Section 192-1-007 - Vocational Training Support007.01.PURPOSE. Academic, vocational and other training services enable individuals with disabilities to acquire the qualifications required for employment in their employment goals. Such training is an appropriate service when it will enable the recipient to acquire necessary qualifications to enter employment in the trade, occupation, or profession that is the employment goal, and when it (alone or in combination with other vocational rehabilitation services) will resolve the recipient's impediments to employment. Employment qualifications include those academic requirements necessary to meet state or local registration, certification, or licensing requirements to practice the trade, occupation, or profession. Qualifications for employment or hire in the specific employment outcome in the recipient's approved individualized plan for employment determine the type and level of post-secondary training required.007.02.VOCATIONAL TRAINING DEFINED. As used in this section, vocational training includes, but is not limited to, post-secondary training in institutions of higher education for which Federal student financial aid is available, including universities, colleges, community colleges, vocational schools, technical institutes, or hospital schools of nursing, Post-secondary training results in the award of a certificate, diploma, or an associate, bachelors, masters, or doctoral degree.007.03.SCOPE. The scope of vocational training services includes, as appropriate to the recipient and the specific employment outcome in the recipient's approved individualized plan for employment, the provision of training services and related supports to prepare for and take licensing or certification examinations required for the practice of the trade, occupation, or profession and remedy deficiencies in prerequisite course requirements necessary for acceptance into post-secondary training programs.007.04.EXPECTATION OF COMPLETION. The need for vocational training services must be established, based on an analysis of hiring qualification requirements for the employment goal in the local labor market or a labor market to which the recipient is willing to relocate, and the recipient's current level of vocational qualifications and functioning. In addition, there must be a reasonable expectation of successfully completing training, based on an analysis of indicators of training success such as past academic achievement or test results relating to the relevant field or skills area, or demonstrated motivation and commitment to accomplish the employment goal.007.05.ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS. Recipients must meet academic and other established requirements for admission into a post-secondary training program.007.06.GRADUATE TRAINING REQUIREMENTS. Before post-secondary training beyond the bachelor's level will be provided, recipients must apply for admission to both the school and the graduate program. Recipients who have been denied admission to the school and/or the graduate program will not be eligible for program financial assistance, unless it is specific to courses necessary to qualify for the graduate degree program. 007.07.COMPARABLE SERVICES. There must be a full search for and use of comparable services and benefits. If training will be provided in an institution of higher education, there must be maximum efforts by NCBVl and the recipient to secure grant assistance in whole or in part from other sources. This requirement does not apply if it would cause interruptions or delays pursuant to Section 004.04. However, NCBVI's Deputy Director will have the authority and discretion to grant exceptions to individual situations with appropriate extenuating circumstances. 007.07A. The Pell Grant is a federal source of support for college students, which is considered to be a comparable benefit, therefore, all undergraduate post-secondary students must apply for the Pell Grant every year, with no exceptions, in order to receive academic support from NCBVl ( 34 CFR 361.53 [c]).007.07B. The letter of determination regarding the acceptance or denial of a Pell Grant application must be entered into the recipient's case file.007.08.TIMELINES. To receive consideration for NCBVl financial assistance, recipients must have their individualized plans for employment containing post-secondary training services approved, and have submitted all financial aid application forms required by the institution they will attend at least sixty (60) days before the date on which they will begin the post-secondary training. Recipients who do not meet the sixty (60) day deadline will not receive NCBVl financial assistance until the next post-secondary training term. NCBVI's Deputy Director will have the authority and discretion to grant exceptions to individual situations with appropriate extenuating circumstances.007.09.BASIC ACADEMIC EXPENSES AND OTHER NON-ACADEMIC EXPENSES. The program will provide academic expenses, maintenance, childcare, and transportation expenses exceeding what would be normal living expenses if the recipient were not pursuing vocational training, within the framework of Title 192, Chapter 1, as follows: 007.09A. The following services are considered as part of basic academic support extended to all clients receiving assistance from NCBVl for vocational training when applicable and otherwise not covered by comparable benefits; tuition, fees, textbooks, occupational tools and equipment (if required for participation in vocational training), registration, fees for reading services producing materials in alternative accessible formats, low vision aids and devices, assistive technology, and reader services ( 34 CFR 361.48 [f]) and( 34CFR 361.53 [a]);007.09B. NCBVl will provide assistance with expenses that exceed the client's ability to pay and which prevent or threaten the initiation or continuation of vocational training. These are not typically regarded as part of basic academic support. These expenses may include but are not limited to: training related maintenance expenses (clothing, rent, food, etc.), childcare, and transportation.007.10.REASONABLE PROGRESS. Recipients in vocational training programs must maintain reasonable progress, according to progress criteria stated in their individualized plans for