Skip to Main Content

All Means All for All Students In Employment Opportunities

October 03, 2019 - 4 minute read


aerial view of a large group of graduates wearing caps

The passage of the Workforce Opportunity and Innovation Act (WIOA) in 2014 dramatically changed expectations for transition students and special education teachers. When Congress enacted competitive integrated employment (CIE) it rewrote the standard for services students with impaired or health-related disability must receive. Job benefits held by people with the most significant disabilities are now par with all other workers in the following ways.

  • Where the majority of persons employed are not persons with disabilities, workers with disabilities must receive real pay for real work.
  • They also are entitled to receive the same level of benefits provided to other employees without disabilities in similar positions;
  • Be placed at a location where the employee interacts with other individuals without disabilities
  • Have opportunities for advancement similar to other employees without disabilities in similar positions.

No longer can school districts decide some students are too disabled to work in a CIE setting. Teachers and families can no longer expect the only option for students with the most significant disabilities is to go to sheltered employment upon graduation. The law’s high expectations impact all aspects of education, not just special education.

WIOA is demanding the role of education needs to change as it clearly states the principle of integration for all children, regardless of their disability, needs a seamless transition pathway to higher education or CIE.

The passage of the law expanded education’s role not only in educating, but also in providing opportunities that create conduits for students to have variable and productive futures. Special Education in partnership with Public Vocational Rehabilitation is required to provide Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) starting at 16 or younger if determined appropriate by the Individual Education Plan team (IEP).

New Mandates are Hard to Juggle
These more specific and mandated expectations are being implemented on top of a struggling education system that is still trying to perfect inclusion. A 2018 survey, of nearly 1,500 special education teachers across the country conducted by the Council for Exceptional Children found that just eight percent of general education teachers were supporting students with disabilities with planned differentiated activities (Samuels, 2019). With the new guidelines, it is reasonable for teachers to be concerned about how they will implement Pre-ETS.

Typically educators use a discrepancy model when it comes to determining eligibility for special education services and in the creation of the IEP. The discrepancy model tends to look at students from the perspective of how they are falling behind other students, not how to build on their strengths to help students move forward. Only 54% of special education teachers report high competence in strength-based assessments (Fowler, Coleman, Bogdan, 2019).

Start with Strengths and Contributions
There are an array of methods that could be utilized that focus on the student’s strengths first, such as the “processing deficit approach.” This approach includes testing that provides teachers with information to understand students’ patterns of strengths and weaknesses allowing teachers to amend teaching strategies and modifications to meet students’ needs. This approach aligns with advances in obtaining CIE for transition students with significant disabilities. Starting with the strengths and contributions a student brings to the table and then looking at what needs to be highlighted to reinforce and build on these strengths opens the door for more placements. Additionally, involving a variety of people discussing a student’s qualities and attributes beyond standards assessments can provide a broader awareness of a student’s abilities.

I once worked with a student who had limited physical movement and speech due to her cerebral palsy. Any distraction or noise made it very difficult for her to be attentive. Her sister-in-law informed the IEP team that along with her deeply embedded religious beliefs, the student could perform data entry and email with her head wand. A work-based learning setting was created in a local church where she excelled beyond expectations because the venue highlighted her contributions and her strong faith-based background. Upon graduation, she was hired by the church to continue to do data entry where accuracy was important not speed. She currently works 15 hours a week for $12.00 per hour.

Not Rocket Science
Situations like this are common and can become the model if the IEP team takes the time to closely look at each student’s assets and strengths and then find a suitable work setting. It is not rocket science, it is the IEP team collaborating and cooperating with employers and resources in the community to service a student who can be productive and successful in the proper setting.

References

Samuels, Christina (2019, February 29). "Survey Offers Front-line View into Special Education". Education Week

Fowler, S., Coleman, M.R., Bogdan, W. (2019).“The State of the Special education Survey Report”. Council for Exceptional Children

Abby LindmanCooper’s experience covers a wide gamut of local, state, and federal services to expand employment options for individuals with significant disabilities. She has designed and administrated employment programs for individuals with chronic mental illness and those with multiple physical and cognitive disabilities. In addition, she has trained parents and teachers of transitional aged students on how to assist students in obtaining competitive integrated employment (CIE) upon graduation. Another focus of her job is providing technical assistance to school districts and Vocational Rehabilitation Centers on implementing Pre-Employment Transition Services. LindmanCooper has published numerous articles and presents both nationally and internationally.

Back to top