Postsecondary Education Rehabilitation Transition (PERT) Program

The Postsecondary Education Rehabilitation Transition (PERT) Program, collaboratively administered by the Virginia Departments of Education and Rehabilitative Services through an inter-agency Management Team and operated from the Woodrow Wilson Rehabilitation Center (WWRC), is a highly effective school-to-work transition initiative for eligible youth with disabilities in participating local school divisions. The PERT Program operates from a “best practices” model in which youth and adult service providers partner to provide an integrated continuum of secondary to postsecondary transition services for participating clients. Parents and former PERT clients are integral members of its Advisory Committee.

A critical component of the PERT process is the formulation and operation of a PERT team within each participating local school division. Mirroring the structure of the state level inter-agency Management Team, local PERT teams are comprised of members representing special education, career and technical education, rehabilitative services, and the PERT Program. The local PERT team is responsible for identifying appropriate clients for PERT participation and planning educational and rehabilitative services for clients based on assessment findings and recommendations. Parents and school-aged youth are integral partners in all aspects of the PERT Program, from client selection and pre-admissions to community re-entry processes.

Targeted service options for the PERT Program include:

• Initial Evaluation: PERT residential evaluation at WWRC (typically 9-10 days, but also available as a 5-day option considered on a case-by-case basis) designed to assess vocational strengths and aptitudes, independent living and leisure skills and functional abilities, as well as social / interpersonal / personal adjustment skills and functional abilities. Findings and recommendations are used by local PERT teams, in working with clients and their parents to address school-to-work transition components of the Individual Education Program (IEP) process.
   
• Situational Assessment: PERT residential evaluation at WWRC (typically 12 days, but also available as a 5 day option considered on a case-by-case basis) designed to confirm vocational interests, refine skills, develop positive work habits and clarify objectives to achieve individual vocational goals. Targeted youth are selected to participate in the PERT Situational Assessment resulting from recommendations obtained through the Initial Evaluation program and Individual Education Program (IEP) team processes at the local level.
   
• Remote Vocational / Medical Screenings: Currently piloted in two localities only (Harrisonburg and Russell County), this service option is provided by an interdisciplinary team of rehabilitation experts at WWRC using video teleconferencing technologies. This service option offers an alternative to the traditional PERT model for youth who may: experience emotional, social, adjustment, or behavioral issues that might otherwise negatively impact or preclude him/her from successfully participating in a residential program; have multiple or complex disabilities, with questions by the parents/guardians, individual, and/or local PERT team representatives as to feasibility for success in a residential environment, including recommendations for support services that might be needed, if deemed appropriate for the full PERT Initial Evaluation; or not want to leave home or may not have parental/guardian support to leave home for a full residential vocational assessment.

The PERT Program serves secondary-aged youth with disabilities enrolled in Virginia’s public education system who are receiving special education services under an Individual Education Program (IEP) or a 504 Plan. Participating youth must be selected by the local PERT team and meet the following minimum criteria:

• Eligible for services through the Virginia Department of Rehabilitative Services, per established criteria:
  • Presence of a physical or mental impairment;
  • Substantial impediment to employment;
  • Presumption of benefit in terms of an employment outcome; and,
  • Requires vocational rehabilitation services to prepare for, enter, engage in, or retain gainful employment.
• Age sixteen (16) at time of the assessment or 2.5 years from graduation or secondary school completion; AND,
• have a strong, community-based support system.

PERT clients must also meet WWRC Admissions Criteria.

Potentially eligible youth with disabilities who do not fully meet these eligibility criteria, but who may be otherwise considered appropriate for the PERT Program, will be considered, on an individual case-by-case basis, through a formal pre-admissions review process initiated by the local PERT Team.

The PERT Program, initiated as a US Department of Education (USDOE) / Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) funded model demonstration grant in 1985 serving six school divisions and fifty clients per year, has evolved over the past twenty years into an integral component of the school-to-work transition continuum within the Commonwealth of Virginia for eligible secondary-aged youth in the public school system. The PERT Program, distinguished as the only program of its kind nationally, is highly successful as evidenced by both individual client outcomes as well as its overall systemic impact on transition planning at the local level and resulting employment and independent living outcomes for persons served.

T.W. was born 26 years ago in a public hospital in Durban, Kwazulu Natal in South Africa. She was a beautiful and very 'good' baby, but didn't progress as expected. Her first years were a nightmare of unanswered questions, misdiagnoses, and misplacements. Her Mother stated she was subjected to accusations of 'bad' parenting as well as neurosis, until T.W. had an EEG which revealed her brain function as being globally impaired. Even then, the laws of the country were such that she had to go to a normal school and failed miserably before being allowed specialized education. She was already 13 when they finally found the wonderful Casa de Sol, where she started blossoming. They encouraged her to participate in the Special Olympics with horse riding, which was something she'd been doing since the age of 7. She won a place in the World Summer Games in 1995, and won a bronze medal in New Haven. The family joined her in the USA and explored the east coast with her, finding the beauty, space and above all, safety, very appealing. South Africa at this time was in turmoil.

Her mother was delighted to get the opportunity of coming to America on a work visa in 1998. T.W. started at J.R. Tucker High School in Richmond in the summer of 1998. Her first introduction to Woodrow Wilson Rehabilitation Center (WWRC) was in the Post-Secondary Education Rehabilitation Transition Program in 2000. She repeated the program in 2001 and was able to enter the Center’s External Training Options program in 2002. At WWRC, she learned skills as a kennel attendant. Perhaps more important were the life skills she learned while she was there. At first, T.W. was extremely reluctant to come to the Center, but she was successful and happy and was soon reluctant to return home on weekends! She graduated with the WWRC Special Award for Excellence in 2003. T.W. started with her current employment at an enclave with Hermitage Enterprises. She is part of a lawn care group, where she's extremely happy.

