1. (a)

   1. (1) The primary purpose of pre-ETS provided or coordinated by the Division of State Services for the Blind is to help students begin to identify career interests and to learn skills in preparation for transition to employment and/or post-secondary education.
   2. (2) The division will make every effort to provide or coordinate the following services to ensure statewide availability.
   3. (3) Section 110 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, 29 U.S.C. § 3101 et seq., requires that a minimum of fifteen percent (15%) of federal vocational rehabilitation funds be spent on pre-ETS services.
2. (b) Division staff will make every effort to develop and maintain cooperative working relationships with state and local secondary education staff (including alternative school programs), post-secondary education staff, state operated programs, and workforce development partners (i.e., American Job Centers, etc.) to coordinate preemployment transition services.
3. (c) Pre-ETS comprise five (5) required activities that must be made available to all students with disabilities who may need them, four (4) coordination activities that must be carried out, and nine (9) authorized activities that may be provided if the agency can demonstrate funds remain after the provision of the required and coordination activities.

4. (d) Pre-ETS required activities.

   1. (1)

      1. (A) Pre-ETS includes five (5) required services.
      2. (B) These services must be made available statewide to students and can be provided individually or in a group setting.
      3. (C) These services must be in collaboration with the local education agency and the individualized educational program (IEP) team.
      4. (D) Determining which of the five (5) services a student receives is based on their individual needs.

   2. (2) Job exploration counseling. Using customized tools, this process helps students discover their skills, abilities, and interests by:

      1. (A) Helping students complete interest inventories and explore careers using various paper and online resources;
      2. (B) Providing opportunities for work on career exploration tools such as:

5. (i) Explore-Work.com helps students with disabilities explore the five (5) preemployment transition services;

   1. (ii) My Next Move is a career exploration tool designed for use by students to learn about careers and match their interests to career options; and

      1. (iii) Assist students to explore O*NET Online (https://www.onetonline.org/), a tool for career exploration and job analysis;
      2. (C) Completing a career interest inventory that provides insight into vocational paths;
      3. (D) Participating in training on informational interviews;
      4. (E) Making site visits to businesses; and
      5. (F) Connecting with a network of blind and visually impaired mentors who are in a variety of occupations and workplace settings.

   2. (3) Work-based learning experiences. This program provides work opportunities and experiences outside of the traditional school setting:

      1. (A) Attending workplace tours and job shadowing opportunities;
      2. (B) Participating in internships (when determined appropriate by staff); and
      3. (C) On-site work-based experiences (paid or unpaid), i.e., volunteering, practicums, service learning, or apprenticeships (excluding preapprenticeships and registered apprenticeships), located in the community.

   3. (4) Counseling on opportunities for enrollment. Provides counseling on opportunities for enrollment in local community college/post-secondary education programs:

      1. (A) Visiting local colleges;
      2. (B) Meeting with offices of disability services at colleges and learning about the process for applying for accommodations; and

      3. (C) Receiving individualized advising on:

         1. (i) Course selection;
         2. (ii) Admission requirements (when applicable);
         3. (iii) Financial aid; and
         4. (iv) Degree guidance.

   4. (5) Workplace readiness training. This training is designed to develop social skills and independent living skills:

      1. (A) Receiving individual and small group instruction on soft skills including how to interact with supervisors and coworkers;
      2. (B) Developing documents including a resume, cover letter, an online presence, and practicing mock interviews by responding to common interview questions;
      3. (C) Having access to a network of blind and visually impaired individuals who are already in college or gainful employment;
      4. (D) Receiving formal training from a certified orientation and mobility specialist;
      5. (E) Using public transportation options to navigate independently to work sites; and
      6. (F) Following workplace guidelines with respect to attendance, punctuality, professionalism, and productivity.

   5. (6) Instruction in self-advocacy. Students are shown the knowledge and skills to effectively communicate, convey, negotiate, or assert their own interests and/or desires:

      1. (A) Learning about their rights and responsibilities as a consumer;

      2. (B) Practicing how to discuss their disability and necessary accommodations with different audiences such as:

         1. (i) Professors;
         2. (ii) Peers; and
         3. (iii) Potential employers;

      3. (C) Learning about their:

         1. (i) Skills;
         2. (ii) Interests; and
         3. (iii) Abilities; and
      4. (D) Gaining experiences and acquiring skills to build their confidence and sense of self.

6. (e) Pre-ETS coordination activities.

   1. (1) The four (4) coordination activities may be necessary for arranging and providing direct preemployment transition services and are therefore included under the implementation of preemployment transition services in 34 C.F.R. § 361.48(a)(4).

   2. (2) They are as follows:

      1. (A) Attending individualized education program meetings for students with disabilities, when invited;
      2. (B) Working with the local workforce development boards, one-stop centers, and employers to develop work opportunities for students with disabilities, including internships, summer employment, and other employment opportunities available throughout the school year;
      3. (C) Working with schools, including those carrying out activities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C. § 1400 et seq., to coordinate and ensure the provision of pre-ETS under this section; and
      4. (D) When invited, attending person-centered planning meetings for individuals receiving services under Title XIX of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. § 301 et seq.

Codification Notes: “ETS” means employment transition services.