Affiliations: [a] Rehabilitation and Human Services and Counselor Education, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, USA
| [b] Special Education and Rehabilitation Counseling, Utah State University, Logan, UT, USA
| [c] Institute for Disability Research, Policy and Practice, Utah State University, Logan, UT, USA
| [d] Utah State Office of Rehabilitation, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
Correspondence:
[*]
Address for correspondence: Allison R. Fleming, 330 CEDAR Building, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA. E-mail: [email protected].
Abstract: BACKGROUND:The Rehabilitation Act, as amended in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 (WIOA), highlights the need to improve outcomes for transition-age students and youth with disabilities. The amendments require state vocational rehabilitation agencies to allocate 15% of their federal funding to provide pre-employment transition services (Pre-ETS) to an expanded population of transition-age students and youth with disabilities. Rapid implementation of this mandate required state vocational rehabilitation agencies to begin offering the five required Pre-ETS before mechanisms for monitoring and improvement could be created and field-tested. Nearly a decade since the passage of WIOA, many states are still without practical mechanisms for evaluating Pre-ETS despite increasing emphasis on using evidence-based practices in public programs. OBJECTIVE:The objective of this article is to present insights from the systematic implementation of The Transition Readiness Toolkit (TRT) within a state vocational rehabilitation agency. METHODS:We detail the creation of the TRT, our approach for implementing it across multiple states, and how it supports data-driven decision making for Pre-ETS providers and agencies. RESULTS:Initial results of implementation are promising. State VR agencies and Pre-ETS providers are using the data to increase accountability and understand the impact of their services. CONCLUSION:We present reflections on use of the TRT in a state agency and implications from an evidenced-based policy framework.
