What's New

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February 2012

NCWD/Youth launches new webpage on Individualized Learning Plans

NCWD/Youth’s new webpage on Individualized Learning Plans features various publications and resources for understanding and using Individualized Learning Plans. The web page includes information about the latest research, policies, and practices. An Individualized Learning Plan (ILP) is a tool that students in secondary school use – with support from school counselors and parents – to define their personal interests and goals related to their career and postsecondary education and to plan what courses to take and what activities to participate in during high school to further their interests and achieve their goals.  For more information and resources, visit the ILP webpage.

January 2012

Letter from U. S. Department of Education Addresses Disability Discrimination

The U. S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has released a Dear Colleague letter and FAQ concerning the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (Amendments Act). The letter guidance reiterates the Department's commitment to ensure that educational opportunity is provided free from disability discrimination. The documents discuss the various obligations of school districts, such as the requirement to evaluate students for disability, and provide a free appropriate public education to students with disabilities, as well as the changes made by the Amendments Act.  Read or download the Dear Colleague letter and FAQ online.

Jan.17th Conference Call on Federal Internship and Employment Opportunities for Young People with Disabilities

The White House Office of Public Engagement is holding a nationwide conference call on federal internships and employment opportunities for young Americans with disabilities on Tuesday, January 17th  at 3 p.m. EST. Program representatives will explain how to apply for these unique opportunities, when application materials are due, and useful tips on putting together a competitive application package. The speakers will include the White House Internship Program, the Presidential Personnel Office, the Department of Labor’s Workforce Recruitment Program for College Students with Disabilities. Register online to receive an email with dial-in information for this call.

USDOL Webinar on Proposed Revisions to Section 503 Regulations to be held January 11

The U.S. Department of Labor will hold a webinar on the Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM)on January 11, 2012 from 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm EST. The Section 503 NPRM pertains to proposals to strengthen the affirmative action requirements of federal contractors to improve employment for individuals with disabilities.This webinar will include a review of highlights of the proposed rule and discussion about how individuals can weigh in on the process. Click here to register for the webinar. For more information about the Section 503 Notice of Proposed Rule Making, see the DOL press release.

USDOL Issues Notice on Strategies to Address Transportation Challenges

The U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration has issued Training and Employment Notice (TEN) 21-11 on “ Strategies to Meet One-Stop Career Centers' Business and Job-Seeker Customer Needs for Employment-Related Transportation Services.” The notice aims to provide successful strategies to the public workforce system for connecting individuals with transportation to jobs and training and to help businesses access a diverse workforce.  TEN 21-11 is available online.

Access Board Invites Comment on Proposed Changes to Accessibility Standards

The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board) has issued a second Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) regarding the Section 508 Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Standards. The Access Board is in the process of updating its standards for electronic and information technology, which apply to federal agencies, and its guidelines for telecommunications accessibility, which apply to telecommunications manufacturers. Public comments are requested by March 7, 2012.  View the announcement online including information on how to submit comments.

December 2011

USDOL Releases New Career Pathway Toolkit

The U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration’s Career Pathways Initiative, released the Career Pathways Toolkit: Six Key Elements for Success to help guide state and local leaders in building and sustaining career pathway systems. This toolkit offers a clear and user-friendly road map for administrators, service providers, workforce professionals, and policymakers seeking to develop career pathway systems at local, regional, or state levels. The toolkit details the Six Key Ele­ments Framework, highlights promising practices, and provides tools designed to support visioning and strategic planning.

Report Forecasts High School & College Employment Opportunities in a Variety of Career Clusters

The Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce released a report in collaboration with the National Research Center for Career and the Technical Education and the National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium. The report, Career Clusters: Forecasting Demand for High School Through College Jobs, 2008-2018, identifies 16 career clusters that represent the full array of related occupational opportunities and education requirements. The report explores opportunities for individuals entering the workforce directly from high school and examines labor market sectors that can afford these individuals the best route to a middle class income. Using forecasts, the report identifies the most promising clusters for job seekers with a high school diploma or less, middle skills such as a certificate or Associate's degree, and those with Bachelor's degrees or higher.

