Exploring Options
Transitioning from high school to college, whether it's a state college, technical college, or university, is a major milestone. This journey can be especially challenging for students with disabilities. It is important to understand the legal protections in place to prevent discrimination and ensure access to necessary services and supports for individuals with disabilities. While the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) ensures support through high school, the protections under ADA and Section 504 continue to provide essential safeguards throughout one's life, ensuring continued access to necessary accommodations and support. To help you navigate this transition, we've created this resource.
Accessing College as a Student with a Disability
Making the transition from high school to a state college, technical college, or university is a big step for students, and often comes with many challenges. These challenges can be more pronounced for students with disabilities for a variety of reasons. We created this resource to assist you as you navigate your path to postsecondary education.
There are civil rights laws that protect individuals with disabilities from discrimination and provide for access to services and supports. These include the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Civil Rights Act. Under the IDEA, school districts have the responsibility of finding students who may have a disability, evaluating them, and identifying whether they have a disability that will require an individual educational plan (IEP) or a 504 Plan. Once a student graduates high school or turns 22 (whichever occurs first), they are no longer eligible for services under the IDEA. This does not mean that the student no longer has a disability. Instead, the protections now fall under Section 504 of the Civil Rights Act and the ADA. These protections remain throughout the individual’s lifetime.
Here are some key differences between services in high school and supports in college
High School
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) provides the mandate and funding to schools for in-school special education services like tutoring as well as transportation to school, and therapy (physical, occupational, speech)
College
American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation
Colleges are required only to offer accommodation & support services; not services of a personal nature.
Tutoring is not required under ADA. Some colleges offer tutoring through disability services and some colleges have tutoring centers for all students.
High School
School personnel “find you” and decide what eligibility for services and supports.
College
You must request help; no one will come to find you to see if you have a disability.
High School
Coordinated by school psychologist or school district.
School develops IEP from documentation and test results.
College
You must provide “proof” of your disability
Colleges set their own guidelines for documentation.
To apply for support services, a student with a disability must provide the college or university with appropriate written documentation from a. licensed medical or mental health professional, who is qualified to diagnose his/her disability. The diagnosis should clearly state what the disability is and delineate the expected academic limitations caused by the disability. If the college/university determines that the presented documentation is outdated, incomplete, or vague, the student must provide other appropriate documentation demonstrating the current existence of his/her disability before support services can be activated.
Because the accessibility offices do not diagnose impairments, assess their severity, or identify the current impact and/or functional limitations of a disability, therefore, office medical records, medical chart notes or prescription pad notations are generally not sufficient for determining eligibility and by submitting it could prolong the decision process.
Documentation Requiements
To be eligible for supports, a student must demonstrate that he/she has a condition that is consistent with the definition of a disability established by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Section 504 defines a disability as “a condition, which substantially limits one or more major life activities such as learning, walking, seeing, hearing, breathing, caring for oneself, and working.” To be eligible for accommodations, a student must provide appropriate documentation that his/her disability substantially limits one or more of his/her major life activities.
Documentation guidelines vary from one institution to another. Students are responsible for researching those documentation policies/guidelines and requirements.
Basic Documentation Guidelines:
- Diagnostic reports must be on letterhead paper and include the licensed professional’s name, title, professional credentials, dates, and signature.
- Licensure information should include the licensed professional’s area of specialization and the name of the province or state in which he/she has a license to work.
- Licensed professionals conducting an assessment must be qualified to do so and it is essential that they have experience in working with the adult population.
- Licensed professional must state clearly the specific diagnosis of the disability, avoiding vague, nonspecific, or inclusive terms.
- The diagnostic report must specify the degree of current functional loss and/or the functional limitations caused by the disability.
- The diagnostic report must include anticipated effects of the functional limitations within the academic setting.
- If a student takes medications, the licensed professional should list them and delineate their potential side effects. Reports should include suggested academic accommodations.
- The documentation should be within the last three years. However, colleges may reserve the right to make modifications to this requirement.
- Doctor’s prescription pad notes or individual educational plans (IEPs) from school districts are not accepted as documentation.
Resources
Here are some valuable resources for disability services at colleges:
-
National Center for College Students with
Disabilities (NCCSD):
- The NCCSD is a federally-funded national center that provides information and resources for current and prospective college students with disabilities. They offer a comprehensive database of disability services providers at nearly every degree-granting college and university in the U.S. and its territories1.
- Public Service Degrees:
-
College Navigator:
- The ultimate guide for college students with disabilities provides a comprehensive list of all the disability resources and services available at colleges and universities. It also includes information about federal grants and work-study programs for students with intellectual disabilities.
These resources can help you navigate the process of accessing disability services and ensure you have the support you need to succeed in college.
Dual Enrollment Options for a Student with a Disability
Dual enrollment is an opportunity to take challenging courses and accelerate educational opportunities. Students who successfully complete dual enrollment courses will save time and money toward their college degree with free tuition and textbooks. It is important to remember that dual enrollment courses are college courses and the amount of work necessary to succeed in dual enrollment courses may be much greater than in high school courses. In addition, dual enrollment courses become part of a student’s permanent college transcript and are calculated into the student’s permanent postsecondary GPA. Poor performance as a dual enrollment student can ultimately impact one’s postsecondary career, including acceptance to a state university, academic standing and financial aid eligibility. It is important to do well in these courses to realize all the benefits of dual enrollment.
