Mission & Vision
The Mission/Vision of the Sierra County office of Education (SCOE) WorkAbility program is to provide an opportunity for all individuals with disabilities to successfully participate in career/employment preparation and planning, workplace learning, and acquire independent living.
“We involve key stakeholders, including students, families, educators, employers and other agencies in planning and implementing relevant services that culminate in successful student transition to employment, lifelong learning and a quality adult life.
The SCOE program is focused on student programming, integrity in the delivery of services to students, well thought out program design, and cooperation in a field driven governance and structure. We strive to collaborate/leverage resources, supplement existing school and partner programs, promote student, staff, and partner accountability, and participation in state and regional development opportunities”
Workability Values:
- Student focused programming
- Programmatic integrity
- Research-based program design
- Innovation and creativity
- Local control with WA parameters
- Field driven governance and structure.
Program Design
SCOE WorkAbility engages in an integrated program design where staff (the WorkAbility Coordinator, teachers, the WorkAbility Aide, the School Psychologist, SELPA Director, and others) work with students enrolled in special education. This includes assisting students in the regular education classroom. The WorkAbility Coordinator participates as a vital member of the IEP team with traditional members such as students, parents, teachers, psychologist, and other guests such as Department of Rehabilitation, and Regional Center. All WA I staff collaborate with special education teachers to help them integrate workplace applications Secretaries commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) and relevance into contextual learning opportunities. WA I Staff are closely tied to the local School-to-work/School-to-Career (STW/STC) initiative and leverage this program and other programs to provide maximum benefit to students. Work-Based Learning (WBL) is an integral component of student learning and is our strongest program attribute.
Plans for continuous improvement
- Expand parent and student involvement in the IEP/ITP planning and implementation process
- Explore competencies and interests
- Provide more training for feeder school staff regarding WorkAbility values
- Place more emphasis on leveraging resources outside of Sierra County
- Have additional SCOE staff attend mandatory meetings
- Provide additional parent training in each community about resources and programs that assist parents to fulfill their role in the transition process
- Network more with key stakeholders regionally for purposes of capacity building and leveraging.• Involve more counselors in training that promotes a balance of academic classes, extracurricular opportunities, and electives for special education students;