Vocational Rehabilitation Program (Combined or General)

2021 data from the U.S. Department of Labor shows the following labor force participation and unemployment rate for youth:

Labor Force Participation for Youth:

• Age 16-19 with Disability:  24.3%
• Age 16-19 with No Disability:  36.8%
• Age 20-24 with Disability:  46.7%
• Age 20-24 with No Disability: 72%

Unemployment Rate for Youth:

• Age 16-19 with Disability: 21.1%
• Age 16-19 with No Disability: 11.4%
• Age 20-24 with Disability: 16.5%
• Age 20-24 with No Disability: 8.7%

Data highlights from the CSNA pertaining to services to youth and students are provided below:

Total Individuals Served: Age

Nearly half of all individuals served were 30 years of age of younger with a continued drop in individuals age 40-70 served. The increased focus on serving students through Pre-ETS could be contributing to the increase in this younger population served in VR.

VR Eligible and Potentially Eligible Students Served Through Pre-ETS

Over 4,000 students with disabilities received services during PY19 and PY20. The majority of students who received Pre-ETS in both years were those potentially eligible students who were not yet receiving VR services under an IPE.

The following is a summary of survey questions and responses in regard to youth and students with disabilities:

What are the biggest barriers students with disabilities have when making the transition from school to work? 

Highest reported barriers by combined respondents:

1. Transportation (example: can’t drive, bus not reliable)                                                                12.50%
2. Gap in services from school to work (student leaves school without connections  to services)                                                                                                                                                                                                                               11.35%
3. Employers' willingness to hire individuals needing significant support                               10.86%
4. Concerns of individual or family about loss of benefits (examples: Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, housing assistance)                                                                                                                                                         9.90%
5. Lack of information or confusion about available services                                                         9.51%

Highest reported barriers by respondents reporting as a person with a disability:

1. Employers' willingness to hire individuals needing significant support                             12.51%
2. Expectations from professionals about individuals with disabilities working                 11.97%
3. Transportation (example: can’t drive, bus not reliable)                                                             10.50%
4. Concerns of individual or family about loss of benefits (examples: Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, housing assistance)                                                                                                                                                        9.88%
5. Gap in services from school to work (student leaves school without connections to services)                                                                                                                                                                                                                               9.65%

While reported barriers were similar across both groups overall, of note is that respondents with disabilities reported expectations from professionals about individuals with disabilities working as the 2^nd highest barrier, and this was not included in the top five barriers for combined respondents. Also of note is that while transportation was ranked as the top barrier by combined respondents, both employers’ willing ness to hire individuals needing significant support and expectations from professionals ranked as higher barriers than transportation by respondents with disabilities.

What are the needs of students with disabilities as they transition to employment and/or post-secondary education?

Highest reported needs by combined respondents:

1. Skills to get ready for work and independent living                                   26.89%
2. Work experience, internships                                                                               23.85%
3. Self-advocacy and self-determination skills                                                  19.22%
4. Job exploration counseling                                                                                   17.73%
5. Counseling on post-secondary education programs                                 10.01%

Highest reported needs by respondents reporting as a person with a disability:

1. Skills to get ready for work and independent living                                   24.95%
2. Work experience, internships                                                                               23.82%
3. Self-advocacy and self-determination skills                                                  21.00%
4. Job exploration counseling                                                                                  16.57%
5. Counseling on post-secondary education programs                                10.55%

Responses were very similar across both groups.

What would improve VR services for students and youth with disabilities? 

Highest reported needed improvements by combined respondents:

1. Additional opportunities for work experience                                                                             17.17%
2. Increased knowledge of resources and opportunities that support employment       15.39%
3. Better coordination between VR and schools                                                                               15.15%
4. Earlier access to VR services                                                                                                                 12.23%
5. Additional opportunities for career exploration                                                                         10.64%

Highest reported needed improvements by respondents reporting as a person with a disability:

1. Additional opportunities for work experience                                                                              18.43%
2. Increased knowledge of resources and opportunities that support employment       15.93%
3. Better coordination between VR and schools                                                                               14.30%
4. Additional opportunities for career exploration                                                                          12.58%
5. Earlier access to VR services                                                                                                                  11.89%

Responses by both groups were similar, except respondents with disabilities ranked additional opportunities for career exploration as a higher area of improvement v. earlier access to VR, in contracts to combined respondents.

How can employers be more involved with helping students and youth with disabilities transition to work and/or post-secondary education?

Highest reported responses by combined respondents:

1. Provide more work experiences/internships                                                          24.72%
2. Increase their awareness of employment resources and supports (example:  Vocational Rehabilitation, job coaching, accommodations)                                                                                         24.08%
3. Mentor students and youth                                                                                           16.95%
4. Provide job fairs at schools (mock interviews/application practice)          15.04%
5. Offer tours at business sites                                                                                            9.28%

Highest reported responses by respondents reporting as a person with a disability:

1. Increase their awareness of employment resources and supports (example: Vocational Rehabilitation, job coaching, accommodations)                                                                                       24.49%
2. Provide more work experiences/internships                                                       21.73%
3. Mentor students and youth                                                                                         17.81%
4. Provide job fairs at schools (mock interviews/application practice)        13.71%
5. Offer tours at business sites                                                                                        10.06%

Responses by both groups were similar, except combined respondents ranked increased work experience/internships as a higher need v. increased awareness of employment resources and support, in contracts to respondents with disabilities.

According to the Indiana Department of Education (DOE) “Memorandum to State Board of Education Regarding Child Counts” for December 1, 2020, there was a non-duplicated child count of 169,169 students in special education.  This is down from the year before by 22 students (-.013%). The breakdown according to disability is shown in the chart below.

Child Count Comparisons (December 2, 2019, and December 1, 2020)

Ages: 5B (kindergarten eligible)-22- Unduplicated State Totals by Disability

Source: DOE-Special Education and DOE-Special Education for Voucher Students

The following is information as to Indiana’s progress in meeting the Federal Indicators for IDEA in 2019, (LEAD, n.d.):

• 24.17% of youth no longer in secondary school had IEPs in effect at the time they left school and were enrolled in higher education within one year of leaving high school (Indicator 14a). 
• 64.33% of youth who are no longer in secondary school had IEPs in effect at the time they left school and were enrolled in higher education or competitively employed within one year of leaving high school (Indicator 14b). 
• 75.83% of youth who are no longer in secondary school had IEPs in effect at the time they left school and were enrolled in higher education or in some other postsecondary education or training program; or they were competitively employed or in some other employment within one year of leaving high school (Indicator 14c). (M. Oja personal communication, December 18, 2021).