A Model Demonstration Project for Providers of Pre-Employment Transition Services

The introduction of pre-employment transition services (Pre-ETS) brought the promise of improved competitive integrated employment outcomes for students with disabilities; however, research reveals a lack of consistency and questions about the quality of Pre-ETS implementation. This manuscript describes a pilot Model Demonstration Project (MDP) to comprehensively support Pre-ETS providers in their preparation, planning, and service delivery. We present the steps of the MDP through the perspective of two Pre-ETS providers participating in two MDP sites during the 2023 to 2024 and 2024 to 2025 school years. Providers believed that the components of the MDP assisted with their knowledge attainment, Pre-ETS planning, and overall service delivery, with particular emphasis on trainings and the collaborative service delivery meeting. Providers believed their participation in the project deepened their understanding of Pre-ETS and facilitated increased collaboration with other professionals. We offer implications and recommendations for future research and practice for developing a model to support providers’ provision of Pre-ETS.