Rural School Staff Roles in Career Development for Students With Disabilities: A Mixed Methods Study

Abstract

The ways in which high schools in rural communities allocate their staffing and assign roles related to career development impact the preparation of students with disabilities for future employment pursuits. This mixed methods study explored (a) the roles of 291 school staff and administrators in supporting the career development of students with disabilities, (b) how they came to assume these roles, and (c) how they viewed their roles. Findings indicated that special educators self-decided an overwhelming majority of roles in this area and could benefit from increased contributions from school staff in other positions to support the work preparation of students with disabilities. We offer recommendations for extending and clarifying the roles of staff in these rural districts.

Career Transition for Special Needs Students: A Significant Systematic Literature Review

“…The transition process for students with disabilities is a pivotal stage marked by challenges and obstacles, shaping aspirations and goals (Schels & Wöhrer, 2022a). Amid academic, behavioral, and social challenges, these students navigate transitions between grade levels toward post-school outcomes (Schutz & Travers, 2023). Essential abilities for this transition include social, academic, self-sufficiency, and self-regulation (Viezel et al, 2022).…”

“…The collaboration between general education and special education staff is essential for comprehensive support to students with disabilities in career development, fostering an inclusive environment (Schutz & Travers, 2023). Vocational rehabilitation counselors focus on promoting work experience and self-advocacy among transition-age clients (Oertle & O'Leary, 2017).…”

Career Development in Rural Districts: Opportunities and Limitations Regarding Students With Disabilities

“…Sometimes, administrator-imposed policies with intentions of adhering to state and federal mandates for special education inadvertently hindered the work preparation of students with disabilities. Ensuring that students are prepared for employment is a complex phenomenon, and administrators and staff must understand their districts' own particular needs to improve their services (Schutz et al, 2023).…”

“…Nonetheless, these findings are limited to the sole perspectives of staff within specific positions, and none include implications for rural districts. In a recent paper (Schutz et al, 2023), we examined the individual roles of special educators, CTE educators, school counselors, paraprofessionals, related service providers, and other staff in supporting career development for students with disabilities in rural communities. Our findings affirmed that special educators self-decided a wide variety of roles and could benefit from increased involvement from their colleagues.…”