State Profile

Oregon

• Each of the "defining features" of School-to-Work (STW) is addressed by the Oregon Educational Act for the 21^st Century, the Oregon Certificate of Advanced Mastery (CAM), and the policies of the State Board of Education.
  
• Oregon’s educational reform served as one of the models for federal STW legislation.
  
• The State Board of Education adopted academic content and career-related learning standards for ALL students to achieve Certificates of Initial and Advanced Mastery (CIM and CAM). Efforts are underway to explore assessment accommodations for students with disabilities in regard to being assessed for CIM and CAM.
  
• Career-related learning standards are aligned to career and life-role common curriculum goals adopted by the State Board of Education. The state is researching the feasibility and comparability of multiple assessment tools for the Career Related Learning Standards, including checklists, portfolios and on-demand video-based scenarios.

Winning Combinations: State and Local Leadership and Partnerships

• The STW System is a collaborative, interagency, public/private partnership that has had strong involvement from all education agencies, including special education.
  
• Employers were instrumental in the passage and continuation of the Oregon Educational Act for the 21^st Century and the Career Related Learning Standards.
  
• STW and the Transition System Change Initiative worked jointly to provide training and technical assistance to local partnerships.
  
• State personnel from Transition Systems Change and STW met weekly.

Connecting the Dots: Alignment of Resources and Programs

• The infrastructure for STW and transition was already present in many parts of the state, so rather than hiring new staff, existing staff were used to implement programs. STW resources were used for staff development, employer involvement, and other supports.
  
• Six New Century schools were funded to be among the first to implement all aspects of CAM. Special education and vocational rehabilitation also put resources into these schools to ensure involvement of students with disabilities in the process.

• STW and Transition Systems Change mailings were combined to ensure that partners received the same information.

Leading by Example: Activities From Individual Local Partnerships

• A special educator served as one of the leaders in designing and writing the local STW partnership grant.

• The foundation of the Youth Transition Program (a program designed for students with disabilities) was used to ensure that every student participated in the STW system.
  
• Job duties of transition specialists were expanded to include STW activities.
  
• The principles of Personal Futures Planning, a planning strategy used in the disability community, was used with key stakeholders from the local communities to develop an inclusive action plan that would include ALL students in the STW process.
  
• State personnel were very helpful in providing individualized technical assistance for including youth with disabilities in STW.
  
• An essential element related to success was involving students with disabilities in STW planning activities from the very beginning. As stated by the local provider, "Start with one seamless system; don’t start with separate systems."

Successes and Challenges

• Success – The small size of the state has contributed to success, and the same core people from the state and local levels were always "at the table" together.
  
• Success – The consistency of leadership personnel who promoted relationship and team building was essential.
  
• Success – The long history in the state for delivering transition services to students with disabilities contributed to success.
  
• Challenge – Teacher preparation in transition and STW is needed at both the inservice and preservice levels.
  
• Challenge – Standards and high stakes testing have created a tension for students with disabilities between allocating time for academic content and transition and career activities.

What’s Next?: Sustainability

• The implementation of CAM will ensure the sustainability of STW for ALL students.
  
• The strategic state planning process that ensures that STW is incorporated into school improvement efforts through legislation, such as Carl Perkins and Workforce Investment Act, will help to ensure sustainability of STW.

• If STW is working at the local level, it will be sustained due to its "good practices and positive outcomes."

Contact Information

Oregon School-to-Work Project, Nancy Hargis Stevenson, Oregon STW Director, Oregon Department of Education, 255 Capitol Street, NE, Salem, OR 97310, (503) 378-3584 x350, nancy.hargis@state.or.us

Nancy Hargis Stevenson, Oregon School-to-Work Director, Sandra Gruhn, Oregon Department of Education, Stevie Blakely, Principal, Chenowith Elementary School

May, 2000