USDOL Proposes New Rule to Provide Minimum Wage, Overtime Protection to In-Home and Companion Care Providers

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division published a notice of proposed rulemaking that would provide minimum wage and overtime protections for nearly two million workers who provide in-home care services for the elderly, infirm, and persons with disabilities. The proposal will revise the companionship and live-in worker regulations under the Fair Labor Standards Act to more clearly define the tasks that may be performed by an exempt companion, and to limit the companionship exemption to companions employed only by the family or household using the services. In addition, the Department proposes that third party employers, such as in-home care staffing agencies, could not claim the companionship exemption or the overtime exemption for live-in domestic workers, even if the employee is jointly employed by the third party and the family or household. Interested parties may submit written comments online at www.regulations.gov.

Social Security Invites Input on Ticket to Work EN Report Card during Upcoming Listening Sessions

Social Security’s Office of Employment Support Programs (OESP) is hosting two listening sessions, a webinar on Friday, December 16 and a teleconference on Monday, December 19, to gain input about a proposed revision of the Ticket to Work EN Report Card. An EN is a private or public entity participating in the Ticket to Work program that provides employment, vocational rehabilitation, or other support services to persons who receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and/or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits because of a disability. The EN Report Card helps beneficiaries make informed choices regarding their selection of an EN under the Ticket to Work program. To participate in these free listening sessions, use the call-in instructions below:

• Dec. 16th Webinar, 1 – 2:30 pm EST: Call 1-800- 480-6924 and enter participant code: EN Report Card
• Dec. 19 Teleconference, 3 – 4:30 pm EST: Call 1-877-407-0183 and enter participant code: 930584

Visit http://socialsecurity.gov/work/ on or after December 14 to access the agenda and presentation slides for either session. To learn more about the Ticket to Work program, please visit www.socialsecurity.gov/work, e-mail support@chooseworkttw.net, or call 1-866-968-7842 or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY/TDD).

USDOL Proposes New Rule to Increase Hiring of Individuals with Disabilities

The U.S. Department of Labor has proposed a new rule that would require federal contractors and subcontractors to set a hiring goal of having 7 percent of their workforces be individuals with disabilities, among other requirements. This new requirement would strengthen the affirmative action requirements established in Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 obligating federal contractors and subcontractors to ensure equal employment opportunities for qualified workers with disabilities. The Department's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs has invited public comment on this proposal. Comments must be submitted no later than February 7, 2012. More details on the proposal and how to submit comments can be found in the DOL news release at http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/ofccp/OFCCP20111614.htm and the Federal Register at http://goo.gl/yZXQh. The proposed rule can also be found on the Federal Register at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for Document ID: OFCCP-2010-0001-0130.

November 2011

USDOL Releases Integrated Employment Toolkit

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy released its new Integrated Employment Toolkit. The Toolkit offers a collection of resources, reports, papers, policies, fact sheets, case studies, and discussion guides from a variety of sources to accommodate the full range of users and increase capacity and understanding about the value and potential of integrated employment. It is organized by different audiences or perspectives. Within each audience, there are key, commonly asked questions to guide the user to the appropriate materials. The Toolkit is free and available online.

November is National Career Development Month

November is National Career Development Month (NCDM). The National Career Development Association (NCDA) promotes career development through its annual celebration of National Career Development Month. Every November, career development professionals are encouraged to celebrate with career-related activities. The theme for this year is “My Career Dreams.” Visit NCDA’s NCDM website to learn more.
 

Federal Agencies to Hold Webinar on Youth Work Experiences on Public Land

On December 6, the U.S. Departments of Labor, Agriculture, and the Interior will convene a webinar entitled “Youth Work Experiences on Public Land.” These departments encourages workforce and public lands management agencies to explore areas of collaboration that will expand meaningful work and learning opportunities for low-income youth and young adults on federally managed public lands. The webinar will be hosted by representatives from the three Departments and will outline what available resources and activities that can be provided to support this effort. The webinar will also highlight four state or local workforce, land management agency, and corps partnerships that were developed in order to put youth to work on public lands. Registration is free and open to the public. The webinar will be recorded and available to the public for those who were unable to participate and participants who want to revisit the webinar content.
 

