Wyoming assessment of rehabilitation needs

EFFICACY OF VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION SERVICES
According to 34CFR361, there are seven federally required performance indicators for the Wyoming Division of Vocational Rehabilitation as listed below (actual performance for Federal Fiscal Year 2006 is listed in parenthesis):
Evaluation Standard 1 – Employment Outcomes. A DSU must assist any eligible individual, including an individual with a significant disability, to obtain, maintain, or regain high-quality employment.
Performance Indicator 1.1. The number of individuals exiting the VR program who achieved an employment outcome during the current performance period compared to the number of individuals who exit the VR program after achieving an employment outcome during the previous performance period. (The federal standard was 664. Wyoming’s actual result was 670.)
Performance Indicator 1.2. Of all individuals who exit the VR program after receiving services, the percentage who are determined to have achieved an employment outcome. (The federal standard was 55.8%. Wyoming’s actual result was 72.7%.)
Performance Indicator 1.3. Of all individuals determined to have achieved an employment outcome, the percentage who exit the VR program in competitive, self-, or BEP employment with earnings equivalent to at least the minimum wage. (The federal standard was 72.6%. Wyoming’s actual result was 98.6%.)
Performance Indicator 1.4. Of all individuals who exit the VR program in competitive, self-, or BEP employment with earnings equivalent to at least the minimum wage, the percentage who are individuals with significant disabilities. (The federal standard was 62.4%. Wyoming’s actual result was 67.3%.)
Performance Indicator 1.5. The average hourly earnings of all individuals who exit the VR program in competitive, self-, or BEP employment with earning levels equivalent to at least the minimum wage as a ratio to the State’s average hourly earnings for all individuals in the State who are employed, as derived from the Bureau of Labor Statistics report “State Average Annual Pay” for the most recent available year. (The federal standard was .52. Wyoming’s actual result was .61.)
Performance Indicator 1.6. Of all individuals who exit the VR program in competitive, self-, or BEP employment with earnings equivalent to at least the minimum wage, the difference between the percentage who report their own income as the largest single source of economic support at the time they exit the VR program and the percentage who report their own income as the largest single source of support at application. (The federal standard was 53.0. Wyoming’s actual result was 64.9.)
Evaluation Standard 2 – Equal Access to Services. A DSU must ensure that individuals from minority backgrounds have equal access to VR services.
Performance Indicator 2.1. The service rate for all individuals with disabilities from minority backgrounds as a ratio to the service rate for all non-minority individuals with disabilities. (The federal standard was .80. Wyoming’s actual result was .87.)

WYOMING STUDENTS IN TRANSITION
The federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) amendments of 1997 require planning begin at the earliest age appropriate to help students transition out of secondary education. For each student with a disability, beginning at age 14, the Individual Education Plan (IEP) must include a statement of the student's transition service needs that focuses on the student's course of study which could include advanced academic courses, technical training, or intensive employment preparation. Regardless of the course of study, the IEP team must identify annual goals and services and determine what instruction and educational experiences will help the student prepare for the transition from school to adult life. Beginning at age 16, the IEP must contain a statement of needed transition services for the student, including, if appropriate, a statement of interagency responsibilities. This includes a coordinated set of activities with measurable outcomes that will move the student from school to post-school activities. According to IDEA Section 300.29 transition services are defined as: a coordinated set of activities for a student with a disability that:

(1) Is designed within an outcome-oriented process, that promotes movement from school to post-school activities, including post-secondary education, vocational training, integrated employment (including supported employment), continuing and adult education, adult services, independent living, or community participation;

(2) Is based on the individual student's needs, taking into account the student's preferences and interests; and

(3) Includes-

(i) Instruction;

(ii) Related services;

(iii) Community experiences;

(iv) The development of employment and other post-school adult living objectives; and

