Project Description:
Across the United States and in Texas, individuals with disabilities are less likely to meet their postsecondary education and employment goals immediately after graduating from high school, especially those living in rural communities. To address this issue, the Texas A&M University UCEDD collaborated with the Texas Workforce Commission's Vocational Rehabilitation to develop the "I Generate Rural Opportunities for Work" (iGROW) Program in a rural community. The iGROW program provides an array of career development services to high school students with disabilities ages 14-22 including access to paid work experience, vocational rehabilitation services, and independent living resources. During the school day, teachers facilitate pre-employment transition (Pre-ETS) instruction, person-centered plan development, and career and college exploration activities. In addition iGROW staff and VR Counselors offer training to parents and the community.
Due to the success of the pilot, the Center received approximately $9.6 million to extend the iGROW program from a one-year to a four-year model with the intent of expanding across Texas. Currently, iGROW has been replicated in 7 rural communities across the State and is potentially impacting 66 students. Since FY22, 40 students successfully completed 4,396 hours of paid work experience, 26 students pursued 20 hours of additional workforce training, and 15 students attended a youth leadership and college exploration camp for the gifted and talented during the summer. Four additional rural communities will join iGROW in FY2025.
The Pilot/One-Year Program began in FY22 (fall of 2021). During the spring of 2022, Texas Workforce Commission-VR requested TAMU-UCEDD extend iGROW model from a one-year to a four-year model. The intent was to provide more robust Pre-ETS instruction, work-based learning, and additional training opportunities for students throughout high school. This model was approved and the UCEDD received $9,578,500 (end date: July 31st, 2027) to replicate the four-year model across Texas. One student graduated this year. He will be attending Austin Community College this fall. He is currently being supported to attend via vocational rehabilitation. He is taking his TSI (Texas Success Initiative) Assessment on July 19th. The program staff will include post-graduate outcomes via NIRS in FY2025
FY22: 19 students; 3 school districts
a. Fourteen Year Old's: 10 students
b. Fifteen Year Old's: 2 students
c. Sixteen Year Old's: 3 students
d. Seventeen Year Old's: 4 students
e. Eighteen Year Old's: 0 students
FY23: 28 students; 4 school districts
a. Fourteen Year Old's: 14 students
b. Fifteen Year Old's: 12 students
c. Sixteen Year Old's: 2 students
d. Eighteen Year Old's: 0 students
FY24: 50 students; 7 school districts
a. Fourteen Year Old's: 18 students
b. Fifteen Year Old's: 17 students
c. Sixteen Year Old's: 11 students
d. Seventeen Year Old's: 3 students
e. Eighteen Year Old's: 1 students
Students receive Pre-ETS and Vocational Services throughout the Program. These include: Vocational Adjustment Training (VAT), Work-based Learning (WBL) via Summer Earn and Learn (SEAL) or Paid Work Experience (PWE), Person-Centered Planning for Employment, College and Career Enrichment Activities, and Pre-Employment Transition Instruction (Independent Living, Self Determination/Self-Advocacy, Work Readiness, etc.). Throughout the year, the local community (schools, parents, students, employers, VR counselors, Workforce boards, and other community members such as mayor, city council members, economic development boards, and school board members) are included in iGROW activities.
FY22: 14 students worked a total 757 hours earning $7,570 (Summer Earn and Learn);
FY23: 25 students worked a total 1,939 earning $19,390 (Paid Work Experience)
FY24: 43 students participated in summer work-based and pre-employment training (first year to add VAT during summer training)
17 students worked (Paid Work Experience) 1700+ hours earning $18,530 (Paid Work Experience)
26 students participated in Vocational Adjustment Training (VAT)
Additional Activities:
15 students participated in the youth leadership and college exploration camp for gifted and talented from FY22-FY24 (College/Career tracks: Veterinary Medicine, Entrepreneurship, Mechanical Engineering, Vizkids Game Design, Agriculture)
Enrichment Activities:
RELLIS campus visit (HVAC, Welding, CDL, and Carpentry faculty demonstrations)
Texas State Technical College visit (Allied Health, Computer and Information Technology, and Construction and Maintenance faculty meetings)
Job Shadowing/Employer Visits (Beauty salon, Cosmetology, Mechanic, John Deere, ImFAB and Titus Regional Medical Center)
Pre-Employment Skill Development: Financial Planning, Mock interviews, "Paving the Way" 3-hour training at Educational Service Center - Region 8
The information below will provide clarity regarding the roles that VR and schools play throughout the program. I am happy to provide supplemental documents as well if requested.
-Educators:
Educators/School Leads were trained as Person-Centered Thinking (PCT) Facilitators. (2-day training with UCEDD PCT Mentor Trainer).
Educators/School Leads also attended a 2-day Summer Institute on TAMU campus to receive training on Pre-ETS, Curriculum, Overview of VR services, and worked with their local iGROW teams to plan assessments, trainings, meetings, etc. for the year.
During the school day, educators provided Pre-ETS instruction and supported students to create their person-centered plans for employment during advisory periods.
School Leads were responsible for
identifying students to participate,
selecting educators to teach the curriculum
coordinating meetings, trainings, enrichment activities,
supporting the completion of TAMU, VR, and other relevant paperwork.
-VR counselors
partner throughout replication: site identification, selection of students, coordination of paperwork, submission of service authorizations and invoices.
provided training to educators and school leads regarding paperwork, timelines, student and parent expectations, etc.,
provided student, parent, and community with training each year,
Met with students and families individually, and
students shared updates on skills learned and activities completed with VR counselors monthly via email.
