Section 683.3 - [See Note] Powers and duties of the Office of Vocational RehabilitationThe Office of Vocational Rehabilitation shall provide preemployment transition services to students with disabilities and facilitate the process of job and career development between local education agencies and public and private employers to ensure the successful transition of high school students with disabilities into competitive integrated employment. In collaboration with officials of local education agencies and other relevant public agencies, the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation shall:
(1) Provide information for the development of individual education plans for high school students with disabilities ensuring that job skill training is included in the plans when appropriate. When possible, the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation shall attend individual education plan meetings in person or by alternative means, such as video conferences and conference calls, when invited by local education agencies. (2) Arrange for work-based learning experiences, which may include in-school or after-school opportunities or experience outside the traditional school setting, including internships, at competitive wages in integrated settings with public or private sector employers.(3) Provide professional guidance relative to job coaching services to eligible individuals when the services are included in an individualized plan for employment by the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, so that high school students with disabilities may succeed in competitive employment with private sector and public employers.(4) Provide counseling on opportunities for enrollment in comprehensive transition or postsecondary educational programs at institutions of higher education.(5) Publish on its public website 45 days after the end of each calendar quarter the following information, at a minimum, pertaining to the implementation of this act in each county in this Commonwealth for the prior calendar quarter: (i) the number of individualized education meetings attended by Office of Vocational Rehabilitation staff;(ii) the number of individual education plans that include new or significantly modified goals and specific steps toward the attainment of competitive integrated employment;(iii) the number of job referrals made to employers on behalf of students with disabilities while still in high school;(iv) the number of high school students with disabilities working in part-time and summer jobs as a result of referrals made by Office of Vocational Rehabilitation staff;(v) the number of high school students with disabilities working in part-time or summer jobs who are receiving job coaching services; and(vi) the number of high school students with disabilities who enter competitive integrated employment within three months of their graduation.(6) Report on the progress of the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation regarding the implementation of this act on at least a quarterly basis to: (i) the Secretary of Labor and Industry;(ii) the Pennsylvania Rehabilitation Council;(iii) the State Board of Vocational Rehabilitation; and(iv) the Secretary of Education. Added by P.L. TBD 2016 No. 26, § 3, eff. upon publication of notice under 43 P.S. 683.6.