What are Pre-Employment Transition Services?
- Pre-ETS are a coordinated set of activities, designed with an outcome-oriented process, which promotes movement from school to post-school activities organized in collaboration with local school staff;
- Available to enhance and support secondary education transition planning, not replace or supplant transition requirements;
- Intended to work toward alignment of the student’s IEP and/or High School and Beyond Plan goals;
- Coordinated activities that are based upon the individual student’s needs, taking into account the student’s skills, abilities, preferences and interests;
- Must be provided on the basis of individual need:
- The five required pre-employment transition services are not mandated to be provided to each student with a disability if all the activities are not necessary; and
- Are services that support the student’s informed choice for participation
Transition Approval Form
Who is eligible for Pre-Employment Transition Services?
An individual between the ages of 14-22 who has a documented disability, an Individual Education Program (IEP), or 504 Plan, who is enrolled in high school or a post-secondary education or training program.
Students with disabilities can receive Pre-employment Transition Services without applying for DVR services. They can also receive other Transition Services if they apply and are determined eligible for DVR services. Students can also receive Transition Services through their school.
There is a presumption of eligibility for DVR services, if the student or youth is currently receiving and/or is entitled to Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and/or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits for disability or blindness, and intends to become employed. DVR is required to verify disability status and identify functional limitations.
What Pre-Employment transition services are available?
- Job Exploration
- Learn about different job fields, what job interests you may have and skills you may need to have to be successful.
- Workplace Readiness Training
- Learn about and gain skills to be ready for employment, including job-related independent living skills.
- Self-Advocacy
- Learn about and gain skills on how to advocate for yourself and request accommodations you may need to be successful.
- Post-Secondary Education Counseling
- Learn and receive guidance about options for continued education and training after high school in your areas of interest and abilities.
- Work-Based Learning
- The opportunity to participate in activities to learn about the workplace in your community.
WIOA Statement:
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) of 2014 amends the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and now requires vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies to set aside at least 15% of their federal funds to provide "Pre-Employment Transition Services" to "students with disabilities who are eligible or potentially eligible for VR services."
Pre-employment Transition Services are a coordinated set of activities, designed with an outcome-oriented process, which promotes movement from school to post-school activities organized in collaboration with local school staff.
These services can be provided to groups of students who are eligible or potentially eligible for DVR services, and also to students with higher needs who have open cases with DVR. Individualized services are carefully planned in coordination with a student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP). The services can be provided to students starting around age 16, if they have school-based IEP or 504 plans.
Pre-employment transition services focus areas include:
- Job Exploration
- Workplace Readiness Training
- Self-Advocacy
- Post-Secondary Education Counseling
- Work-based Learning
An individual between the ages of 14-22 who has a documented disability, an Individual Education Program (IEP), or 504 Plan, who is enrolled in high school or a post-secondary education or training program.
Students with disabilities can receive Pre-employment Transition Services without applying for DVR services. They can also receive other Transition Services if they apply and are determined eligible for DVR services. Students can also receive Transition Services through their school.
Pre-employment transition services can be provided in a variety of ways:
Group activities: The first step for students interested in pre-employment transition services is to participate in general pre-employment transition services group activities. These activities will be provided by DVR staff and other partners.
Group services are still in development. Stay tuned for updates on group pre-employment transition services available in your area beginning in Summer and Fall 2016.
- Individual activities: If, after participating in group services, students and their families feel the student needs additional and individualized services, they would talk with the DVR counselor assigned to their school for more information about individualized services.
DVR can provide these individual services to DVR-eligible students in collaboration with the school and the student’s transition program. These are individualized based on student goals and what services are available from the student’s school.
Students who experience a range of disabilities may receive Pre-employment Transition Services. Examples include:
- conditions such as hearing loss, difficult speech, asthma/allergies, physical limitations that preclude them from some activities, emotional, or mental health conditions.
- impairments in social interactions.
- learning disabilities.
- cognitive limitations.
- intellectual disabilities.
- students who need reasonable accommodations to participate in classroom and learning activities.
- a mental health diagnosis.
Youth that schools identify as high risk who may have disabilities not yet identified.