Principal and Assistant Principal Involvement in and Barriers to Supporting Secondary Transition for Students with Disabilities

Since 1990, and with subsequent amendments in 1997 and 2004, the secondary transition provision of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) have required special educators to plan, coordinate, and deliver transition services for secondary-aged students with disabilities (U.S. Department of Education, 2011). The experiences, social impacts and economic opportunities for employment continue to be monitored at both a federal and state level as part of expected outcomes for public secondary schools. The purpose of this instrumental case study was to examine the alignment of current research with current practice of transition planning for students with intellectual disabilities. The study surveys teachers and interviews parents of student with intellectual disabilities to identify activities and experiences that occurred during their transition phase of exiting high school. The data sources are then compared and aligned with the research on the evidence-based predictors for improving post school outcomes for students with disabilities. The findings show that while most of the evidence-based predictors are part of the transition process, some predictors are not vi implemented or timely for educators and parents to have consistent experiences. This study discussed the triangulation of the data from multiple resources to examine what predictors are implemented, training for teacher and experiences of families as they move toward post school outcomes for employment. The study discusses the implications of school policies, practice and future implications for improving post school outcomes for students with disabilities.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease seen in adults and children worldwide with a prevalence rate of 24% in adults and 10% in children in the United States. Many factors influence the development of NAFLD, including ethnicity, genetics, body weight, environment, coexisting diseases, and access to health care.1, 2 Childhood obesity is concerning because of its association with end-stage liver disease in adulthood. For each 1-unit gain in body mass index (BMI) z score among children aged 7 to 13 years, the risk for cirrhosis increases by 16% in adulthood.3 Moreover, the rate of fibrosis progression in adults with NAFLD is on average one stage of progression over 14 years; however, some adults exhibit the rapid fibrosis phenotype with accelerated fibrosis development in less than 10 years.4, 5 Consequently, early identification and longitudinal management of NAFLD from childhood to adulthood are crucial for preventing progression and complications. Pediatric patients with NAFLD are best managed with a multidisciplinary team, including a gastroenterologist or hepatologist, dietician, exercise specialist, and psychological and other supportive services; however, there are currently no NAFLD-specific models that seamlessly transition patients from the pediatric to adult provider. During this period, patients are at high risk for recidivism and loss of integrated care. Here, we propose a NAFLD-specific model based on other models for chronic diseases to successfully transition pediatric patients with NAFLD to adult care. Transition of care is defined as the "purposeful, planned movement" of pediatric patients from child-centered to adult-oriented care,6 whereas transfer of care involves the direct handoff of a patient from the pediatric to adult provider. The concept of pediatric to adult transition of care programs is relatively new because many children with previously life-threatening conditions, such as sickle cell disease and cystic fibrosis, did not survive into adulthood. Transition of care initiatives developed in large part to prevent the growing disparities in health care outcomes before and after transition. For instance, among patients with sickle cell disease in England, newly transitioned patients accounted for the highest number of emergency department visits between 2001 and 2010.7 Moreover, according to the type 1 diabetes US Exchange Clinic Registry, mean hemoglobin A1c and diabetic ketoacidosis incidence were highest in adolescence and young adults aged 18 to 25 years, respectively.8 In 2011, the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Association of Family Physicians, and American College of Physicians proposed the basis for the Six Core Elements of Health Care Transition9: (1) incorporation of a transition policy, (2) transition tracking and monitoring, (3) assessment of transition readiness, (4) the actual transfer to adult-centered care, (5) transition completion, and (6) ongoing adult-centered care. The Got Transition Program incorporated these elements into guidelines with detailed instructions for implementing a transition program.10 Transition of care requires recognition and intervention on numerous barriers to care to ensure successful outcomes in adulthood. Low socioeconomic status (SES), switching providers, and poor health literacy present major challenges for transition of care. In one study of patients with type 1 diabetes, patients with low SES had a 2-fold increased risk for hospitalizations after transition compared with patients with high SES.11 This study also found that demographically matched control subjects who did not switch physicians were 77% less likely to be hospitalized compared with those who transferred to a new physician (RR: 0.23 [confidence interval: 0.05-0.79]). Although the specific reasons for increased rates of hospitalization are incompletely understood, poor health literacy contributes to this disparity. Indeed, only 60% of adolescents and young