Narrative: b. 1. D.

The youth with disabilities section covers vocational rehabilitation (VR) consumers who are not younger than 14 years of age, and not older than 24 years of age. Youth with disabilities may, or may not, be students with disabilities.  

Also included in this section are students with disabilities receiving pre-employment transition services (Pre-ETS), also called CDOR Student Services.  

Pre-ETS provision has continuously increased during the 2021-2023 CSNA reporting period. On average, 33% of applications for CDOR services were received from students and/or youth with disabilities, indicating a high demand within this demographic and the potential for future growth.

Through a survey of CDOR consumers receiving Pre-ETS, conducted for the CSNA, respondent results indicate high levels of importance with all five required Pre-ETS categories. Workplace Readiness Training and Work Based Learning Experiences were reported as the most important by respondents. The survey also requested information from consumers on satisfaction with the Pre-ETS they received, revealing an overall satisfaction score averaging 83% for four of the five required categories and the potential need to evaluate service provision of Self-Advocacy Training, CDOR’s lowest scoring Pre-ETS category. CDOR has developed a new State Plan goal to increase opportunities for quality pre-employment transition services to student, and other opportunities to serve youth and students, as described in Description (c), under Goal 7 and Goal 8.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), require State educational agencies (SEA) and VR agencies to plan and coordinate transition services, as well as CDOR Student Services for students with disabilities through a formal interagency agreement (Section 612(a)(12) of the IDEA and Section 101(a)(11)(D) of the Rehabilitation Act). 

The CDOR and the CDE established a state interagency agreement for transition planning and student services for secondary students with disabilities. The purpose of the interagency agreement is to create a coordinated system of educational and VR services, including CDOR Student Services, for students with disabilities to facilitate a smooth transition from secondary education to post-secondary employment-related activities and CIE. 

Students receiving Student Services that have not opened a VR case are assigned a potentially eligible (PE) case record type. A student with a disability is defined as a student aged 16 through 21 receiving special education or related services under the IDEA, or who is an individual with a disability for purposes of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Students with disabilities receiving CDOR Student Services will be referred to as students in this section. 

Population of Youth Receiving CDOR Services 

Using ACS 5-year estimate public use microdata for 2021, it is estimated that approximately 5% (308,062) of Californians ages 14 to 24 identify as having disabilities.  

An average of 33% of VR consumer applicants (8,785) were youth ages 14 to 24. During the COVID-19 pandemic the number of VR applications from youth declined but have recovered to pre-pandemic levels. 

The CDE data indicates that as of fall school enrollment for PY 2022-23, over 162,000 students were students with disabilities ages 16 through 21. During PY 2022-23, CDOR received new applications from 14,981 potentially eligible students (9.2%) of the total population, and 36,882 students (22.6%) were provided with Student Services during that fiscal year. 

Gender 

Youth who identify as male applied for VR services at higher percentages than females (average of 59.6% compared to 38.7%). An average of 1.7% of VR applicants did not wish to identify their gender. According to ACS 2021 1-Year estimates, the percentage of males and females ages 14 to 24 with disabilities found in the general population for California was 52% male and 48% female. 

Similarly, females receiving CDOR Student Services represented an average of 35.4% of the applicants and males represented an average of 61.7%. A small percentage (2.9%) did not wish to identify their gender.  

Although the 3-year average for eligible youth who do not wish to identify their gender was small at an average of 1.7%, this demographic has grown. During PY 2020-21, 0.8% of eligible youth ages 14 to 24 did not identify their gender, and in PY 2022-23 the percentage increased to 2.7%.  

Race 

The largest percentage of the youth population that applied for VR services was Hispanic or Latinx (48.2%), followed by White (28.1%), Black or African American (9.6%), Asian (5.9%), American Indian (0.8%), and Pacific Islander (0.3%). Asian, Hispanic or Latinx, Multiple Races, and Pacific Islander youth apply for VR services at lower rates than found in the population of Californians with disabilities ages 14 to 24.  

The rates by race for Student Services are very similar compared to those for VR services. The largest percentage of the Student Services population was Hispanic or Latinx (55.6%), followed by White (20.6%), Black or African American (8.5%), Asian (5.3%), Multiple Races (3.4%), American Indian (0.7%) and Pacific Islander (0.3%). 

The rates for Hispanic or Latinx and Asian in the CDOR Student Services population are lower than found in the CDE population of special education students in grades nine through twelve.  

Youth Experiencing Additional Barriers 

Opportunity Youth, also called disconnected youthare youth ages 16 to 24 not in school and not working, and may lack the necessary skills to qualify for employment, particularly employment with a career path. 

According to the New Ways to Work and California Opportunity Youth Network 2022 California Opportunity Youth Data Report, California is home to the largest population of Opportunity Youth. Updated 2021 data obtained from New Ways to Work indicated that 12.5% (572,756) of youth ages 16 to 24 were neither in school nor at work. Of those, 78,725 (13.7%) were youth with disabilities. Additionally, 25.8% of youth ages 16 to 24 with a disability are unemployed or not in the labor force compared to 11.5% without a disability. Although the number of youths who report additional barriers is most likely under-reported, the percentage of VR consumers who are youth ages 14 to 24 and who identified as having additional barriers to employment are as follows:  

• Foster Youth – 3.3% 
• Homeless/Unhoused – 2.2% 
• Justice-Involved – 3.6% 
• English Learners – 7.7% 
• Low Income – 50.8% 

While many of these youth are still in school, having these additional barriers leaves them at higher risk of becoming disconnected youth.  

Themes 

CDOR identified the following themes for youth with disabilities, and students with disabilities, including their need for transition services and CDOR Student Services: 

• The rates for Hispanic or Latinx and Asian in the CDOR Student Services population are lower than found in the CDE population of special education students in grades nine through twelve.  
• Youth and students with disabilities who identify as male applied for VR services and CDOR Student Services at higher percentages than females. 
• The provision of CDOR Student Services (pre-employment transition services) to potentially eligible students with disabilities continues to increase annually.