NCWD/Youth Publishes Two Papers on Individualized Learning Plans

NCWD/Youth is conducting a research and demonstration project in four states and 14 schools to learn how Individualized Learning Plans (ILP) are guiding high school students toward college and careers. As a part of this work, two NCWD/Youth papers were recently published in scholarly journals.  One, entitled "Education Alignment & Accountability in an Era of Convergence: Policy Insights from States with Individual Learning Plans & Policies," appears in Education Policy Analysis Archives and can be found online at: http://epaa.asu.edu/ojs/article/view/921.  The second manuscript, entitled "The Nature & Use of Individualized Learning Plans as a Career Intervention Strategy," has been published in the Journal for Career Development, available online, and will appear in the Journal's forthcoming print issue to be published early 2012.

October 2011

NCWD/Youth & Partners to Present on Career Development Research & Policy in November 5th Webcast

On November 5^th, Joan Wills, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL)’s Center for Workforce Development (CWD), and Scott Solberg, of Boston University, will co-present the live webcast plenary session, “Challenges of Translating Vocational Psychology and Career Counseling Research into Career Policy,” at the Society for Vocational Psychology (SVP) conference. Solberg, Wills, and other partners have been conducting research on career development as a part of the Individualized Learning Plan (ILP) Research & Demonstration Project, which is supported through a cooperative agreement between the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth).  Register in advance to watch free live webcast at http://www.bu.edu/sed/svp-conference-webcast-registration/. To learn more about the SVP conference on “Forging Career Policy for the Greater Good” being held on November 5-6, 2011 at Boston University, visit http://www.bu.edu/sed/2011-svp-biennial-conference/. To learn more about Individualized Learning Plans (ILP), see NCWD/Youth’s resources online. 

Peer Written Handbook Helps Autistic Students Navigate College

The Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) has published, “Navigating College: A Handbook on Self Advocacy,” a guide for Autistic students written by Autistic adults, and also launched the companion website, http://www.navigatingcollege.org/. The Navigating College handbook is a first-of-its-kind resource for and by autistic individuals that explores the various aspects of the higher education experience. From traditional topics like classroom accommodations and dorm life to hot-button issues such as disclosure and sexuality, the handbook provides first-person insights from current and past college students on the autism spectrum. Visit the website and download the handbook.

ICI Examines Employment Among Youth with Intellectual Disabilities

The Institute for Community Inclusion, University of Massachusetts Boston has released the Data Note, "Setting Higher Employment Expectations for Youth with Intellectual Disabilities." Using data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2 (NLTS2), ICI finds that a significant number of students with intellectual or developmental disabilities who did not have integrated employment as a primary goal in their transition plans went on to be employed, while many who did have integrated employment as a transition plan goal did not progress to work. ICI concludes that setting higher expectations in high school and providing adequate support services are critical steps to improving employment and social inclusion goals for students with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Read the ICI Data Note online.

HHS Reports Increase in Young Adult Health Insurance Coverage

The Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released an issue brief on recent findings from the National Center for Health Statistics which indicate the rate of young adults, ages 19 to 25, with health insurance has increased in the past year.  Dependent coverage provision of the Affordable Care Act, which allow children to remain on their parents’ health insurance plans until age 26, took effect in September 2010. Data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) show that in the first quarter of 2011, the percentage of adults between the ages of 19 and 25 with health insurance increased to 69.6%, from 66.1% in 2010. Read the issue brief online.

