Using Career Assessments to
Assist in Transition Planning
for High School Students
Presented by
Susan Grant
Transition Coordinator, Allegheny Intermediate Unit 3
Victoria Ridley
Transition Consultant, Allegheny Intermediate Unit 3
Jared Shady
Bridges Regional Representative
2008 Pennsylvania Community on Transition Conference
Building Leadership to Promote Successful Outcomes
Penn Stater Conference Center
July 24, 2008
Using Career Assessments to Assist in Transition
Planning for High School Students
AGENDA
Welcome & Introductions
Opening – Rationale
The Law – IDEA 2004
Part I
Looking at Career Assessments
CHOICES for Career Exploration and Planning
Let’s Explore CHOICES
Part II
Using CHOICES from a Teacher’s Perspective:
Using CHOICES in the IEP
Relating CHOICES to the PA Academic Standards
A Student’s Practical Application
Student Examples
Questions & Answers
2
Session Objectives
1. Examine various career assessments to assist students
in career planning and developing career goals
2. Explore career assessments that will enable students to
identify interests, skills, strengths, and values
3. Recognize how career assessments and career
exploration can assist in transition planning
4. Gain strategies to assist students in matching interests
with careers, post-secondary schools, and employment
options
5. Gain strategies and tips to integrate the use of career
assessments, career exploration, and career planning
as a classroom tool that align with the state standards
3
Section 614: Individualized
Education Programs
• beginning not later that the first IEP to be in effect when the
child is 16, and updated annually thereafter—
• (aa) appropriate measurable postsecondary goals based upon
age appropriate transition assessments related to training,
education, employment, and, where appropriate, independent
living skills;
• (bb) the transition services (including courses of study) needed
to assist the child in reaching those goals; and
• (cc) beginning not later than 1 year before the child reaches the
age of majority under State law, a statement that the child has been
informed of the child’s rights under this title, if any, that will transfer
to the child on reaching the age of majority under section 615(m).
4
Section 602: Definitions of
Transition
• TRANSITION SERVICES: The term “transition services” means a
coordinated set of activities for a child with a disability that—
(A) is designed to be within a results-oriented process, that is
focused on improving the academic and functional
achievement of the child with a disability to facilitate the child’s
movement from school to post-school activities, including postsecondary education, vocational education, integrated employment
(including supported employment), continuing and adult education,
adult services, independent living, or community participation;
• (B) is based on the individual child’s needs, taking into account the
child’s strengths, preferences, and interests; and
• (C) includes instruction, related services, community experiences,
the development of employment and other post-school adult living
objectives, and when appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills
and functional vocational evaluation.
5
Transition Assessments Defined
…ongoing
process of collecting data on the individual’s
needs, preferences, and interests as they relate to the
demands of current and future working, educational,
living, and personal and social environments. Assessment
data serve as the common thread in the transition process
and form the basis for defining goals and services to be
included in the Individualized Education Program (IEP)”
The Division on Career Development and Transition (DCDT) of the Council for Exceptional
Children, (p. 70-71).
6
IDEA Regulations
• IDEA 2004 requires that students receive
age appropriate transition assessments
related to education, employment, and
where appropriate, independent living
skills.
• IDEA 2004 also states that age
appropriate assessments will help IEP
teams make informed decisions about
students reaching their postsecondary
goals.
