Florida Creates New Division of Employment Opportunity and Independence
Florida is unifying its vocational rehabilitation and blind services under a single administrator, creating a new entity named the Division of Employment Opportunity and Independence, the Florida Department of Education reported on November 9, 2026.
Commissioner Dr. Henry Mack announced that Chancellor Kelly Rogers will supervise both the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and the Division of Blind Services. The structural overhaul aims to dismantle overlapping bureaucracies that currently maintain separate leadership teams, IT systems, compliance monitoring, and employer services for overlapping federal programs.
The newly formed Division of Employment Opportunity and Independence combines two distinct state operations that historically functioned in administrative silos despite sharing identical federal guidelines. Both programs operate under the federal Rehabilitation Act and the Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act Combined State Plan, according to the state education department.
The state-level consolidation impacts major operational infrastructure across Florida. The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation operated with 878 authorized positions and 89 field offices during the 2025-2026 period, serving 45,727 jobseekers, completing 14,198 employment plans, and closing 5,144 cases with employment. Its federal vocational rehabilitation grant totaled $218.9 million in fiscal year 2026.
We are ENDING dual bureaucracy in Florida. By unifying our Vocational Rehabilitation and Blind Services Divisions under the new Division of Employment Opportunity and Independence, we will create clearer pathways to education, independence, and meaningful employment. pic.twitter.com/Ikm3NXiaS8
Meanwhile, the Division of Blind Services maintains approximately 280 positions and received a federal vocational rehabilitation grant of $44.8 million for fiscal year 2026. The blind services program serves roughly 5,000 clients annually, recording 1,018 employment successes in its most recently completed year.
| Division | Positions | FY 2026 Federal Grant | Recent Employment Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Division of Vocational Rehabilitation | 878 | $218.9 million | 5,144 cases (2025-26) |
| Division of Blind Services | 280 | $44.8 million | 1,018 employment successes |
An estimated 2.83 million working-age Floridians live with a disability, representing 13.7 percent of the state population.
Data released by the department shows that only 23.9 percent of working-age Floridians with a disability are currently employed. By comparison, 63.7 percent of working-age residents without a disability hold jobs.
“Ending the dual bureaucracy while protecting specialized disability and blind services is critical to the future of the Florida economy and the individuals we aim to uplift,” Dr. Henry Mack said.
The commissioner emphasized that specialized staff, counselors, subject matter experts, and provider networks will remain in place to serve distinct client needs. The unified model is designed to direct administrative resources toward competitive, integrated employment outcomes.
Incoming Chancellor Kelly Rogers brings more than 25 years of experience leading family and disability programs in Florida, alongside federal service as the Acting Assistant Secretary for the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services at the U.S. Department of Education.
“I am honored to return home to Florida and committed to ensuring that Floridians with disabilities receive high-quality, fiscally responsible and individualized services that lead to meaningful employment and independence,” Kelly Rogers said.
State leadership plans to gather feedback over the coming months from individuals with disabilities, families, staff, service providers, employers, advocates, and community organizations. Input collected during this outreach period will guide the formal rollout and operational framework of the new division.