Narrative: d. 1.

Introduction

The 2014 Amendments to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 profoundly enhance expectations for coordination between DSHS/DVR and education officials to provide early job exploration and work-based learning opportunities for secondary students with disabilities.

DSHS/DVR has developed a long-range plan to develop and strengthen the education-vocational rehabilitation infrastructure for the coming four years.

Pre-employment Transition Services

With the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) mandate that state vocational rehabilitation programs allocate 15% of federal funds to provide five required Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) to all students with disabilities, it is imperative that DSHS/DVR develop a strategic, thoughtful, and intentional plan to meet the needs of secondary students with disabilities statewide. These five required activities include 1) job exploration; 2) information regarding post-secondary opportunities at institutions of higher education; 3) self-advocacy instruction; 4) work readiness training; and 5) work-based learning.

The Code of Federal Regulations (CFRs) has expanded the population of students who receive services from DSHS/DVR. Secondary students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) or Section 504 Plans who receive Pre-ETS may be either eligible for DSHS/DVR services or potentially eligible for services. Pre-ETS are provided as generalized services to groups of eligible or potentially eligible students with disabilities, or as individualized and intensive services for students with higher support needs.

For the provisions of Pre-Employment Transition Services, DVR has defined a "Student with a Disability" as an individual with a disability in a secondary, postsecondary, or other recognized education program who:

• (A)(1) Is not younger than the earliest age for the provision of transition services under section 614(d)(1)(A)(i)(VIII) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1414(d)(1)(A)(i)(VIII)); and/or Washington Administrative Code 392-172A-03090 (1) (iii) (k) in part “Appropriate measurable postsecondary goals based upon age appropriate transition assessments related to training, education”
• (B)(1) Is not older than 21 years of age; or (2) If the State law for the State provides for a higher maximum age for receipt of services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.), is not older than that maximum age; and
• (C)(1) Is eligible for, and receiving, special education or related services under Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1411 et seq.); or (2) Is a student who is an individual with a disability, for purposes of section 504. (Authority: Sections 7(37) and 12(c) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended; 29 U.S.C. 705(37) and 709(c))

While not all students receiving Pre-ETS will apply for DSHS/DVR services, engagement with transition staff and students will be in an effort to work toward alignment of IEP and High School and Beyond Plan goals.

DVR staff will ensure all participants have an IPE (Individualized Plan for Employment) within 90 days of being determined Eligible or their name being removed from the Order of Selection list, whichever is later, unless there is a mutually agreed to extension as described within DVR policies and procedures.

Coordinated Services for Students and Youth: Goals & Objectives

Strengthen and enhance the DSHS/DVR and education agency partnership at state and local levels so that students receive a seamless continuum of transition services.

• Work with the Washington State Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to improve communication regarding clarifying roles and responsibilities of each partner agency in coordinating activities that promote successful secondary transition services for students with disabilities.

• Follow the guidance given in the  DSHS/DVR’s Memorandum of Understanding with OSPI to help:
  • Disseminate the agreement to Local Education Agencies (LEAs) including special education directors and 504 coordinators, and to VR staff, and encourage further dissemination to school counselors and principals.
  • Promote outreach to identify potentially eligible students as early as possible, including students who are receiving special education services (who have an IEP), students receiving Section 504 accommodations, aids, and services (who have a 504 Plan), and students who have otherwise documented disabilities and may benefit from Pre-Employment Transition Services and/or transition services.
  • Communicate regularly among state and local entities to identify and address gaps in services.
  • Explore and identify the transition needs of students with disabilities at risk of drop-out or who have a history of incarceration and integrate supports into existing state initiatives as applicable.
  • Promote individualized and student-centered planning, with post-secondary goals consistent with student interests, strengths, preferences, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, and informed choice.
  • Promote transition planning between LEAs and VR to ensure seamless and coordinated services for students.
  • Share training materials developed by the agencies or their agents and extend invitations to trainings using these materials to LEAS and VR staff.
  • Collaborate to identify and implement high quality pre-employment transition and transition services service delivery models.
  • Invite partner agencies to statewide meetings as needed for cross training or education.
  • Support eligible students with disabilities to engage with the broadest transition team possible and encourage LEAS to provide early invitations to VR staff for IEP consultation and technical assistance.

Increase student access to Pre-Employment Transition Services and Individualized Transition Services from DSHS/DVR.

• Continue to Ensure every high school in the state, including public, private, and charter schools, as well as alternative and transition programs, and Juvenile Rehabilitation facilities is assigned a liaison VR counselor trained to provide outreach and comprehensive high school transition services.
• Continue to Ensure outreach is inclusive of all educational stakeholders including but not limited: Transition coordinators, Administrators, Guidance counselors/School Psychologists, 504 coordinators, School nurse, Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, Speech-Language Pathologists, Special education teaching staff, Alternative high school teachers, McKinney-Vento coordinator, and Career Technical Educators (CTE).
• Identify regularly scheduled check-ins with school staff.
• Lead collaboration with individual school districts to identify gaps in transition services using data from the state-wide needs assessment as well as school enrollment and demographic data obtained from OSPI
• Continue to develop interagency agreements and service contracts with organizations to provide Pre-ETS to potentially DSHS/DVR-eligible and DSHS/DVR-eligible students. 
• Develop and maintain a DSHS/DVR student transition website that provides information for students and their families, DSHS/DVR staff, and school personnel.
• Provide ongoing transition best practices guidance, training and technical assistance to DSHS/DVR supervisors, counselors, staff, and community partners.
• Increase outreach to students in traditionally unserved and underserved disability populations, including those with 504 plans, those with emotional-behavioral challenges, students who are deaf or hearing, those who have specific learning disabilities, as well as other disability populations who often do not receive services.
• Increase outreach to students in traditionally unserved and underserved populations that include tribal youth, justice-involved youth, homeless youth, and students and youth receiving foster care.