Question 9
How can a Department such as Office of Public Instruction promote School-to-work?
STW Wizard Strategies
Strategy 1
The Department of Public Instruction can promote school-to-work by funding
grants which provide seed money to develop and implement curriculum that
explores facets of school to work. Minnesota's Special Education Department
offered competitive training grants for $5000 or less and got 33 responses
from within the state. They were able to fund 13 of those projects. Since
teams did the work to develop the grant application, I wouldn't be surprised
if some of them find alternative funding. The training grants stimulated
"possibility" thinking!
Strategy 2
In response to how an office of public instruction can promote school-to-work,
I feel that becoming informed about what the local school-to-work committee
is doing and to become informed about what that means in the area the office
is. If this is a state agency then seeking information from the Director
of the school-to-work system would be advisable.
Some other thoughts would be for the staff in the office to serve as
ambassador's of the school-to-work system and to share their enthusiasm
for the concept with all they come in contact with. If they have relationships
with employers they can promote involvement with the system and their office
could see if job shadowing opportunities or internships would be needed.
Strategy 3
One inexpensive method to use to publicize STW activities are Public
Service Announcements. TV and Radio stations have a certain amount of free
time that is to be used to promote matters of public interest. All you need
to do is make a tape (you may be able to get local radio or TV personalities
to help out) and send this tape to the radio or TV stations.
Strategy 4
Since our STW office is in our Education Department, we do most of our
promotion through there. We have also included STW as part of our education
reform efforts, which really entrenches it into all of our educational systems.
Our state also has Project Invest, a state group of field-based professionals
in the area of transition. This group is pulled together twice a year to
share strategies, receive training, and then help spread what they learn
across the state by providing training, consultation, and resource/referral
help to others who need it.
The group is supported by discretionary dollars through our state Department
of Education.The cost for three, three-day training meetings per year for
about 40 parents and professionals is about $10,000. The benefit to the
state AND to communities is reciprocal. This group not only brings in ideas,
helps develop new resources, brainstorms answers to issues being faced by
our state, but provides a vehicle for sharing what they learn at the trainings
to others across the state. This type of resource and training group could
be pulled together in any state to do the same for school-to-work. They
have been immeasurably helpful with our transition training and promotional
efforts, as well as providing direction to us from people in the local communities.
Strategy 5
I think the "All means All" Project is a good way to promote
models. The models that are shared within this project can be used by the
Office of Public Instruction to promote ways to include all learners. Making
use of this website as a resource and as a place to get models, strategies
and to network would also be a good promotional strategy.
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