THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234

TO:	The Honorable the Members of the Board of Regents
FROM:	Rebecca H. Cort
COMMITTEE:	EMSC-VESID
TITLE OF ITEM:	VESID Strategic Plan
DATE OF SUBMISSION:	May 28, 2004
PROPOSED HANDLING:	Discussion
RATIONALE FOR ITEM:	To discuss the proposed revisions in measuring results for individuals with disabilities
STRATEGIC GOAL:	Goals 1 - 6
AUTHORIZATION(S):

SUMMARY:

The attached report is in follow up to a discussion with the Board of Regents in January 2004 on revising the VESID Strategic Plan and provides a description of the process used to develop the attached revised Strategic Plan, a description of some major changes within the plan and several incomplete elements within the plan as well as the need to remain flexible to incorporate recommendations from some ongoing initiatives.

Attachment

Revised VESID Strategic Plan: Goals, Key Performance Indicators and

Targets for Students and Individuals with Disabilities

Introduction

VESID’s revised strategic plan has been developed based on the mission outlined for the office and the issues identified as part of our reform efforts in vocational rehabilitation and special education, as well as feedback from our customers, stakeholders and staff. The strategic plan is consistent with and supports the Department’s Strategic Plan.

In January 2004 the Board of Regents discussed the proposed revision of VESID’s Strategic Plan. This report provides a description of the process used to develop the attached revised strategic plan, a description of some major changes to the plan, a discussion of several incomplete elements within the plan and the need to remain flexible to incorporate recommendations from some ongoing initiatives.

VESID’s revised Strategic Plan focuses on the following seven goals:

1. Students receiving special education services will meet high educational standards.

2. Students with disabilities will be integrated with their nondisabled peers throughout their educational experience.

3. Students with disabilities will participate in appropriate transition planning and receive services leading to positive post-school outcomes.

4. Individuals with disabilities will participate successfully in postsecondary education.

5. Individuals with disabilities will be employed in integrated work settings.

6. All services for which VESID has responsibility will be cost effective.

7. All services for which VESID has responsibility will meet high standards and continuously improve.

Process for Plan Development

Between fall 2003 and winter 2004, five work groups of VESID staff from various organizational units met to review trend data, discuss challenges in special education and vocational rehabilitation and prepared initial recommendations for VESID goals, key performance indicators, targets and benchmarks.

All workgroups agreed to use the following definitions:

Goal is a statement that describes the desired state.

Key Performance Indicator (KPI) is the metric or data element that will be measured to determine if we are making progress towards accomplishing the goal.

Target is a statement that describes the long-term performance outcome that must be reached in order for us to know we are successful in accomplishing our goal.

Benchmark is a statement that indicates the level of progress that we are seeking to achieve by a specific point in time.

During winter and spring 2004, staff met with various internal and external stakeholder groups to solicit recommendations regarding the draft strategic plan. Within this same time period, a stakeholder survey was developed and posted on the Department’s website to receive public comment on the proposed strategic plan. We received valuable comments from individuals and organizations over several months. These comments were considered as the work groups finalized each goal and its related KPIs, targets and benchmarks.

Description of Plan

The revised Strategic Plan, which includes seven goals and related KPIs and targets, will provide a focus for VESID’s activities and will help to guide the allocation of staff and fiscal resources through the year 2010.

The revised plan includes an additional goal related to transition planning for students with disabilities. The provision of transition planning services to students with disabilities has been a requirement in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act since the last reauthorization of the Act; however, data indicate that continued attention is needed to ensure that key requirements in transition planning are occurring in school districts. Stakeholders overwhelmingly support this goal and related KPIs, commenting that appropriate transition planning and services would result in positive post-school outcomes for all students with disabilities.

In addition, several KPIs and targets under Goal 2: “Students with disabilities will be integrated with their nondisabled peers throughout their educational experience” are now specifically targeted to improving results in designated large cities rather than in the State as a whole. Data indicate that even though some previous targets relative to State averages have been achieved, these targets have not been met in some of the large cities. For example, New York City and Yonkers lag behind the rest of the State in the percentage of students with disabilities who are provided opportunities to participate in general education programs for 80 percent or more of the school day. Also, larger percentages of students with disabilities in New York City, Rochester and Yonkers spend most of the day in special education settings where they are in general education programs for less than 40 percent of the day compared to rest of the State.