(v) If appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills and functional vocational evaluation.
Ideally, a transition plan should be developed that provides the framework for identifying, planning, and carrying out activities to help the student make a successful transition to adult life. It should include the long-range post-school outcomes identified by the student, a statement of a projected course of study (at age 14), and specific transition services that the student will need (at age 16), including agency services with plans for:

• 
  What agencies will be involved
  
• 
  What services each agency will provide
  
• 
  How all of the services will be coordinated
  

It should be noted that transition planning often includes community experiences and job placement which are not traditional services of a high school special education program. While some school districts have recently enhanced their involvement in these areas, many rely heavily on other agencies including the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. It is important that DVR involvement begin well before graduation to assist with pre-graduation activities and to prepare students for transitioning from high school to work or from high school to higher education.

Because DVR involvement is crucial, the State Rehabilitation Council (SRC) and DVR administrators have decided that students in transition should receive additional attention in this 2006 Wyoming Assessment of Rehabilitation Needs. They have concluded that it is especially important to develop additional programs for students transitioning from school to work. Specific priorities for the 2006 assessment are:
a) Determine the potential pool of referrals to DVR from all schools statewide;

b) Propose new alternative methods to identify school children with disabilities rather than wait for referrals;

c) Explore the willingness of school districts statewide to provide office space in the school for VR counselors;

d) Identify and inventory all existing organizations and resources currently offering transition services and recommend ways the Agency can link with these services to improve the Agency’s transition services statewide;

e) Develop strategies for improving working relationships with school district personnel and programs statewide;
Potential Pool of Referrals:
An increasing emphasis on serving students in transition will likely require more DVR resources in the future. Therefore, it is important to estimate the greater demand so that the resources will be available when needed. The following narrative discusses the potential demand for transition services.
According to the Wyoming Department of Education, there were approximately 11,680 students with a disability enrolled in K-12 in December 2005 (Table 40). This number has remained fairly constant in the past 10 years. However, a relatively small percentage of the 11,680 should be considered potential applicants for DVR services, because very young students are not served by DVR. In the 11^th and 12^th grade age groups, there are approximately 1,386 students. At first glance, it would appear that 1,386 is the potential pool of high school student referrals to DVR. However, this number may be a “little fuzzy” for a couple of reasons. First, even though DVR defines the transition age group as age 16 through 21, these age limits are not absolute. A few people under age 16 receive, and need, transition services. If individuals from the younger age groups are included they would add to the estimate of 1,386.

Table 40: Wyoming Students with Disabilities, Grades 9-12, 2005-2006 School Year Source: WY Dept. of Education
Disability	9^th Grade (age 14*)	10^th Grade (age 15*)	11^th Grade (age 16*)	12^th Grade (age 17*)
AT-Autism	20	7	10	11
BI-Traumatic Brain Injury	6	6	7	9
DF-Deafness	1	1	0	1
ED-Emotional Disability	160	117	91	72
HH-Hard of Hearing	11	9	6	8
HL-Other Health Impaired	144	124	88	78
LD-Learning Disability	537	500	408	348
MD-Mental Disability	56	49	49	91
MU-Multiple Disability	12	6	8	11
OI-Orthopedic Disability	6	6	10	4
SL-Speech/Language Disability	62	34	39	27
VI-Visual Impairment (including blindness)	3	4	6	4
Total Students with Disabilities	1018	863	722	664
*most students in this grade are this age

Second, not all junior and senior special ed students are likely to be referred to DVR. In the mail survey sent to special education coordinators, the question was asked “Subtracting, the students who may not benefit from enrolling with DVR, approximately what percentage of your 11^th and 12^th grade special ed students do you think should be enrolled with DVR?” Interestingly, responses varied widely from 10 percent to 100 percent. The average was 32.6 percent. The relatively low average raises the question: Who might the districts not refer to DVR? Perhaps there are some that are so severely disabled that district personnel might think they would not benefit from, or be eligible for, DVR services. In reality, this percentage should be a very small. In recent years, federal law has been tightened to prohibit DVR from denying services to severely disabled applicants. Clearly, the federal intent is to provide services to almost all disabled individuals. While the group who might not benefit because of a very severe disability is small, there is another group that might not want to enroll with DVR because they have already developed a solid employment plan. An example might be a student who is set to be employed by a family business such as a farm or ranch.

