Located in:
- Program-Specific Requirements for Vocational Rehabilitation (Combined or General)
The Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Services Portion of the Unified or Combined State Plan [13] must include the following descriptions and estimates, as required by section 101(a) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended by title IV of WIOA:
__________
[13] Sec. 102(b)(2)(D)(iii) of WIOA
- o. State's Strategies
Describe the required strategies and how the agency will use these strategies to achieve its goals and priorities, support innovation and expansion activities, and overcome any barriers to accessing the VR and the Supported Employment programs (See sections 101(a)(15)(D) and (18)(B) of the Rehabilitation Act and section 427 of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA)):
- o. State's Strategies
o. 4. The methods to be used to improve and expand VR services for students with disabilities, including the coordination of services designed to facilitate the transition of such students from school to postsecondary life (including the receipt of VR services, postsecondary education, employment, and pre-employment transition services)
Current Narrative:
The expansion, provision, and evaluation of various Pre-ETS activities are ongoing. Continued collaboration with the SDE and LEAs alongside feedback from customers and parents/guardians when applicable are instrumental in better understanding which services should be continued, modified, or ended. Activities like the Transition Institute will bring these stakeholders together and allow for the collection of rich qualitative data to further inform improvements to these services.
The Transition Coordinator will also use the district plans that are created at the Institute to identify specific transition service needs of each district. This will allow VR to target districts who need intensive levels of support as priority districts. VR will also continue to provide targeted and universal support to districts who have identified lower levels of need.
IDVR has evaluated our effectiveness in our internal VR structure and Pre-ETS performance and have subsequently identified additional strategies to implement to positively impact the number of students receiving Pre-ETS services as well as the number of services delivered. IDVR believes that the following strategies will also increase our effectiveness in coordinating with school districts for the purpose of positive student outcomes.
IDVR implemented new Area Transition Counselors. IDVR divided the state into three areas for these positions to serve. The positions serve both students directly as well as coordinate with school districts and VR staff. After this first year of having the Area Transition Counselors in place, IDVR has further determined that there is a need for additional restructuring to better serve the students of Idaho. IDVR is creating new Pre-ETS Counselor roles to serve each regional area of Idaho. This new caseload structure will provide a focus for staff to work more closely with the Area Transition Counselors and the Statewide Transition Coordinator to implement and deliver quality services for their local community schools in a more effective manner.
Toward these ends, expected outcomes include an increase in student participation in Pre-ETS, an increase in the number of students participating in Pre-ETS based on student need, an increase in the number of students achieving his or her employment outcome following engagement with IDVR.
IDVR is evaluating the following services and partnerships
- Post-secondary partnerships
- Summer paid work experience
- Local Education Agency partnerships
- Idaho Educational Services for the Deaf and Blind partnership
- Idaho Parent Unlimited partnership