VESID has undertaken a “Designing our Future” initiative to examine how it can be more effective in providing employment services to individuals with disabilities. Although VESID has increased competitive employment outcomes by over 70 percent during the past ten years, these increases have not improved the overall employment rate of individuals with disabilities. VESID will continue to engage stakeholders to establish a target for the number of individuals with disabilities who will be placed into employment by all the workforce development partners. Also, we are searching for a data source that will allow us to compare the average wages of individuals with disabilities with those of individuals without disabilities, by level of education.

In an effort to focus VESID on the most essential measures to include in the Strategic Plan, and based on recommendations from stakeholders, we have reduced the 30 proposed key performance indicators to 20. The KPIs that were eliminated will continue to be a part of VESID’s operational plan along with additional indicators that are necessary to ensure compliance with all federal and State requirements for students and individuals with disabilities. For example, consistent with guidance from the United States Department of Education, specific targets have not been established to reduce disproportionality, based on race/ethnicity, in the identification or placement of students with disabilities in more restrictive settings. However, we remain committed to implementing provisions in IDEA and Chapter 405 of the Laws of 1999 regarding reviewing local school district policies and practices related to identification and placement of students with disabilities and providing appropriate levels of technical assistance, as needed. Also, the Department will continue to scrutinize disaggregated data by race/ethnicity in order to maintain focus on improving performance of all sub-groups of students with disabilities.

Summary and Next Steps

The revised VESID strategic plan is based on a review of trend data, which were presented to the Board of Regents in May 2004, as well as a review of all comments and recommendations from stakeholders and consideration of major initiatives and challenges that are confronting special education and vocational rehabilitation. The plan is not complete. The following initiatives and challenges may impact our key performance indicators and targets:

Recommendations from the vocational rehabilitation system, “Designing our Future” initiative.

Continuing guidance issued by the United States Department of Education and changes in the guidelines and regulations for the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act.

Reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

Reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA).

The availability of more detailed student data once the Statewide Education Accountability System (SEAS) is fully developed.

