PRINTER'S NO. 1093
No. 847 Session of 2005
INTRODUCED BY ORIE, MUSTO, TARTAGLIONE, EARLL, RAFFERTY,
ERICKSON, LEMMOND, PIPPY, LOGAN AND KASUNIC,
SEPTEMBER 8, 2005
REFERRED TO EDUCATION, SEPTEMBER 8, 2005
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.
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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
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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.
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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
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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.
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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
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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.
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