62 | Improving the College and Career Readiness of High School Students with Disabilities
On this episode of On the Evidence, we focus on a demonstration in Vermont evaluated by Mathematica intended to help high school students with disabilities transition to college and the workforce. \n\nIn 2016, the Rehabilitation Services Administration, part of the U.S. Department of Education, awarded grants to state vocational rehabilitation agencies to build on the body of knowledge about what works to help young people transition from high school to adulthood. States had to identify and demonstrate evidence-based practices for providing work-based learning experiences in integrated settings. Mathematica evaluated the resulting demonstration in Vermont called Linking Learning to Careers. \n\nOn this episode, guests from Mathematica and Vermont's Division of Vocational Rehabilitation reflect on successes and challenges in implementing the demonstration as well as lessons for other states interested in trying a similar program for transition-age youth with disabilities. Our guests for this episode are Rich Tulikangas, Emma Page, Diane Torres, and Purvi Sevak. \n\n\u2022\tTulikangas is the director of Linking Learning to Careers for the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. \n\u2022\tPage is a youth employment specialist in Addison County, Vermont. She works with high school students and young adults, helping them progress along their career paths. \n\u2022\tTorres is a senior transition counselor for the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and the career consultant for Linking Learning to Careers in Bennington, Vermont. \n\u2022\tSevak is a principal researcher at Mathematica who studies disability, health, and employment policy. She led the impact evaluation of the Linking Learning to Careers demonstration. \n\nThis episode was made possible through funding from the Vermont Division of Vocational Rehabilitation under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education.\n\nA full transcript of the episode, as well as a video recording of the episode with closed captioning, are available here: mathematica.org/blogs/improving-college-and-career-readiness-of-high-school-students-with-disabilities\n\nRead Mathematica\u2019s reports on the implementation and impacts of Vermont\u2019s Linking Learning to Careers demonstration: http://mathematica.org/projects/evaluation-of-the-vermont-linking-learning-to-careers-model