Implications of the Summary of Performance for Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors

Postsecondary education enhances the ability of all students to become competitively employed and economically independent. The 2004 reauthorization of IDEA, titled the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act, includes a major policy change stating that a comprehensive evaluation is not required prior to graduation from high school but specifying a Summary of Performance that includes a synopsis of academic achievement, functional performance, and recommendations of supports necessary for attainment of postsecondary goals for a student. This new policy raises questions and has major implications for rehabilitation counselors in providing transition services for postsecondary education and employment. In this article, the author discusses several of these questions and implications.