employment,007.10A. The following minimum progress criteria must be included as part of the recipient's individualized plan for employment: 007.10B. Complete at least: 007.10B1. Twenty-four (24) semester hours of credit during the academic year in a university or college that operates on a two semester and summer school system; or,007.10B2. Thirty-six (36) hours of credit during the academic year in a university or college that operates on a trimester system; or, 007.10B3. Forty-eight (48) quarter hours of credit during the academic year in a technical school or community college that operates on a 4 quarter system; and,007.10C. Maintain an overall cumulative minimum grade point average (GPA) equivalent to "C" ( 2.0) or better. At the graduate level, maintain an overall cumulative minimum GPA as required by the individual graduate program. The recipient must provide NCBVI with a copy of grades earned at the end of each term.007.10D. If the recipient requires a reduced course load because of the disability or need to maintain employment or a comparable benefit, the number of hours to be completed each academic year must be stated in the progress criteria on the individualized plan for employment. 007.10E. If the recipient fails to maintain reasonable progress in a vocational training program, appropriate corrective actions should be taken, in cooperation with the training provider, to remedy the problem. Financial assistance with the cost of training may be continued for three months (or one academic term or semester for post-secondary training) to determine whether the recipient is able to make reasonable progress with the corrective actions. If reasonable progress is not achieved at the end of that period, financial assistance will be discontinued and the individualized plan for employment should be reviewed and revised to determine a more suitable vocational goal.007.10F. If the recipient drops a course or courses, creating less than a full load during a semester or quarter, NCBVI will continue support as long as the required overall cumulative minimum grade point average is maintained (Section 007.10C). However, the cost of tuition and fees for the number of hours dropped will be subtracted from support for the tuition and fees in the subsequent semester.007.11.FINANCIAL AID INFORMATION. Before the amount of vocational rehabilitation financial assistance can be determined and authorized, an award letter completed by the school's financial office must be available.007.12.POST-SECONDARY TRAINING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE RATES. Program financial assistance for training costs that include tuition, fees, textbooks and supplies (i.e. uniforms and specifically required supplies) shall be available at rates currently charged for residents in the Nebraska state system of post-secondary education (i.e. University of Nebraska-Lincoln). Financial assistance from NCBVI will fully cover rates for tuition and fees that are above the in-state level, if the degree program is not available within the state of Nebraska.007.13.MAXIMUM CREDIT HOURS OF ASSISTANCE FOR POST-SECONDARY TRAINING. The maximum credit hours for which NCBVI will provide financial assistance will be set according to the requirements of the institution of higher education, for the specific degree or diploma program for completion or by a state authority issuing mandatory licenses.007.14.REMEDIAL OR DEVELOPMENTAL CLASSES. Limited program financial assistance is available for remedial or developmental classes. Remedial or developmental classes shall mean those classes designed to increase the ability of a recipient to pursue a course of study leading to a certificate or degree. Program financial assistance will only be provided for a maximum of six (6) semester hours or nine (9) quarter hours for remedial or developmental class hours. Costs for all remedial or developmental class hours in excess of six (6) semester hours or nine (9) quarter hours will be the recipient's responsibility.007.15.ACCESSIBLY-FORMATTED TEXTBOOKS. Recipients are encouraged to get needed textbooks or course-related materials into accessible formats as early as possible, for upcoming courses. NCBVl support will be provided to achieve this in a timely manner despite whether or not grades for the current term have been issued. Continued support of tuition and fees still depends upon the recipient achieving the minimum requirement of grades. This provision assures that accessible course-related materials will be available to students in a timely manner even when an institution delays issuance of grades.007.16.READERS. NCBVl will pay up to five (5) hours per credit hour of reader services per semester or quarter used by a recipient in vocational training. The rate of pay for services will be the current minimum wage per hour unless it can be documented that readers are accorded a higher rate of pay at the institution the recipient is attending. Supervisors may make allowance for additional hours for programs requiring reading in excess of that generally experienced in most post-secondary programs.007.17.STUDENT LOAN DEFAULTS. Students who have defaulted on a student loan will not be provided program support for vocational training. Students who apply for a Pell Grant will not be accepted for a Pell Grant if they have defaulted on a student loan. Denial of a Pell Grant for this reason will be indicated on the award letter issued by the financial aid office the student has applied to. If the student is refusing to pay back the loan that student will not be provided academic support, unless the existence of extenuating circumstances can be documented, such as poor health, exorbitant medical bill, or the inability to secure substantial employment, as determined by the Deputy Director.007.18.EXCEPTIONS. Supervisors or the Deputy Director have the authority and discretion to make reasonable exceptions to the program financial assistance provisions in this section based on individual circumstances. Exceptions may be granted if the Supervisor or Deputy Director determines there is no alternative to addressing a recipient's need for vocational training necessary to achieve the employment outcome on the recipient's approved individualized plan for employment.192 Neb. Admin. Code, ch. 1, § 007
Amended effective 7/2/2019