State Profile

Colorado

Putting Practice into Writing: Legislation, Policy, and Regulation

• The capacity development model and structure used by School-to-Career (STC), originally developed by the Transition Systems Change Initiative, involves funding as many local partnerships as possible (91) and providing support through state personnel and regional centers.

• A Collaborative Interagency Policy Forum for Youth At-Risk was convened to develop strategies to align policy and resources to achieve seamless transitions for at-risk youth.

• STC mandates that all local partnerships include representation that focuses on youth with disabilities.

• Local partnership proposals must involve and be signed by the chair from the local transition interagency team and must include strategies to support ALL youth, including youth with disabilities.

• The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) in the Department of Human Services and the Department of Education (DOE) have a sate level agreement supporting transition. Also, STW is infused in the Vocational Rehabilitation state plan.

Winning Combinations: State and Local Leadership and Partnerships

• Many of the individuals involved with STC on state, regional, and local levels have backgrounds related to disability and were leaders in Transition Systems Change. Strong grassroots capacity was developed through Transition Systems Change and has been tapped for STC.

• DVR collaborates extensively with DOE and STC through its School-to-Work Alliance Program (SWAP) and is included as a team member on STC site visits.

• STC embraces content standards by providing training on contextual learning that brings special educators and vocational educators "to the table" with general educators.

• All STC training programs include material on accommodating students with disabilities. For example, Making Standards Work includes strategies for lesson plan accommodations in contextualized learning experiences.

• State special education staff provide technical assistance to STC partnerships.

• STC is infused in the Cooperative Services Handbook for Youth in Transition, which guides education and vocational rehabilitation systems in the provision of collaborative services to youth with disabilities.

Connecting the Dots: alignment of Resources and Programs

• A recently funded sustainability grant has resulted in continued efforts to align multiple state, local, and regional resources. A process and database for resource alignment and mapping were developed for use by other states and local partnerships.

• Linking with STC is part of explicit responsibilities for a state DVR and a DOE Special Education position.

• Educational reform initiatives are aligned to support a common vision for ALL youth.

Leading by Example: Activities of Individual Local Partnerships

• The SWAP is closely linked with STC in local partnerships. Examples of collaboration include: serving on each other's boards and committees, co-sponsoring and jointly participating in workshops and seminars, utilizing STC grants for SWAP events, and co-funding coordinator positions.

• One district has recently funded a new position for a vocational coordinator who will build on STC business partnerships to expand work-based learning and mentorship opportunities for youth with disabilities.

• A local partnership was active in developing new agreements between a school district and a Department of Labor program to expand case management services to at-risk youth in middle school .

• Collaboration between special education professionals and career and technology administrators facilitate the sharing of business connections to develop work-based learning activities.

Successes and Challenges

• Success – STC was modeled after successful Transition Systems Change and thus had immediate access to local expertise related to youth with disabilities.

• Success – Disability was represented during planning, writing, development, and implementation of STC.

• Success – Several initiatives and resources have been aligned, creating movement toward a common vision.

• Success – A trainer of trainer’s model has been developed and implemented that connects academic standards with contextual learning and career development.

• Success – The publication, Risky Business, provides STC strategies and program examples for serving youth-at-risk including those with disabilities and supports the philosophy of improving education for ALL youth.

• Challenge – Developing an understanding of the connection between STC and standards-based education has required extensive work and learning by local and state professionals.

• Challenge – Finding personnel qualified in both job development and contextual general education curriculum development is difficult. Preservice programs are not meeting this need.

What’s Next?: Sustainability

• Lighthouse partnerships (made up of multiple local partnerships) funded through the sustainability grant had to demonstrate an ability to continue two years past funding.

• Some regional centers may be able to continue beyond STC through pooling of resources.

• WIA youth councils are aligned closely with local partnerships and will have strong disability representation.

• Local districts are sustaining STC. For example, several districts will permanently fund the STC director position.

Colorado School-to-Career Partnership, Jeanne Fatz, Director, 1580 Logan Street, Suite 410, Denver, CO 80203, 303-894-2060,

303-894-2064 (fax)

Website: http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdesarb/public/s-t-c.htm

Individuals Interviewed for Profile: Steve Kennedy, Deputy Director, Colorado School-to-Career Partnership, Susan McAlonan, Colorado Department of Education, Sue Schierkolk, Youth Program Coordinator, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Department of Human Services, Julie Sumpter, Regional Coordinator, Region Four, Otero Junior College, Pat Longo, Assistant Director of Special Services, Douglas County School District, Debbie Thompson, Transition Teacher, District 11

May, 2000