A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Audience Approved by PEP for students with disabilities, ages 16 through 21, who are eligible for Vocational Rehabilitation services, in transition from school to community, and able to become competitively employed without long-term support.

Description Developed collaboratively by the University of Oregon, the Oregon Vocational Rehabilitation Division (OVRD), and the Oregon Department of Education, YTP enhances disabled students' ability to enter and retain meaningful, competitive employment after leaving school. Students typically enter YTP during their junior or senior year of high school, and continue for the first one to three years out of school, depending on individual needs. The model includes two major program components: (1) an in-school component; and (2) a post-school component. The YTP team works with each student to: develop an individualized transition plan leading to an employment outcome; place students in paid community employment with job-related instruction; and provide follow-up services for two years following student exit from the program. The services are provided jointly by school and vocational rehabilitation staff.

Evidence of Effectiveness Evaluation data support project claims that students who participated in YTP achieved substantially greater employment outcomes compared to employment status prior to the program. Gains were maintained after leaving the program, as measured by periodic follow-up interviews. The employment outcomes achieved by YTP students were superior to the outcomes achieved by three external comparison groups. These included: (1) a statewide sample of school leavers with disabilities in Oregon who did not participate in YTP; (2) a statewide sample of non-YTP Vocational Rehabilitation clients in Oregon; and (3) a nationwide sample of school leavers with disabilities. Outcomes were also examined for two sub-groups of YTP, those who were at-risk and those living in rural areas. Outcomes for each sub-group of students compared favorably with their non-at-risk and non-rural counterparts.

Requirements State and local commitment to a new collaborative service delivery model. In Oregon, the YTP involved collaborative administration and financing. Participating school districts supported the salary and fringe benefits of the teacher reassigned to coordinate YTP. The provision of services was supported by OVRD through the award of contracts to local school districts. The University of Oregon was responsible for the materials, training and technical assistance, and evaluation activities. However, the program may be implemented either as a statewide program or by local school districts without a state support structure. Available materials include the YTP Procedures Manual, describing in detail each phase of the YTP process, and "how to" steps for making YTP work in local communities; and the YTP Management Information System, a computerized software program, developed to evaluate the on-going program impact and outcomes.

Costs Costs vary by site and include: (1) salaries/fringe benefits for YTP Coordinator; (2) wage/fringe benefit costs for Transition Specialists; and (3) materials, supplies, and local travel costs. Across time and sites, the average cost per student has been approximately $3,000.

Contact

Dr. Michael Benz, Associate Professor, 175 College of Education, 5260 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403-5260. (503) 346-1408, FAX (503) 346-5818.

Funding: Federal, state, and local sources.
PEP No. 94-19 (12/94)

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