State and local government integrated employment systems

Across the United States, many organizations in the employment ecosystem--such as schools, colleges, workforce development programs, and vocational rehabilitation agencies--struggle to help neurodivergent individuals (including those with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and related conditions) gain the skills they need to secure and keep competitive jobs. This problem is especially pronounced in rural areas, where access to subject matter expertise and funding is limited. Without effective methods for collecting, sharing, and acting on employability skills data, these organizations cannot consistently improve employment outcomes for neurodivergent individuals. This not only limits career opportunities for millions of Americans but also contributes to poverty, underemployment, and missed contributions to the economy.This project will pilot a technology called Individualized Employability Development (IEDev) v0.5--a semi-automated platform that connects different parts of the employment ecosystem. IEDev standardizes employability skills data collection, reporting, and sharing, while enabling educators to quickly create and monitor personalized development roadmaps. During the 7-month study, educators in a school district, a higher education institution, and a state vocational rehabilitation agency in Arkansas will use the platform to assess participants' skills, deliver targeted interventions, and measure progress. The pilot will also track reductions in educator workload, improvements in skills readiness, and return on investment for participating organizations.By demonstrating that IEDev can improve employability skills and streamline educator tasks, this project aims to lay the groundwork for broader adoption across state and local agencies. Expected benefits include measurable gains in participants' employability skills (change in knowledge), adoption of more efficient, data-driven practices by educators (change in action), and higher employment rates and incomes for neurodivergent individuals (change in condition). Over time, these outcomes can strengthen local economies--particularly in rural, urban, and suburban communities--and help create more inclusive workplaces and communities nationwide.