VESID Strategic Plan

Goals, Key Performance Indicators and Targets

June 2004

Goals	Key Performance Indicators	Targets	Results in 2002-03 or Baseline Year
1. Students receiving special education services will meet high educational standards.	1. The percentage of students with disabilities performing at or above Level 3 (proficiency) on Elementary and Middle-level State English-language arts (ELA) and mathematics examinations. 2. The percentage of students with disabilities passing Regents examinations in English and mathematics. 3. Dropout rate of students with disabilities. 4. The high school diploma rate of students with disabilities.	The percentage of students with disabilities performing at or above Level 3 (proficiency) on Elementary and Middle-level State English-language arts (ELA) and mathematics examinations will be 80 percent. Year 2010 Target: 20 percentage point increase from the 2002-03 school year results. The percentage of students with disabilities passing Regents examinations in English and mathematics will be 85 percent at or above a score of 55 and 75 percent at or above a score of 65. Year 2010 Target: 15 percentage point increase from the 2002-03 school year results. The dropout rate of students with disabilities will decrease to be the same as the dropout rate of all students.* *This indicator will be revised to compare data for students with disabilities with nondisabled students when we have the Statewide Education Accountability System (SEAS). Year 2010 Target: Achieve the above goal. The diploma rate of students with disabilities who complete secondary education with a local, Regents or High School Equivalency diploma will be 80 percent. Year 2010 Target: Achieve the State target of 80 percent. For the large five cities, achieve a 20 percentage point increase from the 2002-03 school-year results.	Grade 4 ELA: 22.6 percent Grade 4 Math: 47.8 percent Grade 8 ELA: 7.9 percent Grade 8 Math: 16.4 percent English Regents: 55-100: 59.0 percent 65-100: 44.0 percent Mathematics Regents: 55-100: 46.1 percent 65-100: 34.1 percent All students 4.6 percent Students with disabilities: 6.7 percent Statewide: 68.9 percent Large Five Cities: 49.7 percent
2. Students with disabilities will be integrated with their non-disabled peers throughout their educational experience.	1. The percentage of preschool students with disabilities receiving special education services in settings that include nondisabled children. 2. The percent of time school-age students with disabilities participate in general education programs.	85 percent of preschool students receiving special education services will be served in typical early childhood settings, including home. Year 2010 Target: 14 percentage point increase from the 2002-03 school-year results 1. The percentage of students with disabilities ages 6-21 in general education programs 80 percent or more of the school day will continue to exceed the national average. Year 2010 Target: New York City will reach the national average within two years. Yonkers will achieve a 7 percentage point increase from the 2002-03 school year results. 2. The percentage of students with disabilities ages 6-21 in general education programs between 40 and 79 percent or more of the school day will approximate the national average. Year 2010 Target: There will be a 14 percentage point increase from the 2002-03 school year results in the Large Five Cities. 3. The percentage of students with disabilities, ages 6-21, in general education programs less than 40 percent of the school day will approximate the national average. Year 2010 Target: There will be a 14 percentage point decrease from the 2002-03 school year results in New York City, Rochester and Yonkers. 4. The percentage of students with disabilities ages 6-21 in separate educational settings will be at or below the national average. Year 2010 Target: Each of the large five cities will be at or below the national average.	58.7 percent National Average: 48.2 percent New York State: 51.8 percent New York City: 47.0 percent Yonkers: 30.9 percent National Average: 28.7 percent New York State: 13.9 percent Big Five Cities: 5.4 percent National Average: 19.0 percent New York State: 27 percent New York City: 41.4 percent Rochester: 31.0 percent Yonkers: Data are not verified yet National Average: 4.0 percent New York State: 7.4 percent New York City: 9.2 percent Rochester: 6.0 percent Yonkers: 6.1 percent
3. Students with disabilities will participate in appropriate transition planning and receive services leading to positive post-school outcomes.	1. Individualized Education Program (IEP) with transition goals, objectives and services for students with disabilities 2. Post-school plans for students with disabilities. 3. Students with disabilities who complete their high school programs and transition to postsecondary education, employment, or adult day programs.	