What is the Post Secondary Education?

The PERT Program is a highly effective school-to-work transition initiative supported by the Virginia Department of Education and administered through the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) at Wilson Workforce and Rehabilitation Center (WWRC). PERT Program services are provided on the WWRC Campus where students reside in a dormitory.

The PERT Program assists students in their transition from high school to post secondary options by helping them answer these questions:

What’s out there for me? What are my talents? What are my interests? What types of jobs might I enjoy doing? What skills do I need to become employed? What do I need to learn to live on my own?

PERT Admission Requirements

Secondary-aged youth with disabilities Enrolled in the Virginia’s public education system Receive special education services under an Individual Education Program (IEP) or a 504 Plan Age 16 at time of requested PERT Initial Evaluation or 2.5 years from graduation or secondary school completion Possess positive classroom and work behaviors Medically, physically and psychologically stable for at least six months Possess a full scale IQ of 60 or evidence of good adaptive skills Willing to comply with WWRC community living standards Possess a strong, community-based support system which includes transport back home if necessary

Youth with disabilities who do not fully meet these admissions requirements may be considered for admission on an individual case-by-case basis through a formal pre-admissions review process. This process is initiated by the student’s local Transition Team.

Initial Evaluation

Prerequisite: Selected by the student’s local Transition Team Length of Initial Evaluation: 5 to 10 days Evaluation assesses: vocational strengths and abilities independent living skills social and interpersonal skills

Situational Assessment

Prerequisite: Completion of PERT Initial Evaluation Received recommendation from WWRC vocational evaluators in one of the training areas offered at WWRC and support for additional services by local transition team. Length of Situational Assessment: 10 days Assessment includes: confirming vocational interest in one vocational training area refining vocational skills developing positive work habits determining objectives to achieve vocational and independent living skills goals.