Good Assessments Help Students Transition to Post-Secondary Opportunities

The passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA 2004) reinforces the importance of assessments for students with disabilities more than ever before. With good assessment tools, education stakeholders from general and special education are empowered to help Michigan’s students reach their potential as they transition to their post-secondary career goals.

Transition Assessments and IDEA 2004

IDEA 2004 requires that the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for students 16 and older (younger when appropriate) must have “… appropriate measurable postsecondary goals based upon age-appropriate transition assessments related to training, education, employment and, where appropriate, independent living skills…”

The Michigan Department of Education’s School Improvement Framework defines assessment as instruments used to collect data and evaluate student performance. In order to capture a complete and accurate picture of student achievement, a variety of data sources is strongly recommended. Collecting assessment data from multiple sources provides educators with a broad spectrum of data to improve instruction.

In addition to required academic assessments, the Michigan Rehabilitation Services casework policy requires that vocational needs assessment be conducted for students with disabilities to determine the goals, nature, and scope of rehabilitation services to be included in a student’s IEP to facilitate the student’s transition to employment. Such an assessment begins, simultaneously, with an assessment for eligibility. Depending on the nature of the disability, this assessment is carried out in integrated settings to the extent appropriate while staying consistent with the individual’s informed choice. Emphasis is placed on using existing and current information to the maximum extent possible, including information provided by the individual and the individual’s family, when appropriate.

Comprehensive assessment includes personality characteristics, career interests, interpersonal skills, intelligence and related functional capacities, educational achievements, work experience, vocational aptitudes, personal and social adjustments, and employment opportunities of the applicant. The medical, psychological, neuropsychological, and other relevant factors that affect the employment and rehabilitation needs of the individual must also be considered.

An appraisal of the individual’s work behavior is important as is an evaluation of the services needed for the individual to acquire occupational skills and to perform adequately in an integrated work environment.

Transition Assessment Trends in Michigan

In addition to traditional formal assessments, schools throughout Michigan are adopting tools for conducting informal transition assessments. One popular tool is the Enderle-Severson Rating Scale developed by Jon Enderle and Sue Severson. This scale has two different formats. Each format assesses the same four transition areas. The format given to a student depends on the nature of their disability. Charlevoix-Emmet Intermediate School District (ISD), Crawford, Oscoda, Ogemaw and Roscommon (COOR) ISD, Cheboygan-Otsego-Presque Isle (COP) Educational Service District (ESD), Traverse Bay Area ISD, and Alpena-Montmorency-Alcona ESD expect to use the Enderle-Severson Rating Scale this fall.

Another popular informal transition assessment is the Transition Planning Inventory (TPI), developed by Gary Clark and James Patton. The TPI covers nine transition planning areas. Bay-Arenac, Clare-Gladwin, and Ingham ISDs expect to begin using the TPI this fall. Bay-Arenac ISD is adopting a computerized TPI this fall.

Nationally, the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services (OSERS) and the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE) are collaborating to assist states in raising achievement for all students with disabilities. The Tool Kit on Teaching and Assessing Students With Disabilities provides up-to-date guidance on designing and implementing high-quality assessments for students with disabilities. Also included is a set of technical assistance products that offer practical, research-based approaches to the challenges schools are facing in the areas of assessment, instruction, behavioral interventions, and use of accommodations for students with disabilities.

Assessment is key in planning successful postsecondary transitions. Assessment data helps the student, educator, rehabilitation professional, and parent reflect with a student on their abilities, interests, and vocational exposure experiences in order to prepare for the future and develop a meaningful career plan.

For more information, contact: Lynn Boza, (517) 241-3957, bozal@michigan.gov.

Source: Adapted from the Monday Bulletin on Services to Youth, June Update, Issue 292, Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth, Michigan Rehabilitation Services.