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**OMB NUMBER: 1820**
**- 0500**  **Expiration Date: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION**  **OFFICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION AND**  **REHABILITATIVE SERVICES REHABILITATION SERVICES ADMINISTRATION**  **WASHINGTON, D.C. 20202**
**- 2800**  **Guidance for De**  **velopment 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 leg al 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 Rehabilitati on 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 s ys tem under Section 112 of th e 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 I State Plan, it must submit the Title IState Plan and its Title VI, Part B, Su pplement separately

to RSA in accordance with the following guidance. If the state, however, chooses to include the Title IState Plan and its Title VI , Part B, Supplement in the unified plan, the guidance issued by the Department of Labor (DOL) with resp ect to the unified plan should 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 Supp lement requirements. **FORMAT 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 als o identifies optional assurances from which the state can choose. The preprint developed2

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 reducin g burden as much as possible on the states. 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 descr iptions provide greater operational 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 by the state in its preprint assurances. A caref ul 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 des**  **criptions that have been previously 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 previously 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 by 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)** Si nce the preprint assurances reflect the state's commitment to comply with applicable federal legal requirements, 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.3 Manuals, bulletins, memoranda, budgets and similar materials are not to be submitted unless specifically required or clearly

suitable to the purpose of a specific attachment. **(2)** Each attachment is to identify the corresponding section of the preprint and be paginated. The identification is to be placed in the lower right hand corner of the page as follows: **Attachment X:**  Page 1 of 4 Pages

**ADOPTION OF POLICIES AND PROCEDURES Public Participation**  Prior to the adoption of any substantive policies or procedures (or any substantive amendment to such policies and procedures) governing the provision of vocational reha bilitation services under the Title I State Plan or the provision of supported employ ment services under the Title VI, Part B, Supplement to the Title IState Plan, the designated state agency

must conduct public meetings throughout the state, after provid ing adequate notice of the meetings, to provide the public, including individuals with disabilities, an opportunity to comment on the policies and procedures, and must activel y 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 co mment. In a state where the Title I State P lan and its Supplement are subject to the state review process, it is suggested that a draft cop y of the materials be submitted to RSA simultaneously

with its submission for state review. This will afford RSA sta ff the opportunit y 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 state's review process, whichever comes first.4

**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 wi thout including the Title Iplan, RSA expects the Title I plan and its Title VI , Part B, Supplement will be submitted to RSA on the same date 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

. **On**
**- Line Submission**  RSA has developed the capacit y for VR agencies to submit the FY 2010 and all future VR State Plans and SE Supplement s on - line through its Management Information Sy stem (MI S). RSA strongl y encourages state agencies to use this method for the transmission of all State Plan materials. The RSA MI S has been open for State Plan submission since January 22, 2009. To begin, the individual in the state agency res ponsible for entering State Plan information require s a U ser ID to access the RSA MI S. Contact RSA MI S via the Technical Support link within the MI S at http://rsamis.ed.gov , and request access to the VR State Plan. If you do not have a MI S User ID, go to the site and click on "Info for new users." If you have forgotten your U ser ID or password, go to the site and click on "Forget your U ser ID or password? Click here." If you require further assistance, send an email to RSAMIS.Technical.Support@ed.gov

. To view the on

- line VR State Plan, log in and click on the words "Data Entry ." Then locate the appropriate VR State Plan on the list and click on the "Add/Update” button.
**Electronic Transmission Options (1)**  If s tates cannot transmit the State Plan on - line, they can submit their State Plan materials to RSA electronically through email . If a state 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.5

**(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 Stat e Plan and its Supplement . States should submit hardcopies of these pages to one of the two addresses specified below, depending on whether the pages are being sent via regular mail or overnight mail. If the CD

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

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

- 2800 If the CD

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

Williams Mail Stop 5144 PCP Building LBJ Basement Level 1 400 Maryland Avenue, SW Washington , DC 20202 **Hardcopy Transmission** VR agencies can submit hardcopies of the State Plans and SE Supplement s, including the transmittal letter and Section 1 of the plan signed by the state official authorized to submit the State P lan and its S upplement . These materials can be transmitted to RSA at the same address identified above either mailed through the USPS or sent through an overnight delivery service. **ANNUAL UPDATES AND AMENDMENTS (1)**  **Annual Updates** A state must annually

update cert ain portions of an approved State Plan or Supplement as required by Section 101(a)(23) of the Rehabilitation Act or by the very nature of a State Plan requirement itself.6

