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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Independent Living Services for Children and Youth with Disabilities 

Introductory note: Centers for Independent Living (CILs) must provide independent 

living (IL) core services to individuals with a significant disability, regardless of age, 

income or disability type. This includes services to children and youth with disabilities. 

Recent changes to the law and regulations have not changed this general requirement. 

In the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 (WIOA) Congress added new

IL core services that target specific populations. This includes a focus on youth who are 

out of school. 

Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, Sec. 7 (17) (E): 

(iii) Facilitate the transition of youth who are individuals with significant 

disabilities, who were eligible for individualized education programs under section 

614(d) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1414(d)), and 

who have completed their secondary education or otherwise left school, to 

postsecondary life. 

WIOA defines youth with a disability to mean “an individual with a disability who is not 

younger than 14 years of age; and is not older than 24 years of age.” ACL adopted this 

definition in the final IL regulation. 

Please Note: IL services are available to pre-school children, youth who are in school, 

and youth who are out of school. To help understand the full spectrum of services 

available, it is essential to recognize the distinction between the core transition services 

for out-of-school youth with significant disabilities and other IL services provided to preschool children and youth who are still in school. 

Use the following preliminary question to determine how the service provided to a youth 

with a disability should be captured and reported on the annual performance report. 

Is the youth currently in a secondary school or out of school? 

 A service provided to a child or youth with disabilities too young for or enrolled 

in a secondary education program would NOT be captured and reported as a 

new youth-in-transition core service. The service would be captured and 

reported as another IL service.

 A service provided to a youth with disabilities who is no longer in a secondary

school and satisfies other regulatory criteria, may be captured and reported as 

a new core service. 
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Notable Distinctions in Reporting Youth Services

Other IL and Core Services

Pre-School and Youth in School 

New Core Service 

Out-of-School Youth 

The Act remains unchanged in IL services 

CILs may offer pre-school and youth in 

school. Services include: “training to 

develop skills ... (that) promote selfawareness and esteem, develop advocacy 

and self-empowerment skills, and explore 

career options” and other “services to 

children”. (Section 7 (18)(B)(xvi) and (xvii). 

WIOA adds new core services to 

the Act that include: “Facilitate the 

transition of youth who are 

individuals with significant 

disabilities, who were eligible for 

individualized education programs 

under section 614(d) of the 

Individuals with Disabilities 

Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1414(d)), 

and who have completed their 

secondary education or otherwise 

left school, to postsecondary life. 

Service eligibility criteria established by the 

CIL. 

Service eligibility criteria 

established by WIOA: Qualified 

youth who have completed their 

secondary education or otherwise 

left school.

Age eligibility criteria established by the CIL. Age eligibility criteria established 

by the IL regulations: Qualified 

youth who are individuals with 

significant disabilities between the 

ages of 14-24

CIL determines degree to which eligibility for 

IL services is contingent upon IEP and/or 

504 eligibility criteria 

WIOA establishes eligibility for:

Qualified youth who were eligible 

for individualized education 

programs (IEP) under section 

614(d) of the IDEA (20 U.S.C. 

1414(d)).

Q 1: What are core transition services for “out-of-school youth”?

A 1: Core transition services for out-of-school youth are found in the 

Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (the Act), Sec. 7 (17)(E)(iii). This 
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category covers services designed and provided by the CIL specifically to 

facilitate the successful transition of youth to post-secondary life. A CIL can also 

provide other core services that meet this aim. 

Q 2: What does the phrase “out-of-school youth” mean? 

A 2: It refers to youth with significant disabilities ages 14 to 24 who have 

completed their secondary education or otherwise are no longer in a secondary 

education or special education program. 

Such youth include those enrolled in a GED or post-secondary education 

program (e.g., college, career development or related programs). 

Q 3: Do students have to have had an individualized education program (IEP) for the

CIL to provide core transition services for out-of-school youth? 

A 3: No, the criteria that must be met is eligibility for an IEP. The eligibility criteria 

for out-of-school youth to receive these services are set forth in the Act (as 

amended by WIOA) at Sec. 7(17) (E) (iii). Only youth “Who were eligible for 

individualized education programs under section 614(d) of the Individuals with 

Disabilities Education Act (20.S.C. 1414(d)), and who have completed their 

secondary education or otherwise left school may be eligible to receive these 

services. (Emphasis added).

However, it is permissible, and in many instances appropriate, to provide the 

same or similar services and assistance to both youth that are eligible for the 

new core services and those that are not eligible. (See Q4 and Q5.)

Written documentation is not required, but rather, is based on self-report by the 

consumer and/or his/her guardian that he or she was eligible for an IEP. 

Q 4: May CILs provide the same or similar services and assistance to secondary 

school students as they would to out-of-school youth who are eligible for new 

core services?

A 4: Yes, this is permissible and in many instances appropriate to do. CILs that 

do this, however, must be sure to distinguish in their reporting between services 

provided to youth who are eligible to receive the new core service for youth and 

services provided to other youth who do not meet this definition and report 

accordingly. 

While the reporting requirements are different, ILA strongly encourages CILs to 

design and provide services and assistance that empower and strengthens the 

independence and self-determination of young people with significant disabilities 

in a coordinated, sequenced and seamless manner that builds lifelong success. 
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Q 5: May CILs provide core transition services for out-of-school youth to students 

who were not eligible for an IEP, such as those that had a Section 504 plan when 

they were in school? 

A 5: It is permissible, and in many instances appropriate, to provide the same or 

similar services and assistance to both youth that are eligible for the new core 

services and those that are not eligible. However, these would not be considered 

“core transition services” as created by WIOA. 

When this is done the CIL must be sure to distinguish in its reporting between 

services provided to youth who are eligible to receive the new core service for 

youth and services provided to other youth who do not meet this definition and 

report accordingly.

It’s also important to note that students who were eligible for an IEP, but chose to 

be served under a 504 plan, would be considered eligible for the new core 

service for youth if the other criteria are met.

Q 6: What is the age range within which services can be provided for transition of 

youth core services? 

A 6: The Centers for Independent Living regulations at 45 CFR 1329.4 define 

“youth with a significant disability” to include the age range of 14-24. Transition of 

youth core services may be provided within this age range. 

General core transition services for out-of-school youth are available to 

individuals according to the CIL’s eligibility criteria. 

Q 7: What are requirements for transition of youth for students with disabilities who 

were home-schooled or who attended private school or public charter schools? 

A 7: The criteria that must be met is eligibility for an IEP. As is the case with 

public school students, documentation is not required, but rather, is based on 

self-report by the consumer and/or his/her guardian that he or she was found 

eligible for an IEP. 

Please Note: If you have additional questions, please contact your state project officer 

or the CIL training and technical assistance center at www.ilru.org. Specific training is 

also available at http://www.ilru.org/topics/youth-transition.