Much Ado About Something: Exciting New Developments for Students with Intellectual Disabilities Seek

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Much Ado About Something Exciting New
Developments for Students with Intellectual
Disabilities Seeking Postsecondary Education
Maryland State Transition Conference December 3,
2008

• Meg Grigal Amy Dwyre
• megrigal_at_transcen.org adwyre_at_transcen.org
• TransCen, Inc.

www.transitiontocollege.net
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PSE for Students with ID

• 150 programs nationally
• Dual enrollment
• College sponsored
• Combination
• Models (substantially separate, mixed/hybrid,
  individual support)

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Students with ID

• Receive services under IDEA until age 21 (26 in
  Michigan)
• Qualify to take alternate state assessments
• Would exit school with a high school certificate
• Unable to gain access to college via the
  traditional admissions process.

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Whats New

• Legislation
• Federal grants

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The Higher Education Opportunity Act Amendments
2008

• Allows students with ID, attending postsecondary
  programs to be eligible for Pell Grants,
  Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants and
  the Federal Work-Study Program.
• Authorizes the development of inclusive model
  comprehensive transition and post-secondary
  programs.
• Authorizes the establishment of a coordinating
  center for the new model programs.
• Establishes a national center to provide support
  services and best practices for colleges,
  students with disabilities, and their families.

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Definition of a Student with an Intellectual
Disability

• A student
• (A) with mental retardation or a cognitive
  impairment,
• characterized by significant limitations in
• (i) intellectual and cognitive functioning and
• (ii) adaptive behavior as expressed in
  conceptual,
• social, and practical adaptive skills and
• (B) who is currently, or was formerly, eligible
  for a
• free appropriate public education under the
  Individuals
• with Disabilities Education Act.
• (Conference Report includes a student eligible
  for FAPE not enrolled in public school who can
  otherwise demonstrate they meet the eligibility
  criteria)

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Comprehensive Transition and Postsecondary
Programs for Students with Intellectual
Disabilities definition

• A degree, certificate, or nondegree program that
  is
• (A) offered by an institution of higher
  education
• (B) designed to support students with
  intellectual disabilities who are seeking to
  continue academic, career and technical, and
  independent living instruction at an institution
  of higher education in order to prepare for
  gainful employment
• (C) includes an advising and curriculum
  structure

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Comprehensive program definition continued
program requirements

• (D) requires students with intellectual
  disabilities to
• participate on not less than a half-time basis,
  as determined
• by the institution, with such participation
  focusing
• on academic components and occurring through one
  or
• more of the following activities
• (i) Regular enrollment in credit-bearing
  courses
• with nondisabled students offered by the
  institution.
• (ii) Auditing or participating in courses with
  nondisabled
• students offered by the institution for which
• the student does not receive regular academic
  credit.
• (iii) Enrollment in noncredit-bearing,
  nondegree
• courses with nondisabled students.
• (iv) Participation in internships or work-based
• training in settings with nondisabled individuals.

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Eligibility for Work-Study Jobs, Pell and SEOP
Grants (SEC. 485)

• Must meet definition of student with intellectual
  disability
• Be enrolled or accepted for enrollment in a
  comprehensiveprogram
• Be maintaining satisfactory progress in the
  program as determined by the IHE, in accordance
  with standards set by IHE
• (Secretary shall promulgate regulations part of
  negotiated rule-making process.)

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Model Comprehensive Transition and Postsecondary
Programs for Students with Intellectual
Disabilities (SEC 767)

• Competitive grants to IHEs or consortiums of IHEs
  to create or expand high-quality, inclusive
  programs
• Administered by DOE office that administers other
  postsecondary programs
• Grants awarded for 5 years

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For more info on the HEOA

• Go toThe AUCD Postsecondary Education
  Information
• http//www.aucd.org/template/page.cfm?id509

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The Center on Postsecondary Education and
Students with Intellectual Disabilities

• Funded through DOE, OSERS, NIDRR
• 2008-2011
• Institute for Community Inclusion,
• UMASS Boston
• TransCen, Inc.

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The Center on Postsecondary Education and
Students with Intellectual Disabilities

• Conduct Secondary Analysis of NSLTS2, RSA 911,
  ACS
• Compile, create, disseminate training and
  technical assistance (TTA) materials
• Conduct national survey of PSE programs for
  students with ID

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National Consortium of University Centers for
Excellence in Developmental Disabilities to
Enhance Postsecondary Education for Youth and
Adults with Developmental Disabilities

• 5 year Project Coordinated by ICI/UMASS Boston
  with UCEDD Partners nationwide
• Phase IResearch and Planning
• Phase II Develop and Test a National Training
  Program
• Phase III National Implementation and Transition
  to Sustainability

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How Projects Work Together
Executive Bd Project Advisory Committee

• Consortium (ADD)
• Case Studies Site Visits/Focus Groups
• Quality Indicators
• Develop National Training Initiative
• Disseminate thru ADD Technical Assistance
  Centers beyond

• Center (NIDDR)
• National Survey
• Secondary Data Analysis
• Compile existing materials
• Develop new materials
• Disseminate thru NIDDR dissemination centers

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• For more information on PSE for students with ID
  please visit
• www.transitiontocollege.net
• www.thinkcollege.net

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The PERC Project

• The purpose of the Postsecondary Education
  Research Center (PERC) Project is to demonstrate
  and research exemplary practices supporting
  students with intellectual disabilities ages
  18-21 in postsecondary settings.

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Mixed or Hybrid Model

• Program Center and Coordinator
• Dual Enrollment
• Employment
• Course access
• Individualized planning and support

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PERC Data

• Project 2005-2009
• 2 States
• 3 School Systems
• 5 Programs Sites
• 35 High Schools
• 42 students in 2007/2008

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PERC Project Activities

• Conduct site improvement activities
• Provide statewide technical assistance
• Collect and synthesize empirical data on the
  efficacy and outcomes
• Disseminate findings nationally

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PERC Data Collection

• Employment
• College Course Access
• Self Determination
• Exit/Follow Up Data

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Preliminary Data

• MD PERC Site
• 88 in paid work (restaurant worker, usher,
  office clerk, utility worker, grocery store,
  retail, golf course, federal government)
• Work an average of 22.7 hours per week for
  average 8.00/hour
• 44 auditing classes (reading and vocabulary,
  computer basics, keyboarding, writing, food
  certification)

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Preliminary Data

• CT PERC Site
• 92 in paid work (clothing retail, humane
  society, restaurants, grocery stores)
• Work an average of 8.3 hours per week for an
  average of 7.50/hour
• 100 auditing classes (History, Theater,
  Psychology, English courses)

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PERC Project Website

• http//www.transitiontocollege.net