In this section you will learn about the history and background of
postsecondary education options. You will find out how postsecondary
education programs for students with disabilities began, along with
the laws that support their development. Comprehensive Transition
Programs are also described as well as programs in Florida.
Family2Family films in this section highlight how parents began
planning for college.
Let’s break it down a bit. Think of the word,
post It means after. Next,
secondary, in this case, means high school. If we put these words
together, we get after high school. We are talking about
any type of education or training that comes after high school,
and it may take place at a community college, state college,
university, technical school, or vocational training program.
From a national perspective, the number of postsecondary
programs increased largely because of the
Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA)
that was legislated in 2008 as part of the reauthorization of
the Higher Education ACT of 1965. The passage of this
legislation was important to students and their families because
it was one of the first times postsecondary education for
students with intellectual disabilities was addressed!
HEOA:
gives us a definition of Comprehensive Transition Programs
(more on that later) and defines how students who attend
programs can be eligible for federal financial aid.
provides us an opportunity to fund projects that demonstrate
effective education models,
designates a national center to coordinate these projects.
While students are enrolled in K-12, they are protected by the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) , the law that provides special education supports and services
to students with disabilities. Once students leave high school,
they are no longer under the protection of IDEA, but the work
the students have done for their transition to postsecondary
education should be done in their K-12 years, particularly in
middle and high school.
IDEA:
requires schools to provide free and appropriate public
education for all students, including those with ID.
expects teams that include the student, family members,
school personnel, agencies, and other stakeholders to plan
for transition from high school to adulthood.
requires that one of the student’s goal areas in the
transition planning is postsecondary education.
promotes early planning for postsecondary education to make
sure students have an easier transition to a postsecondary
education environment.
Once students enroll in postsecondary education, they are
protected by
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of
1973 and the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)(1990,2008).
Section 504 and the ADA:
Are civil rights laws for individuals with disabilities.
Guarantee students with disabilities access to education
and other supports and services with reasonable
accommodations.
Removes barriers and guarantees reasonable accommodations
so that persons with disabilities have an opportunity to
participate.
The Higher Education Opportunity Act (2008) described what
Comprehensive Transition and Postsecondary programs (CTPs)
are to clarify this information for students, families, program
personnel, and universities.
Information to know! CTPs :
Are housed on a participating college, university, technical
school or career center campus.
May offer a degree, certificate, credential, non-degree,
non-certificate program, or other exit documents.
Are provided to students who attend the institution in
person.
Have been developed to specifically support students with
ID.
Support continued academic, career and technical, and
independent living to prepare students for future
employment.
Have personnel that serve as advisors to students.
Have a structured curriculum (Papay, 2019).
Additional information about CTPs may be found on
Think College, an organization that serves individuals in the United States
and is committed to “developing, expanding, and improving
inclusive higher education options for people with intellectual
disability.” An example of various CTP resources can be found on
this FIZZ.
According to Think College, there are well over 320 programs as of October Fall 2023 that
serve students with intellectual disabilities. To look at
updated states’ programs, visit the FIZZ to navigate to the
Think College website. All states, have a minimum of one college
program, and the East Coast of the country and California have
the largest numbers of program options. In 2023 ,
Florida is among the top five in the country for the
number of programs in a state!
Yes! The
Florida Postsecondary Comprehensive Transition Program Act
(FPCTP Act)(FS §1004.6495) became a law when the governor signed it in
early 2016.
The purpose of the Act is to “increase independent living,
inclusive and experiential postsecondary education, and
employment opportunities for students with intellectual
disabilities through degree, certificate, or non-degree programs
and to establish statewide coordination of the dissemination of
information regarding programs and services for students with
disabilities. It is the intent of the Legislature that students
with intellectual disabilities and students with disabilities
have access to meaningful postsecondary education credentials
and be afforded the opportunity to have a meaningful campus
experience.” (FS §1004.6495(2))
How fortunate we are to have state legislation that supports
students with ID in their postsecondary education goals.
FPCTP:
Created the
Florida Center for Students with Unique Abilities (FCSUA)
at the University of Central Florida (UCF) in Orlando, FL
(https://fcsua.org).
Charges the FCSUA with managing all the applications to be a
Florida Postsecondary Comprehensive Transition Program
(FPCTP) .
Tasks the FCSUA with
evaluating and approving programs to be a
FPCTP.
Sets criteria or requirements for FPCTP
approval.
Awards scholarships for students to
attend approved FPCTP programs.
Awards funding to
develop new FPCTP programs.
Awards funding to
enhance existing programs.
Ensures accountability and quality among
FPCTP approved programs.
The
Florida Postsecondary Comprehensive Transition Program Act
sets the following requirements:
In order to enroll in a FPCTP, applicants must have an
intellectual disability and must have exited high
school-K-12 grades.
FPCTPs verify students’ eligibility to enroll in programs.
FPCTPs must prove that the institution has a federally
approved CTP, documentation of the submission of an
application for federal approval of a program, or
documentation that the institution intends to submit an
application during the following academic year of FPCTP
approval.
Programs in Florida
The FCSUA staff devotes a page on their
website to give students and families information about the
programs in Florida. Check this site often because more and more
programs are becoming established and approved programs. Click
on the FIZZ Logo to see Florida programs and discover what
components such as housing, contact information, or access they
offer.
The Higher Education Opportunity Act (2008) requires CTPs to
ensure that students with ID have at least
one-half of their activities or participation
in the program that includes one or more of these program
components:
Students who enroll in a class for credit receive a
grade at the end of the class based on their work in
all class experiences and activities, test scores,
group projects, or writing projects or papers. The
students complete the same work as their peers in
class and may use approved accommodations to complete
their class work. Students with ID who take courses
for credit are not allowed to modify or change the
course requirements. Credit earned in the class may
help the student toward earning credentials the CTP
offers.
Students may audit classes in some programs. Students
participate in all class experiences and activities,
including taking tests, working on group projects, or
writing projects or papers. Students with ID who audit
courses may be allowed to modify or change the course
requirements. Instructors, sometimes in partnership
with CTP personnel, may grade work in audited courses,
and the work may help the student toward earning
credentials or certificates the CTP offers.
Students may have the opportunity to sign up for
courses in such areas as time management, study
skills, using an electronic classroom or first aid,
and they take these classes with their peers from all
parts of campus. These classes do not usually count
toward a degree program but are classes to help
students with their transition to college or technical
school.
Students have opportunities to participate in
internships, apprenticeships, job shadowing or any
workshops or training about employment that are
offered both on or off campus. Many times, these
opportunities are offered by the Career Services
office on campus. The internships or workshops may
help student fulfill requirements for a credential or
certificate the CTP offers.
Students may join groups on campus that reflect their
extracurricular interests. They might participate in a
singing group, the pep band for games, the drama club.
or play soccer with a team from their residence halls.