While deciding whether or not to refer a student to DVR is not an exact science, the wide range of survey responses raises questions about the referral process and the understanding of DVR services. An M.O.U. signed by DVR and the Wyoming Department of Education states: “The Agency (Dept. of Education) shall ensure that all Wyoming school districts refer all students with disabilities enrolled in the school districts to the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) early enough for DVR to attend the Individual Education Plan (IEP) meeting for the IEP that will be in effect when the student turns 16 years old. For students closer to graduation or who are twenty-one years of age, Wyoming School Districts shall be urged to make referral as soon as possible to DVR..” With survey respondents indicating only 32.6 percent of students should be enrolled with DVR, a question is raised about whether the intent of the MOU is being adhered to.
So, what percentage of 11^th and 12^th grade special students should be referred to DVR and could benefit from DVR services? The MOU indicates that 100 percent should be referred. This goal seems appropriate. All special ed students probably should be referred to DVR and be made aware that DVR services are available. It is harder to estimate the percentage of special ed. students who would be eligible for DVR services and could benefit from them. The special education coordinators responding to the mail survey indicated that only 32 percent could benefit from enrollment. Other professionals interviewed for this assessment stated that 32 percent seems low, but it is not possible to determine the exact percentage that could benefit. The number of enrollments for various percentage rates is indicated in Table 41. Based on the table, it would appear that DVR should probably be serving at least 444 11^th and 12^th grade students. In State Fiscal Year 2006, the actual number served by DVR was 133 (Table 42). It should be noted that DVR also served 247 eighteen year olds, some of which may have been in high school.

Table 41: Potential Number DVR Clients Given Various Enrollment Rates
Enrollment Rate	# of 16 and 17 Year Olds
100 percent	1,386
90 percent	1,248
80 percent	1,109
70 percent	970
60 percent	832
50 percent	693
40 percent	554
32 percent	444
*According to mail survey results, special education coordinators estimate that 13.3% are enrolled with DVR.

Table 42: Actual Number DVR Clients Enrolled in State Fiscal Year 2006
Age	Number
16	27
17	106
Total 16 and 17	133
18	247
19	140
20	95
21	122
Total 18 through 21	604
Total 16 through 21	737

Because DVR’s Students in Transition program strives to reach young adults through age 21, some potential transition clients are no longer attending high school. Since most school districts are no longer tracking them, it is more difficult to estimate their numbers. However, a rough estimate can be made based on the fact that the number of K-12 students with disabilities has remained fairly constant for the last ten years. Therefore, it is logical to assume that the number of young adults in the post high school age group has also remained fairly constant at about 700 per age level for a total of 2,800 18 through 21 year olds. Assuming that the percentage that should be enrolled with DVR is similar to the high school age group, it can be estimated that there are at least 896 potential applicants in the post high school age group. DVR served 604 in this age group during State Fiscal Year 2006 (Table 42).

