OMB NUMBER: 1820

- 0500 Expiration Date: xx/xx/xxxx

**UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION OFFICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES**  **REHABILITATION SERVICES ADMINISTRATION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20202** 
**- 2800**  **Guidance for Development and Submittal of the State Plan for**  **Vocational Rehabilitation Services and the State Plan Supplement for Supported Employment Services** 
**BACKGROUND INFORMATION** For a state to participate in the State Vocational Rehabilitation Services Program authorized under Title I of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, (Rehabilitation Act) and the State Supported Employ

ment Services Program under Title VI , Part B, of the Rehabilitation Act, it must have an approved Title IState Plan and Title VI, Part B, Supplement to the plan. The Title I State Plan and its Title VI , Part B, Supplement reflect a state's commitment to administer these two formula grant programs in compliance with the provisions of the State Plan or Supplement and applicable federal legal requirements. The plan and its supplement also describe a state's activities related to various administrative and operational considerations connected with these programs. As such, the plan and its supplement serve as key elements in the Rehabilitation Services Administration ’s (RSA) monitoring of a state's administration of these two programs. A state has the option of developing and submitting a separate "stand alone" State Plan for the statewide work force investment sy stem under Section 112 of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) or a state unified plan under Section 501(b) of the WIA. If a state chooses to submit a separate WIA plan or a unified plan without the Title IState Plan, it must submit the Title I State Plan and its Title VI , Part B, Supplement separately to RSA in accordance with the following guidance. If the state, however, chooses to include the Title I State Plan and its Title VI , Part B, Supplement in the unified plan, the guidance issued by the Department of Labor (DOL) with respect to the unified plan sh ould be followed. In this context, Section 501(c)(1) of WIA stipulates that all requirements applicable to the plan and its supplement must be satisfied and this guidance provides useful content information on State Plan and Supplement requirements.
**FORM AT AND CONTENT OF THE STATE PLAN AND ITS SUPPLEMENT**  The Title I State Plan and its Title VI , Part B, Supplement consist of a preprint in the form of affirmative assurances based on federal statutory requirements. The preprint also identifies optional assurances from which the state can choose. The preprint developed for the State Plan and Supplement is designed to meet all of the applicable legal requirements for the Title I plan and its Title VI , Part B, Supplement while reducing burden as much as possib le on the states.Page 2 of 1 4 Pages

In addition to the preprint assurances, the Rehabilitation Act requires descriptions of the state's policies, procedures and activities relating to certain assurances in the plan and its supplement. These descriptions provide greater op erational detail for certain elements of the assurances and are submitted in the form of attachments to the preprint. The number of attachments is contingent upon options selected b y the state in its preprint assurances. A careful reading of the preprint is necessary

to ensure that all applicable State Plan descriptions are addressed and submitted. Consistent with Section 101(a)(1)(B) of the Rehabilitation Act, the state is not required to submit any policies, procedures, or descriptions that have been p reviousl y approved and demonstrate that the state meets the requirements of Title I or Title VI , Part B, of the Rehabilitation Act. It is the responsibility

of each state agency

to determine which previousl y submitted materials meet these requirements. Section 101(a)(23) of the Rehabilitation Act, however, does require the submission of selected State Plan descriptions as annual updates to an approved plan. In addition, other descriptions are required b y their very

nature to be submitted on an annual basis. Additional information regarding State Plan attachments is provided in the section of these instructions entitled “State Plan and Supplement Descriptions.”
**PREPARATION OF THE PLAN AND ITS SUPPLEMENT Preprint Assurances**  (1) The preprint and guidance for the Title I plan and Title VI , Part B Supplement are available in electronic format at http://www.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/rehab/state

- plans.html. (2) Since the preprint assurances reflect the state's commitment to comply with applicable federal legal req

uirements, the assurances are not to be modified. (3) For optional assurances, indicate an option b y marking "Yes" or "No" with an "X." (4) If an assurance requires documentation or implementation of an activity not addressed in an y of the required descriptions, supporting documentation must be maintained by the state and made available to RSA for monitoring purposes.
**Attachments** (1) The attachments are to be clear, succinct and informative narratives that describe operational considerations relating to corresponding preprint assurances. Manuals, bulletins, memoranda, budgets and similar materials are not to be submitted unless specificall y required or clearl y suitable to the purpose of a specific attachment. (2) Each attachment is to identify the corr esponding section of the preprint and be paginated. The identification is to be placed in the lower right hand corner of the page as follows:Page 3 of 1 4 Pages

