Project SEARCH Wisconsin Disability

What Project SEARCH Is — and Isn't

Project SEARCH is a 9-month, business-led transition-to-work program that operates entirely inside a host business site. Students spend their days at a hospital, hotel, bank, or other employer — not in a school building. The program runs three 10-to-12-week internship rotations, each in a different department, combined with classroom instruction delivered on-site.

It is not a sheltered workshop. It is not a day program. The explicit goal is competitive integrated employment at or above minimum wage, in a community job, alongside coworkers without disabilities.

Who Project SEARCH Serves

The program targets transition-age youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities, typically aged 18 to 21 (some Wisconsin sites accept up to age 24). Participants are in their final year of high school transition programming — this is designed as the capstone of the school-to-work pipeline, not a first step.

Students accepted into Project SEARCH must have an open, active DVR file. This requirement means DVR eligibility must be established before the program starts. For families navigating the Order of Selection waitlist, this creates a sequencing constraint: if the student is on the waitlist without prior Pre-ETS documentation, they may not be able to access DVR-funded services through Project SEARCH.

How the Funding Works

Project SEARCH uses a braided funding model that combines school district resources with DVR funding:

Skills training during the program: DVR pays an average of $5,168 per student to a vocational support vendor for job task instruction and soft skills development across the 9-month program.

Job development after completion: Once the student finishes the rotations, DVR funds job development services to help secure permanent employment. This typically costs between $1,500 and $2,100.

Systematic instruction for job retention: After the student starts a permanent job, DVR provides up to $800 per month for systematic instruction — ongoing job coaching to ensure retention — for up to 6 months.

The school district covers transportation, educational supervision, and the on-site classroom teacher. This braided approach means neither the school nor DVR carries the full cost alone.

What the Internship Rotations Look Like

Each rotation places the student in a different department within the host business. A student at a hospital site might rotate through food services, environmental services, and the mailroom. At a hotel, the rotations might cover housekeeping, front desk support, and laundry operations.

During each rotation, students learn job-specific tasks, workplace norms, time management, and professional communication. A job coach provides on-site support that tapers over the rotation as the student builds independence.

The on-site classroom component covers employability skills, financial literacy, workplace problem-solving, and self-advocacy — all taught in the context of the student's actual internship experiences rather than as abstract lessons.

Outcomes and What to Expect

Project SEARCH sites nationally report employment rates of 70% or higher for graduates. The program's design — total immersion in a real business environment — produces outcomes that classroom-based transition programs rarely match.

That said, the commitment is significant. Students spend full workdays at the business site, five days a week, for the entire program. Transportation, stamina, and behavioral readiness all factor into whether the program is a good fit. Families should tour potential sites, talk to current participants and their families, and discuss expectations with the Project SEARCH coordinator before committing.

Finding Project SEARCH Sites in Wisconsin

Project SEARCH sites operate in multiple Wisconsin communities, typically hosted by hospitals and other large employers. The program's national office maintains a site locator, and Wisconsin DVR counselors can identify active sites in your region.

To access a site, the student needs:

1. An active IEP with transition goals that align with competitive employment
2. An open DVR file (not just Potentially Eligible status — a formal eligibility determination)
3. A referral from the school's transition coordinator or DVR counselor
4. Readiness for a full-day, community-based work schedule

Fitting Project SEARCH Into the Bigger Plan

Project SEARCH is one option within a broader transition strategy that includes DVR Pre-ETS, Beyond Age 18 programming, ADRC functional screens, and adult Medicaid waiver enrollment. The Wisconsin IEP Transition to Adulthood Guide explains how to sequence DVR engagement, school programming, and adult service applications so that Project SEARCH — or whatever employment pathway fits your student — connects cleanly to what comes after the school district's obligations end.

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