adults are estimated to have adequate health literacy, and many struggle with communicative and critical health literacy, the higher level of health literacy required to analyze and integrate complex information to impact one's own health care.12 Addressing this modifiable barrier to care will help ensure a successful transfer of care. Many adolescents with NAFLD struggle with obesity, self-esteem, or body image issues that also impact transition of care. According to the Endocrine Society, transition programs for obesity are an uncharted area that requires further research.13 Transition of care plays a role in obesity because adolescents and young adults are more likely to sustain a healthy diet and physical activity if they are encouraged to do so from an early age. A meta-analysis commissioned by the Endocrine Society found that lifestyle interventions directed toward children and adolescents significantly decreased sedentary behavior (P = 0.05), but with a more significant impact in children (P = 0.02).14 Obesity development can be tied to environmental factors that develop from a young age, including consumption of sugary beverages, unhealthy sleeping patterns, long technology-related screen time, and family stressors.13 These unhealthy habits often worsen when adolescents move away from home to attend college or start employment, particularly unhealthy eating and sedentary activity.15 Thus, addressing these behavioral and environmental causes of obesity early during the transition period will ensure better preparation for adult NAFLD care. Intense parental involvement has been shown to be beneficial for steering adolescents toward implementing healthy lifestyle changes.16 Yet, a restrictive and critical family environment can worsen outcomes by causing compensatory binge-eating behavior and anxiety.13 Obesity is associated with other psychosocial stressors, including lower quality of life, poor self-esteem, increased risk for depression and anxiety, higher-than-average risk for eating disorders, and increased risk for substance abuse.13 Heavier weight and body image dissatisfaction were found to predict lower self-esteem in adolescent girls.17 A meta-analysis of self-esteem in overweight and obese adolescents determined that weight loss alone was insufficient to improve self-esteem.18 Therefore, a team-based approach involving health care providers, counselors, and family members is needed to address psychological and behavioral barriers to transition of care in patients with NAFLD, the majority of whom suffer from obesity. Finally, substance abuse, and particularly alcohol consumption, presents another challenge for transitioning adolescents with NAFLD because, increasingly, the likely synergistic relationship between alcohol and obesity is being recognized.19 Many transitioning adolescents will attend college with increased access to alcohol and social pressure to drink. In one university survey, 77% of students reported drinking alcohol with the explicit purpose of getting drunk.20 Other risk factors for alcohol abuse in adolescence include family history of substance abuse and/or mood disorders, poor parental supervision, poor academic achievement and/or aspiration, and attention deficit disorder/attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.21 Early transitioning of care ensures ample preparation for transfer to adult care. Conversations surrounding transition of care should ideally begin at age 12 years22 with a discussion of personal and professional goals. Providers should gradually begin to empower adolescents to assume control of their own health. Providers should also engage adolescents early in NAFLD education and discuss behaviors that can impact both liver and general health, such as smoking, vaping, drug use, and sex. Due to limited office visits, parents should play an active role in discouraging substance abuse. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Association developed strategies for parents on how to counsel adolescents about alcohol (Fig. 1).21 These conversations can also be applied to other health-related behaviors. As the transfer to adult care approaches, pediatric gastroenterologists and hepatologists should address their patients directly and, if possible, privately to simulate a typical adult NAFLD clinic experience. This would give them the opportunity to answer and pose their own questions without parental influence. According to the social-ecological model of adolescent and young adult readiness for transition (SMART), patients should hone skills of self-advocacy throughout the transition process with help from parents and providers.23 Invariably, adolescents will feel ready to transition at different time points. Families are an important part of the care team and transition process and should be involved at each step. Providers can objectively assess transition readiness by using the disease-neutral Transition Readiness Assessment Questionnaire (TRAQ).24 According to a review of disease-neutral and disease-specific transition readiness questionnaires, TRAQ was the best validated transition readiness tool.25 In addition to TRAQ, measures of self-efficacy and self-esteem may be important indicators of transition readiness.26 Self-efficacy is the belief that one's own abilities can overcome challenges. For chronic illness, self-efficacy is positively linked to self-management, adherence, and coping. Moreover, self-esteem is correlated with an internal sense of achievement, motivation, and optimism. A low self-esteem is associated with depression in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).27 Self-efficacy and self-esteem are dynamic and predict transition readiness better than patient demographics, SES, or