92. Create opportunities for students with disabilities through robust transition programs.

Partnerships and P-12 Education Systems 09.6.24

Here’s what the federal government can do:

  • Congress should increase funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which includes transition services as an allowable use.
  • Congress should pass legislation that ensures individuals with disabilities are able to use a previous Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 plan as proof of a disability in higher education.
  • Congress should improve access to Federal TRIO programs for students with disabilities.
  • The U.S. Department of Education should share best practices on supporting students with disabilities through transition programs from P-12 to postsecondary education.
  • The U.S. Department of Education should collect, conduct, and disseminate disaggregated outcomes data on students with disabilities in postsecondary education.

Here’s what state government can do:

  • State legislatures should enact legislation that requires institutions of higher education to accept a student’s previous IEP or 504 plan as proof of a disability in higher education.
  • State legislatures should fund programs that establish robust transition programs for students with disabilities.
  • States can leverage other funding sources, such as from the State Vocational Rehabilitation agency (i.e., Pre-Employment Transition Services), to support transition supports and services.

Here’s what institutional leaders can do:

  • Higher education institutions should accept a student’s previous IEP or 504 plan as proof of a disability in order to receive services and accommodations.
  • Higher education institutions should ensure that prospective and current students with disabilities have access to guidance on their civil rights in postsecondary education and grievance procedures available on campus to report complaints of discrimination.
  • P-12 systems should partner with colleges and universities to ensure that students with disabilities have information about academic adjustments, campus supports, and disability centers and ensure equitable access for students with disabilities in dual credit or dual enrollment programs.
  • P-12 systems should partner with disability centers at colleges and universities to ensure that students with disabilities have access to information about an institution’s procedure to request academic adjustments.
  • P-12 systems should partner with disability centers at colleges and universities to provide mentorship to students with disabilities during their transition to postsecondary education.

Robust transition programs into higher education play a pivotal role in supporting students with disabilities. Partnerships between P-12 schools and higher education institutions should include building mentorship programs, education on the civil rights of disabled students, and information sharing about support programs offered on college campuses. Through robust transition programs, schools and higher education institutions can empower students with disabilities and create stronger pathways to accessing higher education. Moreover, documentation barriers persist for students with disabilities, and policymakers at all levels should enact legislation or adopt policies that enable students requesting accommodations to use existing documentation like an IEP or 504 plan, rather than requiring an expensive evaluation. Disabled students should also have access to information and resources provided by the U.S. Department of Education on their civil rights in postsecondary education.[i]

[i]“Students with Disabilities Preparing for Postsecondary Education: Know Your Rights and Responsibilities,” U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights. https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/transition.html.