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<DIV id=wmQuoteWrapper>-------- Original Message --------<BR>Subject: Public Comments from CT -Blind (BESB) for Notice of Proposed<BR>Rulemaking -- Vocational Rehabilitation<BR>From: "Sigman, Brian" <<a href="mailto:Brian.Sigman@ct.gov">Brian.Sigman@ct.gov</a>><BR>Date: Wed, June 10, 2015 8:42 am<BR><BR>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;"><B><SPAN style='FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"'>Good morning,<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;"><B><SPAN style='FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"'>Last week I distributed the public comments from the National Council of State Agencies for the Blind (NCSAB) for the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking pertaining to the Vocational Rehabilitation Program. Immediately below are the public comments submitted by BESB. If you wish to provide public comments, the deadline for submission is Monday, June 15<SUP>th</SUP>. Pasted in immediately below is the link to access the portal for comment submission. I found that the portal restricted my comments to 1,500 characters. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;"><B><SPAN style='FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"'>Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;"><B><SPAN style='FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"'>Brian<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;"><B><SPAN style='FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"'>Portal to submit public comments:<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;"><B><U><SPAN style='FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"; COLOR: #0000aa'><A href="http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=ED-2015-OSERS-0001" target=_blank><SPAN style="COLOR: blue">State Vocational Rehabilitation Services Program: State Supported Employment Services Program; Limitations on Use of...</SPAN></A></SPAN></U></B><B><U><SPAN style='FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"; COLOR: blue'><o:p></o:p></SPAN></U></B></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;"><B><SPAN style='FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"'>Public Comments from BESB:<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;"><B><SPAN style='FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"'>The Connecticut Department of Rehabilitation Services, Bureau of Education and Services for the Blind (CT-Blind) wishes to address the proposed definition for a “Student with a disability” in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for 34 CFR 361.5. In 34 CFR 361.5 (c)(51)(C)(1), the proposed definition applies only to individuals who are “eligible for, <o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;"><B><SPAN style='FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"'>and receiving special education or related services under Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act;” or in Part (C)(2) “Is a student who is an individual with a disability, for purposes of section 504.” <o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;"><B><SPAN style='FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"'>This narrowly written definition has potentially detrimental implications when considered in the context of the allowable uses of the required 15% reserve funds for Pre-employment Transition Services defined in 361.48(a). It is important that VR agencies be afforded a level of flexibility to enable them to develop and implement expansive and innovative Pre-Employment Transition Services. As written in the draft regulations, unintended consequences that could result from the implementation of such a narrow definition include an increased risk of VR agencies entering into an Order of Selection. The 15% reservation is from existing funds that are currently used to serve all eligible individuals of the VR agency. By removing this funding from overall case services and program administration activities, and by further defining the allowable uses to such a narrow age range of clients, there is a direct impact on the available case service funding for the remainder of the client population. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;"><B><SPAN style='FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"'>For states in an Order of Selection, there is the further risk that the very students that WIOA intended the VR agency to serve could not be served after high school. While a state agency is able to utilize the 15% set aside for the “student” while still in high school, these students may not meet the priority for services under the state’s Order of Selection criteria upon exiting high school, where the current proposed definition would exclude these students from continuing to access the 15% reserve for their post-high school services such as higher education. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;"><B><SPAN style='FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"'>Another concern arises with the treatment of program income such as from Social Security reimbursement funds that must be utilized prior to expending any other Title I funds, including the funds that are set aside for Pre-employment Transition Services. The arrival of these reimbursement funds cannot be predicted to the same extent that allotted funds can be anticipated. The timing of the arrival of program income can have significant impact on the expenditure of Pre-employment Transition Services funds, resulting in failure to expend the 15% reserve.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;"><B><SPAN style='FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"'>For these reasons, CT-Blind recommends that the definition of “Student with a disability” be adjusted in the regulations to state the following in 361.5 (c)(51)(C)(1):<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;"><B><SPAN style='FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"'>“Is eligible for, and receiving, special education or related services under Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1411 et seq.) <U>at the time that the individual has applied for Vocational Rehabilitation Services”</U>; and;<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;"><B><SPAN style='FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"'>That section 361.5 (c)(51)(C)(2) be modified to read: <o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;"><B><SPAN style='FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"'>“Is a student who is an individual with a disability for purposes of section 504 <U>at the time that the individual has applied for Vocational Rehabilitation Services”<o:p></o:p></U></SPAN></B></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;"><B><U><SPAN style='FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p><SPAN style="TEXT-DECORATION: none"> </SPAN></o:p></SPAN></U></B></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;"><B><SPAN style='FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"'>This minor change in regulatory language would allow for the reserve funds to follow the student beyond high school, ensuring continuity of their individualized services that result in competitive, integrated employment in a wide range of careers. It would further ensure that funds intended to benefit this specific subgroup of the overall VR population could be more fully utilized.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;"><B><SPAN style='FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"'>CT-Blind also proposes that the financial calculation of Pre-employment Transition Services for purposes of meeting the 15% reservation should be based on the overall federal allotment to the state in those states that have a general VR Unit in addition to a VR Unit for the Blind. This is how the wording in WIOA provides for the treatment of such funds and it would also parallel how Maintenance of Effort calculations are done. We also request that the final regulations clearly affirm that only the federal allotment and not the state’s match are subject to the 15% reserve.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;"><B><SPAN style='FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"'>Lastly, CT-Blind requests that if a VR Counselor or Transition Coordinator is assigned to serve exclusively 100% of a caseload of “students” who meet the Pre-Employment Transition Services criteria, then all of this Counselor or Coordinator’s time, including travel time to and from the client, case record documentation and even staff training and supervision are all directly related to the services that will be provided to the student and therefore should all be considered as allowable charges to the 15% reserve.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="font-size:12pt;"><B><SPAN style='FONT-SIZE: 16pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Arial","sans-serif"'>Thank you for the opportunity to submit these public comments.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></div>
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