disease knowledge itself.26 The General Self-Efficacy Scale28 and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale29 can be used by NAFLD providers to perform these measurements. Low scores on these assessments can improve if addressed at a young age and should prompt referral to counseling. Although transitioning may be daunting, a few key interventions can usher adolescents into adult care. Pairing patients with adult providers before their last pediatric visit can alleviate the stress of switching providers. The European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) and the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) formulated a comprehensive strategy to transition youth with liver disease to adult care.30 According to this joint society paper, essential documents should be prepared for patients to summarize the transition of care plan. These documents include the pediatric provider's letter with a synthesis of their patient's medical history, an emergency care plan, a transition checklist, a transition roadmap, and educational information on NAFLD. The transition checklist developed by the Royal College of Nursing31 and modified by the ESPGHAN/EASL ensures that pediatric providers cover key topics before transfer of care, including self-advocacy, independent health care behavior, sexual health, psychological support, educational and vocational planning, and their patients' health and lifestyle. The checklist also allows providers to categorize their patients' mastery of each topic (early, middle, and late-stage transition). Pairing patients with adult providers before their last pediatric visit can alleviate the stress of switching providers. Transition programs should offer their patients the opportunity for combined visits or alternating visits between pediatric and adult provider before the final pediatric visit.15 This phase of transition of care ensures that adolescents and young adults are given a sufficient amount of time to build rapport with their adult provider before graduating from pediatric care. Another intervention includes the implementation of transition coordinators who can facilitate scheduling, augment NAFLD education and management, and troubleshoot barriers to care.22 In IBD, the use of a one-time transition coordinator significantly improved transition readiness (P < 0.001), as well as the number of patients in disease remission (P < 0.01).32 Comprehensive transition clinics that include coordinators and nutrition, psychological, and social services can provide added support for patients with identified barriers to care. Finally, virtual support groups can be arranged to discuss shared challenges and successes. Transition programs should collect objective and qualitative data for analysis and quality improvement (Fig. 2). Clinical, laboratory, and imaging data can be used to track NAFLD progression among those who have transferred to the adult NAFLD provider. Anthropometric data, including weight, BMI with z scores, waist circumference, and blood pressure, should be collected. Laboratory markers of liver injury, from steatosis to advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis, should be assessed. Metabolic indicators, including a total lipid panel, glucose, insulin, and hemoglobin A1c, should be followed longitudinally. Other laboratory markers associated with NAFLD progression, such as Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) and aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index (APRI) scores, can be used. Other markers, such as α2-macrolobulin, haptoglobin, apolipoprotein A1, leptin, and fibroblast growth factor-21, are not readily available and can be considered in the context of research studies.33 Regarding noninvasive studies, transient elastography with controlled attenuation parameter can be used as an office-based tool to estimate steatosis and fibrosis. Providers can also track individual quantifiable outcomes, including quality of life, satisfaction with adult care, adherence to a healthy lifestyle, understanding of disease process and medications, and attendance to clinic visits and social support groups.30 These data taken together can ultimately be used by NAFLD programs to tailor both individual care and the transition and transfer processes themselves. Regular interdisciplinary meetings should be held to assess patient outcomes and areas for improvement. The end goal of transition of care is to build a strong foundation by which patients are encouraged to take control of their own health maintenance and to stave off disease progression. In our experience, we link patients directly from the pediatric NAFLD clinic to the adult NAFLD clinic located within the same medical campus. Pediatric patients are provided with educational resources on NAFLD, as well as a guideline for the transition process. We have created video resources to concisely describe the transition process and introduce transitioning patients to the adult NAFLD clinic. After transfer, newly transitioned patients are followed closely within the first 2 years of transfer of care with frequent clinic visits and phone check-ins to ensure successful integration into adult care. Finally, pediatric and adult NAFLD providers continue to collaborate and review and discuss patients. A Cochrane Review of four small studies (n = 238) concluded that transition of care interventions improved patients' knowledge of their condition, as well as their confidence and self-efficacy at 4- to 12-month follow-up time.34 With the development of a comprehensive transition of care model (Fig. 3), we hope to create a durable program with long-lasting impacts on patients, as well as a reduction in NAFLD-associated morbidity and mortality.