Perhaps the most remarkable feat in T.W's success story to date is the fact that she moved into an apartment in mid-December of 2006. She maintains a safe, clean, and healthy environment. Without the training T.W. received at WWRC, this would have been impossible.

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In March, 2005, Amy Heinline, DRS Counselor, Christiansburg Office, shared the following with Sharon deBoever, PERT Transition Resource Specialist/Field ---- “I am so proud of a student. I wanted to share the GREAT NEWS! A couple of years ago, we didn’t think this young man would graduate with a Standard Diploma. However, in the PERT report, it talked about his reading and written language weakness. From that report, his IEP Team (including very supportive parents) chose to schedule him in a reading remediation class. We knew this would be very important because his goal was to study Police Science at New River Community College (which involved written language skills). From that point, he passed his English 11 SOL’s. This year, he began to consider a four-year school, so he took his SAT’s. He scored over 1000!!! I can not tell you how proud I am of this young man! This truly is a success story! This is evidence of how a team approach can really make a difference”.

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In August, 2003, GR took part in an initial PERT evaluation. He was referred to PERT by DRS Counselor Pam Allison and Rural Retreat High School. During his initial evaluation, GR received a driving evaluation and was assessed in automotive/mechanical and food service/cleaning. He received job recommendations in both food service and cleaning. GR was invited by PERT to return to WWRC for a more in-depth situational assessment in the area of his choice. In consultation with his family and his new PERT field representative, Sharon DeBoever, GR accepted the invitation to return for a July, 2005 situational assessment. As the result of a concentrated two-week evaluation in pre-vocational food service, GR was recommended for continued vocational training in food service. Vocational Evaluators also recommended that GR assume increased responsibility for home management activities, including cooking, laundry and household cleaning. Upon returning home, GR’s mother reported that he has volunteered skills learned at WWRC; he identified the need to reorganize their home kitchen for safe and efficient food preparation and storage. His mother also reports that he now assists in planning meals and shopping for groceries. In lieu of culinary arts training at his local high school, GR has been recommended by Wanda Carroll, current DRS Counselor, and his local high school that GR return to WWRC for food service training. While still in the process of applying for Center admission, GR looks forward to a time when he can pursue his goal to become a chef. In the meantime, he has contacted the Superintendent of Schools and the Director of Special Education Services to offer his assistance in upcoming PERT student orientation programs.

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Postsecondary Education Rehabilitation Transition staff members, Loretta Harris, Transition Resource Specialist, and Susan Goff, Rehabilitation Counselor, shared the following information about a recent PERT participant whose parents are both in the Foreign Service: “G.R., from Falls Church, will be graduating June, 2005 and her mother and father are completing arrangements for her to spend a year with her father in Paris. While there, he is working on obtaining employment for her in the local school helping students who are learning English. ….. G.R. and her mother related that she had a wonderful experience in the PERT Program and maintains contact with a friend she made while here”.

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Written Commendation from the Parent of a Former Postsecondary Education Rehabilitation Transition (PERT) student: “We wanted to thank you for the support A. has benefited from under the PERT Program the past two summers. He has both learned his limitations in interpersonal skills and attained additional situational skills at the PERT Program. A. will be attending … a program in Florida that specializes in supporting postsecondary students in the transition to normal college life, routine social interactions, and successful collegiate attainment of skills. A. will continue to need support over the coming years and programs like PERT will always be beneficial to his continuing growth. Thank you”.

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A.B., served through the PERT Program’s Initial Assessment Program in March, 2005, made the following comments during her WWRC exit interview: “PERT helped me to recognize how I approach people and how to have more listening skills and learn other ways to have an understanding of what goes on…. I looked at being in 11th grade as a downfall, but having come to PERT, I see it as a positive because I have time to work on some things to help me mature and learn better ways to deal with things… I would like an opportunity to come back to Woodrow Wilson Rehabilitation Center… now that I have been there, I know what people will expect and it will be good for me”. This student developed tremendous personal and career development insight during her PERT experience, as evidenced by her exit interview comments. She is an 11th grade student from Albemarle County Public Schools. Her DRS Counselor is Ellen Braswell and her assigned WWRC/PERT Rehabilitation Counselor was Susan Goff.

Fiscal Year 2007

• PERT Program Annual Report - FY 2007 (Word - 97KB)
• Students Served - State Total FY 2007 (Word - 150KB)

Fiscal Year 2006

• PERT Program Annual Report - FY 2006 (Word - 75KB)
• Students Served - State Total FY 2006 (Word - 149KB)

Fiscal Year 2005

• PERT Program Annual Report - FY 2005 (Word - 86KB)
• Students Served - State Total FY 2005 (Word - 169KB)

Fiscal Year 2004

• PERT Program Annual Report - FY 2004 (Word - 48KB)
• Students Served - State Total FY 2004 (Word - 177KB)
• Local Education Agencies (LEA) Sorted by PERT Regions - FY 2004 (Word - 140KB)

Fiscal Year 2003

• PERT Program Annual Report - FY 2003 (Word - 42KB)
• Students Served - State Total FY 2003 (Word - 81KB)

Fiscal Year 2002

• PERT Program Annual Report - FY 2002 (Word - 111KB)
• Admission - Local Education Agencies (LEA) - FY 2002 (PDF - 910KB)
• Participant Follow-Up Survey - FY 2002 (Word - 160KB)

Phone:

Local (540) 332-7123
Toll-Free (800) 345-9972, Ext. 7123
TTY (800) 811-7893
FAX (540) 332-7298

E-mail:

Mr. Rusty Eddins
PERT Director

Mailing Address:

P.O. Box 1500, Box W-350
Fishersville, Virginia 22939