State-Level Predictors of Research-Based Transition Recommendations for Youth With Disabilities in Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Implementation

The U.S. Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act requires state vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies to expand their employment-related transition services to youth with disabilities and coordinate service delivery with schools in new ways. Research has highlighted how states have begun to respond to the transition-focused mandates of WIOA, including the extent to which states have incorporated research-based transition recommendations (RBTRs) within their plans for WIOA implementation. However, research is missing that investigates possible relationships between state-level characteristics and the quality of transition service implementation. We conducted a multivariate linear regression analysis to investigate the extent to which state demographics, services and training/professional development, transition policies, and VR funding predicted the extent to which states included RBTRs in their WIOA implementation plans. We included 48 states and the District of Columbia ( N = 49) in our analysis. Our findings indicate states with higher VR budgets per state gross domestic product and states that begin transition planning for youth with disabilities before age 16 were more likely to incorporate RBTRs into their WIOA implementation plans. States operating under VR order of selection included significantly fewer RBTRs in their plans. Implications for future research, policy, and practice are discussed.