Updates to PreETS: What Families, Students, and Schools Need to Know (Transition Trends Summer 2026)
Updates to PreETS: What Families, Students, and Schools Need to Know
Transition Trends – Summer 2026
Jonathan Kraeszig, M.R.C., C.R.C.
Vocational Rehabilitation, Director of Youth Services
Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) is making important improvements to PreEmployment Transition Services (PreETS) to better support students with disabilities as they plan for life after high school. These updates focus on clearer timelines, improved coordination, and services that are more connected to each student’s vocational goals.
This spring, VR completed its transition to the new VR CPS system, which replaced the previous PreETS portal on March 1, 2026. Because only three months remained in the semester after the transition, initial authorizations were issued statewide on a prorated basis through May 31.
What’s Coming This Fall
VR is preparing fall authorizations now and has expanded funding to support more student participation. This fall also brings standardized authorization timelines, giving schools and families more predictability regarding when services begin:
Students referred by July 3 will receive authorizations effective August 1.
Students referred by the end of September will receive fall authorizations dated October 1–December 31.
To promote consistency statewide, VR is also moving to two authorization levels: 15 hours or 30 hours, based on student need. This structure supports sustainability while still allowing flexibility for students who require more intensive services.
These changes build on VR’s recent PreETS restructuring, which emphasizes individualized vocational goals and clearer expectations for how services are delivered. Students will continue to participate in PreETS activities such as job exploration, work- based learning, workplace readiness training, counseling on postsecondary options, and selfadvocacy.
Summer Programming
Summer PreETS activities are well underway. Instead of issuing a standard authorization amount, VR asked providers to estimate the hours needed for their specific summer programming. Authorizations were then issued based on these projections, ensuring providers had the flexibility to deliver the activities they designed. Summer authorizations began in late May and run through July 31, accommodating different school calendars, including those that start programming early. VR continues to monitor participation and support providers to encourage consistent student engagement.
Better Coordination and Communication
VR is also refining documentation and communication expectations to reduce burden on partner agencies. This includes simplifying processes and encouraging more streamlined communication with VR staff. These improvements align with VR’s larger effort to bring clarity and structure to PreETS, including standardized service hours, vocational goal alignment, and use of tools like the Student Career Profile, designed to help students track their progress and assist schools with transition planning.
What This Means for Students and Families
These updates are ultimately designed to make PreETS more predictable, accessible, and meaningful. By strengthening planning and aligning services with each student’s career interests, VR, schools, and providers can better work together to support successful transitions to adulthood. Whether students are exploring careers for the first time or taking concrete steps toward employment or education, PreETS continues to supplement, not replace, schoolbased transition efforts.
Indiana APSE encourages families, educators, and students to stay connected to their local VR Youth Counselors, who remain key partners in problem solving and planning. With clearer timelines, expanded fall capacity, and more coordinated programming, students across Indiana will have stronger opportunities to build independence and prepare for life after high school.