The U.S. Department of Education announced today that it is awarding $251 million to more than two dozen higher education institutions and other agencies to ensure that people with disabilities have access to good-paying jobs in the 21st century.

The five-year grants, awarded under the Disability Innovation Fund (DIF) program, were given to 27 recipients. They focus on preparing individuals for competitive, integrated employment, enabling youth and adults with disabilities to be paid good wages while gaining employment in some of today’s most in-demand fields.

“Today, more than 60 million adults live with a disability – each with unique talents and strengths. In our 21st century economy, we must provide more opportunities for these individuals to achieve their goals for competitive integrated employment, independence, and economic self-sufficiency,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, in the department’s press release.

“Through the Disability Innovation Fund and today’s announcement, we’ll make progress to overcome historic barriers to employment, while ensuring the varied needs, preferences, and goals of individuals with disabilities remain at the center of our vision for a strong, inclusive workforce,” added Cardona.

The Department said it received more than 200 applications in response to its invitation for applications. The awards represent the Department’s largest-ever vocational rehabilitation-focused grant competition.

The individual projects range from $5.7 million to more than $10 million in funding.

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act defines competitive integrated employment (CIE) as work that’s performed on a full-time or part-time basis for which individuals are:

• Compensated at or above minimum wage and comparable to the customary rate paid by the employer to employees without disabilities performing similar duties and with similar training and experience;
• Receiving the same level of benefits provided to other employees without disabilities in similar positions;
• At a location where the employee interacts with other individuals without disabilities; and
• Presented opportunities for advancement similar to other employees without disabilities in similar positions.

The projects are focused on one of the following six topics:

• Broadening access to advanced technology careers and creating a 21st century workforce of people with disabilities leading to CIE;
• Innovative applications of advanced technology to support individuals with disabilities leading to CIE;
• Justice-involved youth with disabilities, including early intervention and reintegration from the juvenile justice system to the community;
• Early intervention and workforce reintegration strategies for those with acquired disabilities leading to CIE;
• Early intervention and workforce reintegration strategies for “disconnected” youth and/or adults with disabilities that lead to CIE; and
• Other innovative topics areas or a combination of two or more topics in one application.

The recipients come from 16 states, the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands, and they include 13 institutions of higher education, nine nonprofits, four state agencies, and one institution of higher education/special institution.

The higher education institutions receiving grants include Bismark State College, Florida Atlantic University, Minot State University, Mississippi State University, Northern Marianas College, University of Idaho, University of Nebraska Medical Center, University of Oregon, University of South Florida, University of Texas at San Antonio, University of Wisconsin System, University of Wisconsin-Stout, and Wor-Wic Community College.