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Program Referral Criteria

Referral Guidelines and Form (two pages) 

Referral Guidelines
The Career Connections Program is designed to transition students with disabilities who need time-limited job skills training into community employment.  A student may be a candidate if she or he:

• Has an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) with transition goals for competitive employment after high school

• Is likely to need short-term (6-12 months), community-based, on-the-job training to achiever her/his career goal

• Has demonstrated the ability to learn multi-step task through short-term modeling, demonstration, and verbal directions

• Want to work in the community and will accept assistance in identifying a career goal and finding, learning, and keeping a job.

The table below provides guidelines to assist IEP teams in identifying the characteristics of a potentially successful Career Connections student:

Consider students for Career Connections if:	Consider alternatives to Career Connections if:
Referral to Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services for time limited assistance has been recommended by the IEP team.	Referral to county/DHS long-term support has been recommended by the IEP team.
The student does not plan to pursue post-secondary education at this time.	The student plans to pursue a post-secondary education program on their own or with assistance from the post-secondary school’s disability services office.
The student plans to pursue specific, job-related post-secondary courses, certification, or licensure and requires assistance beyond that which the Vocational Individualized Training and Learning (VITAL) Program offers.	The student meets criteria for the VITAL Program and is able to manage a full-time community college work/class load.
Consider student for Career Connections if:	Consider alternatives to Career Connections if:
The student learns best through hands-on, functional experiences and through modeling and demonstration of new skills to be learned.	The student learns best through academic investigation and discussion or the student learns best  through extensive physical guidance and support.
The student is enrolled in special education courses and/or modified general education classes.	The student is enrolled in adapted or non-adapted general education classes.
The student has no or very limited need for one-on-one associate support.	The student requires one-on-one associate support to be successful in most settings.
The student performs multi-step tasks without assistance following short-term training.	The student requires ongoing assistance to perform multi-step tasks despite lengthy training.
The student is likely to require 6-12 months of community-based, on-the-job training beyond high school to succeed in the job market.	The student is likely to succeed is the job market without the additional 6-12 months of training or the student is likely to require more than one year of training and/or support beyond high school in order to succeed in the job market.
The student expresses an interest in program participation and competitive employment as evidenced by any type of work experience prior to graduation.	The student has not yet participated in any type of work experience due to inability to successfully participate in opportunities or refusing to participate in available opportunities.
The student has shown the ability to be on time, is consistent in attendance at school, and to follow through with commitments.	The student is not yet able to follow through on commitments without extensive support.   This may be due to self-regulation, problem solving, or other skill deficits.
The student does not show behaviors that interfere with the working or learning of others.	The student is not able to demonstrate behaviors that are appropriate to the community setting a majority of the time.