PRINTER'S NO. 638
No. 586 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY ORIE, TARTAGLIONE, LOGAN, FERLO, BRUBAKER, FONTANA, KITCHEN, WASHINGTON, ERICKSON, COSTA, RAFFERTY, MELLOW, BROWNE, WOZNIAK, BAKER AND STACK, MARCH 20, 2007
REFERRED TO EDUCATION, MARCH 20, 2007
AN ACT 1 Providing for the lifelong learning, career planning, job 2 training, job placement and social, cultural and educational 3 enrichment of adult persons with developmental disabilities; 4 and establishing developmental disability education and 5 career planning programs. 6 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 7 hereby enacts as follows: 8 CHAPTER 1 9 PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS 10 Section 101. Short title. 11 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Developmental 12 Disability Education and Career Planning Act. 13 Section 102. Definitions. 14 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall 15 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the 16 context clearly indicates otherwise: 17 "Adult education program." A local program developed at a 18 community, State-owned or State-related college or university 19 under the Developmental Disability Education and Career Planning
1 Program. 2 "Community college." A public college or technical institute 3 which is established and operated under Article XIX-A of the act 4 of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School 5 Code of 1949, and all branches or campuses of a community 6 college. 7 "Developmental disability." A severe, chronic disability of 8 a person which: 9 (1) Is attributable to a mental or physical impairment 10 or combination of mental and physical impairments. 11 (2) Is manifested before the person reaches 22 years of 12 age. 13 (3) Is likely to continue indefinitely. 14 (4) Results in substantial functional limitations in 15 three or more of the following areas of major life activity: 16 (i) Self-care. 17 (ii) Receptive and expressive language. 18 (iii) Learning. 19 (iv) Mobility. 20 (v) Self-direction. 21 (vi) Capacity for independent living. 22 (vii) Economic self-sufficiency. 23 "State-owned institution." An institution which is part of 24 the State System of Higher Education under Article XX-A of the 25 act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public 26 School Code of 1949, and all branches and campuses of a State- 27 owned institution. 28 "State-related institution." The Pennsylvania State 29 University, the University of Pittsburgh, Temple University, the 30 Pennsylvania College of Technology and Lincoln University. 20070S0586B0638 - 2 -
1 "Student." A person with a developmental disability who is 2 enrolled under a program established pursuant to this act. 3 Section 103. Purpose. 4 Formal education for persons with developmental disabilities 5 ends or diminishes upon high school graduation, between 18 and 6 21 years of age. The majority of adults with developmental 7 disabilities are either unemployed, underemployed or not in the 8 work force. The purpose of this act is to provide opportunities 9 for lifelong learning, career planning, job training, job 10 placement and other forms of educational enrichment for persons 11 with developmental disabilities in this Commonwealth. 12 CHAPTER 3 13 DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY EDUCATION 14 AND CAREER PLANNING PROGRAM FOR 15 PERSONS 18 TO 21 YEARS OF AGE 16 Section 301. Definitions. 17 The following words and phrases when used in this chapter 18 shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the 19 context clearly indicates otherwise: 20 "Department." The Department of Public Welfare of the 21 Commonwealth. 22 "Program." The Developmental Disability Education and Career 23 Planning Program for Persons 18 to 21 Years of Age. 24 Section 302. Developmental Disability Education and Career 25 Planning Program for Persons 18 to 21 Years of 26 Age. 27 (a) Establishment.--There is established within the 28 department the Developmental Disability Education and Career 29 Planning Program for Persons 18 to 21 Years of Age. 30 (b) Purpose.--The purpose of the program shall be to support 20070S0586B0638 - 3 -
1 the development of adult education programs for persons 18 to 21 2 years of age with developmental disabilities at community, 3 State-owned or State-related colleges or universities in order 4 to provide opportunities for lifelong learning, career planning, 5 placement and training as well as educational enrichment for 6 persons with developmental disabilities in this Commonwealth. 7 (c) Program sites.--The department shall select adult 8 education program sites with representation from urban, rural 9 and suburban areas. 10 (d) Program funding.--The department shall provide funding 11 to each adult education program site in order to establish and 12 maintain the program. Additional funding for work force 13 development may be provided through the Department of Labor and 14 Industry. 15 (e) Program elements.--Each adult education program shall: 16 (1) Provide lifelong learning for persons with 17 developmental disabilities through classes, seminars and 18 other educational opportunities. Programs shall ensure that 19 at least a portion of classes and seminars are within the 20 regular curriculum of the college or university. 21 (2) Establish an office to provide direction, counseling 22 and assistance in career planning and placement. 23 (3) Collaborate with local employers to create and 24 develop ongoing job training and work force development 25 programs in order to satisfy the needs of employers and adult 26 students. 27 (4) Provide adult students with classes and seminars to 28 teach the basics of financial planning, retirement planning, 29 health insurance, benefits and similar information which all 30 employees should have access to. 20070S0586B0638 - 4 -
