Located in:
- Program-Specific Requirements for State Vocational Rehabilitation (Combined or General)
The Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Services Portion of the Unified or Combined State Plan must include the following descriptions and estimates, as required by sections 101(a) and 606 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended by title IV of WIOA.
- j. Coordination with Education Officials.
In accordance with the requirements in Section 101(a)(11)(D) of the Rehabilitation Act—
- j. Coordination with Education Officials.
j. 1. Describe plans, policies, and procedures for coordination between the designated State agency and education officials responsible for the public education of students with disabilities, that are designed to facilitate the transition of the students with disabilities from the receipt of educational services in school to the receipt of vocational rehabilitation services, including pre-employment transition services.
Current Narrative:
IVRS staff collaborates with school staff, AEA staff, IVRS contracted programs and partners to assist students with disabilities by providing services to explore career opportunities, postsecondary training programs available, and to identify supports needed to be successful in the post-secondary setting and in competitive integrated employment. IVRS has developed a Memorandum of Agreement with the Iowa Department of Education, Local School Plans, as well as policies, procedures and internal controls surrounding the provision of Pre-ETS and VR service delivery to students with disabilities.
IVRS collaborates with every public school district in Iowa to develop a Local School Plan each year that addresses the following information: the services the school district will provide to students with disabilities, the new and/or expanded services IVRS will provide within the district, services provided by community partners and/or IVRS contracted programs, and any gaps in service delivery. Local School Plans are also developed with private accredited high schools across the state along with some identified alternative educational settings. IVRS staff are assigned to all public and private accredited school districts in Iowa to provide services, including Pre-ETS, as outlined in the Local School Plan. As gaps in services are identified on the Local School Plans, programs will be developed and/or changes in service delivery will be determined collaboratively with school districts and other community partners across the state.
A “Consent to Release Information to and from IVRS'' form is needed for the LEA/AEA to release education records to IVRS. This form is used for determining whether a student may be considered for participation in IVRS programs, identifying IVRS services from which the student may benefit, or both. This consent pertains to all records related to the student, regardless of how they are stored or in what format they exist, including:
- Special education records (IEPs, special education evaluation reports and other eligibility information);
- Section 504 records (504 Plans, 504 evaluation reports and other eligibility information);
- Special education and general education progress measurement data, transcripts, statewide and districtwide assessment results; and
- Any other education record contained within the student’s permanent record or cumulative record.
The consent form also allows IVRS to release information related to services received, including Pre-ETS and the student’s Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE), to the LEA/AEA.