Question 37 I am in a Master's program and my project for next school year is for each graduating senior to develop a portfolio that shows their strengths through a variety of mediums. If you have any information or ideas, I would appreciate knowing more. Student developed portfolios seem, to me, to be the best way for students with special needs to sell themselves to employers. STW Wizard Strategies Strategy 1 Kentucky has been doing a lot with respect to portfolios. We have developed alternate portfolios for the most severe populations along with a portfolio process for the remaining 98% of the population, including both regular and special populations. For the alternate portfolio, Jackie Farmer Kerns and Harold Klinnert at the University of Kentucky would be the most prominent experts. They have an article in (I believe) last years TASH journal about the topic. Additionally, almost any other faculty in Kentucky would be able to address the issue of portfolio assessment. I believe that Gina Schack here at University of Louisville would be a good person to contact regarding regular portfolios. Also, Karen Karp is in the early middle program here (she teaches math) and she has developed several courses on the topic. Both Gina and Karen have some backgrounds in special education and I believe that they would be able to provide a broader perspective on the issue. You can reach Jackie at farmerj@ihdi.uky.edu, Harold can be reached a haroldk@ihdi.uky.edu, Gina can be reached at GDSCHA01@ULKYVM.LOUISVILLE.EDU and Karen at KSKARP01@ULKYVM.LOUISVILLE.EDU. Strategy 2 Bob Harwood at Harwood Union High School (phone: 802-244-5186) has been working with electronic portfolios and is a good resource. Strategy 3 The best resource in the country on learning portfolios is the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) in Chicago (www.cael.org) Strategy 4 The following are good articles on portfolios: Menchetti, B.M. & Bombay, H.E. (1994). Facilitating community inclusion with vocational assessment portfolios. Assessment in Rehabilitation and Exceptionality, 1(3), 212-222. Sarkees-Wircenski, M. & Wircenski, J.L. (1994). Transition planning: Developing a career portfolio for students with disabilities. Career Development for Exceptional Individuals, 17(2), 203-214. Strategy 5 One outstanding resource is David Joslyn, River Bend Career and Technical Center, PO Box 618, Bradford, VT 05033. (The center director is Russell Haviland.) The center staff, under David's leadership and encouragement, agreed to have all students produce a portfolio as part of their program. This plan was instituted under a grant from the BWIB School-to-Work program. Strategy 6 There are many articles on-line about portfolio assessments. One of great interest is "Creating Portfolios For Success in School, Work, and Life." To order contact Free Spirit Publications at 1-800-735-7323. I personally have developed a portfolio for a masters program. What we did was to bring to the seminar each week two items that would be presented to a small discussion group. The choice of the item was to be evaluated on how this item reflected our professional growth. We could include items that we perceived help to tell who we were as individuals. Each item was shared and were to write a short reflection on the selection and how we feel showed our professional, academic or personal growth. At the end of the semester, we were to put into a portfolio....literally a large binder, our items, or copies of items, and the reflections. Some members use it in job search and others keep it as a reminder of strengths. We used clear plastic sheets to house each piece. It protects the items and makes it very useable. Our professor, Dr. Nancy Healy, had examples of children's portfolios and her personal portfolio as examples. In addition we did other research. What we gained from research is that there is not one way to do a portfolio. It is supposed to be a personal portfolio. It is reminiscent of the artist portfolio. If you want someone to see your work, you take it to the gallery or to the art school director, or to whomever. Only the structure might be imposed, such as using a binder with plastic or laminated inserts because it is an organizing tool. And one might request the reflections because it is the explanation to the audience that might be reading the portfolio. And one might consider a length also for practical purposes. In order to help the student balance a portfolio one might suggest heavier emphasis on the professional and academic and smaller emphasis on the personal, but again, that is for the student to make the ultimate decision. Too many constraints takes away the personality of the individual's own handiwork. Beyond those concepts, the portfolio should be personally designed. The ideas of the portfolio has been in the literature since 1988, but we are only beginning to see the use in public schools. Strategy 7 A good contact on portfolios is Donna Scott, Co-op Coordinator, Hannaford Career Center, Charles Avenue, Middlebury, VT 05753, phone: 802-382-1006. Every student at the career center has a portfolio that is reviewed by the business community. I believe they are in their 3rd year. Also, Ed McGuire, Mt. Abraham Union High School, 7 Airport Drive, Bristol, VT 05443, phone: 802-453-2333. Ed has done a lot of research on portfolios and personal learning plans over the past year. He has visited schools in NYC that strictly use portfolios and standards to evaluate students. His research may be helpful.

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