1. 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

2. 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

3. 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.

4. 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

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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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)

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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.

19. 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

20. Vocational Rehabilitation Performance14
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

21. Vocational Rehabilitation Performance15
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

22. 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

24. Career and Technical Education: Perkins
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Vocational Rehabilitation Program
RSA’s WIOA Home Page:
RSA Policy Guidance:
RSA State Liaisons:
Workforce Innovation TA Center (WINTAC):
National Clearinghouse on Rehabilitation Training Materials:

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