On July 9, 2021, PDE BSE Director Carole L. Clancy disseminated a PennLink communiqué titled Special Education Performance Grant – Competitive Integrated Employment Grant 2021-2022. The memo states that the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), Bureau of Special Education is requesting applications from Local Education Agencies (LEAs), including school districts and charter schools, intermediate units, approved private schools and chartered schools for the deaf and the blind, interested in establishing or expanding effective, competitive integrated employment programming for youth with disabilities. This initiative is intended to provide youth with disabilities with paid, community-based work experiences during the 2021-2022 school year.
The purpose of the Competitive Integrated Employment Grant is to:
-Improve competitive integrated employment outcomes for youth with disabilities;
-Provide virtual and/or in-person work experiences, including but not limited to job shadowing, internship/practicum (paid/unpaid), cooperative education programs, apprenticeships, community-based work programs, and service learning (unpaid), with job coaching as appropriate, for youth with disabilities with preference for students at-risk of dropping out and/or youth who have difficulty obtaining employment independently;
-Establish sites that can serve as models for competitive integrated employment for youth with disabilities;
-Actively involve the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR), County/Community-Based Behavioral Health, the Office of Intellectual Disabilities, Centers for Independent Living, and other disability-specific support organizations during the development and implementation of the grant-related activities; and
-Provide Job Coach training to LEA staff on the responsibilities and competencies needed to support transition-aged students build work-related skills in community-based settings.
Grant monies will be awarded to applicants that:
-Have the ability to partner with local business(es);
-Collaborate with one or more of the following: OVR, County/Community-Based Behavioral Health, Office of Intellectual Disabilities Centers for Independent Living, and other disability-specific support organizations; and
-Are establishing or have an established school-based career readiness programs.
Funding for each successful grant applicant will be available from the date of the award through August 15, 2022.
-First-time applicants are eligible for funding up to $30,000.
-2020-2021 Competitive Integrated Employment grantees that received funds up to $30,000 are eligible for up to $15,000 to extend current programming.
Note: 2020-2021 Competitive Integrated Employment extension grantees that received funds up to $15,000 are not eligible to apply.
The application can be found on the Secondary Transition webpage of the PaTTAN Website: https://www.pattan.net/Graduation-Post-Secondary-Outcomes/Educational-Initiatives. Applications must be received by Tuesday, August 31, 2021 at 3:00 p.m.
PaTTAN will provide an informational webinar regarding the grant application process on Monday, August 2, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. Individuals interested in participating in this webinar can join by accessing the following link: https://pattanpgh.zoom.us/j/93839203688. This webinar will also be recorded and posted on the PaTTAN website.
For questions concerning the 2021-2022 Competitive Integrated Employment Grant, contact: Jeffery Coover, PaTTAN Educational Consultant, at [email protected].