**ADOPTION OF POLICIES AND PROCEDURES Public Participation**  Prior to the adoption of any substantive policies o r procedures (or any substantive amendment to such policies and procedures) governing the provision of vocational rehabilitation services under the Title IState Plan or the provision of supported employ ment services under the Title VI, Part B, Supplement to the Title I State Plan, the designated state agency must conduct public meetings throughout the state, after providing adequate notice of the meetings, to provide the public, including individuals with disabilities, an opportunity to comment on the poli cies and procedures, and must actively consult with the director of the client assistance program and, as appropriate, Indian tribes, tribal organizations and Native Hawaiian organizations.
**State Review Process** (1) The Title I plan and its Title VI , Part B, Supplement are subject to the provisions of Executive Order 12372 pertaining to state processes for review and comment. In a state where the Title I State Plan and its Supplement are subject to the state review process, it is suggested that a draft co py of the materials be submitted to RSA simultaneously with its submission for state review. This will afford RSA staff the opportunity to review the materials and resolve potential problems prior to the submission of the official state plan materials. ( 2) In a state in which the plan and supplement are subject to the state review process, the official materials should be transmitted to RSA upon receipt of a response from the state review process or a minimum of 60 day s from the date of submittal to the s tate's review process, whichever comes first.
**TRANSMITTAL OF OFFICIAL STATE PLAN AND SUPPLEMENT MATERIALS**
**Submission Date** Section 101(a)(1)(A) of the Rehabilitation Act requires the submittal of the Title I plan and its Title VI , Part B, Supplement on the same date that the state submits its State Plan under Section 112 of WIA. If a state submits a WIA unified plan without including the Title I plan, RSA expects the Title Iplan and its Title VI , Part B, Supplement will be submitted to RSA on the same d ate the state submits its unified plan.
**Methods of Submission** The official Title I State Plan and Title VI, Part B, Supplement materials can be submitted either electronically

or in hardcopy

.Page 4 of 1 4 Pages

**On Line Submission** RSA developed the capacity for VR agen cies to submit the FY 2013 and all future VR State Plans and SE Supplements online through the RSA website. RSA strongly encourages state agencies to use this method for the transmission of all State Plan materials. The RSA Website is open for State Pl an submission as of February 201 2 . Simply go to http://rsa.ed.gov and follow the instructions below. To begin the submission process, the individual in the state agency responsible for entering State Plan information req uires a user ID to access the State Plan entry section of the RSA Website. I f you do not have a user ID, go to the site and click on "Info for new users." If you have forgotten your user ID or password, go to the site and click on "Forgot your user ID or password? Click here." If you require further assistance, send an email to RSAMI S.Technical.Support@ed.gov

. To view the online VR State Plan, log in and click on the words "Data Entry." Then locat e the appropriate VR State Plan on the list and click on the "Add/Update” button. **Electronic Transmission Options** (1) If states cannot transmit the State Plan online, they can submit their State Plan materials to RSA electronicall y through email. If a s tate chooses this option, the submission must be in Microsoft Word or PDF format. The email address for the submission of the State Plan materials is: mary .williams@ed.gov. (2) States can also submit the plan on a CD

- ROM. If a state chooses this option , the submission must be in Microsoft Word or PDF format. (3) If the State Plan submitted either through email or a CD

- ROM does not include the signature of the state official authorized to submit the plan, the state must submit to RSA a separate hardcop y of the transmittal letter and Section 1 of the State Plan signed b y the state official authorized to submit the State Plan and its Supplement. States should submit hardcopies of these pages to one of the two addresses specified below, depending on whethe r the pages are being sent via regular mail or overnight mail. If the CD

- ROM is mailed through the United States Postal Service (USPS), it should be sent to: United States Department of Education Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services Re habilitation Services Administration Attention: Mary

Williams 400 Maryland Avenue SW, PCP Room 5144 Washington, DC 20202

- 2800Page 5 of 1 4 Pages

If the CD

- ROM is sent by Federal Express or similar overnight delivery organizations it should be sent to: United States Department of Education Rehabilitation Service Administration Attention: Mary

