The IDEA Partnership’s
Interagency
Community of Practice
Working Across States and
Stakeholders to Build Interagency
Bridges for Youth
CSAVR 2005 Spring Conference
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
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 Marty Kester, The IDEA Partnership
 Representatives from State Teams:
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Alabama -- Linda Hames
California -- Catherine Campisi
New Hampshire -- Tina Greco
Pennsylvania -- Joan Kester
Virginia -- Erica Lovelace
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Marty Kester, Consultant
The IDEA Partnership
We are in this together
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“Group of people who share a concern, a set of problems or a passion about a topic, and who deepen their understanding and knowledge of this area by interacting on an ongoing basis.”
(Etienne Wenger et.al., 2002)
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 All partners are required to demonstrate outcomes of youth served.
 What’s in it for Me for ALL partners in the community.
 The community comes together around the shared vision of youth with disabilities becoming productive, self-sufficient citizens.
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The Spirit of Community:
We Are In This Together!
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A way of working
Involving those who do shared work
Involving those that share issues
Always asking “who isn’t here?”
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A way of learning
To create new knowledge grounded in ‘doing the work’
With those who can advocate for and make change
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Encouraging Investments that Result in
Outcomes
• Learning how to move from ‘knowing’ to
‘doing.’
• Translating learning to policy.
• Encouraging investments that will move the work.
• Recognizing the value of all contributions to a more complete and effective approach.
• Creating new relationships among policymakers, researchers and implementers.
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How Did the
Interagency Transition
Community of Practice
Get Started?
The IDEA Partnership’s Community of Practice is supported by a grant from the Office of
Special Education Programs (OSEP) to the
National Association of State Directors of
Special Education (NASDSE)
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A Growing Partnership
 55 National Partners, such as
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CSAVR
NASDSE
OSERS
Advocacy Organizations (National Council on
Independent Living, Easter Seals, American
Association of People with Disabilities, Fiesta
Educativa, etc.) National TA Centers
 A Growing Number of States: AL, AZ, CA, DC,
DE, NH, PA, and VA
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Federal to State State to State
State to Federal
The IDEA Partnership
Community of Practice
State to Local
Local to State
Local to Local
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Linda Hames, State Transition Coordinator
Alabama Dept. of Rehabilitation Services
We are in this together
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 35% of Total VR Population
 33% of Placements
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 Agency Commitment
 Shared Resources
 Outcome Oriented
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One Example: The Prison Transition Initiative
Local Informs State
STATE
TO
LOCAL
LOCAL
TO
LOCAL
LOCAL
TO
STATE
 Who Isn’t There?
 State Decisions Influenced (those who can make change)
 Significant Impact
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 Youth Engagement
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William McQueary, wmcqueary@peoriaud.k12.az.us
Chris McLaughlin, archyfan@hotmail.com
We are in this together
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Arizona Initiatives
 Continue development of the Arizona Transition
Leadership Team
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Established vision and mission statements (facilitated by
Mountain Plains Regional Resource Center)
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Continued collaboration with over 35 participants including:
• Parent Information Network (PINS); Behavioral Health; the Division of Developmental Disabilities; Social
Security Administration; Secure Care (Juvenile and
Adult Corrections); AzPAC (Arizona Post-Secondary
Access Coalition); Parent Training & Information; Parks and Recreation; RSA; AZ Department of Education –
Academic Achievement, Career and Technical
Education, Exceptional Student Services, and School
Effectiveness; Office of Children with Special Health
Care Needs; Arizona Center for Disability Law; Youth representatives (5 individuals), families, and others.
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Arizona Initiatives
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Development of 4 Strategic Priorities
• “Promoting” evidence-based practice
(more than promoting in that it must also include encouraging the use – need to work further on the specific wording)
• Initiating System Change
• Disseminating information -> building public awareness
• Creating a system for continuous improvement
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Arizona Initiatives
 Youth empowerment initiative to foster skills of selfefficacy, self-advocacy and self-determination
 Interagency Agreement: Division of Developmental
Disabilities (DDD), Rehabilitation Services
Administration (RSA), Exceptional Student Services
(ESS), Arizona Department of Education
 (New) YAP-RSA Integration Project
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Foster Care and RSA
 Agency partnership between Education and
Corrections to improve the reintegration of youth and young adults with disabilities
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Merging 2 Worlds Curriculum
Secure Care Education Committee
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Arizona
Focus on Disability Mentoring Day in
Washington D.C.
Presented by Chris McLaughlin
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Arizona Resource
Parent Information Network Specialists
(PINS)
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Contractors with Arizona Department of
Education (ADE)
All PINS have children with special needs.