Using these estimates, the total number of individuals in the 16 through 21 age group that should be enrolled with DVR appears to be at least 1,340 clients. In State Fiscal Year 2006, DVR served 737 clients in this age group.
Methods for DVR to Identify Children With Disabilities:
Methods to identify children with disabilities generally revolve around three activities including testing, referral, and outreach. Because most disabilities present themselves in students at a very young age, the schools typically take the lead in testing.
DVR involvement usually does not begin until age 14 or older and is highly dependent upon the referral process. In recognition that the school system is the most likely entity to make the referral, the Wyoming Department of Education and DVR have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the goal of improving the referral process to DVR.
While the MOU is important, it should be recognized that other potential sources of referral include parents, physicians, public health nurses, court ordered placement facilities, social workers, law enforcement officers, etc. Referrals from these sources are not likely unless each source has a good understanding of DVR services. For this reason, additional outreach and education about DVR services is essential. The student survey responses for this assessment support this statement. Several respondents indicated that they did not know about DVR until age 19, 20 or 21. For those individuals, several organizations involved with pre-graduation and post-graduation activities failed to make a referral in a timely manner. It seems likely that this failure was a result of not understanding the mission and role of DVR.
Willingness to Provide Office Space:
The possibility of placing a dedicated DVR transition counselor in each of the school districts has been discussed by various officials. Therefore, a question was included in the special education coordinator mail survey asking whether this was a good idea. The coordinators were also asked if their district could provide office space for a transition counselor. Thirty of the thirty-two districts responding to the survey stated that it was “a good idea” (Table 43). Twenty of the thirty-two districts indicated that they “probably” could provide office space.

Table 43: School District Opinion of Dedicated DVR Local Transition Counselor (according to mail survey respondents)
Dedicated DVR Local Transition Counselor is Good Idea	30
Dedicated DVR Local Transition Counselor is Not Needed	1
Local School District Probably Could Provide Office Space	20
Local School District Probably Could Not Provide Office Space	7

Opportunities to Link with Other Organizations:
As noted elsewhere in this report, DVR is primarily federally funded. However, a non-federal match (about 20 percent) is required to receive the federal funds. In recent years, Wyoming has not been able to utilize all of the available federal funds because the non-federal match was not available. Because non-federal funds from other State, or local organizations could possibly be used as match, there is considerable potential for DVR to link with other organizations to enhance transition services in Wyoming. For example, it may be possible to use state special education funds for match or possibly use matching funds from a non-profit organization.
Strategies for Improving Relationships with Other Transition Providers including School Districts:
Currently DVR is implementing several strategies to improve relationships with other organizations, especially school districts. Among other things, these strategies include: signing an MOU with the Wyoming Department of Education to enhance referrals; designating a DVR employee as a point person for transition issues; and participating on the Statewide Transition Council. In addition, many local DVR counselors work closely with their school districts.
In spite of these efforts, survey results clearly indicate that there is room for improvement. Before outlining specific recommendations later in this report, the next section describes innovative ideas from other states and from research.
INNOVATIVE TRANSITION IDEAS FROM RESEARCH AND OTHER STATES
Ideas from Research:
The National Center on Secondary Education and Transition has conducted considerable research on transition and recently published a comprehensive report entitled: “Current Challenges Facing Secondary Education and Transition Services for Youth with Disabilities in the United States.” (http://www.ncset.org/publications/discussionpaper). The report concludes: “Addressing the many challenges associated with transition will require that we engage a much larger audience in our discussions on how best to proceed. This process should include young people with disabilities; parents; general education teachers and administrators; community agency staff, including those who serve youth and adults without disabilities; postsecondary education programs; and employers. Achievement of needed improvements in secondary education and transition services will require a broad–based commitment to educating all stakeholders and promoting meaningful collaboration at all levels.” The report identifies eight challenges facing the future of secondary education and transition services in the United States. These challenges, and recommendations to meet the challenges, are summarized as follows:

• Challenge 1: Promote students’ self-determination and self-advocacy. Related recommendations:

• 
  Provide opportunities for decision-making starting in early childhood, and encourage their children to express their preferences and make informed choices throughout life.
  
• 
  Begin self-determination instruction early in the elementary grades.
  
• 
  Intensify teaching of specific self-determination skills during high school.
  
• 
  Support students’ development and use of self-advocacy skills, and teach students to develop an internal locus of control.
  
• 
  Make work-based learning, self-directed learning, and career exploration opportunities available to all students.
  
• 
  Incorporate self-determination and career development skills in the general education curriculum.
  