USDOL, Facebook & Workforce Organizations Launch Social Jobs Partnership

On October 20, 2011, U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Secretary Hilda L. Solis announced a new partnership between DOL and Facebook, the National Association of State Workforce Agencies, Direct Employers Association, and the National Association of Colleges and Employers that aims to provide employment resources to job seekers through the use of social networks. As a part of the partnership, Facebook has created a “Social Jobs Partnership” Facebook page that highlights available training programs, educational opportunities, and job search resources. Partner organizations will conduct in-depth survey research about how job seekers, college career centers, and workforce recruiters are using social networks effectively; explore how job postings can be shared on Facebook and through other social websites; and distribute educational materials to recruiters, government agencies, and job seekers about the utility of social networks. To learn more, view a video of Secretary Solis’ announcement (with captioning) and visit the Social Jobs Partnership Facebook page online.

USDOL Releases Podcast Series on Allied Health Occupations for Young Adults

To support youth providers and the youth they serve, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration has released its new “Allied Health Occupations for Young Adults” podcast series. Together, youth and providers can learn about what it takes to become pharmacy technicians, emergency medical technicians, or certified nursing assistants. Each podcast highlights young adults who have been trained and are currently working in different allied health occupations. Hear young adults served by the workforce system talk about what they like most about their jobs and why they’re excited about their future in health care.

Universal Design for Learning Guidelines – Version 2.0 Now Available in Eight Languages

The National Center on Universal Design for Learning has released Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Guidelines – Version 2.0 in eight languages: English, Japanese, Chinese, Greek, Spanish, Korean, Portuguese, and Romanian. UDL is an educational framework based on research in the learning sciences that guides the development of flexible learning environments that can accommodate individual learning differences. UDL calls for creating curricula from the outset that provides multiple means of representation to give learners various ways of acquiring information and knowledge, multiple means of expression to provide learners alternatives for demonstrating what they know, and multiple means of engagement to tap into learners' interests, challenge them appropriately, and motivate them to learn.

National Council on Disability Releases Report on Impact of Technology on Employment for People with Disabilities

The National Council on Disability, an independent federal agency, released a report entitled “The Power of Digital Inclusion: Technology’s Impact on Employment Opportunities for People with Disabilities.” The report examines the importance of social media and other information technologies in connecting people to job opportunities. Digital barriers to our nation’s networked economy can reinforce rather than break down disproportionately low employment among people with disabilities. The recommendations contained in this report are designed to open the doors to digital technologies that can lead to better jobs for more people with disabilities.

Job Accommodation Network’s E-Newsletter Available Online

The Job Accommodation Network (JAN)’s E-News online newsletter for the 4th quarter is now available. JAN’s e-newsletter includes information about low-cost and innovative accommodation approaches; the latest trends in assistive technologies; announcements of upcoming JAN presentations, media events, trainings, and Webcasts; and legislative and policy updates promoting the employment success of people with disabilities. View JAN E-News online. To subscribe, e-mail subscribe@AskJAN.org.

New Medicaid Reference Desk Website Provides Health Care Services Planning Information & Tools

The Medicaid Reference Desk is a new website designed for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families to find out what Medicaid can offer them. The site has information on different Medicaid plans in each state and territory, including plans designed specifically to serve people with I/DD and other disabilities. It also has a Person-Centered Planning tool to help individuals think about what they want their lives to be like—at home, at work, in the community—and figure out what health care services they need to make this happen. This website was developed by The Arc with funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The website address is http://www.thedesk.info/.

DOL Civil Rights Center Issues New Guidance on Nondiscrimination & Equal Opportunity

The U. S. Department of Labor Civil Rights Center (CRC) has issued several new guidance documents on nondiscrimination and equal opportunity (EO) issues. Issues covered in the new guidance documents include an overview of regulations prohibiting discrimination in employment based on genetic information under the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA) and reasonable accommodations guidance. To see all the guidance documents, visit the CRC’s Hot Topics webpage.

OSEP Answers Questions on Secondary Transition in Updated Guidance

The U. S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) has issued a new Questions & Answers Document on Secondary Transition, which includes updated guidance on identifying postsecondary goals in training, education, employment, and, where appropriate, independent living. The Q & A document may be viewed or downloaded online.