**(2) Am**  **endments (a)**  34 CFR 76.140(b) requires that an approved State Plan or Supplem ent be amended if there is a significant and relevant change that materiall y affects the:
 information or assurances in the State P lan or Supplement ;
 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 requires that the State Plan or Supplement be amended in the instance of a change in state policy or federal law, including regulations; an interpretation by 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 periodically

review its a

pproved plan and supplement to ensure its consistency

with the state's policies, priorities and administration relating to its vocational 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 Iplan 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). The amended page(s) should clearly identify which assurance(s) is affected and the effective date(s) of the amendment(s). **INFORMAT ION ON SELECTED COMPONENTS OF THE PLAN AND ITS**  **SUPPLEMENT** The following provides basic information on key Title Iplan and Title VI, Part B, Supplement provisions.
**4.1 Designated State Agency and Designated State Unit**  Prior to the Rehabilitation Act Am endments of 1998, the statute provided limited optional organizational settings for the designated state agency responsible for the administration of the Title I plan and its Title VI, Part B, Supplement . A state now has the flexibility

to locate the voc ational rehabilitation program wherever it chooses within the state organizational structure. In those instances in which the designated state vocational rehabilitation agency is not primarily

concerned with vocational rehabilitation or vocational and oth er rehabilitation of individuals with disabilities, such a vocational rehabilitation agency must have a vocational rehabilitation bureau, division or other organizational unit that is primarily7 concerned with vocational rehabilitation or vocational and oth er rehabilitation of individuals with disabilities. The designated organizational unit must be responsible for the vocational rehabilitation 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 w ithin 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 A ct requires the State Plan or any update or amendment to the plan to include a summary of input provided by the State Rehabilitation Council if the designated state vocational rehabilitation unit has a council. Accordingl y, **Attachment 4.2(c)**  summarizes th e 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 by the council. The attachment is also to include the designated state vocational rehabilitatio n unit's responses to the council's input and recommendations, including explanations for rejecting any of the council's input or recommendations. **4.5 Local Administration**  Section 101(a)(2)(A) of the Rehabilitation Act provides the option for the adm inistration of the Title I plan 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 by a local agency (ies), as that term is de fined in Section 7(24) of the Rehabilitation Act, under the supervision of the state vocational rehabilitation agency

in a defined political subdivision(s) of the state. 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 I plan within its geopolitical area. The requirement that each local agency is subject to the supervision of the designat ed vocational rehabilitation state unit means that the state unit is responsible for ensuring that the vocational rehabilitation program of the local agency is administered in accordance with the approved Title I plan. This provision does not extend to th e designated state vocational rehabilitation unit supervising the day

- to

- day operations of the local agency ’s program staff. **4.6 Shared Funding and Administration of Joint Programs** 8 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 focus of such a joint program is not on the expansion of services or the introduction of innovat ive approaches to the delivery of services; rather it is on better coordination of existing services of the participating agencies through the mechanism of shared funding 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 servi ces 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 o f 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 b y a local public agency , including funds contributed to a local public agency

by a private agency , organization 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. 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 availabl e to the state unit the nonfederal share of funds;
 contain a written assurance that state unit approval will be obtained for each proposed service before it is put into effect; and
 include a written assurance that all other State Plan requirements, includi ng a state's order of selection, will apply to all services approved under the waiver.9 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 ear marked funds for particular geographic areas within the state the state is required to notify

RSA of this fact but there is no requirement for a waiver of statewideness. **4.8 Cooperation, Collaboration and Coordination**  Section 101(a)(11)(A) of the Reh abilitation 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 system and to replicate these agreements at the local level b etween 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 work force investment s ys tem. The Rehabilitation Act describes in Section 100(a)(1) that the provision of work forc e investment activities and vocational rehabilitation services can enable individuals with disabilities, including individuals with the most significant disabilities, to pursue meaningful careers b y s ecuring gainful emplo ym ent commensurate with their abili ties 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 disabili ties 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 requir ed partner, the vocational rehabilitation program must make available to participants, through the one