Six best practices—vocational intervention, paid work experience, social skills curriculum, interagency collaboration, parent involvement, and individualized plans/planning—were linked to postschool outcomes of employment and community adjustment for students with significant emotional disturbance (SED). Telephone and in-person interviews were conducted with 30 (57%) of 53 former students who had participated in supported employment and entrepreneurial education transition grant projects between 1989 and 1994. The former students answered questions about their employment, residential situations, community involvement, recreational pursuits, and citizenship activities 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months after leaving school. Univariate analyses of individual interventions and student outcomes showed that students out of school for 6 months who had been employed for long periods of time while in school had higher rates of employment than those who had not worked. Students out of school for 7 year whose parents were actively involved in their educational programs were more likely than their peers with uninvolved parents to have a successful community adjustment. Recommendations for further study include pursuing the development of appropriate definitions and assessment of transition services and interventions and exploring further interventions over which educators have direct control.

BackgroundFollowing the 2016 Peace Agreement with the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC), Colombia promised to reincorporate more than 13,000 guerrilla fighters into its healthcare system. Despite a subsidized healthcare insurance program and the establishment of 24 Espacios Territoriales de Capacitación y Reincorporación (ETCRs—Territorial Spaces for Training and Reintegration) to facilitate this transition, data has shown that FARC ex-combatants access care at disproportionately lower rates, and face barriers to healthcare services.MethodsSemi-structured interviews were conducted with FARC health promoters and healthcare providers working in ETCRs to determine healthcare access barriers for FARC ex-combatants. Analysis was completed with a qualitative team-based coding method and barriers were categorized according to Julio Frenk’s Domains of Healthcare Access framework.ResultsAmong 32 participants, 25 were healthcare providers and 7 self-identified as FARC health promoters. The sample was majority female (71.9%) and worked with the FARC for an average of 12 months in hospital, health center, medical brigade, and ETCR settings. Our sample had experiences with FARC across 16 ETCRs in 13 Departments of Colombia. Participants identified a total of 141 healthcare access barriers affecting FARC ex-combatants, which affected healthcare needs, desires, seeking, initiation and continuation. Significant barriers were related to a lack of resources in rural areas, limited knowledge of the Colombian health system, the health insurance program, perceived stigma, and transition process from the FARC health system.ConclusionsFARC ex-combatants face significant healthcare access barriers, some of which are unique from other low-resource populations in Colombia. Potential solutions to these barriers included health insurance provider partnerships with health centers close to ETCRs, and training and contracting FARC health promoters to be primary healthcare providers in ETCRs. Future studies are needed to quantify the healthcare barriers affecting FARC ex-combatants, in order to implement targeted interventions to improve healthcare access.

<h3>Aims</h3> To assess the present situation regarding knowledge, practice and perceptions of paediatricians and adult physicians in Malta regarding the process of adolescent transition To identify any barriers that may need to be overcome before developing an adolescent transition programme <h3>Method</h3> A mixed method approach was used. A modified questionnaire was developed from questionnaire tools in the literature. It was piloted and validated localy before being distributed to paediatricians and adult physicians at basic specialist trainee, higher specialist trainee, resident specialist and consultant level in both departments. Descriptive analysis was applied. Semi-structured interviews were subsequently conducted with doctors and transcribed ad verbatim. Thematic analysis of the transcripts was conducted. <h3>Results</h3> The response rates to the questionnaire were 48.6% from adult physicians and 85.5% from paediatricians. Almost three fourths of paediatricians (74%) and 82% of adult physicians have no training in ATC. Both specialities reported lack of training as the most significant barrier. Other significant barriers were lack of clinic time, lack of resources and lack of a formalised transition policy. Interview analysis showed similiarities with the findings of the questionnaire but conflicting views emerged regarding the role of the general practioner (GP) in ATC, whether provision of ATC is superior in the private sector or at Mater Dei hospital and how best to overcome the issue of the small incidence of young persons with a particular chronic condition in Malta. All interviewees agreed on the importance of developing a standardised transition programme. <h3>Conclusions</h3> This is the first study exploring ATC in Malta. There are unmet education and training needs of paediatricians and adult physicians in Malta which can be addressed by introducing ATC at pre-/post-graduate levels for all health care professionals. Multiple barriers to implementing ATC were identified which need to be overcome before an adolescent transition programme can be developed. The role of the GP and primary health care needs to be defined and strengthened. A list of recommendations applicable to the Maltese system was developed that can help to set up an adolescent care programme in Malta.