Williams , PCP

- 5144 550 12 th Street, SW Washington DC, 20202 **Hardcopy Transmission** VR agencies can submit hardcopies of the State Plans and SE Supplements, including the transmitt al letter and Section 1 of the plan signed by the state official authorized to submit the State Plan and its Supplement. These materials can be transmitted to RSA at the same address identified above either mailed through the USPS or sent through an overn ight delivery service.
**ANNUAL UPDATES AND AMENDMENTS** (1) Annual Updates A state must annually

update certain portions of an approved State Plan or Supplement as required b y Section 101(a)(23) of the Rehabilitation Act or b y the very nature of a State Plan requirement itself. (2) Amendments (a) 34 CFR 76.140(b) requires that an approved State Plan or Supplement be amended if there is a significant and relevant change that materially affects the:

• information or assurances in the State Plan or Suppl ement;

• administration or operation of the State Plan or Supplement; or

• organization, policies or operations of the state agency that receives the funds under the State Plan or Supplement. (b) Section 101(a)(1)(C) of the Rehabilitation Act also requi res that the State Plan or Supplement be amended in the instance of a change in state policy or federal law, including regulations; an interpretation b y a federal court or the highest court in the state of a Title I or Title VI, Part B, provision; or, by a noncompliance finding by the RSA commissioner. Within this context, each state agency needs to periodicall y review its approved plan and supplement to ensure its consistency with the state's policies, priorities and administration relating to its vocatio nal rehabilitation and supported employ ment programs. (3) The procedures applicable to the development and submission of annual State Plan updates and amendments to the approved Title I plan and its Title VI , Part B, Supplement are the same as those described for the development and submission of the original plan and supplement. If, subsequent to the approval of the plan, a state amends its choice of optional assurances it must submit the page(s) of the preprint affected b y the amendment(s). ThePage 6 of 1 4 Pages

amended page(s) should clearl y identify which assurance(s) is affected and the effective date(s) of the amendment(s).
**INFORMATION ON SELECTED COMPONENTS OF THE PLAN AND ITS SUPPLEMENT**  The following provides basic information on key Title Iplan and Title VI, P art B, Supplement provisions.
**4.1 Designated State Agency and Designated State Unit**  Prior to the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998, the statute provided limited optional organizational settings for the designated state agency responsible for the adm inistration of the Title Iplan and its Title VI, Part B, Supplement. A state now has the flexibility to locate the vocational rehabilitation program wherever it chooses within the state organizational structure. In those instances in which the designat ed state vocational rehabilitation agency is not primarily concerned with vocational rehabilitation or vocational and other rehabilitation of individuals with disabilities, such a vocational rehabilitation agency must have a vocational rehabilitation burea u, division or other organizational unit that is primarily concerned with vocational rehabilitation or vocational and other rehabilitation of individuals with disabilities. The designated organizational unit must be responsible for the vocational rehabili tation program of the designated state vocational rehabilitation agency and must have a full time director and staff of whom all or substantially all are employed full

- time on the rehabilitation work of the organizational unit. In addition, the designated state vocational rehabilitation unit must be located at an organizational level and must have an organizational status within the designated state vocational rehabilitation agency comparable to that of other major organizational units of that agency

. **4.2 Summary of Input Provided by the State Rehabilitation Council**  Section 101(a)(21)(A)(ii)(III) of the Rehabilitation Act requires the State Plan or any update or amendment to the plan to include a summary of input provided by

the SRC if the designated st ate vocational rehabilitation unit has a council. Accordingl y, Attachment 4.2(c) summarizes the council's input, including the council's recommendations from its annual report, the review and anal ys is of consumer satisfaction, and other reports prepared b y the council. The attachment is also to include the designated state vocational rehabilitation unit's responses to the council's input and recommendations, including explanations for rejecting an y of the council's input or recommendations.
**4.5 Local Ad**  **ministration** Section 101(a)(2)(A) of the Rehabilitation Act provides the option for the administration of the Title Iplan b y a local agency under the supervision of the designated state vocational rehabilitation agency . This option provides a state the flexibility to have the Title I plan administered b y a local agency (ies), as that term is defined in Section 7(24) of the RehabilitationPage 7 of 1 4 Pages

Act, under the supervision of the state vocational rehabilitation agency in a defined political subdivision(s) of the s tate. If the State Plan provides for local administration the local agency is responsible, under the supervision of the designated state vocational rehabilitation agency , for the administration of all provisions of the Title Iplan within its geopolitical area. The requirement that each local agency is subject to the supervision of the designated vocational rehabilitation state unit means that the state unit is responsible for ensuring that the vocational rehabilitation program of the local agency is admi nistered in accordance with the approved Title I plan. This provision does not extend to the designated state vocational rehabilitation unit supervising the day

