States Receive $39M in Grants to Prepare Students with Disabilities for College and Employment

Author: U.S. Department of Education
Published: 2016/10/04 - Updated: 2019/12/28
Category Topic: Disability Education - Academic Publications

Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main

Synopsis: U.S. Department of Education awards grants to five states to help students with disabilities prepare for postsecondary education and competitive integrated employment. Students with disabilities need to have strong transition plans and goals to leave high school ready for college and careers.

Introduction

The U.S. Department of Education announced the award of $39 million in grants to five states to help students with disabilities prepare for postsecondary education and competitive integrated employment.

Main Content

The states include:

• California
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Vermont

"Students with disabilities need to have strong transition plans and goals to leave high school ready for college and careers," said U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr. "These awards will help states implement evidenced-based, work-based learning models to help break down barriers to employment."

Under the Disability Innovation Fund (DIF) Program, the funds will support innovative activities aimed at improving the outcomes of people with disabilities.

Each grant will finance Work-Based Learning Model Demonstrations that spotlight effective practices offering work-based learning experiences to improve post-school outcomes for students with disabilities.

The projects will take place in integrated settings under the vocational rehabilitation (VR) program, in collaboration with state educational agencies (SEAs), local educational agencies (LEAs) and other key partners within the local community.

The grants are being funded through the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Rehabilitation Services Administration.

List of the Grants

Attribution/Source(s): This quality-reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by U.S. Department of Education and published on 2016/10/04, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity.