Section 590.750  Secondary Transitional Experience Program (STEP)

a)         The Secondary Transitional Experience Program (STEP) is a program operated by DHS-DRS in cooperation with a local education agency (LEA) through a third party cooperative agreement.

b)         The primary focus of STEP is the provision of required Pre-employment Transition Services to students with disabilities identified by the LEA and certified as eligible by DRS.

c)         Work-based Learning Experiences are a required Pre-employment Transition Service that is arranged by the LEA and approved by a DRS counselor.  The LEA reports monthly to the DRS counselor on the type and duration of each work experience.

d)         Work-based Learning Experiences shall take place in integrated settings to the greatest extent possible.

e)         Work-based Learning Experiences shall include employer-paid work in the   community whenever possible based on the needs of the student.

f)         STEP services are provided to students to enhance the educational and transitional programming provided by the LEA and do not replace programming that the LEA is required to provide under IDEA.

(Source:  Amended at 42 Ill. Reg. 16224, effective August 8, 2018)