- to

- day operations of the local agency ’s program staff.
**4.6 Shared Funding and Administrati**  **on of Joint Programs** Section 101(a)(2)(A)(ii) of the Rehabilitation Act authorizes joint programs in which the designated state vocational rehabilitation agency shares its programmatic and fiscal responsibilities and control with another agency . The focu s of such a joint program is not on the expansion of services or the introduction of innovative approaches to the delivery of services; rather it is on better coordination of existing services of the participating agencies through the mechanism of shared f

unding and administration of the services. If a state chooses the option for shared funding and administration it must submit a plan to RSA that describes, consistent with the requirements of 34 CFR 361.27, the:

• nature and scope of the joint program;

• services to be provided;

• respective roles of each participating agency in the provision of services and in their administration; and

• share of the costs to be assumed by each agency

. **4.7 Statewideness and Waivers of Statewideness**  Section 101(a)(4) of the Rehabilitation Act requires that the Title I plan be in effect in all political subdivisions of the state. A state vocational rehabilitation agency , however, may provide a program in one or more political subdivisions that increases or expands the scope of services that are available statewide under the State Plan if:

• the nonfederal share of the cost of the services is met from funds provided by a local public agency , including funds contributed to a local public agency by a private agency , organ ization or individual;

• services are likel y to promote the vocational rehabilitation of substantially larger numbers of individuals with disabilities or of individuals with disabilities with particular ty pes of impairments; and

• state includes in its plan and the secretary approves a request for a waiver of the statewideness requirement.Page 8 of 1 4 Pages

If a state requests a waiver of the statewideness requirement, Attachment 4.7(b)(3), consistent with the requirements of 34 CFR 361.26(b), must:

• identify

the t ypes of services to be provided;

• contain a written assurance from the local public agency that it will make available to the state unit the nonfederal share of funds;

• contain a written assurance that state unit approval will be obtained for each proposed serv ice before it is put into effect; and

• include a written assurance that all other State Plan requirements, including a state's order of selection, will appl y to all services approved under the waiver. Consistent with the provisions of Section 101(a)(4)(B ) of the Rehabilitation Act, if the state cannot provide the full nonfederal share without the use of privately earmarked funds for particular geographic areas within the state the state is required to notify RSA of this fact but there is no requirement fo r a waiver of statewideness.
**4.8 Cooperation, Collaboration and Coordination**  Section 101(a)(11)(A) of the Rehabilitation Act requires the designated state vocational rehabilitation agency

to enter into cooperative agreements with other entities that are components of the statewide work force investment s ys tem and to replicate these agreements at the local level between individual offices of the designated state unit and the local entities carrying out activities through the statewide work force investment sy stem. These agreements, particularl y those at the local level, are important mechanisms to ensure effective communication, collaboration, coordination and cooperation between the vocational rehabilitation program and its partners in the statewide w ork force investment sy stem. The Rehabilitation Act describes in Section 100(a)(1) that the provision of work force investment activities and vocational rehabilitation services can enable individuals with disabilities, including individuals with the most significant disabilities, to pursue meaningful careers b y securing gainful employment commensurate with their abilities and capabilities. It also states that linkages between the vocational rehabilitation program and other components of the statewide work force investment sy stem are critical to ensure effective and meaningful participation by

individuals with disabilities in work force investment activities carried out through one

- stop centers established under Section 121 of WIA. Section 121(b)(1)(B)(iv) of WIA identifies the vocational rehabilitation program as a required partner in one

- stop activities. As a required partner, the vocational rehabilitation program must make available to participants, through the one

- stop delivery s ys tem, the core service s that are applicable to the vocational rehabilitation program to the extent not inconsistent with the requirements of the Rehabilitation Act and participate in the operation of the one

- stop delivery sy stem consistent with the memorandum of understanding r equired b y Section 121(c) of WIA and the requirements of the Rehabilitation Act. RSA fully promotes the partnership envisioned in the WIA and encourages and supports the efforts of state vocational rehabilitation agencies to establish effective and produc tive collaborative relationships with their WIA partners so thatPage 9 of 1 4 Pages

individuals with disabilities, particularl y individuals with significant disabilities, can benefit from such collaboration. The purpose of the WIA is the creation of a seamless job trainin g and preparation s ys tem to better serve individuals, including individuals with disabilities, in need of services available under the WIA. In support of this intent, the provisions of Section 101(a)(11)(A) identify the following key

elements to be consid ered in the development of the required cooperative agreements between a designated state unit and the other components of the statewide work force investment sy stem.

