OAR 581-015-2930: Employment-Related Transition Services

(1) This rule establishes the policies of Executive Order No. 15-01, related to the Department of Education’s involvement with integrated employment services. (2) For purposes of this rule, the following definitions apply: (a) “Education Goals” means the following goals: (A) Families, students, and educators will have the expectation that individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities will work in integrated, community-based settings; (B) Students transitioning to adult services will be prepared to transition to integrated work experiences; and (C) Statewide systems will be coordinated to reach the goal of integrated employment opportunities as an outcome of students’ education. (b) “Mock sheltered work settings” are prevocational training activities that are: (A) Conducted during the school day; (B) Performed only by students with disabilities; (C) Closely resembles the vocational work tasks performed by adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities or both (I/DD) in Sheltered Workshops, including activities: (i) designed to fulfill the demands of a contractor, business, charitable organization, school or school district, retail store, or other entity; and (ii) performed by individuals without compensation or in exchange for subminimum wages; and (D) Not part of an instructional sequence, such as teaching generalization of skills. Instructional sequence does not include instruction that consists solely of the activities described in all of (A), (B), and (C). (E) Examples include folding, sorting, shredding, packaging, and labeling activities. (c) “Transition age student” means a student with disabilities who is eligible for transition services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and OAR 581-015-2200. (d) “Transition Technical Assistance” is the substance of the work of the Statewide Transition Technical Assistance Network (TTAN) and includes development of competencies for teachers, administrators, and other educational service providers that include: (A) Developing transition-related curriculum and instructional approaches which are consistent with the Education Goals; (B) Developing outcome-based transition planning approaches that use precepts of discovery and person-centered planning; (C) Implementing transition-related instructional approaches for students with disabilities, such as those that are community based, and which may include, but are not limited to, authentic experiences such as internships, mentorships, youth work experiences, job skill related instruction, and job shadowing; (D) Facilitating and managing interagency teams and resources to help ensure students and families may utilize resources from applicable state agencies, local education agencies, and other available resources; and (E) Encouraging the implementation of transition services in schools that are consistent with the Education Goals. (F) Assisting Local Education Agencies to meet the requirements of OAR 581-015-2245 regarding the placement of students. (3) The Department shall establish a statewide TTAN to assist high schools in Oregon in providing transition services. The TTAN shall seek to ensure that the Education Goals are implemented in assessment, curriculum, and instruction for transition age students. (4) This rule and its provisions are not intended to expand or replace the obligations of the State or its schools under the IDEA.