- stop delivery s ys tem, the core services 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 required b y Section 121(c) of WIA and the requirements of the Rehabilitation Act. RSA fully promotes the partnershi p envisioned in the WIA and encourages and supports the efforts of state vocational rehabilitation agencies to establish effective and productive collaborative relationships with their WIA partners so that individuals with disabilities, particularly

indivi duals with significant disabilities, can benefit from such collaboration. The purpose of the WIA is the creation of a seamless job training and preparation sy stem to better serve individuals, including individuals with disabilities, in need of services available under the WIA. In support of this intent, the provisions of10 Section 101(a)(11)(A) identify the following key

elements to be considered in the development of the required cooperative agreements between a designated state unit and the other compon ents of the statewide work force investment system.

 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 link all components of the statewide work force investment s ys tem;
 use of customer service features such as common intake and referral procedures, customer databases, resource information, and human services hotlines;
 establishment of relationships with employ ers to support the employ ment of individuals with disabilities, particularl y individuals with the most significant di sabilities;
 identification of staff roles, responsibilities and available resources together with the specification of financial responsibility of each component of the statewide work force investment sy stem for paying for services; and
 specification of di spute resolution procedures. To ensure that individuals with disabilities have complete, equal, effective and meaningful participation in the activities of the statewide work force investment sy stem, particularl y at the local levels through the one

- stop c enters, it is very important that the state vocational rehabilitation agency partner with the other components of the statewide work force investment sy stem and the local one

stops in the planning and implementation of WIA

- related activities and advocate w ith these components on the behalf of individuals with disabilities, particularly those with significant disabilities. Several required State Plan descriptions detailing cooperative efforts on the part of the vocational rehabilitation agency with other pr ograms are consolidated in **Attachment 4.8(b) (1)**
**- (4).**  The descriptions included in this attachment encompass:

 interagency

cooperation 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 vocational rehabilitation services;
 cooperative agreements with private nonprofit vocational rehabilitation service providers; and
 co llaboration with other state agencies and other entities regarding the provision of supported employ ment services and extended services for individuals with the most significant disabilities.11

**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 sy stem of personnel development (CSPD), as required b y Section 101(a)(7) of the Rehabilitation Act, to ensure an adequate supply of qual ified 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 requirements in the state applicable to a particular profession. If personnel do not meet that standard, the State Plan must identify th e 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, particularly vocational rehabilitation counselors, to meet the highest requirements in the state applicable to a particular profession will be the reasonableness of the plan in t erms 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 consid eration 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 many either meet or do not meet the highest requirements in the state applicable to a particular profession;
 examined f

actors 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 to meet the required standards in a reasonabl y timely manner;
 committed funds for the implementation of a retraining plan to assist personnel, p articularl 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, particularly vo cational rehabilitation counselors, meet the highest requirements in the state applicable to a particular profession.12 **Consistent with the requirements of Section 101(a)(23) of the Rehabilitation Act, the designated state vocational rehabilitation unit mus**  **t submit to RSA a report containing an**  **annual update of the information required by Section**  **101(a)(7) of the Rehabilitation Act. 4.11**  **Assessments; Annual Estimates; Goals and Priorities; Strategies; and Reports of Progress**  The Rehabilitation Act in Secti on 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 b y the state agency and the State Rehabilitation Council, 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 year. **Attachment 4.11** consolidates a variet y of required State Plan descriptions
**.** Some of the required descriptions are contingent on the options selected b y the state and one of the de scriptions is not required by the Rehabilitation Act but by the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA). Information on this description can be found at the end of this guidance. The attachment is divided into discrete components that include the followi ng descriptions: **4.11(a)** Results of Comprehensive Statewide Assessment of the Rehabilitation Needs of Individuals with Disabilities and Need to Establish, Develop, or Improve Community

Rehabilitation Programs **4.11(b)** Annual Estimates of Individuals to B e 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 Activities13 **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 rehabilitation unit must submit to RSA a**  **report containing an annual**  **update of the information relating to the estimates, goals and prioriti**  **es 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.**  **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 imp rove vocational rehabilitation services to individuals with disabilities under the State Plan and for the support of the State Rehabilitation Council and/or the Statewide Independent L iving Council. **Attachment 4.11(d)** describes how the state unit will util ize the reserved funds. **Attachment 4.11(e)(2)** describes how the funds reserved for innovation and expansion activities were utilized in the preceding year. **Consistent with the requirements of Section 101(a)(23) of the Rehabilitation Act, the designated st**  **ate vocational rehabilitation unit must submit to RSA a report containing an**  **annual update of information relating to the innovation**  **and expansion activities undertaken by the state vocational rehabilitation unit.**  **5.3 Ability to Serve All Eligible Individ**  **uals; 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 order 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 state agency makes the determination that it cannot provide the full range of rehabilitation services to a ll eligible individuals, **Attachment 4.11(c)(3)** must contain:

