| (a) The Vocational Rehabilitation Division (VRD) purchases
vocational and other training services for customers who require additional
knowledge or skills to enter employment consistent with their aptitudes
and ability, and compatible with their physical or mental impairments.
(b) VRD purchases vocational and other training services
through an appropriate facility. These facilities include accredited
colleges and universities, certified public or private businesses,
technical and vocational schools, on-the-job training, correspondence
course training, tutorial training, and community rehabilitation program
training.
(c) Academic training in institutions of higher education
(universities, colleges, community or junior colleges, vocational
schools, technical institutes, or hospital schools of nursing) is
subject to the following:
(1) Academic training in proprietary vocational schools
and technical institutes must be provided only in schools that are
licensed or certified by the Agency on the Licensed Career Schools
and Colleges Directory website, the Eligible Training Provider System
website, or another regulatory agency, before including the training
on the individualized plan for employment.
(2) No vocational rehabilitation (VR) funds may be
used to pay for academic training unless VRD and the customer have
made maximum efforts to secure grant assistance in whole or in part
from other sources to pay for the training.
(3) The PELL grant, like any other comparable services
and benefits, must be applied to the educational process before the
expenditure of VRD funds for services under this section. Services
must not be denied pending receipt of a PELL grant, but must be contingent
upon the customer's making application if eligible.
(4) Academic training must be provided through public,
tax-supported colleges and universities in Texas unless:
(A) a specific curriculum related to the customer's
academic major is not available at a Texas public institution;
(B) academic training elsewhere is determined to be
more economical; or
(C) academic training elsewhere provides specialized
services needed by the customer.
(5) If the customer chooses to obtain academic training
at a private college or university in Texas or at a college or university
outside Texas and the provisions in paragraph (4) of this subsection
do not apply, academic support must be limited to that which the customer
would receive if he or she attended a state-supported college or university
in Texas, unless the customer is a recipient of Social Security benefits,
either Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability
Insurance (SSDI).
(6) A customer who is blind, does not meet the residency
requirements of a particular institution, and is not eligible for
tuition exemption under Texas Education Code, §54.364 may receive
VRD tuition assistance based on the customer's economic need. Unless
the customer is a recipient of Social Security benefits, either SSI
or SSDI, payments must not exceed the tuition paid for a customer
who does meet the residency requirements.
(7) Tuition and fee exemption is an exemption from
payment of tuition and/or required fees normally charged by a state-supported
college or university. Required fees include student services, building
use, health center use, lab fees, and property deposits not reimbursable
to the student. Required fees do not include optional fees.
(8) Any equipment purchased for the customer during
academic training must be needed by the customer to help maintain
academic success so that the customer can meet the employment outcome.
(9) Once admitted to academic training:
(A) the customer must maintain and complete a full-time
course load as defined by the school or educational institution. This
requirement may be waived if:
(i) the customer is a graduating senior;
(ii) the customer is an incoming freshman (first two
semesters or quarters);
(iii) the customer is a returning adult (first academic
year only);
(iv) the customer is in summer school; or
(v) other extenuating circumstances prevent the customer
from participating in a full-time course load; and
(B) the customer is required to meet with the VR counselor
at least once each semester, to submit add or drop slips as changes
occur, and to provide grade slips or transcripts to the VR counselor
at the end of each semester.
(d) VRD requires that each customer who is provided
with vocational or other training services by VRD apply for financial
assistance where reasonably available. This assistance can include
federal, state, or local grants-in-aid and private scholarships where
applicable. If the customer has not done so before the time of application
for vocational rehabilitation services, the VR counselor assists the
customer in doing so.
|
| Source Note: The provisions of this §856.45 adopted to be effective December 10, 2012, 37 TexReg 9651; duplicated effective September 1, 2016, as published in the Texas Register September 2, 2016, 41 TexReg 6773; amended to be effective November 8, 2017, 42 TexReg 6195; amended to be effective December 26, 2022, 47 TexReg 8740 |
