Arkansas Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) Referral Guide

Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) are the lowest-barrier entry point into Arkansas Rehabilitation Services for students with disabilities. Unlike formal vocational rehabilitation, Pre-ETS do not require an eligibility determination — students can access services while classified as "potentially eligible."

Yet many families learn about Pre-ETS only after their child's transition IEP meeting, sometimes years after the student became eligible. ARS serves students aged 14 to 21 who are enrolled in an educational program, and every year without a referral is a year of missed preparation.

The Five Core Pre-ETS Services

Under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Pre-ETS cover five areas:

1. Job exploration counseling — career interest inventories, labor market information, workplace visits
2. Work-based learning experiences — internships, job shadowing, on-the-job training in competitive integrated settings
3. Counseling on postsecondary enrollment — guidance on college, technical schools, and certificate programs with disability services
4. Workplace readiness training — professional communication, time management, workplace social skills
5. Self-advocacy instruction — helping students understand their rights, request accommodations, and direct their own employment planning

These services are designed to complement — not replace — what the school provides through the IEP transition plan. The school handles academic goals; ARS handles employment readiness in real-world settings.

How to Request a Referral

School transition coordinators can initiate a Pre-ETS referral, but parents can also request one directly. The process requires submitting:

• A Pre-Employment Transition Services Referral Document
• Parental consent (if the student is under 18)
• Social Security verification
• Photo identification
• A copy of the student's current IEP or 504 plan

Once submitted, the student is entered into the AWARE case management system under Status 00 (Referral). Because Pre-ETS use the "potentially eligible" category, there is no formal eligibility determination step — the student can begin receiving services while the referral is processed.

If your child's school has not mentioned Pre-ETS by the age 16 transition IEP meeting, ask directly. Some districts coordinate Pre-ETS referrals routinely; others do not raise the topic unless a parent requests it.

Pre-ETS vs. Formal Vocational Rehabilitation

Pre-ETS are exploratory. They help students sample career paths, develop work habits, and build self-advocacy skills without committing to a specific employment goal.

Formal VR picks up where Pre-ETS leave off. When a student is ready for individualized funding — tuition for a technical program, supported employment job coaching, workplace accommodations — they submit a formal VR application. That triggers a structured process:

• Status 02: Formal application submitted
• Status 10: Eligibility determination within 60 days
• Status 12: Individual Plan for Employment (IPE) developed within 90 days

Students who start with Pre-ETS already have a relationship with ARS, documented career interests, and work experience — all of which strengthen the IPE when formal VR begins.

Timing Matters

The ideal Pre-ETS referral window is age 14 to 15, before the formal transition IEP at 16. Starting early gives the student two or more years of job exploration and work-based learning before the employment-focused goals in the transition IEP need to be written.

If your child is already 16 or older and has not received a Pre-ETS referral, submit one now. There is no penalty for a late start, but the clock is running — services end when the student exits the educational program.

The Arkansas IEP Transition to Adulthood Guide includes a Pre-ETS referral organizer with document tracking and a timeline for coordinating Pre-ETS with the formal VR application.

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