PINS works with educators, agencies and parents to provide information to help children, youth and families advocate for themselves, remaining neutral at all times
Website: www.ade.az.gov/ess/pinpals
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Arizona

Giving Voice to the Future
2005 Transition Conference in Arizona
September 20-22, 2005 www.ade.az.gov/ess/transitionservices
Sponsored by the
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Arizona Department of Education, Exceptional Student
Services
Arizona Department of Education, Parent Information
Network Specialists
Arizona Department of Health Services, Office of
Children with Special Health Care Needs
Arizona Postsecondary Access Coalition
Division of Developmental Disabilities
Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities
Rehabilitation Services Administration, Vocational
Rehabilitation
Secure Care Education Committee
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Catherine Campisi, PhD
Director, CA Department of Rehabilitation
We are in this together
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 Transition in CA could become a shared responsibility across all agencies that are parties to the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act.
 This could be done through development of an Interagency/interdepartmental MOU.
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 The project partners include all stakeholders (policymakers, administrators, service providers, families, youth and the business community).
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 The members of the emerging leadership team for the California Community of Practice are:
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Department of Education
Department of Rehabilitation
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State Independent Living Council
Department of Developmental Services
Department of Mental Health
Employment Development Department
Department of Social Services
Special Education Stakeholders Advisory Committee and others
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 California Transition Summit - June 23,
2005.
 Assistance and participation from the IDEA
Partnership, NASDSE, and the
Interagency Transition Community of
Practice.
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 Current partner initiatives:
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Improving Transition Outcomes Project
(ITOP) grant.
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Youth Leadership Forum.
SSA “Bridges to Youth Self Sufficiency”
Grant.
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Tina Greco, Transition Coordinator
New Hampshire Vocational Rehabilitation
We are in this together
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 Transition has been a top priority for our state’s
VR Director as well as previous SPED Director.
 Conversations began between Special Ed and
NASDSE during the 2003 National Transition
Summit.
 A NH team was developed (VR, DOE, SPED,
MH, Parent and IHE) and attended our first state to state CoP meeting in PA in July 2004.
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 Introduction to the CoP initiative at the 2003
Transition Summit.
 Formulation of state team and participation in the PA CoP meeting in July 2004.
 Participation in National DMD, sponsoring 2 youth.
 Participating in/presenting at various national & state conferences.
 Follow up meetings to identify purpose, goals and activities to be conducted at the state level.
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 Support and maintain the secondary education and transition initiatives throughout the state.
 Identify effective and evidence-based practices at all levels.
 Leverage our resources.
 Build local community capacity.
 Establish cross partnership connections.
 Interagency partnerships: DOE including Special
Ed and VR, and DHHS (Bureau of Children’s
Mental Health).
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What are the benefits from participating in the Community of Practice (CoP) in
NH?
 Provide unique opportunities for a small state like NH i.e., National Disability Mentoring Day.
 We expand our “learning loop” to include state to state initiatives and state to other agency initiatives.
 The monthly CoP conference calls give us the chance to share our progress with other states, as well as learn from one another so that we might replicate practices and activities that are successful in other states.
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 Ability for all members to participate consistently.
 Transitions occurring within participating member agencies.
 Identifying “buy in” for new and existing participants.
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What’s the expectation from both sides ~ whole group v. each member?
 No one agency has been given the charge to develop a statewide plan.
 There is no coordination of transition initiatives in the state. Each agency or bureau has its own plan.
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 There is no vehicle to help us tap into the expertise area of each agency.
 There is no central clearinghouse transition initiatives around the state.
 Each agency does not speak the same language.
 Entities’ knowledge is limited to their own area of expertise.
 Promotion of collaboration among the 33 transition initiatives in the state.
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so far!
 Fostering new and existing relationships between agencies ~ building new bridges, strengthening others.
 Establishing regular monthly meetings.
 Youth empowerment.
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What has been happening in NH as a result of our participation in the CoP & where are we headed?
 New Hampshire and Pennsylvania Collaboration.
 A representative from our Parent Information
Center has joined the team.
 We are in the process of developing materials as a means to introduce our initiative and to help to garner buy in for new members.
 Connecting with NH DMD participate in/support their activities.
 Discussing innovative ways in which to connect our youth members’ high school/college education to their participation in the CoP.
