School-to-Career & Transition Services
San Pablo, California

Contact:

Devi Jameson
School-to-Career Coordinator
Laraine Domenico
Vocational Rehabilitation Coordinator
West Contra Costa Unified School District
Pupil Services
2465 Dolan Way
San Pablo, CA 94806
Phone: 510-307-5330
Fax: 510-741-2860
Email: djameson@wccustd.k12.ca.us
ldomenico@wccusd.k12.ca.us

Mission

The West Contra Costa Unified School District, in partnership with the Community, must use new techniques and tools to meet the changing workforce requirements of life and work for the future. We are equal stakeholders in preparing a system that prepares all students for future careers.

NTA Framework Categories

• Student-Focused Planning and Development
• Career Pathways and Contextual Learning
• Business, Labor, and Community Involvement

Description

The School-to-Career Transition (STC/T) are designed as a support service/resource for special education teachers and to serve all secondary students with special needs, most of which have an IEP/ITP. At the beginning of each school year the Employment Specialists provide a presentation at the initial special education department meeting at their assigned school. At this time policies, acquired steps for services, and specific services are discussed. Veteran teachers are usually aware of this information. However, our school district experiences a high turn over rate of special education teachers, so this brief inservice is always beneficial. Teachers interested in services refer their students to our office throughout the school year through an Application for Student Services. Teachers mark the appropriate service they are requesting, vocational assessment, community-based supported employment, competitive employment, or vocational training courses. These applications are then processed through our STC/T Department. Usually the initial service is a standardized vocational assessment during a student’s sophomore year followed by a staffing that the parents, students, special education teacher, employment specialist, and vocational assessment specialist attend. The results are reviewed, and based on those results and student interest the team decides what services might be most appropriate for that student. Services are decided on a case by case basis but often include a course of study based on vocational interests and aptitudes (ROP classes that apply, vocational courses, science classes, life skills, etc.) Also discussed are applicable community services, intramural sports programs, leadership classes, and adult service vendors. This meeting sets an initial stage for the Employment Specialist to meet the student and, equally important, his/her family or personal support network. The Employment Specialist will be providing a lot of the follow-up services decided upon at this meeting and proceed accordingly. Students may also be referred for any of the services independent of the vocational assessment.

In addition to this formal process, the Employment Specialists are on high school campuses on a daily basis. Independently, they meet and serve students as needed, again providing the above services. They also work closely with many of the special education teachers providing classroom presentations on career and work related topics, i.e. interviewing skills, how to quit a job, appropriate work ethics, and community and employer guest speakers to name just a few.

In addition to these specific services our administrator is heavily involved with leading school-to-career reform district wide. Since she supervises all work experience programs, vocational education, and STC reform, the Transition staff is always aware of upcoming job shadowing experiences, guest speakers, special training programs, and staff training offered district wide which further enhances our ability to provide "work related" experiences for youth with disabilities in the West Contra Costa Unified School District.

• Students reported an increase in their knowledge about various occupations.
• 15% of the students participated in workshops sponsored y our Employment Specialists and 40% of our special education students received vocational preparation through Regional Occupational Program classes during the 1997/98 school year.
• Approximately 200 non-severely handicapped students and 50 severely handicapped students were placed in paid employment during the 1996/97 school year, and by the end of summer 1998, it was anticipated that 172 non-severely handicapped and 43 severely handicapped students will have participated in paid employment for the 1997/98 school year.

• Approximately 25% of the youth with disabilities participated in vocational education during the 1997/98 school year.
• During the 1997/98 school year, 3% (70) exiting students were linked with the Department of Rehabilitation for job training/placement services and .5% were referred for services through Contra Costa County Mental Health.
• 86% of severely disabled students, during their exiting year from the school system, were placed on community-job training sites during the 1997/98 school year.
• Approximately 60% of the youth with disabilities have participated in vocational education during the 1997/98 school year.
• 76 students received a formal vocational assessment and 39 severely disabled students received a situational assessment during the 1997/98 school year.
• The results of a telephone survey for the 1997 graduate show that out of the 82% contacted, 5% are going to school and not working, 5% are not working and not going to school, 29% are working at a competitive job, and 27% are working a competitive job and going to school.
• The results of a telephone survey for the 1996 graduates show that out of the 73% contacted, 25% are going to school and not working, 12% are not working and not going to school, 41% are working a regular job, and 12% are working a regular job and going to school.
• Average hourly salaries for both 1996 and 1997 graduates are $6.74 per hour for 1997 graduates and $7.21 per hour for 1996 graduates.

Success Story

For this student success has been, and continues to be, working through his disability, and because of this disability discovering ways to continue to learn and broaden his job skills through accommodations and self-advocacy. It is also a case where two agencies worked closely together to obtain a positive and productive outcome of the client’s choice.

In the fall of 1993 one of our Employment Specialists started working with a 15 year old learning disabled sophomore who was experiencing significant emotional instability and anxiety due to a recent family tragedy. During this time, his IEP team decided that a non-school related experience might assist him with working through these issues. Under the California State Department of Education’s Workability I program he was employed at a community-based training site. While he experienced success at the job he discovered that he didn’t enjoy this type of work. He was placed at a second WorkAbility I community-based job site where he discovered he enjoyed the work, and where, for the first time, he experienced personal gratification. In fact, this spurred an interest for him to enroll in a job-training program so that he could increase his skills in this career area. He was connected with the Department of Rehabilitation that enabled him to continue his education in this particular field of interest after exiting high school. In November of 1997, after receiving mobility training, and some job coaching, he was hired in a temporary full time position. While this job only lasted three months, he left with excellent letters of reference.

While it was difficult for him to leave this job the experience did provide him with the self-confidence that had eluded him in the past. He dove into job hunting with a passion and after a few months landed another job within the same field. Unfortunately, several months later, the workload increased and the job became too strenuous. His old feelings of anxiety and stress were unbearable and he had to resign from the job.

During this next job search, he experienced depression and self-doubt, but once again found employment and success with a job. This time, however, a fellow employee working with him was impressed by his positive attitude, work ethic, and motivation, and began mentoring him. He has recently been promoted on the job. Some of his promotion is due to the natural support this mentor provides, and some is due to the fact that this student has reached several career developmental milestones. He has gained self-advocacy skills, acceptance of self and the self-confidence required of any person to perform their job well and independently.

We are all lifelong learners within our careers and about ourselves. We all experience self-doubt and uncertainty about who we are and where our careers are going. This student’s success lies in the fact that he is learning to accept who he is and as a result, accept the assistance and support

provided that we all need in order to be a successful lifelong learner within a career we choose.

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