Presented By Lindsey Anderson

Interagency CollaborationPresented by Lindsey AndersonOSSE Division of Specialized EducationSecondary Transition Webinar Series

Objectives1. Define interagency collaboration2. Describe the purposes of interagency collaboration3. Identify potential barriers and ideas for eliminatingthem4. Identify characteristics of effective collaboration5. Identify how interagency collaboration functions atnational, state, and local (including school) levels

Guiding Questions1. What is interagency collaboration (and how will weknow it if we see it)?2. What are our purposes for collaboration?3. How will we see and eliminate barriers?4. What are characteristics of effective collaborationfor improved transition outcomes?5. How do interagency teams function at the state,local, and school levels? How do we build them?

Guiding Question 1What is interagency collaboration(and how will we know it if we see it)?

No Consensus for a DefinitionSpecialEducationCareer & TechEducationCommunityRehab.ProvidersPhysicians &SpecialistsParentInfo. & TrainingCentersPsychologistIndependentLiving sumerOrganizationsYouth &FamilyOne StopsIDMHNo commonlyused definitionof interagencycollaborationfound acrossmultipleresearchstudiesbetween 1982and 2009Support GroupsVoc. Evaluators &Work ralEducationVocationalRehabilitationKester, J. (2012); Test,Mazzotti, Fowler,Kortering, &Kohler.(2009)

How will we know it when we see it?What does collaboration mean, basedupon the ecology and environment oftransitioning youth?This leads us to explore the definition ofinteragency collaboration

Defining Interagency Collaboration“Collaboration is generally defined as aprocess of participation through whichpeople, groups, and organizations formrelationships and work together toachieve a set of agreed-upon results.”Kochhar-Bryant, 2008, p. 7

Defining Interagency Collaboration Interagency collaboration involves relationshipsamong people in different roles and disciplinesin schools, among schools, with human serviceagencies, and in communities. Collaboration is the “people part,” which goeshand in hand with the organizational level ofsystem coordination.Kochhar-Bryant, 2008

Defining Collaboration Collaboration: process ofdiscovery whererelationships and newknowledge are constructedthrough a synthesis of ideas These are outcomes of sociallearning that are built uponthe trust and cooperation ofthe group of collaborators(Kochhar-Bryant, 2008)

Definition of CollaborationProcesses, activities and relationships of agroup that results in the exchange ofinformation, sharing, and pooling of resourcesfor mutual benefit to achieve a commonpurpose.

Guiding Question 2What are our purposes forcollaboration?

Failing at Interagency CollaborationDespite legislation andmultiple agencymandates, we continue tohave systemsfragmentationNational Council on Disability (2008)

Lower Post-School OutcomesGeneralPopulation ofYouthYouth withDisabilities(NLTS-2, 2010;Test, Aspel & Everson, 2006)

Purposes for Engaging in Interagency Collaboration1. To improve the academic, postsecondary, and lifelong success of students.2. To try new ways of working together to accomplish#1.3. To be rejuvenated and use our creativity toaccomplish #1.4. To expand the number of people who can help usaccomplish #1.5. To eliminate our feelings of being a lone advocate.

Guiding Question 3What are challenges or barriers toeffective collaboration forimproved transition outcomes?

Review of Challenges or BarriersOrganizational or SystemBarriers No cooperative processes oragreements Incongruent policies Separate funding streamswith different purposes Changes in priorities &legislative shifts Inadequate data collection &reportingAttitudinal Barriers Political pressures Territorialism Staff turnoverKnowledge Barriers Lack of understanding of owndisciplines, agencies, etc. No knowledge of new modelsfor collaboration

Ecological or Environmental Factors Complexity oftransition system ofagencies Agency culturaldifferences Different languages Change processes Legal mandates

The Collaboration PuzzleAgency MissionFunding and resourcesAccountabilityProfessionals’ jobdescriptions and roles Linkages and formalagreements Already formedrelationships

What Happens to Supports for Employment of YouthAfter High School?Let’s take a look at aGovernment AccountabilityOffice (GAO) report entitledBetter Federal CoordinationCould Lessen Challenges inthe Transition from HighSchool GAO-12-594, Jul 12,2012.Available athttp://www.gao.gov/products/GAO12-594

Supports After High School?Challenges in accessing federally funded programs: Difficulty navigating multiple programs that arenot always coordinated; Possible delays in service as they wait to beserved by adult programs; Limited access to transition services; A lack of adequate information or awareness ofavailable programs that may provide transitionservices after high school; Lack of preparedness for postsecondaryeducation or employment.

Key Federal Legislation Providing Servicesto Transitioning Youth21

Obtaining Services after High SchoolAcross MultiplePrograms22

Potential Partnerships: Transition Collaboration Student and their families School personnel––––––AdministratorsSpecial Education TeachersGeneral Education TeachersCareer & Tech. EducatorsCounselorsRelated Services Post-secondary education &training– Trade & technical schools– Community college– Universities Adult Government Services– RSA– DDA– Mental Health Community Servicesproviders––––ARCGoodwillAdvocacy GroupsAttorney Advocates Businesses (includingChamber of Commerce) Other community partners

Call for Enhanced Coordination and Collaboration To improve supports for transitioningyouth, the report calls for improvedcoordination not only at the federallevel, but at the state, regional, andlocal levels, including schools!This leads us to Guiding Question 4

Guiding Question 4What are the characteristics ofeffective collaboration forimproved transition outcomes?

