by Meredith Kolodner, The Hechinger Report | February 6, 2025
“There’s a half-billion-dollar federal program that is supposed to help students with disabilities get into the workforce when they leave high school, but most parents — and even some school officials — don’t know it exists. As a result, hundreds of thousands of students who could be getting help go without it. New Jersey had the nation’s lowest proportion — roughly 2% — of eligible students receiving these services in 2023.
More than a decade ago, Congress recognized the need to help young people with disabilities get jobs, and earmarked funding for pre-employment transition services to help students explore and train for careers and send them on a pathway to independence after high school. Yet, today, fewer than 40% of people with disabilities ages 16 to 64 are employed, even though experts say most are capable of working.”