Narrative: d. 1.

WIOA requires that 15% of the budget be allocated towards the provision of Pre-Employment Transition Services. IVRS has developed policy surrounding the provision of Pre-ETS service delivery. Each school district in Iowa is to develop a collaborative plan coordinated with IVRS that addresses the service gaps at that particular school, and responsibilities for who will deliver the service(s). IVRS staff have access to students in the schools in order to provide quality services and schools are recognizing the value that IVRS brings. The goal of these efforts is for each student with a disability to become aware of the Pre-ETS services available to them and is able to receive those services from IVRS or a comparable service. Efforts to coordinate delivery of transition services with our education partners are occurring. A series of training webinars are occurring in the spring of 2018 to assist in local education agencies and school districts as well as IVRS staff having common knowledge of terms and definitions pertaining to instructional training, job coaching, and extended school year supports. The goal being that students, whether potentially eligible or eligible, leave high school prepared to pursue post-secondary training and/or employment. IVRS has laid the groundwork for the expansion of relationships within the Department of Education, Area Education Agencies, and Local Education Agencies. IVRS is seeking alternative ways to provide Pre-ETS through expansion of relationships and third-party contracts. During 2016 - 2017, contracts were implemented by IVRS at 14 of Iowa’s 15 community colleges, specifically targeting service delivery for secondary school students with disabilities under an IEP or 504 plan. The focus of these contracts provided Intermediary Network (IN) staff tasked with increasing work-based learning opportunities for this targeted population. This initiative was developed through a collaboration with the Iowa Department of Education and the Community Colleges Division. Contracts with LEAs, INs and Community Rehabilitation Programs have created partnerships that allow for expansion of Pre-ETS delivery at the local level, and increase IVRS’ capacity to provide quality services. IVRS has a current Memorandum of Agreement within the Department of Education. This MOA outlines shared responsibilities between IVRS and the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education to prepare students with disabilities for successful competitive integrated employment. Through this Agreement, IVRS has ready access to a student’s IEPs who are on the IVRS caseload, which allows for timely development of the IVRS eligibility justification (within 60 days), and the individual plan for employment (within 90 days) and prior to the exit of high school. This Memorandum of Agreement expands beyond the previous agreement and provides greater direction and support to local IEP teams. This agreement describes roles and responsibilities of both agencies, and also assigns financial obligations. This agreement was amended in 2017 to identify the manner in which schools address their responsibilities to students in special education programs under WIOA. (A copy of the MOA is available on the IVRS website.)