U.S. Department of Education April 5, 2018 WIOA Partner Program Briefing Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (Perkins IV) Vocational Rehabilitation Program U.S. Department of Education

Len Lintner Chris Pope Melinda Giancola Education Program Specialist ED – OCTAE/DATE Chris Pope WIOA Implementation Team Facilitator ED – OSERS/RSA Melinda Giancola Chief, Data Unit ED – OSERS/RSA

The Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (Perkins IV) Program Purpose: To develop more fully the academic and career and technical skills of secondary education students and postsecondary education students who elect to enroll in career and technical education programs. Target Populations: Secondary CTE students; Postsecondary CTE students.

The Carl D. Perkins Legislation Implicit Program Initiatives of the Perkins legislation Build on the efforts of States and localities to develop challenging academic and technical standards Promote the development of services and activities that integrate rigorous and challenging academic and career and technical instruction, and ultimately link secondary and postsecondary programming endeavors Increase State and local flexibility in providing services and activities designed to develop, implement, and improve CTE Support partnerships among secondary schools, postsecondary institutions, area career and technical schools, local workforce investment boards, business and industry, and intermediaries

The Carl D. Perkins Legislation Structural Elements of the Legislation Funding Accountability Planning Misc. Funding Elements

Perkins Funding Requirements Perkins funds flow to a State Eligible Agency State Board of Education [Secondary level], or a State Board of Higher Education, or a Workforce Development Board Funds flow to the State Eligible Agency on the basis of a allocation formula predicated on demographic and economic factors As a result, the greater a State’s population, the greater the level of Perkins funding

Perkins Funding Requirements Perkins funding at the State level requires At least 85% of Perkins flows to secondary and postsecondary recipients No more than 10% for State leadership activities No more than 5% for State administration States determine how best to split the 85% between secondary and postsecondary recipients Perkins requires States to use legislatively prescribed allocation formulas for secondary and postsecondary recipients that are predicated in large measure on economic disadvantagement

Perkins Accountability Requirements Perkins requires States to develop and implement a program accountability system based on legislatively established core indicators Performance indicators differ for secondary and postsecondary levels of the CTE delivery system Indicators measure student achievement and placement results with respect to employment or further education States negotiate performance levels with Federal personnel, and States, in turn, negotiate performance levels for school districts and postsecondary institutions

Perkins Planning Requirements Most States have developed 6-year plans covering a wide- ranging set of legislative requirements for information on a State’s CTE system Both Perkins and WIOA permit States to combine a Perkins plan with WIOA multi-year plan Six States have combined a Perkins plan with a multi-year WIOA plan School districts and postsecondary institutions are required to submit local plans to the State that also have legislative requirements for information on planned uses of Perkins funds received through the State’s allocation process

Misc. Funding Elements of Perkins Funding of Local Entities State allocation of Perkins funds range from $4.2 million to over $120 million Secondary institutions must generate $15,000 through the formula process before funding is permitted Postsecondary institutions must receive $50,000 through the formula process before funding is permitted Secondary and postsecondary recipients can spend no more than 5% of their Perkins grant award for local administration State Leadership and State Administration State Leadership funds remain at the State level to fund Statewide CTE initiatives State Leadership funds cannot be used for administration State Administration are limited to 5% of the Federal award and must be matched on a one-to-one basis with State funding

Rehabilitation Services Administration: Federal Awards RSA administers an array of formula and discretionary grant programs under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended by WIOA. Formula Awards: State VR Services Program Supported Employment Program Independent Living for Older Individuals Who Are Blind (IL-OIB) Client Assistance Program (CAP) Protection and Advocacy for Individual Rights (PAIR) Discretionary Awards: American Indian VR Services Program (AIVRS) Training and Personnel Development of VR Staff and Interpreters Demonstration Projects (e.g., Career Pathways Individuals with Disabilities) Technical Assistance Centers (currently funding eight) Randolph Sheppard Vending Facility Program

Vocational Rehabilitation Program Purpose: Under the State Vocational Rehabilitation Services Program, the Secretary provides grants to assist States in operating statewide comprehensive, coordinated, effective, efficient, and accountable vocational rehabilitation programs, each of which is— (a) An integral part of a statewide workforce development system; and (b) Designed to assess, plan, develop, and provide vocational rehabilitation services for individuals with disabilities, consistent with their unique strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, interests, and informed choice so that they may prepare for and engage in competitive integrated employment and achieve economic self-sufficiency. Informed Choice