• provision of intercomponent training and technical assistance on the role, function and requirements of the vocational rehabilitation program so as to promote the equal, effective and meaningful participation by individuals with disabilities in work force investment activities;

• use of information and financial management s ys tems that li nk all components of the statewide work force investment sy stem;

• use of customer service features such as common intake and referral procedures, customer databases, resource information, and human services hotlines;

• establishment of relationships with employers to support the employ ment of individuals with disabilities, particularly individuals with the most significant disabilities;

• identification of staff roles, responsibilities and available resources together with the specification of financial re sponsibility of each component of the statewide work force investment sy stem for payingfor services; and

• specification of dispute resolution procedures. To ensure that individuals with disabilities have complete, equal, effective and meaningful partici pation in the activities of the statewide work force investment sy stem, particularl y at the local levels through the one

- stop centers, it is very important that the state vocational rehabilitation agency

partner with the other components of the statewide w ork force investment sy stem and the local one

- stops in the planning and implementation of WIA

- related activities and advocate with these components on the behalf of individuals with disabilities, particularl y those with significant disabilities. Several r equired State Plan descriptions detailing cooperative efforts on the part of the vocational rehabilitation agency

with other programs are consolidated in Attachment 4.8(b) (1)

- (4). The descriptions included in this attachment encompass:

• interagency

coo peration with agencies and entities that are not carrying out activities through the statewide work force investment sy stem;

• coordination with education officials to facilitate the transition of students with disabilities from school to the receipt of vo cational rehabilitation services;

• cooperative agreements with private nonprofit vocational rehabilitation service providers; and

• collaboration with other state agencies and other entities regarding the provision of supported employ

ment services and ext ended services for individuals with the most significant disabilities.Page 10 of 1 4 Pages

**4.10 Comprehensive System of Personnel Development**  Attachment 4.10 describes the state procedures and activities with respect to the establishment and maintenance of a comprehensive s ys tem of personnel development (CSPD), as required b y Section 101(a)(7) of the Rehabilitation Act, to ensure an adequate suppl y of qualified professionals and paraprofessionals for the designated state vocational rehabilitation unit. The description must address all of the CSPD content areas identified in 34 CFR 361.18 and Section 4.10 of the plan. Of particular importance are the designated state vocational rehabilitation unit's personnel standards. The agency 's standards must be based on the highest re quirements in the state applicable to a particular profession. If personnel do not meet that standard, the State Plan must identify the steps the state unit is taking to ensure the retraining or hiring of personnel, particularl y vocational rehabilitation counselors, so that such personnel meet appropriate professional standards in the state. The primary

factor that RSA will consider in determining the approvability of a state's plan to retrain and/or hire staff, particularl y vocational rehabilitation coun selors, to meet the highest requirements in the state applicable to a particular profession will be the reasonableness of the plan in terms of the applicable provisions of Section 101(a)(7) of the Rehabilitation Act and the requirements at 34 CFR 361.18(c) vis

- à

- vis the particular circumstances of the designated state vocational rehabilitation unit. In addition, RSA will take into consideration the following factors in terms of the extent to which the designated state vocational rehabilitation unit has:

• established its personnel standards, particularl y for vocational rehabilitation counselors, on the highest requirements in the state, or is making progress to that end;

• anal yz ed the needs of its staff, particularl y vocational rehabilitation counselors, with respect to how man y either meet or do not meet the highest requirements in the state applicable to a particular profession;

• examined factors such as pay scales or qualified personnel shortages that may adversel y affect its ability

to hire qualified staff and developed a strategy to address such barriers;

• identified the number of personnel, particularl y the number of vocational rehabilitation counselors, who do not meet the required personnel standards and developed a plan to assist such personnel t o meet the required standards in a reasonably timel y manner;

• committed funds for the implementation of a retraining plan to assist personnel, particularl y vocational rehabilitation counselors, to meet the highest requirements in the state applicable to a particular profession; and