Students with mathematics learning disability (MLD) are entitled to a free appropriate public education (FAPE) as outlined by their Individualized Education Program (IEP). The IEP is a roadmap to enhance in‐school and postschool outcomes for students with a disability. We reviewed IEPs ( n = 89) for secondary students with MLD enrolled in 15 rural independent school districts in the southeast part of the United States. Results suggested secondary students with MLD have needs in (a) calculation; (b) fractions, decimals, and percentages; (c) functional mathematics; (d) reading; and (e) social and behavioral skills based on annual goals written in their IEPs. Yet 70% of the IEPs reviewed included only instruction in the general education setting, without specialized services. IEPs included a variety of accommodations, but few goals facilitated access to grade‐level content or special education services to support specialized instruction to meet goals. Implications for practice, limitations, and future research are discussed.

Background: Primary to secondary school transition is a distinct moment in a child’s education which often evokes feelings of anxiety, stress, and excitement. Most children adapt quickly and successfully to this transition following an initial decrease in wellbeing and attainment. However, for some children including those with special educational needs, the transition process is more challenging resulting in long-lasting negative consequences. The challenge of secondary school transition may be accentuated for deaf young people who often experience communication difficulties and barriers due to a lack of deaf awareness within society. Research has suggested the wellbeing of deaf young people in early secondary school is poor, yet a systematic literature review revealed no research investigating the experiences of transition to secondary school for this group of young people. Current research: This small-scale qualitative study aimed to empower deaf young people, investigating their experiences of transition from a mainstream primary school to a mainstream secondary school. Two deaf college-aged students were involved in designing the research and selecting the data collection techniques. Four deaf Key Stage Three students completed semi-structured interviews and ‘The Ideal School’ activity (a personal construct psychology technique). An adapted version of Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis to incorporate the analysis of drawings was used to analyse the data. Key findings: An idiographic approach is used to present the findings to represent the participant’s unique experiences of secondary school transition. A cross-case analysis was also completed which revealed five key themes: ‘Attachment’, ‘Challenges’, ‘Support’, ‘New Beginnings’ and ‘Equal Opportunities’. This study provides important implications for school staff supporting the transition of deaf young people, highlighting the significance of person-centred approaches. Support from a variety of individuals is seen as crucial in addition to familiarity and a nurturing and acoustically supportive school environment. Implications for Educational Psychologists and future research are considered.

Over the past two decades, case studies internationally have identified the effectiveness of high-performing school systems and the systemic school improvement and accountability strategies that influence student achievement. However, there has been little research on the effect of systemic school improvement on student achievement in the context of Australian Catholic educational sectors. The essence of this study is to add to the existing body of educational knowledge on a school system’s influence on student achievement. The metropolitan Catholic School system that is the subject of this study is regarded as a well-performing school system (Benjamin, 2014; Canavan, 2006, 2007c; Gamble, Stannard, Benjamin, & Burke, 2004) where student achievement has been shown to be continuously improving in national and state external testing. The school system has developed a systemic school improvement approach that puts student learning at the centre. To address the prime purpose of this study—to explore the influence of systemic school improvement on student achievement—the major research question was: How does a school system influence student achievement? The following four sub-questions were employed to guide the methodology, data collection and analysis: SQ1. How do principals, assistant principals, coordinators, and classroom teachers perceive the awareness, usefulness, and effectiveness of a systemic school improvement approach? SQ2. How do principals, assistant principals, coordinators, and classroom teachers perceive systemic school improvement providing direction and purpose, building capacity, and adapting for sustainable improvement? SQ3. How have High Learning Gains (HLG) schools and Low Learning Gains (LLG) schools adopted a systemic school improvement approach? SQ4. How do principals of schools in either HLG or LLG schools perceive a systemic school improvement approach influencing student achievement? This study is governed by the perception of school and system personnel as the primary means of exploring the relationship between a systemic school improvement approach and student achievement; therefore, it is positioned