What's New in RSA

On March 26, 2026, RSA announced competitions for the following FFY 2026 discretionary grants:

• Parent Information and Training Program (Assistance Listing Number 84.235F). This application is for Region C-2 (Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming) and is due by April 24, 2026.
• Training of Interpreters for Individuals Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing and Individuals Who are Deaf-Blind (Assistance Listing Number 84.160D). Applications are due by May 26, 2026.

For more information, please visit Open FY 2026 Discretionary Grant Competitions on the NCRTM. 

On April 9, 2026 from 3:00-4:30PM Eastern, RSA, in collaboration with the National Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center (VRTAC), will host a webinar related to the submission of Real Property Status Reports (SF-429) and the Notice of Federal Interest (NFI) requirements for the VR program. This session will address Federal reporting requirements, timelines, and compliance considerations under 2 CFR 200.

If you have specific questions related to the SF-429 or NFI that you would like RSA to address, please email them to RSAfiscal@ed.gov in advance of the webinar. Please visit the VRTAC to Register.

On March 23, 2026, RSA shared the Negotiations Tool it will use to establish Negotiated Levels of Performance with State VR programs for PYs 2026 and 2027. Like the prior tool for PYs 2024 and 2025, this tool also includes the Estimated Levels of Performance produced by RSA’s Statistical Adjustment Model (SAM), State’s Expected Levels of Performance, and data related to the other negotiation factors required by section 116 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. 

State VR programs may review RSA’s SAM for PYs 2026 and 2027. The SAM provides the Estimated Levels of Performance, including the coefficients and State-specific values for each variable, for each of the five WIOA performance indicators. For more information related to how RSA uses the SAM in both the negotiations and performance assessment processes, please review RSA-TAC-20-02.

On March 12, 2026, RSA issued Dear Colleague Letter 26-01 to implement the Real Property Status Report (SF-429) forms and Notices of Federal Interest (NFI) for the State VR Services program. RSA previously notified grantees of the planned implementation of the SF-429 forms in a grant award attachment to FFY 2025 VR awards. OMB's SF-429 reporting requirement (2 C.F.R. § 200.330) requires that grantees report annually on the status of the real property in which the Federal government has made a monetary investment and, therefore, has an ongoing interest. The Federal interest recording requirement (2 C.F.R. § 200.316), in combination with the OMB construction grant assurances, Assurances for Construction Programs (SF-424D), provides Federal agencies with discretion as to when grantees are required to locally record notices of Federal interest (or other public notices of record) regarding that Federal interest. 

On March 10, 2026, RSA provided VR agencies with the Estimated Levels of Performance for PYs 2026 and 2027 for five WIOA performance indicators in its Statistical Adjustment Model (SAM). The SAM includes the coefficients, specific values for each variable for each State, and performance results from PY 2017 to PY 2024, as applicable, for each State VR program. 

Now that VR programs have submitted their Expected Levels of Performance, RSA will use the Estimated Levels of Performance as one of the factors in establishing Negotiated Levels of Performance for PYs 2026 and 2027. For more information related to the negotiations process, please review RSA-TAC-20-02.

On March 10, 2026, RSA published the Monitoring and Technical Assistance Guide (MTAG) it will use in monitoring VR and Supported Employment programs during FFY 2026. The MTAG serves as a resource for VR agencies and RSA State Teams to assist in the preparation for and conduct of monitoring. RSA’s goals for monitoring are to ensure compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements, support VR agencies in maximizing the use of funds, and foster continuous improvement in competitive integrated employment outcomes achieved by individuals with disabilities. To review other monitoring resources, please visit VR Program Monitoring.

In FFY 2026, RSA will monitor Alaska-Combined, California-Combined, Delaware-General, and Kansas-Combined. 

RSA is seeking peer reviewers for potential grant competitions in FFY 2026. RSA seeks individuals with subject matter expertise in VR services, specialized teaching and training for individuals with disabilities (such as Braille and interpreter programs), parent training, or experience working in a State or local education agency. Individuals new to the peer review process are encouraged to apply. For more information, please review the Call for Peer Reviewers.

On February 3, 2026, President Trump signed into law the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 which further makes appropriations for FFY 2026. In early March 2026, RSA issued grant awards for the: 

• State VR Services Program totaling $2,793,856,922. When combined with funds issued under the first CR ($1,377,635,559) this represents 100 percent of the anticipated annual appropriation for the program ($4,171,492,481) less sequestration, set-aside, and maintenance of effort reductions ($22,670,047). These grant awards include an increase based on the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers.
• State Supported Employment Services program totaling $14,017,276.50 (SE-A: $7,008,638 and SE-B: $7,008,638.50). When combined with the funds issued under the first CR, the total amount is $22,322,520 for each State that elected to receive funds.
• Client Assistance Program totaling $8,655,400. When combined with the funds issued under the first CR ($4,344,600), the total amount is $13,000,000.
• Protection and Advocacy for Individual Rights program totaling $13,093,784. When combined with the funds issued under the first CR ($6,612,916), the total amount is $19,706,700.
• Independent Living for Older Individuals Who Are Blind program totaling $21,561,350. When combined with the funds issued under the first CR ($10,822,774), the total amount is $32,384,124.

The above appropriations follow the Continuing Appropriations, Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Extensions Act, 2026 that represented 33.42 percent of the FFY 2026 allocation. 

On February 12, 2026, RSA published the Program Year 2024 WIOA Performance Assessment Results. On March 3, 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration published assessment results for the titles I, II, III, and IV core programs at WIOA Performance Assessments. These results include Overall State Indicator Scores for Measurable Skill Gains and Employment Rate in the Second Quarter after Exit, inclusive of VR program performance. 

ED and DOL conducted assessments in accordance with joint policy guidance (FAQ-25-01) issued July 17, 2025.

On February 19, 2026, RSA and its Federal partners announced the publication of a new resource titled Requirements and Considerations for the 2026 WIOA Unified and Combined State Plan Modifications. This resource provides guidance on the required elements and key considerations for States as they prepare their PY 2026 modifications.

On February 13, 2026, RSA and its Federal partners announced that the State Plan Portal is available to enter PY 2026 modifications. State Users who have active accounts and editing permissions may begin entering content now. State Users who have blocked accounts will receive an email on February 17, 2026, alerting them to log-in within 48 hours to remain active. State Users who do not have an account must establish an account using their LOGIN.GOV account. Within the joint policy guidance (TAC-26-01), RSA requested that VR programs submit Expected Levels of Performance by March 3, 2026. This deadline was established so that states and RSA can finalize Negotiated Levels of Performance before PY 2026 begins on July 1, 2026.

On January 26, 2026, RSA and its Federal partners published joint policy guidance titled, Modification Requirements for WIOA State Plans for PYs 2026 and 2027 (RSA-TAC-26-01). The U.S. Department of Labor also issued a press release. This joint policy guidance conveys to States the Trump-Vance Administration’s priorities, State Plan modification requirements, submission process, and deadline. States must submit these State Plan modifications to ED and DOL through the WIOA State Plan Portal. Once submitted, the Departments will review and provide a decision within 90 days for the WIOA core programs. Visit WIOA State Plans to view other resources. 
For additional information, please contact your RSA State Liaison.