Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Five States Receive $39 Million in Grants to Prepare Students with Disabilities for College, Employment

  • 10/03/16

Washington, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Education today announced the award of $39 million in grants to five states to help students with disabilities prepare for postsecondary education and competitive integrated employment. The states include: California, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts and Vermont.

“Students with disabilities need to have strong transition plans and goals to leave high school ready for college and careers,” said U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr. “These awards will help states implement evidenced-based, work-based learning models to help break down barriers to employment.”

Under the Disability Innovation Fund (DIF) Program, the funds will support innovative activities aimed at improving the outcomes of people with disabilities.

Each grant will finance Work-Based Learning Model Demonstrations that spotlight effective practices offering work-based learning experiences to improve post-school outcomes for students with disabilities.

The projects will take place in integrated settings under the vocational rehabilitation (VR) program, in collaboration with state educational agencies (SEAs), local educational agencies (LEAs) and other key partners within the local community.

The grants are being funded through the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Rehabilitation Services Administration.

Following is a list of the grants:

Recipient

Amount

California Department of Rehabilitation

$8,526,988

Maine Department of Labor

$9,000,000

Maryland Division of Rehabilitation Services

$7,519,895

Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission

$5,000,000

Vermont Agency of Human Services

$8,998,338

Total

$39,045,221

Featured

  • Zurn Elkay Releases 2025 Sustainability Report

    Zurn Elkay Water Solutions recently announced the release of its annual sustainability report, according to a news release. The 2025 report discusses the organization’s efforts to maintain good environmental stewardship and the solutions provided in helping customers meet sustainability goals.

  • Massachusetts K–12 District Selects Architect for New Junior High

    Swansea Public Schools in Swansea, Mass., recently announced that it has selected Finegold Alexander Architects to design a new junior high school for the district, according to a news release. The firm will create the Feasibility Study and Schematic Design for Joseph Case Junior High School after a lengthy selection process by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA).

  • South Carolina District Starts Construction on $50M Middle School Renovation

    The Aiken County Public School District in North Augusta, S.C., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the $50-million renovation and expansion of North Augusta Middle School, according to a news release. The project’s funding comes from the 2024 renewal of a one-cent sales tax approved by local voters.

  • New Arizona Fine Arts School Reaches Construction Milestone

    Construction of the new Hilltop School for the Arts and Theater in Litchfield Park, Ariz., recently hit a significant milestone, according to a news release. The Agua Fria High School District held a beam-signing ceremony to celebrate the building’s topping out, or the placement of its last structural beam.