Narrative: b. 1. D.

In assessing the needs of youth and students with disabilities, research from the National Center on Secondary Education and Transition documents unsatisfactory outcomes achieved by youth with disabilities exiting school. They have difficulty accessing employment, education and community services. There is a need to bridge the information gap between schools, rehabilitation services, community agencies and employers.

Based on December 2020 core data from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary (DESE) Office of Special Education, the number of students, ages 16 to 21 and currently enrolled in school, with individualized education plans (IEPs) is 21,486. This number represents students with disabilities who are eligible or potentially eligible for pre-employment transition services or other transition services. MVR further disaggregated this data by MVR district office so that school districts were grouped together based on the MVR office that serves each school. Therefore, the local MVR office knows the specific number of students, ages 16 to 21 with IEPs, for each of the schools that they serve.

MVR has received feedback from many stakeholders such as consumers, parents, school districts and employers regarding the need for services for youth and students with disabilities. There are limited competitive integrated employment opportunities for this population especially in rural areas.

MVR is answering these pre-employment transition needs of eligible or potentially eligible students with multiple strategies that supplement the MVR transition services that have traditionally been provided by its staff and partners. These strategies include summer work experience programs coordinated with CRPs and similar programs with CILs. The VR Summer Work Experience Program was developed in partnership with CRPs. MVR offers paid summer work experience opportunities in integrated settings for potentially eligible or VR-eligible students with disabilities. In addition to working, the students receive training in soft skills. The CIL Summer Pre-Employment Transition Services Program provide potentially eligible or VR-eligible students with disabilities access to job exploration activities, workplace readiness training, social support and instruction on self-advocacy including peer mentoring. MVR collaborated with businesses and school districts to provide services through these programs.

MVR is contracting with the University of Missouri, College of Education and Human Development, to assist with the provision of pre-employment transition services through regional pre-employment specialists. The university hired 47 pre-employment transition services specialists, all certified educational professionals, to work in collaboration with local education agencies (LEAs) and MVR to provide statewide pre-employment transition services to students with disabilities who are potentially eligible for VR services. Eight of the 47 provide pre-employment transition services in the Missouri Schools for the Severely Disabled.

MVR is working on a pilot program designed to provide peer mentoring for students with disabilities involved in the justice and foster care systems and homeless or housing insecure youth. The pilot includes a focus on increasing family engagement. MVR is working with local juvenile justice centers the family court system and the Missouri Department of Social Services Children’s Division to provide services for this underserved population. Through these programs, MVR is partnering with CILs, the University of Missouri’s College of Education and Human Development, Missouri State University, the Office of Workforce Development and an employer mentor.

MVR funds deaf/hard of hearing students to attend the Rochester Institute of Technology for a pre-employment transition services camp. MVR is also working with Wonderland Camp, of Rocky Mount, on an internship program for both students and youth with disabilities. MVR sponsors students and youth with disabilities to participate in the Governor’s Council on Disability Missouri Youth Leadership Forum that focuses on leadership, citizenship, and social and career development skills. It also participates in the council's Virtual Leadership Forum. MVR is utilizing its business services specialists to work with employers on creating work experiences for youth and students with disabilities. And, it is collaborating with its WIOA partners in providing seamless, coordinated services to youth and students with disabilities.

Research verifies that pathways from school to work or secondary to postsecondary education can be more difficult for individuals with disabilities; therefore, the need for transition career services and pre-employment transition services is great.

DESE reports that for 2021-2022 school year, the percent of youth who had IEPs, are no longer in secondary school and who have been:

• enrolled in higher education is 21.9%.
• enrolled in higher education or competitively employed is 52.8%.

This data indicates that there is a need for improved transition services.

MVR surveyed statewide staff to gather information on practices and services for youth with disabilities. Among the findings, staff reported that some of the barriers that youth with disabilities face in obtaining successful employment are a lack of work exposure or work experiences, transportation issues, the absence of parent/family involvement or follow through from parents and students. Feedback indicated that the number of vocational rehabilitation staff was not adequate to serve the number of students.

Feedback has shown that not all school districts are open to enhancing transition services. MVR is utilizing its transition counselors to forge inroads with school districts statewide. It is also working with the University of Missouri, College of Education and Human Development, through pre-employment services to access all school districts including ones that historically have been hesitant in enhancing transition services. Additional strategies include an MVR-developed YouTube video, which can be shared with parents and students before, during or after IEP meetings. MVR counselors are present at IEP meetings when invited in order to coordinate services that are a part of the VR individualized plan for employment (IPE). MVR conducted a statewide training for MVR staff on outreach, joint service provision and coordination of IEP/IPE services. New MVR counselor training includes a special education transition coordinator who provides training on IEP development and transition services.

The DESE Graduation Handbook and DESE Transition Agreement include three work-based learning experiences for students with disabilities on an IEP and are coordinated with special education. Students receive high school credit. These three experiences are the COOP Program, employer-based transition training/Project Search for students with most significant disabilities, and unpaid internships.

Any workforce development boards that have youth committee have an MVR representative. MVR is part of the St. Louis County Youth Interagency Partnership, comprised of any organization serving youth in St. Louis County, which was formed to coordinate services so that no youth will fall through the cracks between agencies.

MVR chairs the WIOA Youth Services subcommittee, which is comprised of representatives from the core, combined state plan, and required partners as well as other agencies and organizations. This subcommittee focuses on cross-agency trainings and explores and develops service braiding.