Community Work Transition Project - KDE

Nationally, the Department of Labor Statistics reported the January 2018 employment rate of the civilian population by sex, age, and disability status, not seasonally adjusted total for individuals 16 years and older was 64.8% for individuals without disabilities and 18.6 % for individuals with disabilities. The unemployment rate for individuals without disabilities was 4.3% compared to 8.8% for individuals with disabilities. According to the analysis, A Focus on Equity for All, too many students are not adequately prepared for the rigors of college or the workplace. Community Work Transition Program (CWTP) helps students with a documented disability, IEP or 504 plan to be Transition Ready. The Community Work Transition Program (CWTP) with the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) and staff at HDI will coordinate and provide training, technical assistance, and outreach to all Local Education Agencies (LEA), Kentucky Department of Education (KDE), and Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) personnel interested in the CWTP as well as parents, parent groups and state and community agencies as requested. Under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), the HDI staff will focus on the implementation of WIOA’s Pre Employment Transition Services (Pre ETS) five required activities: (1) Job Exploration Counseling; (2) Work Based Learning Experiences; (3) Post-Secondary Counseling; (4) Workplace Readiness Training; and (5) Self-Advocacy skills as well as Individualized Transition Services for eligible students. Provision of WIOA’s Pre-Employment Transition Services: (a) In general-from the funds reserved under section 110(d) and any funds made available from States, local, or private funding services, each state shall ensure that the designated state unit, in cooperation with the local educational agencies involved, shall provide, or arrange for the provision of, pre-employment transition services for all students with disabilities in need of such services who are eligible or potentially eligible for services under this title. The goal of the program is for each student to have a variety of experiences and exposure to pre-employment transition services or individualized transition services in their school and community to obtain future competitive, integrated employment and/or post-secondary education and/or training. The CWTP is one program with 2 service options, Pre- Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) or Individualized Transition Services. CWTP is for potentially eligible students who are students with disabilities with an Individual Education Program (IEP) or 504 Plan or documented disability, including those who have not applied or been determined OVR services. Individualized Transition Services are for students who: eligible for OVR services; have at least one documented disability; with an IEP or 504 Plan; and meet the state’s current Order of Selection criterial. The services delivered through the CWTP will provide transition aged student’s experiences and exposure to a variety of careers and/or post-secondary options in their schools and communities.