;
Teamwork; Networking; Problem Solving
& Critical Thinking; and Professionalism)
Complete soft skills activities in
U.S. DOL ODEP’s Skills to Pay the
Bills: Mastering Soft Skills for
Workplace Success
Job Seeking Skills: resume and cover
letter writing, job applications,
interviewing, finding and pursuing
employment leads, networking
Career Portfolios - Putting it all
together: The Career
Development checklist, Resume
builder
73
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
74
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
75
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
76
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

77
 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
78