1. All students with an IEP will have goals and objectives related to transition, specifying services and service providers, by age 14. Year 2010 Target: 100 percent 2. All students with disabilities will participate in their transition planning. Year 2010 Target: 100 percent 3. All students with an IEP receiving vocational rehabilitation services from VESID while in school will have an Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE) completed, reflecting transition services and service providers, before leaving school. Year 2010 Target: 100 percent School districts will report post-school plans for 95 percent of students with disabilities, ages 14-21, who exit special education each school year. Year 2010 Target: 95 percent. The percentage of students with disabilities receiving special education services in the longitudinal study sample who transition to positive post school outcomes (postsecondary education, employment or adult day programs) will be the same as that of their non-disabled peers. Year 2010 Target: 96 percent	Data will be collected through a survey about 14 year old students with disabilities beginning with the 2004-05 school year. In the long-term, data will be from SEAS. Data will be collected through a survey about 14 year old students with disabilities beginning with the 2004-05 school year. In the long-term, data will be from SEAS. Data are collected through the vocational rehabilitation case review process. Baseline 2000: 59 percent 87.1 percent Longitudinal Post-School Indicator Study - Class of 2001, one year beyond high school: Students with disabilities: 83 percent Students without disabilities: 96 percent
4. Individuals with disabilities will participate successfully in postsecondary education.	1. Participation rate of individuals with disabilities in postsecondary education. 2. Wages of individuals with disabilities receiving postsecondary degree through VESID.	The percentage of individuals enrolled in postsecondary education programs who report having a disability will increase annually. Year 2010 Target: 5.5 percent The hourly wages of VESID consumers receiving a postsecondary degree will be commensurate with the wages of all individuals receiving such degrees.* *This indicator may be revised based on research regarding availability of data to measure this indicator.	Year 2002: 3.5 percent Data source will be identified.
5. Individuals with disabilities will be employed in integrated work settings.	1. Employment gains for individuals with disabilities served by VESID in partnership with the greater workforce system. 2. Percentage of individuals with disabilities who achieve employment after receiving vocational rehabilitation services. 3. The service rate for all individuals with disabilities from minority backgrounds as a ratio to the service rate for all non-minority individuals with disabilities. 4. Ratio of average VR hourly wages to average state hourly wage.	Between VESID and other workforce partners, place 20,000+ individuals with disabilities in competitive jobs annually.* SED is working with partners, including the State Workforce Investment Board, and will be making a system-wide recommendation as to the appropriate target for this goal. The percentage of individuals with disabilities achieving employment after receiving vocational rehabilitation services will increase annually. Year 2010 Target: 64.0 percent. The service rate for all individuals with disabilities from minority backgrounds as a ratio to the service rate for all non-minority individuals with disabilities will at minimum be the FFY 2003 rate. Year 2010 Target: Minimum of .89 The ratio of the average hourly earnings of all individuals with disabilities who achieve competitive employment to the average hourly earnings for all individuals in the State who are employed will increase. Year 2010 Target:* .48	2002: 17,365 FFY 2003: 57.7 percent FFY 2003: .89 FFY 2003: .43
6. All services for which VESID has responsibility will be cost effective.	1. Annualized first year earnings of individuals with disabilities placed in jobs by VESID. 2. Percentage of fiscal resources expended on individuals with disabilities who achieve employment. 3. Difference in percentage of individuals reporting own income as largest single source of economic support between application for VR services and achieving employment.	Annualized first year earnings of individuals with disabilities placed in jobs by VESID will increase annually. Year 2010 Target: $248,000,000 The percentage of fiscal resources expended on individuals who achieve employment after receiving VR services will increase annually. Year 2010 Target: 70 percent. The difference in percentage of individuals reporting own income as largest single source of economic support between application for VR services and achieving employment will increase annually. Year 2010 Target: 70 percent.	FFY 2003: $225,000,000 FFY 2003: 63.8 percent FFY 2003: 63.7 percent
7. All services for which VESID has responsibility will meet high standards and continuously improve.	1. Customer Satisfaction with VESID special education and vocational rehabilitation services. 2. Timeliness of VESID’s Special Education complaint process.	95 percent of respondents will express satisfaction on key questions contained in VESID customer satisfaction surveys. Year 2010 Target: 95 percent. 100 percent of complaints will be resolved within regulatory timelines. Year 2010 Target: 100 percent.	Special Education: 2001-02 Survey of Satisfaction with Special Education Quality Assurance Services. Of the customers who agreed or disagreed with questions related to customer satisfaction, an average of 92 percent agreed. Vocational Rehabilitation: 2001-02 Vocational Rehabilitation Consumer Focus Groups and Survey Responses. Of the customers who responded to statements regarding customer satisfaction, an average of 88.0 percent expressed satisfaction. 2002-03: 89 percent

