OSERS Seeking Comments on Allowable Uses of VR Funds
The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) recently submitted a notice of interpretation (NOI) in the Federal Register seeking comments on their interpretation of a provision of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) that requires States to reserve at least 15 percent of their VR program allotments to provide, or arrange for the provision of, pre-employment transition services to all students with disabilities in need of such services who are eligible or potentially eligible for the VR program.
They are seeking to:
- Clarify current policy regarding the use of Federal Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) funds reserved for the provision of pre-employment transition services to pay for auxiliary aids and services needed by all students with disabilities in order to access or participate in required pre-employment transition services under section 113(b) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; and
- Announce a change in policy with respect to additional VR services needed by eligible students with disabilities that may be paid for with Federal VR grant funds reserved for the provision of pre-employment transition services and the circumstances under which those funds may be used to pay for those additional VR services.
Comments are due by March 30th, 2020.
FMI: The NOI is available at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/02/28/2020-03208/state-vocational-rehabilitation-services-program.