• evaluated the results of its planned recruitment and retraining efforts to ensure that all personnel, particularl y vocational rehabilitation counselors, meet the highest requirements in the state applicable to a particular pro fession. Consistent with the requirements of Section 101(a)(23) of the Rehabilitation Act, the designated state vocational rehabilitation unit must submit to RSA a report containing an annual update of the information required by Section 101(a)(7) of the Rehabilitation Act.Page 11 of 1 4 Pages

**4.11 Assessments; Annual Estimates; Goals and Priorities; Strategies; and Reports of**  **Progress** The Rehabilitation Act in Section 101(a)(15) requires the designated state vocational rehabilitation unit to identify in its State Plan:

• the findings of its statewide assessment of the rehabilitation needs of individuals that is to be conducted at least on a triennial basis;

• the annual estimates of the number of eligible individuals in the state, the number who will receive services under the Title I and Title VI, Part B, programs, and the costs of the services;

• the goals and priorities for the vocational rehabilitation that are jointly developed by

the state agency

and the SRC, if the state has a council;

• the strategies to address the findings of the needs assessment and to achieve the identified goals and priorities; and

• the valuation and progress report on the improvement in the program’s effectiveness compared to the previous y ear. Attachment 4.11 consolidates a variet y of requir ed State Plan descriptions. Some of the required descriptions are contingent on the options selected by the state and one of the descriptions is not required b y the Rehabilitation Act but by the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA). In formation on thi s description can be found at the end of this guidance. The attachment is divided into discrete components that include the following descriptions: 4.11(a) Results of Comprehensive Statewide Assessment of the Rehabilitation Needs of Individuals with Disa

bilities and Need to Establish, Develop, or Improve Community Rehabilitation Programs 4.11(b) Annual Estimates of Individuals to Be Served and Costs of Services 4.11(c) Goals and Priorities (1) State’s Goals and Priorities for the Vocational Rehabilitation and Supported Employ ment Programs (3) Order of Selection (if applicable) (4) Goals and Plans for Distribution of Title VI , Part B, Funds 4.11(d) State’s Strategies and Use of Title I Funds for Innovation and Expansion Activities 4.11(e)(2) Evaluation and Report of Progress in Achieving Identified Goals and Priorities and Use of Title I Funds for Innovation and Expansion Activities Consistent with the requirements of Section 101(a)(23) of the Rehabilitation Act, the designated state vocational rehabilitat ion unit must submit to RSA a report containing an annual update of the information relating to the estimates, goals and priorities whenever the state revises the goals and priorities, progress in achieving the identified goals and priorities, and how the reserved Title I funds for innovation and expansion activities were used in the previous year.Page 12 of 1 4 Pages

**4.12 Innovation and Expansion**  Section 101(a)(18) of the Rehabilitation Act requires a state unit to reserve and use a portion of the funds allotted to the state under Section 110 of the Rehabilitation Act for the development and implementation of innovative approaches to expand and improve vocational rehabilitation services to individuals with disabilities under the State Plan and for the support of the SRC and /or the Statewide Independent Living Council. Attachment 4.11(d) describes how the state unit will utilize the reserved funds. Attachment 4.11(e)(2) describes how the funds reserved for innovation and expansion activities were utilized in the preceding ye ar. Consistent with the requirements of Section 101(a)(23) of the Rehabilitation Act, the designated state vocational rehabilitation unit must submit to RSA a report containing an annual update of information relating to the innovation and expansion activ ities undertaken by the state vocational rehabilitation unit.
**5.3 Ability to Serve All Eligible Individuals; Order of Selection for Services.**  Sections 12(d) and 101(a)(5) of the Rehabilitation Act and 34 CFR 361.36 contain the provisions related to the o rder of selection when the state agency is not able provide the full range of rehabilitation services as identified in Section 103(a) of the Rehabilitation Act and 34 CFR 361.48 to all individuals eligible for vocational rehabilitation services. If the st ate agency makes the determination that it cannot provide the full range of rehabilitation services to all eligible individuals, Attachment 4.11(c)(3) must contain:

• The order to be followed in selecting eligible individuals to be provided vocational reh abilitation services;

