Re: Re: Fw: Autistic and Seeking a Place in an Adult World - NYTimes.com

[Guest guest]

I’d like to see you use this in conversation with families, too, because one

of my biggest takeaways was the ‘will’ of this family to keep supporting

their boy. Parents need to be able to imagine what’s possible, even when

living in a state like ours where the outcomes we know about are often so very

limited.

Remember watching a video of Senator Tom Harkin (Iowa) introducing a

subcommittee hearing on employment earlier this year. I won’t get the quote

exactly right, but it was something like ‘Success in adulthood is in part due

to the quality of the education you receive, but even more than that is the

importance of the WILL OF THE FAMILY.†His point being that you can have the

best professionals in the world working with your child, but if we parents

aren’t dreaming the dreams, teaching our kids the value of work, and helping

open doors for them in the community...well, then, even the BEST program won’t

result in a good long-term outcome.

This article was a GREAT story. Thanks for sharing it with us.

L.

From: ELLEN BRONFELD

Sent: Monday, September 19, 2011 10:27 AM

IPADDUnite

Subject: Re: Fw: Autistic and Seeking a Place in an Adult World -

NYTimes.com

I loved this article but it was VERY long...25 pages!

Gail is so right...outcome data would be so useful...NSSED had talked about

doing a five year look back by contacting families of graduates, presumably

those who had gone through their transition program, so, those who are now

26-27...as far as I know, it never happened...but will check when I have the

time. I think it would be a good conversation for all of us to have with our

local special ed co-ops and school districts.

Though this would cost some money, minimal I would think, with ever more limited

resources, if schools could demonstrate successful outcomes, they might be able

to find federal money and grants to support their efforts.

Just as important, if outcomes are not there, they might be forced back to the

drawing board for more effective strategies to provide our children with better

futures.

Ellen

Ellen Garber Bronfeld

mailto:egskb%40sbcglobal.net

[Guest guest]

It is not unusual for high schools to send out a postcard a year after

graduation, asking their NT grads what they are doing--college, military, job. 

That's really too soon, but high schools want to be able to brag about what

percentage of their grads went to college...never mind what percent finish

college (that's a dirty little secret).

Technology Center of DuPage (for old hands in the area, that's what they used to

call DAVEA) runs vocational classes.  Participating high schools in the county

enroll interested students for half-days in the programs the students select,

and the students are back at their local high school for classes during the rest

of the day.

Because they want to know how useful and effective their classes are, TCD

surveys their past students every year or two for several years.  They ask what

you're doing, what you studied at TCD and also how helpful you felt the training

was for your job.

Why not learn the same information for transition?  Not all transition students

are the same, but if all students/families give the same feedback, a district

can learn which things are effective--and which aren't.

-Gail

________________________________

From: ELLEN BRONFELD <egskb@...>

IPADDUnite

Sent: Monday, September 19, 2011 10:27 AM

Subject: Re: Fw: Autistic and Seeking a Place in an Adult World -

NYTimes.com

 

I loved this article but it was VERY long...25 pages!

Gail is so right...outcome data would be so useful...NSSED had talked about

doing a five year look back by contacting families of graduates, presumably

those who had gone through their transition program, so, those who are now

26-27...as far as I know, it never happened...but will check when I have the

time. I think it would be a good conversation for all of us to have with our

local special ed co-ops and school districts.

Though this would cost some money, minimal I would think, with ever more limited

resources, if schools could demonstrate successful outcomes, they might be able

to find federal money and grants to support their efforts.

Just as important, if outcomes are not there, they might be forced back to the

drawing board for more effective strategies to provide our children with better

futures.

Ellen

Ellen Garber Bronfeld

egskb@...

[Guest guest]

Can I get the link to this article? Somehow I deleted it.

Thanks so much,

H.

Re: Fw: Autistic and Seeking a Place in an Adult World -

NYTimes.com

I loved this article but it was VERY long...25 pages!

ail is so right...outcome data would be so useful...NSSED had talked about

oing a five year look back by contacting families of graduates, presumably

hose who had gone through their transition program, so, those who are now

6-27...as far as I know, it never happened...but will check when I have the

ime. I think it would be a good conversation for all of us to have with our

ocal special ed co-ops and school districts.

hough this would cost some money, minimal I would think, with ever more limited

esources, if schools could demonstrate successful outcomes, they might be able

o find federal money and grants to support their efforts.

ust as important, if outcomes are not there, they might be forced back to the

rawing board for more effective strategies to provide our children with better

utures.

llen

llen Garber Bronfeld

gskb@...

[Guest guest]

Doesn’t Indicator 13 have something to do with tracking outcomes beyond

transition? I thought that’s what it was about. Does anyone know?

From: G Mrozak

Sent: Tuesday, September 20, 2011 9:42 AM

IPADDUnite

Subject: Re: Re: Fw: Autistic and Seeking a Place in an Adult World

- NYTimes.com

It is not unusual for high schools to send out a postcard a year after

graduation, asking their NT grads what they are doing--college, military, job.

That's really too soon, but high schools want to be able to brag about what

percentage of their grads went to college...never mind what percent finish

college (that's a dirty little secret).

Technology Center of DuPage (for old hands in the area, that's what they used to

call DAVEA) runs vocational classes. Participating high schools in the county

enroll interested students for half-days in the programs the students select,

and the students are back at their local high school for classes during the rest

of the day.

Because they want to know how useful and effective their classes are, TCD

surveys their past students every year or two for several years. They ask what

you're doing, what you studied at TCD and also how helpful you felt the training

was for your job.

Why not learn the same information for transition? Not all transition students

are the same, but if all students/families give the same feedback, a district

can learn which things are effective--and which aren't.

-Gail

________________________________

From: ELLEN BRONFELD <mailto:egskb%40sbcglobal.net>

mailto:IPADDUnite%40

Sent: Monday, September 19, 2011 10:27 AM

Subject: Re: Fw: Autistic and Seeking a Place in an Adult World -

NYTimes.com

I loved this article but it was VERY long...25 pages!

Gail is so right...outcome data would be so useful...NSSED had talked about

doing a five year look back by contacting families of graduates, presumably

those who had gone through their transition program, so, those who are now

26-27...as far as I know, it never happened...but will check when I have the

time. I think it would be a good conversation for all of us to have with our

local special ed co-ops and school districts.

Though this would cost some money, minimal I would think, with ever more limited

resources, if schools could demonstrate successful outcomes, they might be able

to find federal money and grants to support their efforts.

Just as important, if outcomes are not there, they might be forced back to the

drawing board for more effective strategies to provide our children with better

futures.

Ellen

Ellen Garber Bronfeld

mailto:egskb%40sbcglobal.net