Students with disabilities can participate in dual enrollment programs as long as they meet the eligibility criteria identified in Section 1007.271(3), Florida Statutes (F.S.). If a student needs services from the postsecondary institution to participate in dual enrollment, students will be required to disclose their disability and register with the postsecondary institution’s office for student accessibility services. Students in need of services will need to present current documentation of their disability. Documentation requirements may vary across postsecondary institutions and may also be different than the documents required by middle and high schools. Students should contact the institution’s student accessibility services office for specific documentation requirements.
Eligibility criteria
Students must meet the following eligibility criteria per S. 1007.271(3), F.S.:
- Be enrolled as a student in a Florida public or nonpublic secondary school (grades 6-12), or in a home education program.
- Have a 3.0 unweighted high school grade point average (GPA) to enroll in college credits, or a 2.0 unweighted high school GPA to enroll in career dual enrollment courses.
- For college credits, demonstrate college readiness outlined in Rule 6A-10.0315, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.) pursuant to Rule 6A-14.064, F.A.C.
- Meet any additional eligibility criteria specified by the postsecondary institution in the Dual Enrollment Articulation Agreement.
- Not be scheduled to graduate from high school prior to the completion of the dual enrollment course.
For students with disabilities considering dual enrollment, it's important to ensure that students with disabilities have the support they need to successfully participate in dual enrollment opportunities through transition planning. By incorporating dual enrollment into the transition plan, the individual educational plan (IEP) can provide a comprehensive framework that prepares students for the demands of college-level coursework and helps them achieve their postsecondary goals.
Developing Postsecondary Goals at age 14 or 8th grade based on transition assessments
Transition planning begins with identifying the student's strengths, needs, preferences and interests related to education, employment, career and independent living. If dual enrollment aligns with these, it should be specifically incorporated into the IEP as part of the student’s transition plan.
The IEP team can develop measurable postsecondary goals that outline the purpose of dual enrollment, such as earning college credits, gaining exposure to college-level coursework, or developing self-advocacy skills.
Dual enrollment eligibility typically includes a minimum GPA and standardized test scores (like the PERT, SAT, or ACT). Students should confirm with their high school and the college they wish to attend, as requirements can vary.
Transition Services
The IEP should outline transition services that will support the student in meeting their goals related to dual enrollment. Examples include academic tutoring, accommodations, or support from a transition coordinator.
Transition services might include participation in pre-college readiness programs to help the student build confidence and familiarize themselves with the expectations and environment of college life.
Transition services may involve collaboration with disability services offices at the college where the student will take courses. This ensures accommodations are in place and any additional support needs are identified.
Colleges participating in dual enrollment are required under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to provide reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities. However, the type and process of securing accommodations can differ from high school. Unlike in K-12, where accommodations are specified in an IEP or 504 Plan, college students need to register with the college’s disability services office, provide documentation of their disability, and request accommodations.
Instruction in Self-Advocacy and Self-Determination
Transition services can include specific instruction in self-advocacy, time management, and organizational skills to help students navigate college-level expectations and communicate effectively about their needs.
The IEP team can support the student by providing guidance on college application procedures, registration processes, and how to access accommodations at the postsecondary level.
In high school, IEPs and 504 Plans often provide structured support and accommodations. In a college setting, students must advocate for themselves and proactively work with the disability services office to get the accommodations they need. High school support staff can help students understand these changes and prepare them for more independence.
College courses often require greater independence, and the academic expectations may be more rigorous. Students should be prepared for these differences and consider the level of support they'll need to succeed.
Coordination with All Stakeholders
The IEP team should include the student, family members, school staff, and representatives from the postsecondary institution, if applicable. This ensures a coordinated approach to supporting dual enrollment.
The IEP can outline how the team will monitor the student's progress in dual enrollment courses and adjust supports or services as needed to ensure success.
Students with disabilities may need to arrange transportation or plan for additional time between classes. Discussing these logistics early can help manage the transition smoothly.
Resources
Here are some valuable resources for Dual Enrollment in Florida:
-
Florida College System:
- The Florida College System’s overview of Dual Enrollment provides information on dual enrollment in Florida. This site also includes links to the dual enrollment contacts at each college.
-
Project 10 (Transition Education Network):
- Project 10 is a discretionary project funded by the Florida Department of Education and is a great resource for transition planning. Their Secondary Transition Roadmap provides an overview of the milestones that students go through to be college, career, and life ready.
- The Post-Secondary Options at a Glance publication contains a listing of all the different options available for students after high school.
-
Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) Office of
K-20 Articulation:
- FLDOE Dual Enrollment Programs Frequently Asked Questions document provides guidance about various topics related to dual enrollment and other acceleration options in Florida.
These resources can help you discover dual enrollment and other accelerated college credit options that are available to Florida’s students.