EARN Hosts Weekly Webinars for National Disability Employment Awareness Month

The Employer Assistance and Resource Network (EARN) is hosting weekly webinars in celebration of National Disability Employment Awareness Month on Thursdays throughout October from 2:00-2:30 p.m. EDT. Upcoming webinars include:

• EEOC Charge Data: What We can Learn About the Employment of Persons with Disabilities on October 20, 2011
• The Workforce Recruitment Program: Tapping the Talent of Students and Graduates with Disabilities on October 27, 2011

Register online to participate in these webinars. Archives of EARN’s webinars can also be found online.

NCWD/Youth Releases  Policy Brief on Improving High School Outcomes for All Youth

NCWD/Youth's Policy Brief, "Improving High School Outcomes for All Youth: Recommendations for Policy & Practice," is now available online. This brief calls attention to the need to implement policies and practices that will improve high school and post-school outcomes for all students, including those with diverse learning and support needs. Recommendations for federal, state, and local policy makers discussed in the brief include: use common graduation requirements and limit diploma options; further adoption of universal design for learning; improve educator professional development and support infrastructure; and ensure appropriate accommodations and accessibility of assessments. The recommendation are informed by over a decade of work by the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth) including the white paper, "Preparing All Youth for Academic and Career Readiness: Implications for High School Policy and Practice." Read the brief online or download a copy.

NCWD/Youth Releases InfoBrief on Bullying in the Workplace

NCWD/Youth's InfoBrief, "Bullying and Disability Harassment in the Workplace: What Youth Should Know," is now available online. This InfoBrief aims to help youth, including youth with disabilities, recognize signs of bullying in the workplace, and to recognize how bullying differs from disability harassment. The brief offers examples of bullying situations at work and offers strategies to help address the issue. Much is understood about the negative consequences of bullying at school, but youth should also be made aware that bullying does not end at school. It is often encountered at work as well. Read the brief online or download a copy.

NCWD/Youth Practice Brief on "Engaging Youth in Work Experiences" Now Online

NCWD/Youth’s Practice Brief, Engaging Youth in Work Experiences, is now available online. This brief is part of a new series of publications called Innovative Strategies Practice Briefs. Each brief highlights strategies for implementing a specific practice that are used by promising and exemplary programs recognized by NCWD/Youth as Innovative Strategies (see the searchable database of all recognized programs). This brief describes the strategies and resources used by several successful youth programs to engage youth in work experiences, including youth with disabilities. Work experiences are both paid and unpaid opportunities to work and practice career readiness skills. The work experiences described in this brief include internships, summer jobs, youth-run businesses/entrepreneurship, service projects and volunteer work, and part-time jobs. Read the brief online or download a copy.

NCWD/Youth Practice Brief on "Using Career Interest Inventories to Inform Career Planning" Now Online

NCWD/Youth’s Practice Brief, Using Career Interest Inventories to Inform Career Planning, is now available online. This brief is part of a new series of publications called Innovative Strategies Practice Briefs. Each brief highlights strategies for implementing a specific practice that are used by promising and exemplary programs recognized by NCWD/Youth as Innovative Strategies (see the searchable database of all recognized programs). This brief describes the strategies and resources used by several successful youth programs to conduct career interest inventories with youth. Career interest inventories are a commonly used tool for self-exploration. Engaging youth in self-exploration – the process of learning to identify their skills, interests, and values and how they could be used in various careers – is a critical step in the career development process for all young people, including youth with disabilities. Read the brief online or download a copy.

September 2011

USDOL Awards Another Year of Funding for NCWD/Youth

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy awarded an additional year of funding ($950,000) for the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth) to the Institute for Educational Leadership. Now entering its eleventh year, NCWD/Youth is a national technical assistance center focused on improving employment, education, and transition outcomes for youth, including youth with disabilities. Read ODEP’s press release online.

With support from ODEP, NCWD/Youth is a collaboration between the Institute for Educational Leadership’s Center for Workforce Development, the PACER Center, the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals (NAWDP), the University of Minnesota’s Institute for Community Integration, and Boston University’s School of Education.

