transition from early care to formal schooling tom corbett, governor; ronald tomalis, secretary of...

Transition from early care to formal schooling Tom Corbett, Governor; Ronald Tomalis, Secretary of Education; Gary Alexander, Secretary of Public Welfare www.education.state.pa.us www.dpw.state.pa.us

Management of Transition Practices

1

This section emphasizes the necessary systematic and structural components for the implementation of best transition practices.


1. Understand the supports needed to facilitate effective transitions

2. Evaluate current management of transition practices

3. Identify a means to plan and implement continual quality improvement

Management of Transition Practices

OBJECTIVES

2


Best Practice RubricManagement of Transition Practices

Best Practice Emerging Best Practice Progressing Best Practice Achieved

Audience Transition practices are in place and are

implemented for limited groups of

children (i.e. those children with IEPs,

children identified “at risk”)

In addition to transition practices offered to

limited groups of children, some transition

practices are offered to ALL children.

All available transition practices are

offered to ALL children.

Personnel Issues related to transition are handled by

the guidance counselor or other district

personnel as an add-on to position

responsibilities.

Issues related to transition are handled by

one, identified person as a dedicated portion

of their job responsibilities.

There is a designated Transition

Coordinator at the district level and one

team leader within each feeder school.

Most, but not all, of individual schools

serving Kindergartners within the district

participate in transition activities.

All schools serving Kindergarteners within

the district participate in transition activities.

Some of these activities are coordinated

events across the district.

In addition to the previous indicator,

school district personnel also participate

in and/or promote county-wide and/or

state-wide transition initiatives.

Teachers volunteer time to engage in

transition practices that extend beyond

their contractual obligations.

Incentives are provided for teachers to

engage in transition practices that extend

beyond their contractual obligations.

Transition practices are incorporated into

and are compensated as part of teachers’

contractual obligations.

Transition Plan A written Transition Plan is present. A written Transition Plan is current, is

implemented, and is reviewed and updated

periodically.

A written Transition Plan is current, is

implemented and is reviewed and updated

on an annual basis. Plan effectiveness is

evaluated annually.

23


Self- Evaluation of the Rubric

“Emerging” Means that effective practice is at the beginning stages.

“Progressing” Means that the program is moving toward the most effective practice but has not yet achieved it.

“Achieved” Means the program has met the most effective practice which would result in optimal outcomes for children and families.

4


According to the Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning, University of Virginia, 48% of children have some difficulty transitioning into to formal school.

Audience

5


6


My current practice is that I transition all children by sending a letter home to the parents to announce registration dates and to invite parents to this. We like to place this on the school website and send to all childcare centers in our area. Also we send home to all children who have an IEP in place.

7


8


My current practice is that I transition all children by sending a letter home to the parents to announce registration dates and to invite parents to this. We like to place this on the school website and send to all childcare centers in our area. Also we send home to all children who have an IEP in place.

9

All parents get the letter in the mail or in child book bag

Although I send letters, I do not know if the families actually look at them.

Maybe I can follow up with families to ensure that they receive the materials.


Research shows that…

Extra work is not supported by salary (33%).

Funds not available to support practices (27%).

OCDEL Research 2010 Transition Survey

Personnel

10


11


12


13

Personnel

Issues related to transition are handled by the guidance counselor or other district personnel as an add-on to position responsibilities.

Issues related to transition are handled by one, identified person as a dedicated portion of their job responsibilities.

There is a designated Transition Coordinator at the district level and one team leader within each feeder school.

Most, but not all, of individual elementary schools within the district participate in transition activities.

All elementary schools within the district participate in transition activities. Some of these activities are coordinated events across the district.

In addition to the previous indicator, school district personnel also participate in and/or promote county-wide and/or state-wide transition initiatives.

Teachers volunteer time to engage in transition practices that extend beyond their contractual obligations.

Incentives are provided for teachers to engage in transition practices that extend beyond their contractual obligations.

Transition practices are incorporated into and are compensated as part of teachers’ contractual obligations.

Current Practice: MY teachers in Elementary schools help to participate in county wide transition practices. The lead teacher in each grade is responsible for making connections with the other grade lead teachers. Also Kindergarten and 1st grade teachers make connections with the local ECE programs. All of our work with transition is part of our regular duties. What’s working: We are able to make connections with many early learning programs and contribute to our county wide team.

What can be improved? Although all the teachers do something for transition, we all kind of do our own thing. There really isn’t any intentional coordination going on.

Ideas for next steps: Assign a dedicated person to organize our efforts (discuss our individual efforts at monthly staff meetings and try to coordinate efforts).


– Dwight Eisenhower,

General and President(1890-1961)

14

PLANS ARE WORTHLESS,

BUT PLANNING IS ESSENTIAL.


Transition Plan A written Transition Plan is present. A written Transition Plan is current, is implemented, and is reviewed and updated periodically.

A written Transition Plan is current, is implemented and is reviewed and updated on an annual basis. Plan effectiveness is evaluated annually.

Current Practice:

What’s working:

What can be improved?

Ideas for next steps:

15


Data-driven decision making is about:

1. Collecting appropriate data2. Analyzing that data in a meaningful fashion3. Getting the data into the hands of the people who need it4. Using the data to increase efficiencies and improve

transition efforts5. Communicating data-driven decisions to key stakeholders

Data Collection

16


Percentage Barrier

56% Class lists are generated too late

47% Summer work is not supported by salary

43% No transition plan is available

37% Requires too much time to plan and conduct transition activities

33% Dangerous to visit homes

32% Parents don’t bring the child to registration / open house

27% Couldn’t reach the parents

25% Parents were not interested

What teachers see as the barriers to helping with transitions:

17


www.pdesas.org www.pakeys.org

Resource Use

18

http://www.pdesas.org/

http://www.pakey.org/


1. Read descriptions for each indicator. 2. Complete your current practice on worksheet.

3. Score on action plan.

4. Complete “what’s working” , “what can be improved” and “ideas for next steps” on worksheet.

19


3412

20

Prioritizing


Lets take a Break!

21

REFRESH YOUR MIND

STRETCH YOUR BODY

transition from early care to formal schooling tom corbett, governor; ronald tomalis, secretary of...

Documents

transition activities

audience transition

available transition

written transition plan

secretary of public

governor ronald tomalis

formal schooling tom

early care