7
Types of Transition
Assessments
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
behavioral assessment information
aptitude tests
interest and work values inventories
intelligence tests and achievement tests
personality or preference tests
career maturity or readiness tests
self-determination assessments
work-related temperament scales
transition planning inventories
8
Facilitating Transition Through
Career Assessment






Determine student’s life and career
goals
Assess current vocational interests,
abilities and daily living skills
Share assessment results with student
and key people to validate information
Identify potential barriers and support
needs
Determine what is negotiable and
non-negotiable
Develop a plan to achieve goals
9
Types of Career Assessments
•
•
•
•
•
•
Career Focus 2000 Interest Inventory – Developed by James C. Gonyea
– http://www.iccweb.com/careerfocus/
The Career Key
– http://www.careerkey.org/asp/your_personality/take_test.asp
My Future
– http://www.myfuture.com/toolbox/workinterest.html
University of Missouri Career Center - The Career Game
– http://career.missouri.edu/students/explore/thecareerinterestsgame.php
The Princeton Review – Career Quiz
– http://www.princetonreview.com/cte/quiz/career_quiz1.asp
O’Net Online Center
– http://online.onetcenter.org/
– Interest Profiler - http://www.onetcenter.org/IP.html
– Ability Profiler - http://www.onetcenter.org/AP.html
– Work Importance Locator - http://www.onetcenter.org/WIL.html
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Types of Career Assessments
•
Career One-Stop
– http://www.careerinfonet.org/default.asp
– http://www.acinet.org/acinet/
– Skills Profiler - http://www.careerinfonet.org/Skills/skills_list.aspx
• CareerShip – An Online Career Exploration Adventure
•
•
•
•
– http://mapping-your-future.org/features/careership/
Bridges Transition – www.bridges.com
– Choices Planner
– Choices Explorer
– Paws in Jobland
Bureau of Labor Statistics Career Information
http://www.bls.gov/k12/
Holland Self-Directed Search
– http://www.self-directed-search.com/
– http://www.self-directed-search.com/Holland.html
Valpar - http://www.valparint.com/
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Career-Related Websites
• http://www.careercruising.com (need a username and
password)
• www.careervoyage.gov
• http://www.iccweb.com/careerfocus/index.asp
• http://careerkey.org (pay site)
• www.paworkstats.state.pa.us/default.asp
• www.pacareerlink.state.pa.us
• www.bls.gov/k12/index.htm (elementary students)
• http://www.mapping-your-future.org/
• www.onetcenter.org/tools.html
• http://www.acrnetwork.org
• http://www.usoe.k12.ut.us/ate/tlc/cda/cda.html
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H
O
C
L
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L
D
A
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N
S
D
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Choices
• Bridges Transition http://www.bridges.com/us/home.html
http://www.bridges.com/us/prodnserv/educare
erplan_hs.html
– Choices Planner
– Choices Explorer
– Paws in Jobland
– testScope
– Abilities Profiler
– Learning Styles Inventory
– Do What You Are
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Choices Explorer
Lesson Plans
Find lesson plans to help you use
Choices Explorer in class:
• Alphabetical List
• By School Subject
Resources
Learn how to get started with
Choices Explorer:
•
•
Jumpstart Choices Explorer
What's in Choices Explorer?
•
Quick Reference Guide
•
More Resources...
15
Choices Planner
•
•
•
•
•
Lesson Plans
Find lesson plans to help you use
Choices Planner in class:
Alphabetical List
By School Subject
Introduction to Choices Planner's New
Features
101 Ways to Use Choices Planner in
the Classroom
•
Resources
•
•
Learn how to get started with Choices
Planner:
Choices Planner Professional Manual
Quick Reference Guide
•
Implementation Models
•
16
More Resources...
Paws in Jobland
•
Resources
The following instructional resource
materials can help you put Paws in
Jobland to work in your school:
•
•
•
Student Activity worksheet
Lesson plans and worksheets for K - 2
Lesson plans and worksheets for
Grades 3 - 5
•
Download individual lesson plans...
17
Transition Planning Guide
• Developed by experts, this comprehensive
guide is great for anyone answering the
big questions students ask about
education and career development.
