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The Community Based Work Transition Program (CBWTP) is designed to provide a positive beginning in the world of work for special education students during their last two years of high school. It serves students having a range of disabilities who need personalized support for exploring potential careers, pursuing challenging work experiences and maintaining employment within their communities. The CBWTP is a cooperative effort between participating local school districts, the Kentucky Department of Education, the Kentucky Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, the Kentucky Office for the Blind, and the Human Development Institute at the University of Kentucky.

The CBWTP first began in 1984, through a Model Demonstration Grant from the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), it was called, Project Respect. Project Respect provided training and technical assistance to eight rural Kentucky counties to help high school students with disabilities obtain and maintain employment. Based on the success of the project, Project Best replaced Project Respect. Project Best continued with the training and technical assistance and added one urban county school district. In 1987, OSERS approved and replaced Project Best to the Staff Project and continued with training and services to school districts across the state of Kentucky. In 1989, the Kentucky Department of Education and the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation provided the funding for the project and called it the Community Based Work Transition Program. For the 2008-2009 school year the Community Based Work Transition Program served 73 school districts and approximately 600 students.