• 
  Promote and support student-centered and student-run IEP meetings.
  

• Challenge 2: Ensure students have access to the general education curriculum. Related recommendations:

• 
  Use universal design to make classrooms, curriculum, and assessments usable by the largest number of students possible without the need for additional accommodations or modifications.
  
• 
  Provide appropriate instructional accommodations for students.
  
• 
  Provide instructional modifications only when necessary.
  
• 
  Clearly specify the subject matter domain (facts, concepts, principles, and procedures) and scope of the curriculum.
  
• 
  Set priorities for outcomes, and allocate instructional time based on these priorities.
  
• 
  Use instructional approaches that have been shown to promote positive outcomes.
  

• 
  Challenge 3: Increase school completion rates of students with disabilities. Related recommendations:
  

• 
  Develop methods and procedures to identify, document, and widely disseminate research-based information on best practices in dropout prevention and intervention.
  
• 
  Determine the incentives and methods needed to fully implement evidence-based models, practices, and strategies within state and local school district programs.
  
• 
  Conduct research to demonstrate and validate new dropout prevention and intervention strategies that work with high-risk groups of students, such as students with emotional/behavioral disabilities, minority students, and students living in poverty.
  
• 
  Investigate and share information about the impact of new accountability forces (e.g., high-stakes testing, more stringent graduation requirements, and varied diploma options) on the exit status and school completion of youth with disabilities.
  
• 
  Build on newly-funded longitudinal studies (e.g., National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 and Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study) to examine how students’ engagement with school, along with critical contextual variables of home, school, community, and peers, relate to dropout and graduation outcomes.
  

• 
  Challenge 4: Make high school graduation decisions based on meaningful indicators of students’ learning and skills and clarify the implications of different diploma options for student’s disabilities. Related recommendations:
  

• 
  Promote the use of alternate assessments, including authentic or performance-based assessments, portfolios, and other documentation, to support graduation decisions.
  
• 
  Clarify the implications of state graduation requirements and the appropriate use of alternative diploma options for students with disabilities. Consider the potential impact of alternative diplomas on a student’s future access to postsecondary education and employment opportunities. State and local education agencies should thoroughly discuss the meaning of these alternative diplomas with postsecondary education program representatives and employers.
  
• 
  Clarify the implications of different diploma options for continued special education services. Special education and general education teachers should carefully work with students and families to consider the ramifications of receiving a high school diploma. In some cases, it may be advisable to delay formal receipt of a standard high school diploma until the conditions (goals and objectives) of the student’s IEP have been fully met, including transition service requirements as outlined in IDEA ‘97.
  

• 
  Challenge 5: Ensure students access to and full participation in postsecondary education and employment. Related recommendations:
  

• 
  Ensure that prior to each student’s graduation from high school, the student’s IEP team identifies and engages the responsible agencies, resources, and accommodations required for the student to successfully achieve positive post-school outcomes.
  
• 
  Promote the value of preparation for and participation in postsecondary education. All agencies must recognize the value of postsecondary education and lifelong learning in securing, maintaining and advancing in employment.
  
• 
  Identify the specific types and levels of accommodations and supports a student will need to participate in post-school environments.
  
• 
  Ensure that community service agencies participate systematically in the development of post-school transition plans. Strategies to consider include formalizing agency responsibilities through interagency agreements or memorandums of understanding, and formalizing follow-up procedures and actions when agencies are unable to attend transition planning meetings.
  
• 
  Engage in integrated service planning. IEPs should be coordinated and aligned with the individualized service plans required under other federal and state programs (Title I of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title XIX of the Social Security Act [Medicaid], Title XVI of the Social Security Act [Supplemental Security Income], and other federal programs).
  
• 
  Provide information to parents on essential health and income maintenance programs. Information on the Supplemental Security Income SSI program, including information on basic program eligibility, benefit re-determinations for 18-year-olds, appeals processes, and use of SSI work incentives in promoting employment outcomes should be readily accessible to professionals, parents, and students with disabilities. Special education personnel should play a major role in making such information available and assisting parents and students in accessing needed benefits.
  