Vocational Rehabilitation Program WIOA establishes the VR program as one of the six core programs. Regulations: 34 CFR 361: VR program Subparts D, E, and F contain the Joint WIOA Final Rule Fiscal Appropriation: $3.1 billion in FY 2017 State Non-Federal Share (Match)

Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies 79 VR Agencies in all 50 states and 6 territories Types of VR Agencies Combined (27 States plus 6 territories) General and Blind (23 States) Organizational Structure of VR Agencies Designated State Agencies/Designated State Units VR Staff are State Government Employees State Rehabilitation Councils

Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies Non-Delegable Functions of VR Agencies: All decisions affecting eligibility for VR services, the nature and scope of available VR services, and the provision of these services The determination to close the record of services of an individual who has achieved an employment outcome Policy formulation and implementation The allocation and expenditure of VR funds Participation as a partner in the one-stop service delivery system

Vocational Rehabilitation Program: Eligibility Eligibility is based only upon: A determination by qualified personnel that the applicant has a physical or mental impairment; A determination by qualified personnel that the applicant's physical or mental impairment constitutes or results in a substantial impediment to employment for the applicant; and A determination by a qualified vocational rehabilitation counselor employed by the VR agency that the applicant requires VR services to prepare for, secure, retain, advance in, or regain employment that is consistent with the individual's unique strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, interest, and informed choice. Presumption of Eligibility for Individuals who receive SSI/SSDI 60-day window from application to eligibility determination

Vocational Rehabilitation Services VR services are provided to eligible individuals under Individualized Plans for Employment (IPE) to assist the individual in meeting his/her agreed-upon career goal. IPEs must be developed within 90-days of eligibility determination and are agreed to by the VR Counselor and the eligible individual. Examples of VR services provided under IPEs: VR counseling and guidance Vocational and other training services (including postsecondary education) Transportation and Maintenance Job search and placement services Interpreter services Supported employment services (e.g., job coaching) Occupational licenses, tools, equipment, initial stocks, and supplies Assistive Technology

Vocational Rehabilitation Employment Outcome The record of services of an individual who has achieved an employment outcome may be closed only if all of the following requirements are met: Employment outcome achieved: The individual has achieved the employment outcome that is described in the IPE and is consistent with the individual's unique strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, interests, and informed choice. Employment outcome maintained: The individual has maintained the employment outcome for an appropriate period of time, but not less than 90 days, necessary to ensure the stability of the employment outcome, and the individual no longer needs VR services. Satisfactory outcome: The individual and the VR counselor consider the employment outcome to be satisfactory and agree that the individual is performing well in the employment. Post-employment services: The individual is informed through appropriate modes of communication of the availability of post-employment services.

Vocational Rehabilitation Program In addition to joint requirements, WIOA made significant changes to the VR program including: Pre-Employment Transition Services for students with disabilities New requirements for the Supported Employment program Section 511: Limitations on the Use of Subminimum Wage

Vocational Rehabilitation Performance 14 As a core program, VR is subject to the six common performance indicators Key Definitions Reportable Individual Participant Exiter Information Collections RSA-911, Case Service Report RSA-113, Cumulative Quarterly Caseload Report RSA-2, Program Cost Report

Vocational Rehabilitation Performance 15 Vocational Rehabilitation Participation, FY2016 RSA provided approximately 3.1 billion dollars to states to administer the VR program in FY 2016 1.4 million individuals were involved in the VR process during FY 20161 972,000 individuals were actively receiving services from VR during FY 20161 186,713 individuals exited from the VR program with an employment outcome during FY 20162 55,467 individuals under the age of 25 exited from the VR program with an employment outcome during FY 20162 1Source: RSA-113, FY2016 2Source: RSA-911, FY2016

Vocational Rehabilitation Performance Disability Type Employment Rate All Disability Types 56.9% Visual 64.6% Auditory & Communicative 79.5% Physical 53.0% Intellectual & Learning Disability 57.0% Psychosocial & Psychological 50.1% Source: RSA-911, FY2016

Career and Technical Education: Perkins XXXX Vocational Rehabilitation Program RSA’s WIOA Home Page: https://rsa.ed.gov RSA Policy Guidance: https://rsa.ed.gov/policy.cfm RSA State Liaisons: https://rsa.ed.gov/people.cfm Workforce Innovation TA Center (WINTAC): www.wintac.org National Clearinghouse on Rehabilitation Training Materials: www.ncrtm.ed.gov

Len Lintner Melinda Giancola Chris Pope ED/OCTAE Len.Lintner@ed.gov ED/OSERS/RSA Melinda.Giancola@ed.gov Chris Pope Christopher.Pope@ed.gov