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Located in:

d. 2. C. Roles and Responsibilities, Including Financial Responsibilities, of Each Agency, Including Provisions for Determining State Lead Agencies and Qualified Personnel Responsible for Transition Services;

Current Narrative:

The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) within the Department of Labor holds an interagency agreement with the Exceptional Children & Early Childhood Education Group, Delaware Department of Education (DDOE) , Local Education Agencies (LEA) and Charter Schools. The agreement outlines the commitment of DVR and DDOE to ensure the transition of individuals who are potentially eligible for DVR services from the receipt of educational services to vocational rehabilitation services in a programmatically sound manner which reduces the disruption of services to the individual. As outlined in the Interagency Agreement between DVR and DDOE, the educational and vocational training of students ages 3-21 who are eligible for special education and related services is the responsibility of the education system prior to graduation. Local Education Agencies (LEA) and Charter Schools are to provide effective secondary education programs to students with disabilities and ensure they are linked to appropriate adult services prior to leaving the school system. LEAs and Charter Schools are responsible for identifying a transition team to oversee and facilitate the transition process for the qualifying students. In regard to the coordination of education and vocational rehabilitation services, the transition team will inform students and their parents of DVR as early as a student’s initial IEP. The LEAs and Charter Schools will coordinate with and invite DVR Counselors to IEP and other transition planning meetings to develop, implement and monitor the transition process. Although DVR maintains no absolute lower age limit for eligibility, vocational rehabilitation services are generally offered to students between the ages of 16 and 21 with the exception of pre-employment transition services which may begin at age 14. LEAs and Charter Schools will ensure informed written consent for release of information is obtained from students and/or parents prior to referring a student to DVR or inviting DVR to an IEP or planning meeting and typically will make referrals to DVR in a student’s Junior year of High School, or 2 years prior to exit for students participating in an 18-21 year old program. When special circumstances warrant, LEAs and Charters may refer a student prior to the Junior year. DVR will provide services for those students who are approaching, or are of working age (out of school) and who are determined by DVR to be eligible for services and not placed on the OOS waiting list. DVR will assign a qualified Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (VRC) to all school programs serving students from grades 9-12. The VRC will maintain a regular schedule with each of their schools to maintain a cooperative working relationship and the LEA/Charter will provide locations within the schools for the VRC to meet with students and staff for planning purposes. The VRC works with the student to explore career opportunities, discuss post-school goals, and collaborate with the schools to develop and implement additional vocationally related training and employment initiatives as needs of students are identified by the transition team. The VRC will also collaborate with schools to address the needs of youth with disabilities at risk of dropping out of school and provide outreach to students potentially eligible for DVR. The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation works closely with the DOE and other organizations on a variety of other initiatives to facilitate the transition process for students with disabilities and provide pre—employment transition services. Some of these initiatives include the annual Transition Conference, Customized Employment Bootcamp, Project SEARCH and the Start on Success program (SOS). The monthly cadre meetings and statewide transition meetings, in which all districts and VR Transition Staff are invited, are other opportunities to provide training and share information. The cooperative agreement also outlines the financial responsibilities for both DVR and DOE. It emphasizes the adherence to the specific responsibilities of both agencies as delineated by their applicable rules and regulations. These responsibilities include the provision of services specified and required by each student’s Individualized Education Plan and Individual Plan for Employment. In the development of these plans both agencies’ staff will ensure that duplication of services, which may occur in instances where responsibilities overlap, does not occur. In cases where the primary responsibilities for those services would rest with the most appropriate agency, as determined by the student’s status at that time, and when an agency is legally obligated and funded to provide that service. Nothing in the agreement relieves either agency of the responsibility to provide or pay for any transition service that the agency would otherwise provide to students with disabilities who meet the eligibility criteria of that agency. The strong relationship between DVR and DOE as well as with LEAs and Charter Schools has allowed for very successful sharing of resources to ensure transition services are provided in an efficient and effective manner.