• Transition Planning Guide
18
Resources – Special Education
• Career Exploration
• Self-Assessment
• Decision Making
19
testScope
• Resources
The following instructional
resource materials can help
you put testGEAR™ to work in
your school:
• College Entrance Exams
• State Exit Exams
20
Professional Tools
•
•
•
•
•
Create reports
Review lesson plans
Manage portfolios
Track student usage
Retrieve students’
portfolio names
• Resources
• Site Administration
21
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Accessing Choices
Website: www.bridges.com
Home Page Sign-In Options
• Student Sign-In
• Parent Sign-In
• Educator Sign-In
• Click on Educator Sign In or Student SignIn
• Click on Site ID NOT Portfolio Name
• Site ID:
PAGuest
• Password: checklist
23
Choices Planner
•
•
Click on Choices Planner
Areas to Explore
–
–
–
•
Work
Learn
Your Portfolio
Click on Work
–
–
–
–
–
–
Interest Profiler
Career Finder
Work Values Sorter
Basic Skills Survey
Cluster Finder
More
•
Click on Learn
–
School Finder
– High School Planning
•
•
Scholarship Finder
Compare Schools
Click on Your Portfolio
–
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Create Your Portfolio
Import from Choices CD
Professional Tools
Reviewer
Reporter
Tracker
Lesson Plans & Resources
Transition Activities
(downloadable)
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Choices Explorer
• Click on Choices Explorer
Areas to Explore
•
•
•
•
Work
Learn
Life
Your Portfolio
• Click on Work
–
Take Short Quiz
• Click on Learn
–
–
Major Quiz
Choose a Major Zone
• Click on Life
–
–
Volunteering
Recreation
• Click on Your Portfolio
• Create Your Portfolio
• Professional Tools
–
–
–
–
–
Reviewer
Reporter
Tracker
Lesson Plans & Resources
Transition Activities
(downloadable)
25
Ability Profiler & Learning Styles
Inventory
• Ability Profiler – connects abilities to potential careers
– Password – begin
– Click on Start Answering Questions
• Learning Styles Inventory – find out which learning
styles, strategies, and environments Click on LSI product
badge
– Password – checklist
• Click on "Register Here"
• Complete the form
• Click "Register" to activate your account help the student
learn best
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Integrating Choices into
Classroom Instruction
27
Resources for Careers Class
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Career Exploration
College Planning
Decision Making
Employability
Interview Skills
Job Search
Self-Assessment
28
Choices and the PA
Academic Standards
29
A Student’s Practical
Application of Choices
30
Using Choices in the
IEP
31
Transition Assessment Referenced
in Present Levels
• Student completed Assess Your Interests
assessment from the PA Career Guide
– Social, Realistic, and Enterprising
• Student also completed CHOICES Interest
Profiler.
– Realistic, Social, and Enterprising
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IV. STUDENT’S TRANSITION SERVICES
DESIRED POST-SCHOOL OUTCOMES: Define and project the desired post-secondary outcomes as identified by the student, parent
and IEP team in the following areas. State how each transition activity/service needed to assist the student in reaching goals will be
provided. Indicate whether an IEP goal will be written.
Postsecondary Education and Training Outcomes: Brad is interested in attending a post-secondary school after graduation from
high school
Activity/Service
(Including Courses of Study)
Use Student Planner to develop a plan of courses to
support chosen career path
Location
Frequency
Projected
Beginning
Date
Anticipated
Duration
Agency
Responsible
IEP
Goal
(Y/N)
EAHS
1x per year
10-8-07
10-7-08
EASD,AIU,
Student and
Parent
N
Follow student checklist developed using Choices
EAHS
1X per
semester
10-8-07
10-7-08
EASD,AIU,
Student and
Parent
Y
Complete School Finder Survey to link post-secondary
training options to chosen career
EAHS
2x per
semester
10-8-07
10-7-08
EASD,AIU,
Student and
Parent
Y
Investigate post-secondary training options
EAHS
1x per
semester
10-8-07
10-7-08
EASD, AIU,
Student and
Parent
N
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Choices Passwords
•
•
•
•
•
•
July
checklist
August
strategy
September balance
October
summit
November resolve
December solution
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"If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there."
No great thing is created suddenly. —Epictetus (A.D.200)
Ninety per cent of the world's woe comes from people not
knowing themselves, their abilities, their frailties, and even
their real virtues. ~ Sydney Harris
Celebrate Living
36