within a pragmatic paradigm focused on the “what and how” (Creswell, 2003a, p. 11) of the research problem. The method for the exploration of the research questions is a case study of a systemic school improvement approach, adopted by a metropolitan Catholic school system that influenced student achievement. The study utilised a mixed-methods methodology for data collection and analysis. Data were collected through a questionnaire, document analysis, and semi-structured interviews. The focus of this study is on secondary schools in two regions of the metropolitan Catholic school system. Perceptions were gathered from school system personnel with significant and direct involvement in, and accountability for, the implementation of a systemic school improvement approach. The participants were the principals, assistant principals, coordinators, and classroom teachers, as well as key metropolitan Catholic school system personnel. The researcher is a senior metropolitan Catholic school system staff member and so measures were taken to avoid bias and ensure methodological reliability. Recognising that a case study has limits on its generalisability, the study nonetheless is significant in its ability to provide a detailed insight into the dynamics of school system improvement, which can be situated within the current state of understanding from other research and scholarship in the field. It is significant in so far as it can add to existing educational knowledge on school systems in other contexts, and lay the foundation for policy and practice implications, as well as future research.

Aim/Purpose: In this paper, we examine how first-year education doctoral (EdD) students in a peer mentoring program may be supported in the academic and psychosocial domains to increase timely degree completion, decrease attrition, and improve the EdD program for students and faculty. Background: EdD students often face unique trials based on academic, social, professional, and personal challenges that arise during their degree program. The paper addresses how peer mentoring programs may help students overcome these challenges while completing their EdD program. Methodology: To investigate the effectiveness of a peer mentoring program for students, we focused on a single case study of an EdD peer mentoring program with 11 first-year EdD students who participated in the program. Using mixed methods, we collected and analyzed data from pre- and post-surveys, individual interviews, and a focus group. Contribution: Few studies about peer mentoring programs for EdD students exist. This study is unique because it focuses on first-year EdD students’ perspectives and, unlike other studies on peer mentoring programs, peer mentors are defined as graduates of the EdD program or current EdD students who are further along in the program. Whilst many studies of peer mentoring recommend peer mentoring for new students, our findings suggest that in the case of EdD students, extended or later peer mentoring may be more beneficial. Findings: From the quantitative and qualitative data results, five themes related to mentee perspectives of the benefits of EdD peer mentoring program emerged: 1) receiving academic advice and program support; 2) focusing on the future; 3) receiving emotional support and work-life balance advice; 4) having an experienced and relatable mentor; and 5) needing more mentoring to derive benefits. While mentees reported positive feelings about the mentoring program, many expressed that they did not yet have a need for mentoring. Considering that most mentoring studies focus on early program mentees, these results present the possibility of a need for extended or later-program mentoring. Based on the data, we identified a need for additional research which focuses on determining the correct timing for EdD students to begin peer mentoring program since students take coursework during their first year and have not begun work in the dissertation phase of the program. Recommendations for Practitioners: Sustainability of peer mentoring programs can present challenges based on the time and needs of mentees, mentors, and faculty. Doctoral faculty should evaluate the benefits of an EdD peer mentoring program for mentees on a regular basis to ensure that the program effectively supports and guides mentees to degree completion. Recommendation for Researchers: Literature and research on the evaluation, impact, and value of peer mentoring programs for EdD students and first-year doctoral students are limited. Researchers could study further the perspectives of mentees in an EdD peer mentoring program throughout their degree program from taking coursework to writing a dissertation. The benefits of early-program mentoring in comparison to later-program mentoring could be investigated further. Impact on Society: Providing mentoring opportunities to EdD students may help them overcome academic, social, and emotional challenges, and in turn, allow more education leaders to successfully complete their EdD and use their education to improve their school communities. Future Research: Future studies should examine other options of mentoring programs for first-year EdD students and EdD students who completed their EdD coursework and are working on their dissertation. Longitudinal studies are also needed to track mentees’ progression throughout the program.

