Work-Based Learning in North Dakota IEP Transition Plans

Why Classroom-Only Transition Plans Fall Short

North Dakota's transition planning requirements mandate a "coordinated set of activities" that includes community experiences — but too many IEPs treat employment goals as abstract statements that never leave the school building. A postsecondary goal that says "the student will obtain competitive employment" means nothing if the student has never spent time in a real workplace.

Work-based learning bridges that gap. It puts students with disabilities into actual community settings during high school, while the IEP's support structure is still in place, so they can build workplace skills with guided support instead of being thrown into the deep end after graduation.

Types of Work-Based Learning in North Dakota

Work-based learning exists on a spectrum, from low-intensity exposure to full employment:

Job shadows and informational interviews. The student visits a worksite and observes employees for a few hours or a day. These require minimal employer commitment and help students explore career interests. DVR's Pre-Employment Transition Services fund job exploration counseling, which often includes arranging these visits.

Community-based instruction (CBI). The school arranges regular learning experiences in community settings — grocery stores, libraries, restaurants, offices — where students practice functional skills in the environments where they'll actually use them. CBI is particularly valuable for students with intellectual disabilities who need to generalize skills learned in the classroom to real-world contexts.

Internships and work experiences. Structured placements where students work at a job site for set hours under supervision. These may be paid or unpaid, depending on the arrangement. The school and employer agree on the learning objectives, and the student receives on-site support from a job coach or transition specialist.

Customized employment. A specialist conducts a discovery process — observing the student in various settings to identify their strengths, interests, and contributions — and then negotiates a job description with a local employer that matches those strengths to an unmet business need. This approach creates positions that don't appear in standard job listings and works especially well in North Dakota's small-town economies where traditional job openings are limited.

Getting Work-Based Learning Into the IEP

Work-based learning doesn't happen automatically. It needs to be written into the IEP's transition services section with specific activities, timelines, and responsible parties. Here's how to make it happen:

Request it at the transition IEP meeting. When the team is writing the coordinated set of transition services, specifically ask for work-based learning activities. "Community experiences" is one of the required service categories under IDEA, and work-based learning is the most meaningful way to fulfill it.

Connect it to Pre-ETS. DVR's Pre-Employment Transition Services include work-based learning experiences as one of the five core service areas. These are available to students aged 14-21 with documented disabilities, and they don't require a formal DVR eligibility determination. Ask the school to coordinate with DVR to incorporate Pre-ETS work-based learning into the IEP schedule.

Specify the details. A vague IEP statement like "student will participate in community experiences" does not specify the service details needed to implement and measure the experience. Push for specifics: how many hours per week, what types of settings, who provides on-site support, how progress is measured, and how the experience connects to the student's postsecondary employment goals.

Address transportation. In rural North Dakota, getting the student to a worksite is often the biggest barrier. The IEP should address how transportation will be provided — whether through the school, the family, DVR, or a combination. If transportation is the reason work-based learning isn't happening, that's a resource problem the IEP team needs to solve, not a reason to skip the experience.

The Connection to Post-School Employment

Students who participate in work-based learning during high school can gain workplace references, specific skills to put on a resume, and realistic self-knowledge about what kinds of work environments suit them.

For students who will need ongoing supported employment after school, work-based learning also gives DVR counselors and future job coaches concrete information about the student's work style, support needs, and employer feedback. That information can help with post-school job planning.

Pre-ETS does not automatically convert into full DVR services. Full vocational rehabilitation services require a separate application and eligibility determination; bring the work-based-learning record to that process so the student's prior experience is available to the counselor.

The North Dakota IEP Transition to Adulthood Guide includes a DVR Pre-ETS Referral Tracker for coordinating work-based learning activities between the school and vocational rehabilitation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do students get paid for work-based learning?

It depends on the arrangement. Job shadows and CBI are typically unpaid educational activities. Internships may be paid or unpaid — the U.S. Department of Labor has specific criteria for when student workers with disabilities must be paid. Customized employment placements are paid positions at competitive wages.

Can work-based learning happen in rural areas with few employers?

Yes, though it requires creativity. Customized employment is particularly effective in rural settings because it creates positions around the student's strengths rather than trying to fill existing openings. CBI can happen in any community setting — the local post office, a family farm, a church kitchen — as long as the activities align with the student's transition goals.

What if the school says they don't have resources for work-based learning?

Work-based learning is part of the "coordinated set of transition services" required under IDEA. If the school doesn't have the capacity to arrange it, they should be coordinating with DVR, which has funded Pre-ETS staff specifically for this purpose. Request that a DVR counselor be invited to the IEP meeting to discuss options.

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