Missouri Community-Based Work Experience and Travel Training for IEP Students

What Community-Based Work Experiences Are

Community-based work experiences (CBWEs) place IEP students in real workplaces — not simulated classroom environments — to develop job skills, work behaviors, and occupational preferences. The student works at an actual business under supervision, learning tasks that match their transition goals while the IEP team collects data on their performance, stamina, social skills, and support needs.

CBWEs are a transition service, not a job. They're designed to answer practical questions: Can this student follow multi-step instructions in a noisy environment? Do they need a job coach present, or can they work independently after initial training? Which work settings match their interests and abilities? The answers feed directly into the employment postsecondary goals on Form C.

In Missouri, CBWEs can take several forms: job shadowing (observing and asking questions), unpaid work sampling (trying tasks at multiple sites for short periods), paid work experiences (structured employment with school and employer coordination), cooperative education (COOP) placements, and internships arranged through school-business partnerships.

How CBWEs Fit Into Missouri's Transition Framework

Missouri's transition system connects CBWEs to two larger structures: the school district's IEP-driven transition services and Missouri Vocational Rehabilitation's Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS).

Through the IEP: The IEP team can write community-based work experience as a transition service on Form C. The IEP should identify how the placement, transportation, and supervision will be coordinated, including whether a job coach or transition specialist is needed. The experience is documented in the IEP and progress is reported to the team.

Through Pre-ETS: Work-based learning experiences are one of the five core Pre-ETS categories available to any Missouri student with an IEP, 504 plan, or documented disability, ages 14 to 21. Pre-ETS doesn't require formal VR eligibility — students are "potentially eligible" and can access these services at no cost. Pre-ETS work-based learning is delivered through partnerships including the University of Missouri Pre-ETS specialists and regional Centers for Independent Living.

The two aren't mutually exclusive. A student might have a CBWE written into their IEP (school-funded, school-supervised) while also participating in Pre-ETS work-based learning (VR-funded, delivered by a Pre-ETS provider). Coordinating both maximizes the student's exposure to different work environments.

School-to-Work Programs in Missouri

Several Missouri districts and regions operate structured school-to-work transition programs:

The Vocational Skills Program (VSP) in St. Louis County, run by the Special School District (SSD), immerses students aged 17 to 21 in business settings. VSP students split time between classroom instruction and community-based workplace training at local employer sites. To access VSP, the student typically defers their diploma and continues receiving services through SSD.

Community-Based Vocational Instruction (CBVI) operates in every St. Louis County high school through SSD. CBVI allows students to sample entry-level jobs with a focus on soft skills, work behaviors, and social interaction under job coach supervision.

The Practical Assessment Exploration System (PAES) — used in Kansas City area high schools — is a campus-based simulated work environment that provides hands-on vocational assessment. PAES stations replicate real workplace tasks across industries, letting students try different occupational areas before committing to off-campus placements.

COOP programs across Missouri districts place students in part-time paid employment coordinated between the school and employer. The school provides credit for work hours, and a transition coordinator monitors the placement and troubleshoots problems.

In rural Missouri, where employer partnerships may be limited, schools often rely on micro-enterprises, school-based businesses (coffee shops, supply stores, recycling programs), and NEMT-supported transportation to off-site placements.

Travel Training: Getting There Independently

Travel training teaches students how to navigate their communities independently — using public transit, crossing streets safely, reading schedules and maps, handling unexpected situations, and planning routes. It's an IEP transition service that directly supports both employment and independent living goals.

In urban Missouri, travel training often focuses on the public transit system. St. Louis Metro operates a reduced-fare program and the Call-a-Ride paratransit service. Kansas City's RideKC system provides fixed-route and paratransit options. Students learn to read bus schedules, use fare cards, transfer between routes, and navigate stations.

In rural Missouri, travel training looks different because public transit often doesn't exist. Training may focus on coordinating rides through Medicaid Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT), using ride-share apps, walking or biking safely to nearby worksites, and building a network of reliable drivers. The Partnership for Hope Waiver can fund specialized transportation when other options aren't available.

Travel training can be written into the IEP as a related service or a transition activity. If your student needs independent transportation skills to meet their employment postsecondary goal, request a travel training assessment and specific annual IEP goals that build the required skills incrementally.

What to Request at the IEP Meeting

If community-based work experience or travel training isn't already in your student's transition plan, raise it at the next annual review. Specifically request:

• A vocational assessment conducted in community settings (not just a classroom questionnaire)
• Community-based work experience placements aligned with the student's occupational interests
• A Pre-ETS referral for work-based learning if one hasn't been made
• Travel training goals if independent transportation is a barrier to employment

The Missouri IEP Transition to Adulthood Guide includes a transition services checklist that maps each service category — including CBWEs and travel training — to the appropriate IEP section and agency referral.

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