§733 Provision of Pre-employment Transition Services

Summary

Require each State to make sure the State agency in charge, working with local schools, provides or arranges pre-employment transition services for every student with a disability who needs them and is eligible or possibly eligible. The services use funds reserved under section 730(d) and any State, local, or private money. Students must be offered five services: job exploration counseling; work-based learning like internships or in- or after-school work in integrated settings; help with enrolling in college or transition programs; workplace readiness training for social and independent-living skills; and self-advocacy instruction, which can include peer mentoring. Leftover funds may pay for nine types of activities to improve school-to-work or postsecondary transitions, such as strategies to increase independence and inclusion, supports for students with intellectual or significant disabilities, training for counselors and school staff, sharing best practices, coordinating with IDEA transition services, using evidence-based improvements, running model projects, forming multistate or regional partnerships, and helping traditionally unserved groups. Each local office must do four things: attend IEP meetings when invited; work with workforce boards, one-stop centers, and employers to create internships, summer jobs, year-round work, and apprenticeships; coordinate with schools to provide these services; and, when invited, join person-centered planning meetings for people getting Medicaid. The Secretary must support State agencies, highlight effective State practices, and consult other Federal agencies. States must address the needs of all students with disabilities, including physical, sensory, intellectual, and mental health disabilities.