The Challenge for Career Development: Preventing Special Education Dropouts

Abstract

1988-89 DCDT PresidentIN 1992, JACK, a student who has learning disabilities, was 17 years old and had barely completed the requirements for 9th grade when he dropped out of high school. He had few, if any, entry level job skills. Now, at 21 years, he has held at least 10 different entry level jobs, none longer than six months. Jack has the social skills which enable him to obtain employment, but they are not so fully developed that they help him maintain it over any extended period of time. Earning a minimum wage, he can't afford to live independently, to purchase car insurance (due to his many driving violations), nor is he covered by health insurance because he is not employed full time. Unskilled and under educated, Jack has little hope of improving his quality of life or becoming totally independent. Because of his many past failures, Jack hates any type of school setting. Thus, he rejects adult education, Job Corps, community college, and vocational rehabilitation. What will happen to Jack?Unfortunately, Jack is not alone. So many students with learning disabilities, as well as students who have emotional and behavioral disorders, face similar circumstances when they drop out of school.More than 42.2% of the students identified with emotional disturbance and 63.9% of students identified as having learning disabilities drop out of school each year (Council of Exceptional

Policy Contexts for Transition Personnel Preparation: An Analysis of Transition-Related Credentials, Standards, and Course Requirements in State Certification and Licensure Policies

“…Teacher Licensing as a Tool for Stimulating Personnel Preparation for Transition Lack of personnel preparation for transition has been cited as one of the reasons why students with disabilities do not achieve post-school outcomes comparable to those of their peers without disabilities (e.g., Bursuck & Epstein, 1986;Razeghi, 1996). The Council for Exceptional Children's (CEC) recent adoption of Standards for Preparation of Transition Specialists (2001; http://www.cec.sped.org/ps /perf based stds/transition specialist 03-12-Ol.html) reflects one effort to stimulate development of personnel preparation in transition and acknowledges the impact that accreditation and credentialing policies have on personnel preparation programs and content.…”

What's Happening in Personnel Preparation in Transition? A National Survey

“…Research in transition suggests that all too often students with disabilities do not achieve post-school outcomes comparable to those of their peers without disabilities (Blackorby & Wagner, 1996), in part because professionals are not adequately prepared to provide the services required to achieve transition-related goals. The literature further suggests that personnel preparation programs have placed little emphasis on training professionals to deliver transition services (Razeghi, 1996). To improve transition service delivery and, ultimately, improve student outcomes, there is a need to learn more about how transition-related content is delivered in personnel preparation.…”

Block Scheduling and Inclusion in a High School

“…Designing and delivering an inclusive educational program that meets the needs of students labeled as having highincidence disabilities in secondary schools is complex and challenging (Cole & McLeskey, 1997;Schumaker & Deshler, 1988;Thousand, Rosenberg, Bishop, & Villa, 1997). Part of this challenge results from the fact that many, varied goals have been identified for these students, including earning a high school diploma, passing state-required minimum competency tests, developing independent learning and living skills, developing and following an individualized transition plan, preparing for postsecondary education, and preparing for a chosen career in the workforce (Chalfant & VanReusen, 1992;Razeghi, 1996;Schloss, Smith, & Schloss, 1995). Unfortunately, much evidence suggests that students with disabilities are unsuccessful (or fail) in secondary general education classrooms at alarmingly high rates (Blackorby & Wagner, 1996;Rieth & Polsgrove, 1994;Schumaker & Deshler, 1988).…”