Kentucky Early Childhood Transition Project. Evaluation Report: Quality and Impact of Transition Training and Technical Assistance Services
Author: University of Kentucky, Interdisciplinary Human Development Institute
Date: 2002-01-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Transitional Programs,Community,Training,Technical Assistance,Program Effectiveness,Disabilities,Young Children,Early Childhood Education,Leadership Training,Alignment (Education),Functional Behavioral Assessment,Early Intervention,Public Schools,Child Care,Preschool Education,Public Health

The Kentucky Early Childhood Transition Project (KECTP) was funded in 1992 by the Kentucky Department of Education and later expanded with support from the Kentucky Early Intervention System, to provide training and technical assistance to local communities in the state of Kentucky on effective transitions. KECTP was an outgrowth of Project STEPS, an Early Education Programs for Children with Disabilities (EEPCD) project funded by the U.S. Department of Education. Project STEPS worked with the Kentucky Department of Education, Kentucky Cabinet for Human Resources, Department of MH/MR (KEIS) and Head Start from 1989-1992 to help develop a statewide transition system using the STEPS model. As a result of the work of the National STEPS Project in the state, 19 model transition sites were established. In 1992, the goal of KECTP was to expand on the number of communities who have been trained using the STEPS model, as well as, provide training and technical assistance to existing and newly established sites across the state. KECTP works within a community approach to training and technical assistance and provides support for transition activities from birth through entry into primary programs. The community approach includes both public and private agencies and programs including public school, early intervention, childcare, Head Start, public health, and others as appropriate. This evaluation report provides specific information on both the perceived quality of the training and technical assistance activities supported by the project, as well as, the perceived impact of these services. Overall impact of the involvement of technical assistance from the staff at KECTP was perceived as excellent. Findings indicate that the project impact model follows the same philosophical model as the mediation process in that communities and individuals had to first understand how issues and concerns were similar across programs. Skills of project staff in the areas of facilitation and mediation were critical in their role of moving communities from positions to common goals. Communities are made of individuals with beliefs and bias that come from mental models based on previous experience. Technical assistance provided by staff at the KECTP provided a mentored, mediated opportunity that enabled communities to maintain dignity and respect for others involved in the transition process. The mediated process provided a means to directly impact children and family in that services were not interrupted, staff were prepared and better trained to accept the child coming into their system, and overall outcomes for children were more positive. Technical assistance was provided in a manner that was respectful of the members of the team involved in transition of young children as well as the diversity of the communities. (Contains 12 tables.)