Testimony - 2/10/22

Comments for the DC Council's Public Roundtable on Special Education Policies for Students with Disabilities February 10, 2022 Submitted by: Julie Camerata, Executive Director, DC Special Education Cooperative jcamerata@specialedcoop.org Thank you, Committee Chair Nadeau and members of the Council’s Committee on Human Services, for allowing me the opportunity to submit comments regarding the Department of Disability Services, specifically the Rehabilitative Services Administration (RSA). My name is Julie Camerata; I am a Ward 1 resident, the parent of a child with a disability, and the Executive Director of the DC Special Education Cooperative or the Coop. The Co-op serves 54 charter LEAs. Our vision is that all students with disabilities in the District of Columbia receive a rigorous, individualized, and inclusive education, preparing them for post-graduation success.

The Co-op considers itself a partner of RSA. Through a human care agreement with RSA, the Co-op is able to provide services to all charters that serve students with disabilities ages 14 and above. We are truly grateful for this support.

During the public health emergency, the Co-op’s DC3C program has continued to provide secondary transition services to students from across the city. In the past 18 months, we have worked with 352 students, providing direct instruction, building students’ self-awareness, career awareness, and work readiness skills. We have employed 91 students, dramatically increasing the likeliness of obtaining and maintaining employment after graduation.

Today, I am asking for the Council’s help with three challenges we have encountered in recent months.

I’d like first to discuss the company RSA is using for student payroll services, The Midtown Group, and the unnecessary barriers it is creating for youth with disabilities.

When we offer a work-based learning experience for students that are funded by RSA, students are required to complete payroll paperwork using this city-approved vendor.

Our students’ experience with this company has been awful. Midtown’s process creates barriers for students already experiencing significant difficulties accessing out-ofschool opportunities. This is an equity issue. Midtown’s paperwork is significantly more extensive than that required by other city-supported programs targeted at youth, such as the Mayor Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program (MBSYEP). Our team had to work 1:1 with students and families to navigate the Midtown platform. One of our students was so frustrated that he quit. I worry that this experience creates a negative association with work and applying for jobs, teaching students that it is too

hard, or not for them, precisely at a time in their lives when they need to be encouraged and made to feel successful and empowered.

Next, I’d like to share about “Education and Training” vendors. The Co-op’s Next Steps Career and Education Exploration Conference is an opportunity for students with disabilities to learn about all of the post-secondary training options available in our city.

The list of city-approved vendors is extensive – there are approximately 43 groups providing training that ranges from barbering to IT to welding. We were so excited to expose our students to these options.

However, when our team, along with RSA reps, reached out this Fall, we received little to no response from the majority of vendors. While this was extremely disappointing, it surfaces accessibility questions. If our staff, who have multiple hours per week to pursue these providers could not reach them, how can we expect students to? A list is one thing, but the city needs responsive and ready providers to provide high-quality training to our recent graduates.

Finally, we have two RSA-related concerns that I’d like to share.

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First, RSA counselors who are charged with providing training and application support to students are stretched thin. They currently have caseloads that reach as high as 200 clients and HS student-clients. This obviously impacts the quality of service individual students receive. We ask that RSA be given funding to decrease the student-counselor ratio.

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Next, the application for students to apply for vocational rehabilitation (VR) services is still not available for completion online, while the one for adults is.

Moving to an online application for student/youth will boost accessibility and relieve the paperwork burden on students, schools, and RSA counselors. It’s 2022, and it’s time to put this online!

We recommend that: •

The Council use its oversight authority to order a review of the Midtown contract with an eye toward accessibility, especially for young people with disabilities.

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The Council use its oversight authority to require a full review of city-approved “education and training vendors” be conducted, with a focus on accessibility.

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The Council increase RSA funding with the specific purpose of hiring additional Counselors working with students ages 14-21.

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RSA create an online application for VR services accessible to students ages 1421.

Thank you for the opportunity to share with you. I am happy to answer any questions.