Narrative: j. 1. E.

Data from the Virginia Department of Education on students with disabilities (SWD) enrolled either in public, private or home schooled for the 2020-2021 school year were obtained from the Virginia Department of Education. There were 53,708 students in grades nine through twelve who were considered to have disabilities in the 2020-2021 school year. The breakdown by disability is shown in the table below:

*Fewer than 10 students total across Virginia and are therefore reported as zero.

The largest percentage of students enrolled in school year 2020-21 in grades 9-12 have specific learning disabilities (40%), followed by other health impairments at 25%.  The developmental delay and deaf-blindness categories have fewer than 10 students total across Virginia and are therefore reported as zero.

The pipeline of potential DARS clients, those enrolled in pre-K through 8^th grade comprise 115,087 students.  The majority (26%) of clients in grades pre-k through 8^th grade have a specific learning disability, followed by speech or language impairment (19%), autism (14%), developmental delay (12%), and intellectual and emotional disturbances (4%).

DARS SERVICES TO STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

Counting only cases of SWD using the variable “age at plan signature”, DARS served an average of 8,681 clients over the last three years. This is about 16.4% of all high-school aged SWD in Virginia according to the Virginia Department of Education. DARS can expect an increase in SWD through the 2021-2022 school year with an estimated 9,452 served. The number of SWD would then decline to 8,615 by 2025-2026.

Using a more strict definition of SWD including age, the SWD has a section 504 accommodation, or the SWD is receiving services under an Individualized Education Program (IEP), DARS has averaged 3,059 students over the last two years. This represents about 6% of the total high school population. Assuming approximately 6%, DARS can expect to see an increase in clients over the next four years to around 3,330 SWD served. A slow decrease down to 3,035 would be expected by the 2025-2026 school year.

The types of impairment for Virginia’s students will also change over the next four school years. The number of clients with Autism, intellectual disabilities and learning disabilities are expected to decrease slightly while emotional impairments are expected to increase. This is depicted in the table below.

DARS continues to reserve and expend 15% of its VR grant funds on Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) services for students with disabilities and 50% of its Supported Employment funds for youth with the most significant disabilities.

The 2022 CSNA found that Virginia students with disabilities have met the state targets for enrolling in higher education or CIE within one year of leaving high school. Goal >65%, Achieved  65.87%) They did not meet the target for enrolling in higher education. However, they were within less than one percentage point. (Goal >35%, Achieved 34.4%)  

Pre-ETS offers students with disabilities an early start at career exploration and preparation for adult life. Beginning at age 14, students with disabilities can connect with VA DARS for Pre-ETS. DARS works with students, their families, their schools and community partners to enrich transition planning and support students with gaining knowledge and experiences necessary so they may make informed decisions about their future. Topics covered through Pre-ETS include: 1) career exploration; 2) work-based learning experiences; 3) exploration of education and training programs for after high school; 4) workplace readiness training to develop social and independent living skills; and 5) self-advocacy.  The 2022 CSNA conducted a survey of transition educators focused on these five "required" activities of pre-employment transition services asking VA transition educators if these activities are 1) available, 2) accessible, and 3) coordinated.  Questions also included asking educators about transition-age youth unmet needs.

Responding educators indicated that they thought the most unserved/underserved students were individuals with intellectual disabilities (21.6%), followed by individuals with learning disabilities (18.2%, and individuals with the most significant disabilities including individuals with multiple impairments (19.3%).  The vast majority of respondents (89.4%) reported that they support students who need DARS services.  In addition the majority of respondents reported that they know who is their school’s DARS counselor.

The CSNA identified unmet needs to Pre-ETS services through the survey of transition educators.  The following lists Pre_ETS services identified as “an unmet need” by respondents listed from most frequently cited to least:

• Work-based learning experiences
• Workplace readiness training 
• Job exploration counseling
• Instruction in self-advocacy
• Counseling on Educational and Training Options

The CSNA also identified multiple potential reasons for unmet needs to students accessing transition services.  The following list addresses identified reasons as they were identified as “yes, this is a barrier” by respondents and are listed from most frequently cited to least:

• Need for training on Pre-ETS for families and students
• Limited internship and apprenticeship opportunities
• Limited work-based learning opportunities
• Need for training on Pre-ETS for teachers / school personnel
• Limited school personnel for transition planning
• Limited coordination of services between the school and DARS
• Communication  / Collaboration with the Business Community
• Difficulty promoting career pathways for students
• Insufficient Funding
• Lack of communication between DARS and the schools
• Student disability barriers