Goals

Key Performance Indicators

Targets

Results in 2002-03 or Baseline Year

1. Students receiving special education services will meet high educational standards.

1. The percentage of students with disabilities performing at or above Level 3 (proficiency) on Elementary and Middle-level State English-language arts (ELA) and mathematics examinations.

2. The percentage of students with disabilities passing Regents examinations in English and mathematics.

3. Dropout rate of students with disabilities.

4. The high school diploma rate of students with disabilities.

The percentage of students with disabilities performing at or above Level 3 (proficiency) on Elementary and Middle-level State English-language arts (ELA) and mathematics examinations will be 80 percent.

Year 2010 Target: 20 percentage point increase from the 2002-03 school year results.

The percentage of students with disabilities passing Regents examinations in English and mathematics will be 85 percent at or above a score of 55 and 75 percent at or above a score of 65.

Year 2010 Target: 15 percentage point increase from the 2002-03 school year results.

The dropout rate of students with disabilities will decrease to be the same as the dropout rate of all students.*

*This indicator will be revised to compare data for students with disabilities with nondisabled students when we have the Statewide Education Accountability System (SEAS).

Year 2010 Target: Achieve the above goal.

The diploma rate of students with disabilities who complete secondary education with a local, Regents or High School Equivalency diploma will be 80 percent.

Year 2010 Target: Achieve the State target of 80 percent. For the large five cities, achieve a 20 percentage point increase from the 2002-03 school-year results.

Grade 4 ELA: 22.6 percent

Grade 4 Math: 47.8 percent

Grade 8 ELA: 7.9 percent

Grade 8 Math: 16.4 percent

English Regents:

55-100: 59.0 percent

65-100: 44.0 percent

Mathematics Regents:

55-100: 46.1 percent

65-100: 34.1 percent

All students 4.6 percent

Students with disabilities: 6.7 percent

Statewide: 68.9 percent

Large Five Cities: 49.7 percent

2. Students with disabilities will be integrated with their non-disabled peers throughout their educational experience.

1. The percentage of preschool

students with disabilities receiving special education services in settings that include nondisabled children.

2. The percent of time school-age students with disabilities participate in general education programs.

85 percent of preschool students receiving special education services will be served in typical early childhood settings, including home.

Year 2010 Target: 14 percentage point increase from the 2002-03 school-year results

1. The percentage of students with disabilities ages 6-21 in general education programs 80 percent or more of the school day will continue to exceed the national average.

Year 2010 Target: New York City will reach the national average within two years. Yonkers will achieve a 7 percentage point increase from the 2002-03 school year results.

2. The percentage of students with disabilities ages 6-21 in general education programs between 40 and 79 percent or more of the school day will approximate the national average.

Year 2010 Target: There will be a 14 percentage point increase from the 2002-03 school year results in the Large Five Cities.

3. The percentage of students with disabilities, ages 6-21, in general education programs less than 40 percent of the school day will approximate the national average.

Year 2010 Target: There will be a 14 percentage point decrease from the 2002-03 school year results in New York City, Rochester and Yonkers.

4. The percentage of students with disabilities ages 6-21 in separate educational settings will be at or below the national average.

Year 2010 Target: Each of the large five cities will be at or below the national average.

58.7 percent

National Average: 48.2 percent

New York State: 51.8 percent

New York City: 47.0 percent

Yonkers: 30.9 percent

National Average: 28.7 percent

New York State: 13.9 percent

Big Five Cities: 5.4 percent

National Average: 19.0 percent

New York State: 27 percent

New York City: 41.4 percent

Rochester: 31.0 percent

Yonkers: Data are not verified yet

National Average: 4.0 percent

New York State: 7.4 percent

New York City: 9.2 percent

Rochester: 6.0 percent

Yonkers: 6.1 percent

3. Students with disabilities will participate in appropriate transition planning and receive services leading to positive post-school outcomes.

1. Individualized Education Program (IEP) with transition goals, objectives and services for students with disabilities

2. Post-school plans for students with disabilities.

3. Students with disabilities who complete their high school programs and transition to postsecondary education, employment, or adult day programs.

1. All students with an IEP will have goals and objectives related to transition, specifying services and service providers, by age 14.

Year 2010 Target: 100 percent

2. All students with disabilities will participate in their transition planning.

Year 2010 Target: 100 percent

3. All students with an IEP receiving vocational rehabilitation services from VESID while in school will have an Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE) completed, reflecting transition services and service providers, before leaving school.

Year 2010 Target: 100 percent

School districts will report post-school plans for 95 percent of students with disabilities, ages 14-21, who exit special education each school year.

Year 2010 Target: 95 percent.

The percentage of students with disabilities receiving special education services in the longitudinal study sample who transition to positive post school outcomes (postsecondary education, employment or adult day programs) will be the same as that of their non-disabled peers.

