WIA Reauthorization Update

According to press reports, Senator Tom Harkin, (D-IA) is currently working to bring a reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act up for consideration. Senator Harkin chairs the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions which has jurisdiction over the issue. The Senator said he expects to have a bill ready by late summer or early fall and suggests there will be bipartisan support for the plan.

As part of that process, Senator Harkin said this week he would like to see vocational rehabilitation agencies take a bigger role in facilitating internships and other real-world experiences for students with disabilities who are in transition. Currently, access to vocational rehabilitation varies widely from state to state, with employment services available to youth with special needs in some locations, but not others.