Guiding Questions for a Culturally Responsive Framework During Preemployment Transition Services

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA; 2014) guidelines require state VR agencies in coordination with local education agencies (e.g., K−12 schools) to deliver pre-ETS, including (a) job exploration counseling, (b) work-based learning experience, (c) postsecondary education counseling, (d) workplace readiness, and (e) self-advocacy training to students with disabilities (SWDs; WIOA, 2014). There is guidance for providing transition-aged SWDs the needed vocational training and support through WIOA (2014) to improve poor postschool outcomes (e.g., employment, postsecondary education access, and independent living; WIOA, 2014). However, many secondary educators, rehabilitation counselors, and transition teams lack adequate preparation to collaborate while delivering pre-ETS to culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students (Benitez et al., 2009; Neubert et al., 2018). Hence, there is a need to ensure service providers (e.g., secondary special education teachers, vocational rehabilitation counselors, and transition specialists) have the necessary skills to collaborate using culturally responsive practices in delivering pre-ETS to CLD SWDs.