Promoting Success of Promoting Success of Youth Served in Career Youth Served in Career

& Technology Programs: & Technology Programs: A Community of Practice A Community of Practice

SolutionSolution

A collaboration of:A collaboration of:

• the Berks County Transition the Berks County Transition Coordinating Council (BCTCC), Coordinating Council (BCTCC),

• the Berks County Transition Council the Berks County Transition Council (BCTC),(BCTC),

• the Berks Career & Technology the Berks Career & Technology Center, &Center, &

• the 18 Berks County School Districtsthe 18 Berks County School Districts

Berks County Berks County Transition Transition

Coordinating Coordinating Council Council

The Current Committee Structure The Current Committee Structure of BCTCCof BCTCC

Business &Industry

Interagency

Agency Expo

Post-Secondary

School toWork

Executive Tracking

Membership/Public

Awareness ByLaws

Fiscal Management

Operational

Project based

Agency ExpoAgency ExpoPlan & implement the biannual Expo for students and Plan & implement the biannual Expo for students and

families. families.

Business & IndustryBusiness & Industry

Plan & implement the biannual Employability Expo for Plan & implement the biannual Employability Expo for students. students.

By-LawsBy-LawsWrite & update governing rules of the council.Write & update governing rules of the council.

ExecutiveExecutiveElected by BCTCC membership to develop training & Elected by BCTCC membership to develop training &

resources for BCTCC and to provide leadership and resources for BCTCC and to provide leadership and support for committees as they work toward our support for committees as they work toward our

mission.mission.

InteragencyInteragencyDevelop products and practices that promote Develop products and practices that promote

collaborative transition planning among schools and collaborative transition planning among schools and agencies. agencies.

Membership & Public RelationsMembership & Public RelationsInvite representatives of diverse constituencies to Invite representatives of diverse constituencies to

actively participate in BCTCC activities (e.g. actively participate in BCTCC activities (e.g. employers, students, families, agency personnel, employers, students, families, agency personnel, educators, etc.) Promote awareness of transition educators, etc.) Promote awareness of transition

issues and the BCTCC’s work and mission.issues and the BCTCC’s work and mission.

School to WorkSchool to WorkPlan and implement the summer work experience and Plan and implement the summer work experience and

assessment program and other collaborative efforts assessment program and other collaborative efforts to prepare students for competitive employment.to prepare students for competitive employment.

Tracking SurveyTracking SurveyCoordinate implementation of annual post-Coordinate implementation of annual post-

graduation follow-up survey, analyze and graduation follow-up survey, analyze and disseminate survey data, facilitate data-based disseminate survey data, facilitate data-based

transition planning.transition planning.

Fiscal ManagementFiscal ManagementHandles funds which come into the Council; Handles funds which come into the Council; provides assistance to committees applying for provides assistance to committees applying for

grants; recruits administrative entities necessary grants; recruits administrative entities necessary to implement grants.to implement grants.

Post-SecondaryPost-SecondaryEnhance transition activities at the high school Enhance transition activities at the high school level, which in turn will lead to more success at level, which in turn will lead to more success at

the post-secondary levelthe post-secondary level

Berks County Transition Berks County Transition CouncilCouncil

• Comprised of Transition Coordinators Comprised of Transition Coordinators from 18 school districts,from 18 school districts,

• Meets bi-monthly as a group,Meets bi-monthly as a group,• Exchanges best practice information Exchanges best practice information

and ideas,and ideas,• Receives training on relevant topics Receives training on relevant topics

from agencies, community from agencies, community organizations, & professionals. organizations, & professionals.

Berks Career & Technology Berks Career & Technology CenterCenter

• Two campuses serve 16 of 18 Berks Two campuses serve 16 of 18 Berks County school districts,County school districts,

• Offers 34 programs of study,Offers 34 programs of study,• Two special education facilitators Two special education facilitators

are members of the BCTCC and are members of the BCTCC and BCTC and provide connection among BCTC and provide connection among the groups.the groups.

Berks County School Berks County School DistrictsDistricts

• An urban, suburban, & rural county An urban, suburban, & rural county located in southeastern located in southeastern Pennsylvania;Pennsylvania;

• All participate with the BCTCC;All participate with the BCTCC;• All utilize one of two Career Tech All utilize one of two Career Tech

systems systems

How the process works!How the process works!

Tracking two students…..Tracking two students…..

Angelina

Brad

Meet the students!Meet the students!

