An analysis of state Pre-Employment Transition Services policies

Abstract

BACKGROUND: In July 2014, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) was signed into law, amending the Rehabilitation Act of 1998 and establishing new workforce initiatives for state vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies. Final regulations were released in July 2016, requiring state VR agencies to fund and coordinate Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS). Many state VR agencies have developed policies to define and address the provision of Pre-ETS in their jurisdictions. Given the recent establishment of WIOA and its associated regulations, little is known about state Pre-ETS policies. OBJECTIVE:The objective of this study was to analyze state Pre-ETS policies for the purpose of understanding the impact of WIOA and Pre-ETS on students and youth with disabilities, as well as on professional practice. METHODS: Content analysis was used to examine 38 state Pre-ETS policies. RESULTS: Results revealed similarities and differences across states with regard to how and to what extent state policies addressed Pre-ETS requirements outlined in federal WIOA policy. CONCLUSION: This paper offers an analysis of state Pre-ETS policies, making recommendations for research, policy, and practice. Findings provided an understanding of how Pre-ETS are operationalized in policy, which forms the basis for how they will be delivered in practice.

Implementation of Pre–Employment Transition Services: A Content Analysis of Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act State Plans

“…Our study also confirmed previous findings that suggest state plans largely focused on building partnerships to increase employment of youth with disabilities (Carlson et al, 2020; Roux et al, 2019). In fact, not only did these partnerships with various stakeholders expand employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities, but they were often fundamental to the provision of Pre-ETS across states.…”

“…Findings of this study intersect with and extend the work of previous researchers in examining the impact of WIOA implementation across states (e.g., Carlson et al, 2020; Roux et al, 2019). Previous researchers investigated the extent to which states described Pre-ETS for youth with autism (Roux et al, 2019) and the extent to which state policies addressed Pre-ETS (Carlson et al, 2020). Similarly, we found that the extent to which states described Pre-ETS varied greatly, with some states providing generic statements and others providing in-depth descriptions of services.…”

“…As states begin to implement Pre-ETS, researchers have begun to examine implementation processes and states’ adherence to federal VR policy. Previous research describes how states are incorporating required Pre-ETS into VR policies and procedure manuals (Carlson et al, 2020), and how they are addressing the needs of specific populations (i.e., individuals with autism spectrum disorder) through their WIOA implementation plans (Roux et al, 2019). These findings indicate that state policies and plans developed thus far focus heavily on service delivery and on describing the skills, activities, and services associated with Pre-ETS (Carlson et al, 2020; Roux et al, 2019).…”

“…Previous research describes how states are incorporating required Pre-ETS into VR policies and procedure manuals (Carlson et al, 2020), and how they are addressing the needs of specific populations (i.e., individuals with autism spectrum disorder) through their WIOA implementation plans (Roux et al, 2019). These findings indicate that state policies and plans developed thus far focus heavily on service delivery and on describing the skills, activities, and services associated with Pre-ETS (Carlson et al, 2020; Roux et al, 2019). Results highlight ambiguities surrounding how states plan to use required Pre-ETS to meet the needs of specific populations (e.g., transition-age youth with autism spectrum disorder; Roux et al, 2019) and wide variations in describing specifics related to required Pre-ETS (Carlson et al, 2020).…”

“…Much remains unknown about this significant shift toward increased VR participation in the transition process. Additional research is needed that examines states’ plans for required Pre-ETS implementation for transition-age youth with disabilities other than autism spectrum disorder and uses new data sources to support or refute findings from previous studies (e.g., Carlson et al, 2020; Roux et al, 2019). Moreover, although state demographics and needs may vary, identifying themes across states related to the implementation of required Pre-ETS can provide insight into how state VR agencies are responding to these significant changes in VR systems and service delivery and how they are working to improve CIE outcomes for transition-age students with disabilities.…”