 The order to be followed in selecting eligible individuals to be provided vocational rehabilitation 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.14

**STATE PLAN AND SUPPLEMENT DESCRIPTIONS** The Rehabilitation Act requires that the Title I State Plan and its Title VI , Part B, Supplement include d escriptions related to certain assurances made b y the state. These descriptions take the form of attachments and information about the attachments 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."15

**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 Investment Sy stem and with Other Entities **(2)** Coordination with Education Officials **(3)** Cooperative Agreem ents with Private Nonprofit Vocational Rehabilitation Service Providers **(4)** Evidence of Collaboration Regarding Supported Employ ment Services and Extended Services **Attachment 4.10** Comprehensive Sy stem of Personnel Development **Attachment 4.11** A ssessments; Estimates; Goals and Priorities; Strategies; and

Progress Reports **(a)** Results of Comprehensive Statewide Assessment of the Rehabilitation Needs of Individuals with Disabilities and Need to Establish, Develop, or Improve Community Rehabi litation 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 Activities **Attachment 6.3** Quality , Scope, and Extent of Supported Empl oyment Services **ATTACHMENTS CONTINGENT ON OPTIONS SELECTED Attachment 4.2(c)**  Summary of Input and Recommendations of the State Rehabilitation Council; Response of the Designated State Unit; and Explanations for Rejection of Input or Recommendati ons **Attachment 4.7(b)(3)** Request for Waiver of Statewideness **Attachment 4.11(c)(3)** Order of Selection **REPORTING BURDEN FOR COLLECTION OF INFORMATION** Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 25 hours per respon se, including the time to review instructions, search existing data sources, gather and maintain the data needed, conduct public hearings, and complete and review the information collection. If you have an y comments concerning this time burden estimate or related to the collection of information, including suggestions for reducing the burden, please write to:16 U.S. Department of Education In formation Management and Compliance Division 400 Maryland Avenue , .S W Washington, DC 20202

- 4651 **GOVERNMENT PERFORM ANCE AND RESULTS ACT**  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 inten ds 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 accountability for the expenditure of public funds, improve Congressional deci sion

- 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 the 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 Depar

tment of Education Rehabilitation Services Administration Ms. Carol Dobak, Chief Vocational Rehabilitation Program Unit 400 Maryland Avenue SW, PCP Room 5014 Washington, DC 20202

- 280017

**GENERAL EDUCATION PROVISIONS ACT** Section 427 GEPA requires applicant s for new grant awards under Department of Education programs to describe their proposed steps to ensure equitable access to and participation in federall y funded programs for program beneficiaries. Applicants have discretion in developing the required de scription 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, d isabilit y, or age. Based on the unique circumstances in each state, the required description should identify , in a clear ye t succinct manner, the steps the designated state vocational rehabilitation agency is taking to overcome the identified barriers rel ating to equitable access to and participation of individuals with disabilities in the Title Iprogram of vocational rehabilitation and the Title VI, Part B program of supported employ ment. The description should be addressed in **Attachment 4.11(d** ).

**Pu blic Burden Statement:**  According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. Public reporting burden for this collection of informat ion is estimated to average 25 hours per response, including time for reviewing instructions, 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 benefit (Title I and Title VI, Part B of The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 , as amended (the act), by Public Laws 93

- 516, 95

- 602, 98

- 221, 99

- 506, 100

- 630, 102

- 569, 103

- 73, and 105

- 220 ( The Workforce Investmen t Act of 1998 ( WIA )). Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20210

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

- 0500. Note: Please do not return the completed State Plan to this address. **If you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individ ual submission of this form, write directly**  **to:** U.S. Department of Education, State Monitoring and Program Im provement Division, Vocational Rehabilitation Unit, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., PCP Room 5096, Washington D.C. 20202

- 2800.18