Angelina-Angelina-• Grade 12Grade 12• Learning Learning

disableddisabled• Health Health

Occupations Occupations programprogram

Brad-Brad-• Grade 12+Grade 12+• AutisticAutistic• Horticulture Horticulture

programprogram

AngelinaAngelina

• Received SAM Received SAM assessment in 9 in 9thth grade; grade;• Applied for and was accepted by BCTC Applied for and was accepted by BCTC

for her 10for her 10thth grade year; grade year;• Attends ½ day at the Career Center for Attends ½ day at the Career Center for

math and health occupations math and health occupations curriculum and ½ day at home school curriculum and ½ day at home school for other academic subjects;for other academic subjects;

• Meets with Transition Coordinator bi-Meets with Transition Coordinator bi-monthly at the Career Center;monthly at the Career Center;

• Receives support from Special Ed Receives support from Special Ed facilitator as needed;facilitator as needed;

Angelina cont…Angelina cont…• Attended Employability Expo (11Attended Employability Expo (11thth););• Participates in Participates in ACT NowACT Now program (12 program (12thth););• Self-referred to OVR thru on-line application; Self-referred to OVR thru on-line application; • Participates in Participates in Transition Fair/ExpoTransition Fair/Expo (12 (12thth); ); • Participates in Participates in Post-Secondary PrepPost-Secondary Prep seminar; seminar;• Participates in Participates in College FairCollege Fair at Career Center; at Career Center;• Works with SD junior high school teacher or Works with SD junior high school teacher or

counselor in her shop;counselor in her shop;• Attended Transition class thru SD (9Attended Transition class thru SD (9thth););• Conducted her IEP meetings (10-12);Conducted her IEP meetings (10-12);

Angelina cont…Angelina cont…• Volunteers with Volunteers with Career Center Blood DriveCareer Center Blood Drive;;• Completing Completing Senior ProjectSenior Project at Career Center; at Career Center; • Doing clinical experience for Certified Doing clinical experience for Certified

Nursing Assistant;Nursing Assistant;• Applying to RACC’s LPN program, with Applying to RACC’s LPN program, with

possible funding through OVR;possible funding through OVR;• Will receive Transition CD upon graduation;Will receive Transition CD upon graduation;• Will participate in Will participate in Tracking SurveyTracking Survey one year one year

after graduation.after graduation.

BradBrad• Completed SAM assessment (8Completed SAM assessment (8th);th);

• Attended Career Exploration (9Attended Career Exploration (9thth); ); • Completed Horticulture program (10-12);Completed Horticulture program (10-12);• Currently (12+) attends ½ day Transition Currently (12+) attends ½ day Transition

House and ½ day Co-op placement; House and ½ day Co-op placement; • Meets with Transition Coordinator bi-Meets with Transition Coordinator bi-

monthly at TH;monthly at TH;• Received support from Special Ed Received support from Special Ed

facilitator as needed;facilitator as needed;

Brad cont…Brad cont…• Attended Attended Employability ExpoEmployability Expo (11 (11thth););• Participates in Participates in ACT NowACT Now program (12 program (12++););• Applied to OVR with Transition Applied to OVR with Transition

Coordinator help; Coordinator help; • Participates in Participates in Transition Fair/ExpoTransition Fair/Expo

(12(12thth););• Will receive Transition CD upon Will receive Transition CD upon

graduation;graduation;• Will participate in Will participate in Tracking SurveyTracking Survey one one

year after graduation;year after graduation;• Attended Transition class thru SD (9Attended Transition class thru SD (9thth););• Conducted his IEP meetings (10-12);Conducted his IEP meetings (10-12);

Brad cont…Brad cont…• Will receive vocational assessment at Will receive vocational assessment at

HGA;HGA;• Has participated in Has participated in Teens Taking FlightTeens Taking Flight

program since age 16; program since age 16; • Volunteered in Career Center program to Volunteered in Career Center program to

enhance landscaping at community park;enhance landscaping at community park;• Works with SD teacher or counselor in his Works with SD teacher or counselor in his

shop;shop;• Participated in job shadowing through SD;Participated in job shadowing through SD;• Worked 2 summers with SWEAP (one in Worked 2 summers with SWEAP (one in

SD, one in community).SD, one in community).

Connection to Career Center-Connection to Career Center-• Opportunities abound- goes beyond Opportunities abound- goes beyond

traditional career choices;traditional career choices;• Curriculum is challenging: reading Curriculum is challenging: reading

levels are 10levels are 10thth grade & up; grade & up;• Student must be self-motivated and Student must be self-motivated and

able to work without constant able to work without constant direct supervisiondirect supervision

What makes this work!What makes this work!

• Collaboration among all 4 entities- Collaboration among all 4 entities- BCTCC, BCTC, Career Center, & BCTCC, BCTC, Career Center, & School DistrictsSchool Districts

• Affords opportunities we would not Affords opportunities we would not otherwise have; otherwise have;

• Ongoing connections AND Ongoing connections AND communication.communication.

Questions?Questions?