Transition education should be grounded in quality research. To do so, educators need information on which practices are effective for teaching students with disabilities transition-related skills. The purpose of this systematic literature review was to identify evidence-based and research-based practices in secondary special education and transition for students with disabilities. This systematic review resulted in the identification of nine secondary transition evidence-based practices and 22 research-based practices across more than 45 different transition-related skills. The range of effects for each of the secondary transition evidence-based and research-based practices identified are also included. Limitations and implications for future research, policy, and practice are discussed.

Background Different roles and responsibilities are required of school professionals to facilitate students' successful transition from school to post-school lives. Special educators' involvement in transition services is essential for better post-school outcomes for students with disability.Method The Transition Involvement Survey with five domains was developed for the study and a total of 343 secondary special educators in the United States participated. MANOVA and post hoc discriminant analysis were used to examine group differences across the five domains.Results Special educators rated highly in their involvement in transition planning but less so in other domains. Receiving in-service training was significantly related to educators' transition involvement but receiving pre-service training was found to be only partly related.Conclusion The gap between special educators' knowledge and involvement in extending transition services affects the provision of services. Recommendations from this study support stronger personnel preparation to improve this situation.

Previous research suggests that primary–secondary school transitions can be problematic, with some children experiencing a negative impact on academic outcomes and a decline in wellbeing. The negative impact of primary–secondary transition experiences can be long term and lead to young people not completing high school with implications for their subsequent education and employment. However, there are several gaps in existing studies as a result of weak research designs, small samples and the timing of data collection. To better understand children's primary–secondary school transition experiences and the factors which may impact on them, we undertook secondary analysis of data from the Growing Up in Scotland (GUS) study. The analysis focused on data collected when children were in the penultimate year of primary school (Primary 6/P6) and then when they were in the first year of secondary school (Secondary 1/S1). This led to a final sample size of 2559 children and their parents. Results contradict many previous studies which tend to find primary–secondary transitions as overwhelmingly negative. In contrast, we found that 36% of children experienced a positive transition and 42% a moderately positive transition, with only 22% children experiencing a negative transition. This is the first large‐scale, longitudinal and contemporaneous study able to provide a clear proportion of children with positive, moderate and negative transition experiences. Several factors seemed to play a part in children's transition experiences, namely gender, religion, household composition, socioeconomic status, child expectations, schoolwork, and relationships. Implications and recommendations for research, policy and practice have been outlined. Context and implications Rationale for this study: Primary–secondary school transitions are considered to have a detrimental impact on educational and wellbeing outcomes. However, previous studies have several limitations and a more robust analysis of a longitudinal dataset with a large sample was required. Why the new findings matter: This study has highlighted that the majority of children had a positive or moderately positive transition experience. It clarified which factors might influence whether children will have positive or negative transitions. Implications for practitioners, policy makers and researchers: Findings suggest the importance of practitioners and policy makers acknowledging the myriad factors occurring alongside and potentially influencing a child's transition experiences. Similarly, it is important to be mindful of strategies to promote children's positive relationships in both primary and secondary school, especially with their teachers. Further, children's participation in sports, clubs and youth groups should be encouraged. Children's anxieties and misconceptions about transitions should be addressed in a timely manner, including enhanced transition for those with higher levels of concern or anxiety. Fostering and maintaining good school–parent relationships, through timely and relevant communication can facilitate positive transitions. The findings suggest the importance of undertaking research to understand how children from less advantaged socioeconomic backgrounds can be better supported. Similarly, research should be undertaken to understand why some children have negative expectations and are less positive about secondary school. Further, future research should focus on analysing GUS data, including that from S3 and S6, and linking it with administrative data related to attainment and wellbeing.

It is now evident that students, parents, schools, communities and various departments and agencies at central and local levels need to work in partnership to improve the transition experiences and post-school outcomes of students with disabilities. A transition initiative began in NSW in 1989 to help students with disabilities in transition as they moved from school to the community. A number of changes and refinements have occurred, and the transition process is now being implemented in various ways in NSW and other states. Evaluations of various parts of the project have been carried out by the Unit for Community Integration Studies, School of Education, Macquarie University. From this information, key features of the transition process and advantages, disadvantages and innovative practices have been identified at the individual, school and community level. New partnerships between schools, communities, service providers and government departments are now operating, resulting in smoother transitions an...