Cornell University to Host Webcast with Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy

On October 12, Cornell University's School of Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR) will host a free webcast entitled "ILR on Policy: A Conversation with Kathy Martinez." Kathy Martinez is the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy. Conversation topics will include:

• The current state of employment for people with disabilities, and the importance of providing opportunities for people with disabilities to U.S. business and the economy;
• President Obama’s initiative to increase employment of people with disabilities in the federal sector and its broader impact; and
• insight and advice on what your organization can do to advance efforts to support and employ people with disabilities.

NCWD/Youth Convenes Webinar on Engaging Employers

ON September 27, NCWD/Youth convened a webinar entitled “Beyond the Handshake: Employer Relations that Work!” This webinar gave youth service professionals the opportunity to learn about and apply strategies for communicating and building relationships with employers who may be interested in hiring young people. Participants explored how to find out what they need to know about employers and their needs; how to share information about the goals and needs of youth with potential employers; and how to do effective follow-up with employers and preparation with youth. A free recording is available online. 

NCWD/Youth Releases Apprenticeship Workshop Training Materials

With the support of the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy, NCWD/Youth developed new Apprenticeship Workshop Training Materials, which include two sets of apprenticeship training modules and a strategic planning exercise that can be used after either module. The modules can be used by individuals to learn independently about apprenticeship, or a facilitator can use the modules to train groups. These materials will be useful for youth service professionals, workforce board administrators, state and local apprenticeship coordinators, community college representatives and other training providers, and potential and current apprenticeship employers. These new resources include:

• Module 1 - "What Apprenticeship Is and Working with Employers to Start Apprenticeship Programs"
• Module 2 - "Preparing, Placing, and Supporting Youth and Young Adults with Disabilities in Apprenticeship"
• Strategic Planning Exercise
• Related Resources

JAN Releases Report on Low Cost, High Impact of Workplace Accommodations

The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) released a report as part of its Accommodation and Compliance Series entitled “Workplace Accommodations: Low Cost, High Impact.” JAN interviewed nearly 1800 employers from different industry sectors and of a variety of sizes about workplace accommodations. The study results consistently showed that the benefits employers receive from making workplace accommodations far outweigh the low cost. Employers reported that providing accommodations resulted in such benefits as retaining valuable employees, improving productivity and morale, reducing workers’ compensation and training costs, and improving company diversity. These benefits were obtained with little investment. The employers in the study reported that a high percentage (56%) of accommodations cost absolutely nothing to make, while the rest typically cost only $500.

Workforce3One Releases Podcast on Promoting STEM for Students with Disabilities

Workforce3One, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, released a podcast entitled "Promoting Access to STEM Learning Opportunities and Jobs for Students with Disabilities." Knowledge workers who have specialized skills, especially in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), will fill many of the fastest-growing jobs in America. In the population of youth ages 15 to 24, 11 percent of individuals have disabilities. However, in the STEM workforce, only 5 percent of individuals have disabilities. Listen to this podcast to learn more about programs that promote STEM learning opportunities for students with disabilities, including AccessSTEM, a very extensive E-mentoring community that helps students develop job-search and interview strategies, and ENTRY POINT, a 10-to-12 week summer internship experience for college students with disabilities. 

New Report Available on Reentry Programs for Out-of-School Youth with Disabilities

The National Dropout Prevention Center for Students with Disabilities (NDPC-SD) has issued new reports on Reentry Programs for Out-of-School Youth with Disabilities. Compared to their peers who graduate, high school students with disabilities who drop out are more likely to be unemployed, dependent on public services, and involved in the criminal justice system. Education providers nationwide are seeking to re-engage high school students with disabilities who have dropped out by offering reentry programs. Reentry programs are specifically designed to address students' barriers to school completion and prepare them for college and career readiness. NDPC-SD’s reports explore the issue and provide guidance to assist education programs in planning new reentry programs or redesigning existing programs. See each of the reports below:

• Summary
• The Need for a Broad Range of Options
• Strategies for Locating and Reenrolling
• Characteristics of Reentry Programs

