Addendum B: Focus Group Trends

Addendum B identifies trends with percentages calculated by comparing the number of responses to the number of respondents for each set (pre and post-graduation). Note that respondents often offered multiple responses.

Pre-Graduation

Question 1: When asked, “What do you want to do after you graduate from high school?” The majority of responses included:

57% respondents identified that they want to attend School or College of which 24% specified computer training as reflected in this quote: “I want to take computer training, get a job, and maybe be a school teacher or work with little kids and teach them not to do drugs.” Other specific college areas of interest included: 24% medical; 12% military.

47% of the respondents want to go to work after they graduate from high school while 24% respondents desire to increase skills of which 29% specified self-determination and 29% money management.

24% respondents identified that the importance of family and friends of which 57% want to get married. While only 13% respondents specifically identified having their own home or living alone and all these respondents were from a large metropolitan area

Question 2: When asked, “Do you have a school plan that helps you get to what you want to do when you graduate?” Responses included:

67% said, “Yes, I have an IEP”. 85% of those living in a large metropolitan area compared to 56-64% of those living in small urban areas. Only 10% of respondents across the sites have a Transition Plan is in process with 1 of 30 respondents (3%) actually being aware that they had a Transition Plan in place.

Question 3: When asked, “How are you involved in making that plan?” Responses included:

40% said “I speak up at the meetings” compared with 17% who said, “I only respond when asked.” Only 40% of the respondents attend their own meetings while 13% respondents shared that they facilitate their own meetings and 10% scheduling their meetings.

Question 4: When asked, “What does the school do to help you with your plan?” Responses included:

40% of respondents said that the schools assist them with planning and give them advice when I ask with modifications of work in classroom; class scheduling and making tests easier.

27% of respondents shared that the schools teach them community skills such as life skills, social interaction and how to keep from doing violent things in the community.

20% said that the schools help them to make connections with agencies while 17% said that the school does nothing to help them.

Question 5: When asked, “What do you wish the school would do to help you with your plan?” Responses included:

37% of the respondents said that the school could help more with IEP goals and supports. with 20% respondents wanting the school to help more with self-determination and 17% stated “Nothing.”

Help more with job skills was expressed by 13% of the respondents. This help was identified as how to get a good paying job; hold down a job and have more life skills such as practical problem solving.

Question 6: When asked, “What do you wish the school would do differently?” Responses included:

17% of the respondents said “Yes, have training for Teacher Aides and substitute teachers” all of which were from the small urban areas. Equally, 17% replied “Nothing” from a large metropolitan area.

13% replied “Yes, give me more time to work or modify work/tests” of which were from the small urban areas. Along with 13% who shared “Yes, teachers need better pay and more team to be teachers instead of distracted by student disciplinary problems.”

Post-Graduation

Question 1: When asked, “How do you spend your day now?” Responses included:

79% of respondents said they spend their day at “work” while 30 % spend their day with free time or doing hobbies. Of the 30% doing hobbies, 80% of them are from a Pueblo working on pottery and paintings that may be reflective of the Pueblo culture. 24% said that they spend their day “at home” with 75% of these again from the Pueblo who specified tasks they do at home such as cleaning, cooking and caring for others.

Question 2: When asked, “How did the school help you get ready for your life now?” Responses included:

27% of the respondents indicated that a specific class at high school helped them get ready for life now. These classes were identified as reading, writing, typing, physical education, carpentry, Workstudy, pottery and computer. While only 9% shared that a specific class at college helped them specifically computer and vocational technical courses. 9% said that specific job development (i.e. restaurant, hospital, janitor, stocker) from the school helped them. While 9% said a specific person at college helped them, which was identified as the same person in a small urban area.

Question 3: When asked, “What do you wish the school would have done differently to prepare you for your life now?” Responses included:

85% of responses were that teachers need to help more with the mistreatment from other students (i.e. lack of intervention) while 81% said that teachers mistreated them themselves such as pulling hair, name calling, abusive of these 60% are from a large metropolitan area. 15% wanted more help with a specific class (i.e. math).

Question 4: When asked, “Did you have a school plan for what you would do after you graduated?” Responses included:

24% recalled, “Yes, they had a formal plan (IEP)”. Most respondents shared that it was so long since they graduated that they could not remember.

Question 5: When asked, “Did the school plan include what you really wanted to do after you graduated?” Responses included:

67% of those who had plans indicated that “Yes” the plan included what they really wanted to do after graduated. This is compared with 33% said that “No, the school plan did not include what they really wanted to do.” 11% shared “No comment” this could be the result of the presence of staff during the focus group interview.

Question 6: When asked, “How were you involved in making that plan?” Responses included:

33% stated that they participated in making the plan compared with 22% who said that they were not involved in the planning. 22% said that there was no plan but they got help elsewhere.

Question 7: When asked, “Did the school help you connect with any agencies?” Responses included:

50% of those in a large metropolitan area said the school connected with agencies with 100% of both small urban areas. Of these connected, 30% were connected to DVR, 20% to Job Fair or Job Corp., 20% to local adult service providers and 10% college information. 30% said the “No, the school did not help” which are all from a large metropolitan area. 40% said, “No, the school did not connect me but others did.” These others include 50% had a friend who helped them connect and 25% had a family member.

Question 8: When asked, “Do you wish the school would have had helped you connect with other community supports that would help you now?” Responses included:

93% said, “Yes” and 7% said, “No”

When asked, “…connected to what?” Responses included:

50% said “Self-advocacy groups” of these 43% are from a large metropolitan area and 50% are from Pueblo. 23% responded with “Transportation” of these 67% in a large metropolitan area with 50% in a Pueblo.