STEP Info TB | Ten Sigma

Discover how the S.T.E.P. program increases ownership & involvement for Transition age students…

Discover how the
S.T.E.P. program increases ownership & involvement for Transition age students…

IEP meetings!

But first…

Let's Start with
THE PROBLEM

Think about your
last IEP meeting

Think about your last IEP meeting

Did the student actively participate OR lead any part of the meeting?

Unfortunately, most Special Educators
across the country tell us

THE ANSWER IS NO!

If the purpose of education is to prepare students for adult life…

Why aren't they practicing taking ownership and DRIVING the IEP process?

3 reasons why Special Ed teachers are NOT to blame:

They are
dedicated teachers
who are often…

The STEP program solves all 3 problems at once!

What is
S.T.E.P.?

STEP is a 3 Phase
Student
Transition
Engagement
Program
which is purchased by
PDF license & completed by:

(Fillable PDF)

(Printed)

STEP program overview video!

The 3 Phases are

IEP meetings!

Each “phase” is color coded

for quick identification and contains a simple set of items that teachers and IEP team members (including parents or guardians) guide/support the student in completing:

Green = Before

Orange = During

Blue = Between

Green = Before the meeting

Orange = During the meeting

Blue = Between meetings

See below for details on what's included in all 3 phases!

STEP Phase 1:
guides and increases
student Transition ownership…

BEFORE
IEP meetings!

BEFORE the IEP meeting, the teacher will guide students to complete the following items:

The purpose of these activities is to involve the students BEFORE their Transition IEP meeting to:

Introduce students to Transition and the role it plays in their IEP and goals
Guide students to explore their interests, strengths, goals, and concerns
Prepare students for their Transition IEP meeting and their role in it
Educate and engage parents about the Transition IEP process before the meeting

STEP Phase 2:
guide and increases
student Transition ownership…

DURING
IEP meetings!

STEP Phase 2:
guides and increases
student Transition ownership…

DURING
IEP meetings!

DURING the IEP meeting, the teacher will guide students to lead the IEP team through the:

Welcome & Introduction
Transition Survey
Postsecondary Goal Research Form
Pre-IEP Meeting Form
Parent Postseconday Goal Feedback Form
Transition Task Checklist

The purpose of these activities is to involve the students DURING their Transition IEP meeting to:

Guide students (to the best of their ability) to lead a portion of the meeting
Teach students to communicate their interests, strengths, goals, and concerns
Empower students to advocate for themselves
Ensure that students are active participants in this important IEP meeting
Engage students, parents & IEP team members in supporting the student between Transition IEP meetings

STEP Phase 3:
guides and increases
student Transition ownership…

BETWEEN
IEP meetings!

BETWEEN the IEP meeting, the teacher will guide students to work with the IEP team using the:

The purpose of these activities is to involve the students BETWEEN their Transition IEP meeting to:

We offer 3 License Options:

How The License Works

When a license is purchased, the teacher can use the program with all of their students.

The teacher simply assigns a license to each of their students, which can be completed as:

(Fillable PDF)

(Printed)

*Student files are stored locally by the teacher or student.

Ten Sigma does not store any data completed by the students!

Who is STEP for?

STEP provides a simple framework and set of activities that Transition age students or young adults can complete with (or without) assistance based on their abilities.

STEP is perfect for Transition age students who are likely to live independently in the future, but can also be implemented and modified for those with moderate disabilities who will not live independently.

STEP is not designed for students or young adults with severe disabilities.

Who is STEP for?

STEP provides a simple framework and set of activities that Transition age students or young adults can complete with (or without) assistance based on their abilities.

STEP is not designed for students or young adults with severe disabilities.

Is there a Teacher's guide?

Yes! When a STEP license is purchased, a PDF version of the Teacher's Guide will be provided.

How do STEP licenses work?

STEP licenses are sold as:

Annual Teacher License
Annual Building License
Annual District License

Once a license is purchased, the teacher(s) can use the program will all of their students.

The teacher(s) will receive access to our software dashboard where they can assign a license to each student.

When a license is assigned to a student, the student can complete the program using a fillable PDF or the teacher can print the pages and they can be completed by student.

*Ten Sigma does not store any completed student data!

Are there 2 versions of STEP?

Yes, the STEP program comes in 2 versions, which are included with each license:

For Transition age students having their 1st Transition IEP meeting where they will identify their Postsecondary Goals for the first time.
For Transition age students who are updating their Postsecondary Goals because they have already had at least 1 IEP meeting that previously identified them.

When a STEP license is purchased, the teacher is able to select the version to be assigned to each student on a case-by-case basis.

How much teacher time is needed for STEP?

One of the best parts about STEP is how easy it is for teachers to implement.

STEP ensures that students are engaged and focused on Transition and their postsecondary goals before, during, and between IEP meetings.

We recommend that teachers plan for at least 2, 15 minute meetings with each student during the school year.

One meeting will occur before the IEP meeting and the other will occur after the IEP meeting.

Is there a guarantee with this program?

Yes! We're so confident STEP will dramatically impact your Transition program, we proudly offer a 90 day money back guarantee.

All we ask is for the teacher to implement the program with multiple students during that time in good faith! We are here to support teachers and they can email or contact us regarding any STEP program questions.

After implementing the program with multiple students, if a teacher feels the program did not increase student involvement and ownership throughout the Transition process – they simply email us at support@tensigma.org to request a full refund.

Can you tell me about Ten Sigma?

Absolutely! Ten Sigma is located in Minnesota and was founded in 1992 by Dr. John Wessels and Clyde Birkholz (both former teachers and school administrators) to provide educators with better and more useful tools to help them educate their students.

Dr. Wessels studied education-related research and worked with educators to determine what's working and what's not, and then used that information to develop practical, usable products that aim to share the best practices in education with a wider audience.

Eventually, Dr. Wessels partnered with cmERDC in Minnesota to help advance his vision and develop additional products and software.

In 2022, Ten Sigma was purchased by Kim Spudic (M.A. in Ed.) and Tom Spudic (B.S. in Education) both who have been working with the company for many years and live in Minnesota) with the goal of continuing to advance the Ten Sigma vision started by Dr. Wessels.

Our mission is to bridge the gap between educational theory and the day-to-day realities of the classroom. To do this, we provide parents, schools, and school districts with practical tools to teach, assess, and ensure students make a successful transition to adult life!

STEP will help prepare
your students for their
transition to adult life!

Select Your License Below:

Have questions about STEP?

Call (800) 657-3815

Email support@tensigma.org