Western-Regional Area Support Team (W-RAST)

The WRAST Program is responsible for the provision of technical support and special education program compliance monitoring for adjudicated students with disabilities. WRAST provides technical support for 20 school district and 5 IU education programs in the western region for a total of 38 education programs. The percentage of eligible students with disabilities served in incarcerated settings range from 46 to 85% of the total student population

Pennsylvania has three Regional Assessment and Support Teams (RAST) located in the western, central, and eastern parts of the state. The RAST units are comprised of certified special education staff and a school psychologist or contracted specialists. The teams are coordinated by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education. Each correctional institution is supported by one of the three Regional Assessment and Support Teams, which provide technical assistance, in-service training, related services, compliance monitoring of correctional institutions, and psychological assessments as needed. The RAST units meet monthly with the PDE, BSE, and the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Education to coordinate and standardize all special education programs and services at the institutional level.

When a special education student is placed in an institution, the teacher receives support from the institution's RAST unit. In addition to the services noted above, the following RAST units provide technical assistance for screening, identification, IEP development, and related services for special education students