Year 2010 Target: 96 percent

Data will be collected through a survey about 14 year old students with disabilities beginning with the 2004-05 school year. In the long-term, data will be from SEAS.

Data are collected through the vocational rehabilitation case review process.

Baseline 2000: 59 percent

87.1 percent

Longitudinal Post-School Indicator Study -

Class of 2001, one year beyond high school:

Students with disabilities: 83 percent

Students without disabilities: 96 percent

4. Individuals with disabilities will participate successfully in postsecondary education.

1. Participation rate of individuals with disabilities in postsecondary education.

2. Wages of individuals with disabilities receiving postsecondary degree through VESID.

The percentage of individuals enrolled in postsecondary education programs who report having a disability will increase annually.

Year 2010 Target: 5.5 percent

The hourly wages of VESID consumers receiving a postsecondary degree will be commensurate with the wages of all individuals receiving such degrees.*

*This indicator may be revised based on research regarding availability of data to measure this indicator.

Year 2002: 3.5 percent

Data source will be identified.

5. Individuals with disabilities will be employed in integrated work settings.

1. Employment gains for individuals with disabilities served by VESID in partnership with the greater workforce system.

2. Percentage of individuals with disabilities who achieve employment after receiving vocational rehabilitation services.

3. The service rate for all individuals with disabilities from minority backgrounds as a ratio to the service rate for all non-minority individuals with disabilities.

4. Ratio of average VR hourly wages to average state hourly wage.

Between VESID and other workforce partners, place 20,000+ individuals with disabilities in competitive jobs annually.*

*SED is working with partners, including the State Workforce Investment Board, and will be making a system-wide recommendation as to the appropriate target for this goal.

The percentage of individuals with disabilities achieving employment after receiving vocational rehabilitation services will increase annually.

Year 2010 Target: 64.0 percent.

The service rate for all individuals with disabilities from minority backgrounds as a ratio to the service rate for all non-minority individuals with disabilities will at minimum be the FFY 2003 rate.

Year 2010 Target: Minimum of .89

The ratio of the average hourly earnings of all individuals with disabilities who achieve competitive employment to the average hourly earnings for all individuals in the State who are employed will increase.

Year 2010 Target: .48

2002: 17,365

FFY 2003: 57.7 percent

FFY 2003: .89

FFY 2003: .43

6. All services for which VESID has responsibility will be cost effective.

1. Annualized first year earnings of individuals with disabilities placed in jobs by VESID.

2. Percentage of fiscal resources expended on individuals with disabilities who achieve employment.

3. Difference in percentage of individuals reporting own income as largest single source of economic support between application for VR services and achieving employment.

Annualized first year earnings of individuals with disabilities placed in jobs by VESID will increase annually.

Year 2010 Target: $248,000,000

The percentage of fiscal resources expended on individuals who achieve employment after receiving VR services will increase annually.

Year 2010 Target: 70 percent.

The difference in percentage of individuals reporting own income as largest single source of economic support between application for VR services and achieving employment will increase annually.

Year 2010 Target: 70 percent.

FFY 2003: $225,000,000

FFY 2003: 63.8 percent

FFY 2003: 63.7 percent

7. All services for which VESID has responsibility will meet high standards and continuously improve.

1. Customer Satisfaction with VESID special education and vocational rehabilitation services.

2. Timeliness of VESID’s Special Education complaint process.

95 percent of respondents will express satisfaction on key questions contained in VESID customer satisfaction surveys.

Year 2010 Target: 95 percent.

100 percent of complaints will be resolved within regulatory timelines.

Year 2010 Target: 100 percent.

Special Education:

2001-02 Survey of Satisfaction with Special Education Quality Assurance Services.

Of the customers who agreed or disagreed with questions related to customer satisfaction, an average of 92 percent agreed.

Vocational Rehabilitation:

2001-02 Vocational Rehabilitation Consumer Focus Groups and Survey Responses.

Of the customers who responded to statements regarding customer satisfaction, an average of 88.0 percent expressed satisfaction.

2002-03: 89 percent

The Honorable the Members of the Board of Regents

Description of Plan

Summary and Next Steps