Delaware ESSE Program: Early Start to Supported Employment Explained

Most states leave a gap between the last day of school services and the first day of adult employment support. Delaware built a program specifically to close it. The Early Start to Supported Employment program — ESSE — coordinates resources across the Department of Education, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Division of Developmental Disabilities Services, and local school districts to get students into paid, community-integrated jobs before they exit the school system.

How the ESSE Timeline Works

ESSE operates on a structured two-year countdown that begins while the student is still in school:

Spring, two years before exit: The school transition team, DVR, and DDDS identify students who are eligible for DDDS services and are approaching their final years of school eligibility. The student and family select a certified adult service provider from the DDDS provider network.

Summer before final year: The selected provider completes supported employment assessments — evaluating the student's work preferences, strengths, environmental sensitivities, accommodation needs, and transportation requirements.

Fall and winter of final year: DVR authorizes and funds job development through the selected provider. The provider conducts job searches, arranges interviews, negotiates accommodations with employers, and places the student in a paid position in the community.

Spring of final year: DDDS administers the Inventory for Client and Agency Planning (ICAP) to determine the student's long-term support level and establish the ongoing funding rate for job coaching.

September after graduation: Long-term follow-along funding transitions from school and DVR resources to DDDS, so employment and job-coaching support can continue under a different funding source.

Who Qualifies for ESSE

ESSE is not available to every student with a disability. It targets students who meet all three criteria:

1. DDDS-eligible — the student has a qualifying developmental disability (intellectual disability, autism, or acquired brain injury) with substantial functional limitations
2. Approaching school exit — typically in the last two years of eligibility (ages 18–21 for students on the DAAS pathway)
3. Employment-focused — the student's IEP transition goals include competitive, integrated employment

Students pursuing a standard diploma who plan to graduate at 18 may still qualify if they meet DDDS eligibility criteria, but the compressed timeline makes coordination harder. ESSE works best when the student has extended school eligibility through the DAAS pathway, which allows transition services through the end of the school year in which they turn 22.

Why ESSE Matters for Your Family

Without ESSE, the typical post-graduation sequence looks like this: school services end in June, the family applies for adult services over the summer, a provider is selected in the fall, assessments run through winter, and job development starts the following spring. That's a 9- to 12-month gap where the student sits at home, loses work skills, and often regresses.

ESSE flips this sequence. By the time graduation arrives, the student already has a job, a provider relationship, and an established funding rate. The administrative handoff happens in the background — the student's daily routine doesn't change.

How to Get ESSE Into the IEP

ESSE should be discussed at the IEP meeting no later than two years before the student's expected exit date. Specific things to request:

• A written timeline in the IEP transition section showing when the ESSE referral will happen
• DDDS and DVR representatives invited to the IEP meeting
• Provider selection documented with the family's input
• Employment goals that align with ESSE's competitive integrated employment focus

If the school says the student isn't eligible for ESSE, ask for the specific reason in writing through Prior Written Notice. Common gatekeeping issues include schools not knowing about the program or assuming only certain disability categories qualify.

The Delaware IEP Transition to Adulthood Guide includes a DVR and DDDS Application Tracker that aligns with the ESSE timeline, covering each referral step from initial contact through the post-graduation funding transfer.

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