1 (5) Connect adult students with assistive technology, 2 transportation options, job supports and other resources 3 which may assist the student in pursuing career goals. 4 (6) Develop formal assessment procedures, including, but 5 not limited to, collecting data regarding students enrolled 6 in each program and tracking their progress through the 7 educational process and in the work force. 8 (f) Annual report.--Utilizing information provided under 9 subsection (e)(6), the department shall compile an annual report 10 to be provided to the chairman and minority chairman of the 11 Appropriations Committee of the Senate and the chairman and 12 minority chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the House 13 of Representatives providing oversight of the department. 14 CHAPTER 5 15 DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY EDUCATION 16 AND CAREER PLANNING PROGRAM FOR 17 PERSONS 22 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER 18 Section 501. Definitions. 19 The following words and phrases when used in this chapter 20 shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the 21 context clearly indicates otherwise: 22 "Department." The Department of Labor and Industry of the 23 Commonwealth. 24 "Program." The Developmental Disability Education and Career 25 Planning Program for Persons 22 Years of Age or Older. 26 Section 502. Developmental Disability Education and Career 27 Planning Program for Persons 22 Years of Age or 28 Older. 29 (a) Establishment.--There is established within the 30 department the Developmental Disability Education and Career 20070S0586B0638 - 5 -
1 Planning Program for Persons 22 Years of Age or Older. 2 (b) Purpose.--The purpose of the program shall be to support 3 the development of adult education programs for persons 22 years 4 of age or older with developmental disabilities at community, 5 State-owned or State-related colleges or universities in order 6 to provide opportunities for lifelong learning, career planning, 7 placement and training as well as educational enrichment for 8 persons with developmental disabilities in this Commonwealth. 9 (c) Program sites.--The department shall select adult 10 education program sites with representation from urban, rural 11 and suburban areas. 12 (d) Program funding.--The department shall provide funding 13 to each adult education program site in order to establish and 14 maintain the program. 15 (e) Program elements.--Each adult education program shall: 16 (1) Collaborate with special education directors of area 17 school districts and intermediate units to ensure that the 18 transition plans of students with individual education plans 19 include provisions for adult education and career planning. 20 (2) Collaborate with special education directors of area 21 school districts and intermediate units to ensure that 22 students and families receive written information about adult 23 education and career planning opportunities prior to their 24 annual individual education plan and transitional planning 25 meetings. 26 (3) Collaborate with the Office of Vocational 27 Rehabilitation and the Office of Mental Retardation to ensure 28 that students with developmental disabilities and their 29 families have access to information about adult education and 30 career planning opportunities. 20070S0586B0638 - 6 -
1 (4) Provide lifelong learning for persons with 2 developmental disabilities through classes, seminars and 3 other educational opportunities. Programs shall ensure that 4 at least a portion of classes and seminars are within the 5 regular curriculum of the college or university. 6 (5) Establish an office to provide direction, counseling 7 and assistance in career planning and placement. 8 (6) Collaborate with local employers to create and 9 develop ongoing job training and work force development 10 programs in order to satisfy the needs of employers and adult 11 students. 12 (7) Provide adult students with classes and seminars to 13 teach the basics of financial planning, retirement planning, 14 health insurance, benefits and similar information which all 15 employees should have access to. 16 (8) Connect adult students with assistive technology, 17 transportation options, job supports and other resources 18 which may assist the student in pursuing career goals. 19 (9) Develop formal assessment procedures, including, but 20 not limited to, collecting data regarding students enrolled 21 in each program and tracking their progress through the 22 educational process and in the work force. 23 (10) Develop and implement a pilot program in a rural 24 and an urban county to explore all of the following: 25 (i) Collaborative planning among the Office of 26 Vocational Rehabilitation, the Office of Mental 27 Retardation and the Department of Education for students 28 with individual education plans who will transition to an 29 adult education program. 30 (ii) Development of an adult education program at a 20070S0586B0638 - 7 -
1 community college, State-owned institution or State- 2 related institution under the program. 3 (f) Annual report.--Utilizing information provided under 4 subsection (e)(9), the department shall compile an annual report 5 to be provided to the chairman and minority chairman of the 6 Appropriations Committee of the Senate and the chairman and 7 minority chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the House 8 of Representatives providing oversight of the department. 9 CHAPTER 30 10 MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS 11 Section 3001. Effective date. 12 This act shall take effect in 90 days. L28L24JS/20070S0586B0638 - 8 -