• 
  Promote collaborative employer engagement. Increased secondary/postsecondary work-based learning opportunities, and ultimately jobs, are predicated on available and willing employers. Vehicles are needed, such as intermediary linking entities, to convene and connect schools, service agencies and employers so as to maximize the important learning opportunities that workplaces represent. Given the multiple youth initiatives that typically exist in communities, it is expedient to engage employers through collaborative efforts that minimize the distinctions among categories of youth.
  
• 
  Establish partnerships with workforce development entities. Participation of youth and young adults with disabilities, family members, and special education and rehabilitation professionals in and access to state and local workforce development initiatives should be promoted.
  

• 
  Challenge 6: Increase informed parent participation and involvement in education planning, life planning, and decision-making. Related recommendations:
  

• 
  Provide comprehensive parent/family training, including training to help parents and families understand the changing nature of their role and what they can do to foster self-determination and promote informed choice.
  
• 
  Work to reduce the confusion and frustration experienced by parents and families by coordinating services and streamlining access to information and programs.
  
• 
  Provide opportunities for parents to enhance their knowledge of policy issues and develop leadership skills. Establish strategies/methods to actively engage parents in discussions and decisions concerning school and post-school options, both on behalf of individual students and at policy-making levels.
  
• 
  Expand parent and family involvement and participation beyond the individual student level. Provide opportunities for parents to participate in developing policy and defining transition planning practices.
  
• 
  Work with community organizations serving culturally and racially diverse populations to assure that programs and services meet the needs of all parents and families.
  

• 
  Challenge 7: Improve collaboration and systems linkages at all levels. Related recommendations:
  

• 
  Use cross-training and other methods to promote collaboration between general education and special education in student assessment, IEP and transition planning, and instruction.
  
• 
  Promote collaboration between schools and vocational rehabilitation through the establishment of jointly funded positions.
  
• 
  Promote access to a wider array of community services by mapping community assets and developing interagency agreements that promote and support the sharing of information and engagement in joint planning. Align organizational missions, policies, actions, and day-to-day management so that young people and families have ready access to the services they need.
  
• 
  Establish cross-agency evaluation and accountability systems to assess school and post-school employment, independent living, and related outcomes of former special education students.
  
• 
  Develop innovative interagency financing strategies. Identify ways to promote cost-sharing and resource-pooling to make available needed transition services.
  
• 
  Promote collaborative staff development programs. Effective approaches include cross-training; train-the-trainer; team-building; and others involving collaborative relationships between state and local agencies, institutions of higher education, parent centers, and consumer and advocacy organizations.
  

• 
  Challenge 8: Ensure the availability of a qualified workforce to address the transition needs of youth with disabilities. Related recommendations:
  

• 
  State and local education agencies should recruit individuals with specific responsibilities for transition to promote improved post-school outcomes among students with disabilities. This means that institutions of higher education within states will need to increase the emphasis they place on pre-service education programs for educators, related services personnel, rehabilitation counselors, and human services professionals.
  
• 
  Ensure that special education, vocational rehabilitation, and human services personnel possess the skills and knowledge required to address the transition service needs of youth with disabilities. These efforts should include cross-training, alignment of information to promote common understanding, an emphasis on collaboration across groups, and commitment to securing outcomes.
  
• 
  Carefully examine the role that general education teachers can play in transition. Specific attention to both pre-service and continuing education programs is needed. Attention to the type and level of support needed by general education teachers during instruction will help increase the participation of these personnel in supporting students’ preparation for transition.
  
• 
  Address the training of paraprofessionals and direct support staff to assure that these personnel can fulfill their role of supporting general and special education teachers as well as young adults who are making the transition into community work, residential, and adult-living skill-development experiences following high school.