New Freedom Initiative -- Preliminary Report: Education

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

Initiative ~ Executive Order ~ HHS Role ~ News & Additional Resources

Delivering on the Promise: Preliminary Report

Federal Agency Actions to Eliminate Barriers and Promote Community Integration

Education

Young people with disabilities face particular barriers to succeeding in school, going to college, becoming employed and living independently. Low educational attainment, low education and employment expectations, and confusing government programs and benefits with conflicting eligibility criteria have resulted in many young people with disabilities not making successful transitions from school to post-secondary education, employment, and independent living.

The U.S. Department of Education reports that national high school graduation rates for students with disabilities are far below that of youth without disabilities. It is also estimated that only one-third of young people with disabilities receives needed job training and assistance. These persistent barriers to the achievement of positive outcomes relating to education must be addressed if young people with disabilities are to have the knowledge and skills they need to function independently in their communities and in the workplace of the 21^st century. Key federal agency actions in the area of education are set out below.

Department of Education

The ED Office for Civil Rights (OCR) Program Legal Group is preparing a resource document for nationwide distribution targeted to parents and students that clarifies the rights of students and the obligations of schools as students with disabilities transition from high school to postsecondary education.
OCR is also conducting technical assistance and training initiatives, through its 12 field offices throughout the country, to stakeholders regarding transition of students from secondary school to postsecondary institutions and improved vocational education services to students with disabilities so that they can progress further in education and employment.
The ED Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) Programs will determine the extent to which states' use of vocational education funds authorized under the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act to support state institutions for persons with disabilities is consistent with Executive Order 13217 and the extent and the purposes for which this authority is used. OVAE expects to make recommendations for amending the authority based on the information collected as part of its forthcoming proposal to reauthorize the Perkins Act.
OVAE will seek to address any barriers in adult education programs due to statutory requirements under the Adult Education and Family Literacy (AEFLA) Act, which provides more than $500 million annually to states to support community-based adult basic education, English literacy and adult secondary educational instruction. Currently, due to ambiguity in the language of the AEFLA, some out-of-school youth with disabilities between the ages of 16 through 21 may not be receiving both adult education and the special education services under the IDEA to which they are entitled. Several critical factors, including both programmatic and physical accessibility issues, may limit the effectiveness of services for students with disabilities.
OSEP will seek to improve the post-school results of students with disabilities by continuing to provide guidance to education and other services providers on and to enforce the requirements in IDEA for transition planning and transition services so that students and families may be better prepared for the challenges and complexities of the adult world, including post-secondary school, employment and independent living.

Department of Labor

The DOL Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) will work with other DOL agencies, the Department of Education and other appropriate federal departments on activities that promote the transition of young people with disabilities from school to post-secondary opportunities and/or employment, including researching, demonstrating, and disseminating successful strategies for transitioning young adults with significant disabilities into employment, and initiation of policy actions and implementation ensuring such strategies are utilized within DOL programs and activities.
The DOL Employment and Training Administration (ETA) will work to implement the July 2001 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between DOL and the Department of Education regarding the development of a coordinated, interagency initiative to improve the employment opportunities and earnings of current workers and new labor market entrants who currently do not possess the reading and math skills essential to participate successfully in the 21^st century workforce.

Last revised: April 9, 2002