NWCD/Youth Convenes Webinar on Assessment and Individualized Planning for Youth

On September 13, NCWD/Youth convened a webinar entitled "Assessment and Individualized Planning for Youth: Charting the Course for Effective Transition." To be successful in work and careers, youth must have experiences and opportunities that allow them to discover their strengths, skills, aptitudes, and interests in supportive, structured environments. A large part of this includes ongoing informal and formal assessment activities that give shape to self-discovery and an understanding of the world of work. This section will give participants an appreciation of the role of assessment and tools with which to provide direction for individuals being served through the workforce development system.

August 2011

USDOL Issues Guidance on Workforce System Participation in Ticket to Work Program

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Agency and Office of Disability Employment Policy released Training and Employment Notice (TEN) No. 06-11, “Increasing the Public Workforce Development System’s Participation In The Ticket to Work Program for Disability Beneficiaries.” The TEN’s purpose is to provide updated information to the state workforce agencies, local workforce investment boards, and One-Stop Career Centers on the Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Program, including changes to the Social Security Administration’s (SSA’s) policies for Employment Networks.

NTAR to Host Webinar on Outcome-Driven Services in the Workforce Investment System

On September 14, the NTAR Leadership Center, a national technical assistance center funded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, will host a webinar entitled “Outcome-Driven Services in the Workforce Investment System.” This webinar will highlight multiple examples from the field as we explore strategies designed to refine the One-Stop's capacity to effectively serve businesses. We will explore strategies that meet the needs of the diverse sectors of its community, including both large and small businesses representing a full cross-section of industry. These strategies include the variety of business-oriented services available in a community, coordinated around a single point of contact for ease of use by the business customer. They are strategies that allow the workforce development system to act as a foundation for economic growth in its community, while more readily fulfilling its purpose to connect career seekers with economic opportunity and self-sufficiency.

 

Register for the webinar at NTAR’s website.

OPM Invites Public Comments on “Pathways for Students & Recent Graduates to Federal Careers” Proposed Rules

U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is requesting public input by October 4, 2011 on its proposed rules for the federal government’s new Pathways Programs. Established by Executive Order 13562 in December 2010, the Pathways Programs consists of three excepted-service programs tailored to recruit, hire, develop, and retain students and recent graduates. OPM has issued proposed Pathways program rules to improve recruiting efforts, offer clear paths to Federal internships for students from high school through post-graduate school and to careers for recent graduates, and provide meaningful training and career development opportunities for individuals who are at the beginning of their Federal service.  Read more about the proposed changes to each of the three programs:

• Proposed Internship Programs
• Proposed Recent Graduates Program
• Proposed Presidential Management Fellows Program

To submit comments electronically, visit the Proposed Regulations website or see instructions for other submission methods.

National Center for Learning Disabilities Releases State of Learning Disabilities Report

The National Center for Learning Disabilities released "The State of Learning Disabilities: Facts, Trends, and Indicators".  This biennial publication includes key facts and current statistics, information on learning disabilities in secondary schools, postsecondary education, and the workforce. About 5% of public students (2.5 million) in the U.S. have a learning disability, of which, almost two-thirds are male. And only about a third of students with a learning disability are provided with assistive technology to support their instruction and learning. The report's conclusions underline the overlying challenges ahead and outlines some directions to move to improve outcomes for individuals with learning disabilities.

Info Brief for Families on Soft Skills for Job Success Now Available in Spanish

NCWD/Youth's Info Brief, Helping Youth Develop Soft Skills for Job Success: Tips for Parents and Families, is now available in Spanish. This brief provides guidance for parents and family members on ways to help young people prepare for job success by working with them and encouraging them to develop soft skills. "Soft skills" are common sense skills that are important in all aspects of life and have been identified by employers as particularly important for success at work. Read the brief in Spanish, Ayudando a los jóvenes a Desarrollar Habilidades Sociales para tener Éxito en el Trabajo: Consejos para los Padres y las Familias.

 

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