• A justification of that order of selection; and

• The service and outcome goals and the time within which these goals may be achieved for individuals in each priority category within the order.
**STATE PLAN AND SUPPLEMENT DESCRIPTIO NS**  The Rehabilitation Act requires that the Title I State Plan and its Title VI , Part B, Supplement include descriptions related to certain assurances made b y the state. These descriptions take the form of attachments and information about the attachment s is provided in the discussion under the section of these instructions entitled "Preparation of the Plan and its Supplement." More specific information relating to some attachments is provided in the section of these instructions entitled "Information on Selected Components of the Plan and its Supplement." **ATTACHMENTS REQUIRED OF ALL AGENCIES** Attachment 4.8(b) Cooperation and Coordination with Other Agencies and Other Entities

(1) Cooperation with Agencies that Are Not in the Statewide Work Force Inves tment Sy stem and with Other EntitiesPage 13 of 1 4 Pages (2) Coordination with Education Officials (3) Cooperative Agreements with Private Nonprofit Vocational Rehabilitation Service Providers (4) Evidence of Collaboration Regarding Supported Employ ment Services and Extend ed Services Attachment 4.10 Comprehensive Sy stem of Personnel Development Attachment 4.11 Assessments; Estimates; Goals and Priorities; Strategies; and

Progress Reports (a) Results of Comprehensive Statewide Assessment of the Rehabilitation Needs of Indi viduals with Disabilities and Need to Establish, Develop, or Improve Community

Rehabilitation Programs (b) Annual Estimates of Individuals to Be Served and Costs of Services (c)(1) State’s Goals and Priorities (c)(4) Goals and Plans for Distribution of Title VI , Part B Funds (d) State’s Strategies and Use of Title I Funds for Innovation and Expansion Activities (e)(2) Evaluation and Report of Progress in Achieving Identified Goals and Priorities and Use of Title IFunds for Innovation and Expansion Ac tivities Attachment 6.3 Quality , Scope, and Extent of Supported Employment Services
**ATTACHMENTS CONTINGENT ON OPTIONS SELECTED** Attachment 4.2(c) Summary of Input and Recommendations of the SRC; Response of the Designated State Unit; and Explanations fo r Rejection of Input or Recommendations Attachment 4.7(b)(3) Request for Waiver of Statewideness Attachment 4.11(c)(3) Order of Selection
**REPORTING BURDEN FOR COLLECTION OF INFORMATION** According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection display s a valid OMB control number. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 25 hours per response, including time for reviewing instructio ns, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. The obligation to respond to this collection is required to obtain or retain a benefit ( Sections 101(a) and 625 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended). Send comments regarding the burden estimate or an y other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave., SW, Washi ngton, DC 20210

- 4537 or email ICDocketMgr@ed.gov and reference the OMB Control Number 1820

- 0500 . Note: Please do not return the completed State Plan for the State Vocational Rehabilitation Services Program or the State Plan Supplement for the State Support ed Employ ment Services Program Government Performance and Results Act to this address.Page 14 of 1 4 Pages

The Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA) is a statute that requires all federal agencies to manage their activities with attention to the consequences of those activities. Each agency

is to clearl y state what it intends to accomplish, identify the resources required and periodicall y report its progress to Congress. In so doing, it is expected that the GPRA will contribute to improvements in accountabili ty for the expenditure of public funds, improve Congressional decision

- making through more objective information on the effectiveness of federal programs and promote a new government focus on results, service delivery and customer satisfaction. Some of th e performance indicators for the vocational rehabilitation program include the percentage of individuals obtaining emplo ym ent and the percentage of individuals obtaining competitive employ

ment. To obtain a copy

of the GPRA standards and indicators for the vocational rehabilitation program, write to: United States Department of Education Rehabilitation Services Administration Carol Dobak Chief, Vocational Rehabilitation Program Unit 400 Maryland Avenue SW, PCP Room 5014 Washington, DC 20202

- 2800
**GENERA L EDUCATION PROVISIONS ACT**  Section 427 GEPA requires applicants for new grant awards under Department of Education programs to describe their proposed steps to ensure equitable access to and participation in federally funded programs for program beneficiaries. Applicants have discretion in developing the required description within the framework of the six ty pes of barriers that GEPA identifies as potential impediments to equitable access or participation in federall y funded programs. The six identified potential barriers are: gender, race, national origin, color, disability , or age. Based on the unique circumstances in each state, the required description should identify , in a clear yet succinct manner, the steps the designated state vocational rehabili tation agency is taking to overcome the identified barriers relating to equitable access to and participation of individuals with disabilities in the Title I program of vocational rehabilitation and the Title VI , Part B program of supported employ ment. Th e description should be a ddressed in Attachment 4.11(d).