Innovations in Work-Based Learning and Work Experience for Students within Alternative Ed and Special Education Placements

Maria Keesler: West Learning Center Principal

Steve Moschak: Career Development Center Principal

Kirsten Stebbins: PALS/MOVE Principal

Today’s Outcomes

• Learn how to connect classroom enterprises with business partners to leverage their expertise for student learning.
• Develop a structured framework to launch student

enterprises and work‑based learning opportunities.

• Review a tiered evaluation system that categorizes students by ability from beginner to independent.
• Apply BOCES case studies to your own district

Our BOCES Goals:

• Guide every student’s transition from BOCES into

post-program pathways that fully leverage their unique strengths.

• Develop classroom enterprise opportunities for every special

education and alternative education classroom at Broome-Tioga BOCES

Bellringer

Background

• You are a building principal
• Local philanthropist committed to donating $10k a year over 5 years
• Donors Asks:
• To be used to develop your students professional skills
• Must target an inclusive audience
• Must show concrete results

How will use spend this money?

What is Work-Based Learning

• New York State Work-Based Learning Manual https://www.nysed.gov/sites/default/files/ programs/career-technical-education/wbl

-manual.pdf

• WBL is authentic learning experiences that allows students to explore their career goals, abilities, and interest while applying their academic and technical knowledge and skills in a real-world context.

Work Based Learning Examples

1. CO-OP (need a NYS Approved CTE Instructor/course)
2. Internship
3. Job Shadow
4. School Based Enterprise
5. Real / Mock Interviews
6. Service Learning and Volunteering
7. Career Awareness Activities (Up to 20 Hours)
1. Career Fairs
2. Career Interest Assessments
3. Guest Speakers
4. Industry-related credentials
5. Industry Tours

Internal School WBL Audit

• What are jobs in your school that could be currently completed by students?
• Are there jobs that could be created in your school that you

could have in your building? (ex: Recess support)

• What are the barriers that would prevent placing students into these jobs?

TARGET AUDIENCE:

students with disabilities and / or behavior issues and /or graduation risks

Case Study: Broome-TIoga BOCES

(WBL at ELC, Evertech, WLC, PALS, Oaktree)

• 500+ students in Alternative and Special Education
• Our Journey:
• Alternative Education (non-CTE pathway)
• Success: career exploration - guest speakers, job shadows, resume support, mock interviews (Work Readiness Fair)
• Lacking: Work opportunities
• Fail: Willow Run Foods

Case Study cont…

• Take 2:
• Classroom Helper, Building Greeter, Building Maintenance, Library Support, Building’s Pantry, Office Support, Student Ambassadors (PR/Front Line)
• This is Pre-Work: Staff Recommended, Adult Supervised, Built In Checks, Go To’s for Support, Parent Involvement, Celebrations
• Set time period unpaid (once “work independent” get $$$)
• Youth Apprenticeship Education (~$8K)
• Goal: Get out of building placement

Case Study Cont…

• ELC T-Shirt Company: 8-1-1 Crossroads (NYSAA)
• W/ Knucklehead
• Leveled:
• 1: Don’t care, 2: Sporadic Effort, 3: Work with support 4: Independent ($)
• Student do design, ordering, production

Grow2Teach

• Background:
• Location: WLC
• Students:
• All day students (unless ½ day CTE)
• Mainly enter workforce
• In need of CTE-like experience
• ⅓ WBL Coordinator Added (2024)
• WLC Admin / CDC dream up opportunities
• Huge need for BOCES teacher aides

Grow2Teach Cont…

• Students vetted by CDC Coordinator and WLC Admin

• First student needed to be a homerun

• Students NCI trained by CDC (same as BOCES teacher

aides)

• Up to a month: unpaid internship

• Tie to behavior

• Meet “work independence” criteria: YAP Ed ($$$)

• Don’t make it → find something else

• FIrst Paycheck Celebration

• Outcome:

• Student bragged about $$$

• 4 students showed interest, 2 were eliglbe

• Later 1 more

• All were hired by BOCES (participated in Signing Day)

• Spread to Evertech (4 students), ELC (1 student)

Case Study Cont…

Additions:

• Uniforms
• Electronic Attendance (WBL Tracking)
• Continuum of Assessments
• Work Transition Group + Think Tank

• Program Transition Group +

Think Tank

• Jobs within Jobs
• Cosmo Helper
• Shipping and Receiving
• Building attendance (for subs)

• Building odds and end jobs (ex: Spark Backpack Filling)

Case Study Cont…

PALS/Oaktree Work Experience

• 100+ students
• Alternatively Assessed
• Ages 16-21
• Job Sites (½ Day)

• Onsite: Dayhab, Functional Learning

Center, Laundry, Copy Center, Floral Gift

Shop, Market Warehouse, Batch at

BOCES (In Progress), Garden Cafe

• Offsite: CHOW, Price Chopper, Guthrie-Lourdes

Pre-Work Experience (12-15 year olds):

PALS/MOVE

Current Successes:

• Seeds2Success

• Grow lights for Marigold Awards

• Yearbook Camera Crew

• Early Bird Cafe

New Adventures:

• Button Makers

• Career Clusters

• 4 a year plus track

CDC Utilization:

• guest speakers
• job shadows
• resume/interview support

My Challenge to YOU:

❏ Find jobs with adult “eyes”

❏ Micromanage the beginning

❏ Over communicate, create lists, circle back

❏ Make it worth it ($ nice, but not required)

❏ Track it

❏ Celebrate it - A LOT

❏ Always be looking for the next job / business partner

rubric

Develop your plan:

1. What is 1 thing that you will do to move WBL in your district?

Thank You!!!