Richardson Independent School District — School to Work Transition Projects

Project Goal
Develop a curriculum to teach self-advocacy and self-management skills in the workplace, as well as a college development class.

Project Summary
The project increased the percentage of graduates from the Richardson Independent School District (RISD) Transition Program who maintained employment after ending services from 60% to 85%.

Through the grant, RISD trained employers in job accommodations and disability awareness, leading to successful employment of people with developmental disabilities (DD). Activities included hosting a business luncheon, speaking at civic organizations, news media coverage, and networking at rotary events. An Access database was established for effective job development. The project promoted Richland Community College’s Employability Skills class with the goal of increasing awareness of the program to employers, parents, local agencies, and Richland instructors.

Several individuals with DD received training in self-advocacy. One individual co-presented at national conferences and local workshops regarding self-advocacy, employment, and continuing education and has developed their own website. RISD designed a webpage to refer students, parents, employers, and other educators to highlighted transition services within RISD and student success stories.

The project also increased the percentage of graduates from the RISD Transition Program who accessed classes at Richland College from 66% to 75%. Staff edited and produced an Employability Skills curriculum addressing self-advocacy and social skills, which was also translated to Spanish and produced in a large print edition. Training on the curriculum was presented at national, state, and local conferences and workshops. Staff recruited teachers for the class, and Richland Community College offered Employability Skills as a continuing education class. RISD also facilitated person-centered planning with individuals to help them achieve their goals by teaching them self-advocacy skills.

• Impact
  
  • The percentage of graduates from the RISD Transition Program who maintained employment after ending services increased from 60% to 85%
  • The percentage of graduates from the RISD Transition Program who accessed classes at Richland College increased from 66% to 75%
  • An Employability Skills continuing education class was introduced at Richland Community College
    • Students who took the Employability Skills class were better able to maintain their jobs
  • Students increased their knowledge of employment, leisure, and continuing education programs
  • A parent group, The Friends of Richland College, was formed
  • Employers learned how to better accommodate and hire people with DD
  • Person-centered plans influenced employers’, students’, and parents’ lives by having people with DD increasing self-advocacy skills and being better represented in the work setting