In rural communities the aspirations of students to further educate themselves are often limited due to the geographical and economic boundaries (Burnell, 2003; Rojewski, 1989). Educators in these areas are also aware that when students from rural areas choose to continue their education after high school they are more likely than urban or suburban youth to drop out (Brecn & Quaglia, 1991; Burnell, 2003; McCracken & Barcinas, 1991). In spite of this, Parker (2001) points out in her opinion piece Rural 2000 and Beyond, that there is great hope for rural school survival. This survival depends, in part, on students leaving their rural community for a period of time, usually for college, and then returning to assist in the further development of the area. In rural communities, students with learning disabilities (LD) are faced with a limited number of local jobs and lower occupational attainment (Rojewski, 1999). With this realization, students with LD often decide that they must leave their rural communities, in order to expand career opportunities and further educate themselves. Parker (2001) states While they make contributions elsewhere, they represent yet another extraction of resources from rural areas very much like other resources such as grain, cattle, lumber, fish, minerals, and oil. To combat this loss of resources, rural schools need to use their assets to assist students with LD in making transition plans that include both post secondary and work components. The transition process for rural students with LD consists of a set of activities designed to assist in the preparation and understanding of the impact that geography and population distribution have on employment (Rojewski, 1989, p. 613) and new environments they will be entering. For these transition activities to occur successfully, a comprehensive process must be in place within the secondary educational setting. The overarching component within the transition process is the development of an individualized transition education plan (ITEP) that includes objectives to be followed for the student to reach their transition goals. The main goal of the ITEP is to prepare students to lead productive, independent lives after their secondary education experience. Rojewski (1989) suggests that for students with LD in rural areas, critical components must be in place. First, students must be integrated into normalized environments related to their secondary education. Second, paid work experiences are essential to provide the students with experiences needed to secure and hold a job. Third, students must be aware of how their disability will impact their performance on a job. Fourth, they must be able to relate strategies and knowledge gained in academic settings to educational or vocational goals. Finally, one individual is needed to oversee coordination of all services to ensure that all resources and information are being properly and consistently disseminated. Instruction on how to secure a job and assistance in locating a job might be necessary for certain students. Also imperative throughout this process is the support of family and friends. All of these components must be assessed and evaluated so educators can see the impact of the transition process. In rural settings the goal of transition as defined above is further influenced by narrow school curricula, restricted labor markets, and few college and professional role models (Rojewski, 1999). Often students from rural areas desire to remain in the area in which they grew up. This desire and its concurrent social reinforcement renders them place bound. As a result, it is essential to first form a realistic picture of their options within their own community setting, before developing a comprehensive transition education plan. Therefore, one transition model for students with LD from rural areas is represented by KNOW NO BOUNDS: K-Knowledge, N-Navigation, O-Ongoing, W-Well-informed, N-Niche, O- Observe, B-Background, O-Orchestrate, U-Utilize, N-Negotiate, D-Determination, S-Start. …

The transition from teaching to assistant principalship is a turning point in a teacher’s professional career. This transition not only reflects a change in one’s hierarchical standing at the school but also constitutes a stage that affects one’s administrative identity and aspirations to further advance in the management arena. Despite the importance of the assistant principal’s position in the school, there is a lack of worldwide research on the transition process from teaching to assistant principalship and the emotional aspects of this process. This study’s objective is to examine the emotional challenges faced by teachers as they enter the position of assistant principal. It is based on a qualitative study in which 23 assistant principals were accompanied during various stages of their entering office. Thirty-seven semistructured in-depth interviews were conducted (some of which were repeated interviews, conducted a year after the initial interview). In addition, four focus group interviews were conducted with newly appointed assistant principals. The research findings indicate an unexpected emotional ordeal on entering the role of assistant principal, often including stress, fear, crying, insomnia, fatigue, regrets, and guilt feelings. The conclusions and recommendations provided by this study may enable educational systems and colleges of education to recognize the emotional challenges that new assistant principals may face, thus addressing their needs by offering them mentorship, training, and support programs fit to deal with this unique position in school organization.