Models of Effective Interagency CollaborationCIRCLESCommunitiesof Practice

Renewed Optimism for Effective Collaboration Researchers are showing renewed interest (e.g., Kester,Noonan, Wenger) Outcomes of research targeting collaboration for transitioningyouth:– Communities of Practice (often called Transition Councilsat School Levels)– Circles (being piloted by OSSE in the District) Collaboration does not happen in a vacuum – we need tocreate a context and deliberate opportunities to developcollaboration to benefit transitioning students

Optimism for Improving CollaborationCommunities of Practice (CoP) CoPs are being implemented at local, district,state and national levels around theissue/topic and problems of transition forstudents with disabilities. OSSE and School Talk facilitate the District’sCoP on Transition

Optimism for Improving CollaborationThere is hope that the challenges of interagencycollaboration in secondary transition can be overcome,as reflected by one interviewee in Kester’s research:“It’s very seldom that you have a group of individuals fromso many different backgrounds and perspectives, and yetin my time there I haven’t seen individual agendas. I’veseen the main agenda of how are we going to help thesestudents be successful.” (Participant 18, interview, January30, 2012)29

Communities of Practice Communities of Practice are“vehicles” for social learning(Wenger, 1998) They are defined as groupsof people who shareexpertise and passion abouta topic and interact on anongoing basis to furthertheir learning in theirdomain (Wenger, 2002)

A Context to Grow Transition PracticesNo one agency can do it alone it takes acommunity!Communities of practice create an environment wherethere are strengths in numbers and practices can bedeveloped and implemented through shared work.31

Formation of a CoP Share a commondomain of interest Develop a community Share practice andresources32

What do Communities of Practice Look Like?Problem SolvingSharing InformationCoordination &SynergySharing rces& Identifying Gaps33

DC Secondary Transition Community of Practice HighlightsNot “owned” by any one organization:– Agenda set by the group,– Based upon needs of students,– Members take on various leadership roles;– Meets once a month in person (may havesmaller meetings virtually or telephonically)– Some who attended with reluctance arenow energized and actively participating– The process is working34

DC Secondary Transition Community of Practice Highlights Subcommittees change each year with new priorities(youth engagement, family engagement, etc.) Recent Outcomes:– White Paper on Self Determination—led to Student-led IEPinitiative– Transition Process Toolkit– Transition Assessment toolkit– Secondary Transition Website– State Capacity Building Institute– Annual Moving Forward with Transition Forum (SchoolTalk)– CIRCLES

DC Secondary Transition Community of Practice ocatesPostsecondaryEducationInstitutions

Guiding Question 5How do interagency teams function atthe state, local, and school levels andhow do we build them?

Common Themes of Successful Collaboration1. Forming new relationships with people2. Sharing human and other resources3. Building trust among people working asequals (non-hierarchical) relationships4. Requiring joint responsibilities for outcomes5. Involving joint decision-making and actions6. Aiming for specific, agreed upon results andchangeKochhar-Bryant & Heishman, 2010

Levels of Collaborative Teams National Level– National Transition Community of Practice (sponsored bythe IDEA Partnership, www.sharedwork.org) DC level– DC Transition Community of Practice Need to develop collaborative teams at the schoollevel– Transition Councils or CoPs IEP TeamsLet’s take a look at the CIRCLES model of collaboration 39

Rejuvenating and Energizing We change the way we work We continue to work positivepostsecondary outcomes for ourstudents We become re-energized andenthusiastic We are not alone!

Interagency Transition TeamsWho - Comprised ofrepresentatives of keystakeholders (includingthe decision makers)How – Workstrategically to developand implement policyWhat – Improveadult life outcomes

CIRCLES: Multi-Level Approach to Transition Planningfor Students with DisabilitiesCommunityLevel TeamStudentLevelTeamSchoolLevelTeam

Community-Level Team Discuss policy Collaborate for servicedelivery Do NOT work directlywith students Meet 2-4 times/year MOST IMPORTANTLY ExecutiveLevel Leaders

Appoint a Representative to Serve on School-Level TeamAppointed RepresentativeCommunityLevel TeamSchoolLevel Team

School-Level TeamDirect ServiceProviders &SchoolPersonnel Work DIRECTLY withstudents/families Collaborate to provideservices to INDIVIDUALstudents See students from multipleschools for transitionplanning Meet monthly AND

Submit Pre-planned Transition Goals to IEP TeamSchoolLevelTeamTransition GoalsIEP Team

Student- Level (IEP) TeamSchool andStudentSpecific TeamMembers Prepare students to presentat the School-Level Teammeeting Bring pre-planning fromSchool-Level Team back tothe IEP meeting to Write transition plan

Interagency Collaboration Improved Post School OutcomesCommunityLevel TeamSchoolLevelTeamIEP TeamImprovedPost-SchoolOutcomes forStudents withDisabilities

CIRCLES in DC Highlights Opportunity to develop opportunities forincreased self-determination and interagencycollaboration During it’s first year:– 4 schools participated– 20 students were served49

“We build the road and the road builds us.”

Wrap UpGuiding Questions:1. What is interagency collaboration (how willwe know it if we see it)?2. What are our purposes for collaboration?3. What are characteristics of effectivecollaboration for improved transitionoutcomes?4. How will we see and eliminate barriers?5. How do interagency teams function at thestate, local, and school levels?