MACCRAY Special MACCRAY Special Education Work-Education Work-Based Learning Based Learning

ProgramProgram“Helping Students Climb “Helping Students Climb

the the Ladder of Career Success”Ladder of Career Success”

By: Elyse Hagen, By: Elyse Hagen,

LD/DCD Special Education LD/DCD Special Education Teacher & WBL CoordinatorTeacher & WBL Coordinator

What is Work-Based What is Work-Based Learning?Learning?

Work-Based Learning (WBL) is “instruction Work-Based Learning (WBL) is “instruction occurring at the school and a community-occurring at the school and a community-based setting”. based setting”. (MDE, pg. 3)(MDE, pg. 3)

Students aged 14 years or older engage in Students aged 14 years or older engage in nonpaid career exploration, career nonpaid career exploration, career assessment, and work-related training assessment, and work-related training experiences to identify their career interests, experiences to identify their career interests, assess their employment skills and training assess their employment skills and training needs, and develop the skills and attitudes needs, and develop the skills and attitudes necessary for paid employment. After such necessary for paid employment. After such instruction, students engage in paid instruction, students engage in paid cooperative work experience. cooperative work experience. (NCSET)(NCSET)

Why do we need a WBL Why do we need a WBL program?program?

There are transition service requirements for youth with There are transition service requirements for youth with disabilities as identified by IDEA 1997. It is described as:disabilities as identified by IDEA 1997. It is described as:

““A A coordinated set of activitiescoordinated set of activities for a student with a for a student with a disability that is designed within an outcome-disability that is designed within an outcome-oriented process, that promotes movement from oriented process, that promotes movement from school to post school activities, including school to post school activities, including postsecondary education, vocational training, postsecondary education, vocational training, integrated employment (including supported integrated employment (including supported employment), continuing and adult education, adult employment), continuing and adult education, adult services, independent living, or community services, independent living, or community participation; is participation; is based on the individual student’s based on the individual student’s needsneeds, taking into account the student’s preferences , taking into account the student’s preferences and interests; and includes instruction, related and interests; and includes instruction, related services, community experiences, the development services, community experiences, the development of employment and other post school adult-living of employment and other post school adult-living objectives, and if appropriate, acquisition of daily-objectives, and if appropriate, acquisition of daily-living skills and functional vocational evaluation.”living skills and functional vocational evaluation.”

Components of MACCRAY WBL Components of MACCRAY WBL ProgramProgram

•Our program integrates classroom learning with productive structured work experience.

•The work experience is supplemented with instruction and activities that apply, reinforce, refine and extend the learning that occurs during work.

How do students benefit from How do students benefit from WBL?WBL?

Improve academic successImprove academic success Increase work readiness skillsIncrease work readiness skills Help disabled youth acquire higher Help disabled youth acquire higher

paying jobspaying jobs Help students make career decisions by Help students make career decisions by

exploring different careers of interestexploring different careers of interest Increase self-confidenceIncrease self-confidence Hands-on training and experienceHands-on training and experience Connection between school and workConnection between school and work Opportunity to add experiences to Opportunity to add experiences to

resumeresume

The school and businesses benefit The school and businesses benefit too!too!

WBL motivates students to be productive WBL motivates students to be productive members of societymembers of society

Enhances employability of youthEnhances employability of youth Improve relationships with the communityImprove relationships with the community Improve school attendance and reduce the Improve school attendance and reduce the

drop-out ratedrop-out rate Introduces future employees to work place Introduces future employees to work place

ethicsethics Future employees gain better Future employees gain better

communication skillscommunication skills

TEAMWORKTEAMWORK In order for the WBL In order for the WBL

program to be effective program to be effective and to meet the needs and to meet the needs of the student, multiple of the student, multiple parties need to be parties need to be involved. The school, involved. The school, employer, WBL employer, WBL Coordinator, the Coordinator, the student and parents student and parents need to be on the same need to be on the same page. This is crucial to page. This is crucial to the success of the the success of the program.program.

Student & Parent(s)

WBL Coordinator

Employer

School

WBL Coordinator’s WBL Coordinator’s ResponsibilitiesResponsibilities

Assure program meets state standardsAssure program meets state standards Develop partnerships with Develop partnerships with

businesses/communitybusinesses/community Prepare Individual Training Agreements and Prepare Individual Training Agreements and

Training PlansTraining Plans Keep student records and conduct progress Keep student records and conduct progress

reviews with the student and employerreviews with the student and employer Coordinate learning activities in the Coordinate learning activities in the

classroom with those in the workplaceclassroom with those in the workplace

School ResponsibilitiesSchool Responsibilities

Support the programSupport the program Provide students the opportunity to Provide students the opportunity to

participate in WBL experiencesparticipate in WBL experiences Verify proper insurance coverageVerify proper insurance coverage Provide sufficient time for the WBL Provide sufficient time for the WBL

coordinator to manage the programcoordinator to manage the program Ensure compliance with federal and Ensure compliance with federal and

state regulationsstate regulations

Employer ResponsibilitiesEmployer Responsibilities

Follow child labor lawsFollow child labor laws Instruct the student in competencies Instruct the student in competencies

identified in the training plan and identified in the training plan and document student’s progressdocument student’s progress

Treat student as regular employeeTreat student as regular employee Provide student with safety trainingProvide student with safety training Properly train student on the safe Properly train student on the safe

operation of any equipmentoperation of any equipment

Parent/guardian Parent/guardian ResponsibilitiesResponsibilities

Support the student in meeting the Support the student in meeting the requirements of the programrequirements of the program

Participate in any progress reviews Participate in any progress reviews scheduledscheduled

Student’s ResponsibilitiesStudent’s Responsibilities

Meet requirements established by Meet requirements established by school and employerschool and employer

Maintain acceptable performance at Maintain acceptable performance at school and on the job.school and on the job.

Participate in Progress ReviewsParticipate in Progress Reviews

Requirements to Participate:Requirements to Participate:

You must:You must: Be at least 16 years of age Be at least 16 years of age Maintain a C averageMaintain a C average Have satisfactory school attendanceHave satisfactory school attendance Enroll in “Career Skills” or “Living On Enroll in “Career Skills” or “Living On

Your Own” classYour Own” class Obey school rulesObey school rules

MACCRAY WBL GOALSMACCRAY WBL GOALS

Help students understand career Help students understand career application of subject matterapplication of subject matter

Teach and reinforce productive work Teach and reinforce productive work habitshabits

Emphasize career awareness and Emphasize career awareness and explorationexploration

WBL helps students understand WBL helps students understand how to put the pieces together to how to put the pieces together to prepare students for a successful prepare students for a successful

career.career.

ResourcesResources

National Center on Secondary Education National Center on Secondary Education and Transition. and Transition. http://www.ncset.org/publications/essentihttp://www.ncset.org/publications/essentialtools/flsa/intro.aspaltools/flsa/intro.asp

MN Department of Children, Families, & MN Department of Children, Families, & Learning. “Connecting Youth to Work-Learning. “Connecting Youth to Work-Based Learning”.Based Learning”.

MN Department of Education Career and MN Department of Education Career and Technical Education. “101 Work-Based Technical Education. “101 Work-Based Learning FAQs”. Learning FAQs”.