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Joan Kester, Statewide Transition Specialist
PA Office of Vocational Rehabilitation
We are in this together
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 Mandatory Requirement in Legislation
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IDEA Memorandum of Understanding signed in
December 1999
 MOU Training Team Grows into the State
Transition Leadership Team
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Core Group of Committed Policy-level Staff, across Systems
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Multiple System Leadership
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Commitment toward Efficiency through Shared
Responsibility
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Latitude
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 Communication breakdowns
 Turf issues
 Money issues
 Staff turnover
 Differing priorities and language
 Lack of relationships and mutual respect
 Lack of opportunity to network
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Moving from the Old Way of Doing
Business: Separate Pages in Separate
Books to being on the Same Page
 Professional Development
 Policy & Regulation
Development
 Strategic Planning
 Service Delivery Systems
 Program Initiatives &
Allocation of Resources
 Data Collection
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 Integrated Professional Development Model
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Annual PA Community on Transition Conferences
Biannual Regional Sessions
Outreach
 Policy & Regulation Development
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Proactive Strategies to Policy & Regulation
(IDEIA, Rehabilitation Act, WIA, Foster Care
Youth, etc.)
 Striving for a Seamless Service Delivery System
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Agency Driven Cross-Systems Initiatives
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Future Work of
PA Community on Transition
 Data Collection
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Cross-Systems Follow-up Study
Data Sharing to Drive Practice
 Building PA Outcome Practice Groups
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Employment
Post-secondary education, training & lifelong learning
Community participation
Healthy lifestyles
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The vision of the Pennsylvania Community on
Transition is that all Pennsylvania youth and young adults with disabilities will successfully transition to the role of productive, participating adult citizens. Youth will be empowered to recognize their talents, strengths and voice and will have equal access to resources that will promote full participation in the communities of their choice.
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 Strategic Planning
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Helping to build and support work of 63 Local
Transition Coordinating Councils, with the foundation of youth outcome data.
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Strengthen Communication Network of
Community.
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Continue to learn and benefit from the IDEA
Partnership Interagency Transition Community of Practice.
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Develop and sustain a unified youth empowerment strategy.
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Erica Lovelace, Education Services Manager
VA Dept. of Rehabilitative Services
We are in this together
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20 th Annual Virginia Transition Forum
Continuing efforts to expand Transition
Outcomes Project to ALL 135 divisions and
State Operated Programs (joint effort
DOE, with DRS)
Higher Education Initiative
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Documentation
Retention
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Transition
On-campus Post-Secondary
Experiences (e.g. College Board,
College Quest)
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Formalized VR Transition Process (Toolkit)
VA Intercommunity Transition Council
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All state agency partners
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Expanding formalized Memorandum of
Understanding
VA Transition Leadership Council
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DRS, DOE, DBVI
VA Transition Practitioners’ Council
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Inclusive stakeholder involvement
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Disability Mentoring Day
Career Awareness & Exploration Mentoring
Opportunities
Assistive Technology Transfer (joint resources)
Joint Professional Development (VR-Special
Education)
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Statewide Training of Superintendents’
Regions on Order of Selection (to improve referral information for DRS services)
Capacity Building Transition Partnership
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Fund regional cross-systems transition initiatives, based upon local needs assessment (e.g. job coaching, assessment)
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 Joint Professional Development
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Aligning the IEP with the IPE
 21 st Annual VA Transition Forum
 Expand Career Awareness & Exploration
Mentoring Opportunities
 Expand Intercommunity Transition Council
Memorandum of Understanding
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 Participation in IDEA Partnership Transition
Community of Practice Efforts to Expand
Resources for Transition
 NCSET Transition Leadership Summit
 Higher Education Leadership Partners
Group
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Respond to changes in IDEiA and increase resources to provide students with current documentation
 State Improvement Grant (Goal 5)
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Middle to High School Transition
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We are in this together
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Improve Youth Outcomes
Work smarter
Make efficient use of limited resources and staff resources
Decrease duplication of efforts, through collaboration
Expand knowledge across agencies
Share the vision of youth with disabilities as productive, selfsufficient citizens living in their community.
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Henry Ford
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We are in this together!
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States can participate in…
 Monthly calls
 Face-face meetings
 Representative participation in State meetings
 Practice Groups
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Youth Engagement
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Juvenile Justice and Child Welfare
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Transportation
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The IDEA Partnership’s
Interagency
Community of Practice
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
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Marty Kester, The IDEA Partnership
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717-492-9116, mgkester@comcast.net
Linda Hames, Alabama
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334-281-8780, lhames@rehab.state.al.us
Catherine Campisi, California
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916-263-8997, ccampisi@dor.ca.gov
Tina Greco, New Hampshire
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603-271-3993, tgreco@ed.state.nh.us
Joan Kester, Pennsylvania
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717-787-6695, joakester@state.pa.us
Erica Lovelace, Virginia
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804-662-7081, erica.lovelace@drs.virginia.gov
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More information on the
Interagency Transition
Community and other
Cross-State/Cross Role
Communities is now available at: www.ideainfo.org
…or call us toll free at :
1-877- IDEAINFo
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