Getting Started and Moving Forward!
Postsecondary Education
Deborah Zuver, CIDD Advocacy Programs
Donna Yerby, CIDD Special Education/Services
Renate Macchirole,
Benchmarks Program Coordinator
NC Postsecondary Education Alliance
NC Postsecondary Education Alliance
EDUCATORS, AGENCY REPS, LEGISLATORS, YOUTH LEADERS &
FAMILIES WORKING TOGETHER
Increasing options &
opportunities for students
with intellectual disabilities
Continuing education
Employment
Independent living
Quality of life
Policy changes
www.cidd.unc.edu/psea
Objectives
→ Become familiar with inclusive PSE
opportunities on college campus
→ Identify PSE experiences that lead to
meaningful employment
→ Learn about strategies and supports for
developing and sustaining PSE programs
Postsecondary Education:
Education after high school; “college
experience” has not been available
to these students until recent years
–Services under IDEA through age 21
–Accommodations/alternative
assessments
–Alternative diploma track
Higher Education Opportunity Act:
New Provisions
• Financial Aid
–Pell Grants
–Federal Work-study program
• Model Demonstration Programs
(27)
• National Coordinating Center
• Certified Transition Programs (14+)
Overview of PSE - Nationally
• Less than 25% of students with I/DD
have participated in any form of PSE
• 6,000 students currently enrolled
• Approx. 215 programs in 42 states
Why is college important for
students with ID?
Postsecondary Education
Inclusive opportunities and
outcomes
Human Rights
Employment
Independent living
Quality of life
How PSE Experience
Can Affect
Employment
Possibilities
PSE for students with IDD
3%
Employment
12%
32%
Independent Living
College course access
16%
Life skills instruction
Self-determination
18%
19%
Social skills
Hart, Grigal, Weir (in press). A national survey of Findings of a national survey of postsecondary education programs for students with intellectual disabilities. Journal
of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities.
Work-based Learning:
Inclusive Opportunities
• Interest inventories and assessments
• Community partnerships for employment
• Course selection related to employment goals
• On-campus jobs; work-study opportunities
• Specialized curriculum leading to certificate
• Internships and job-based instruction
• Transition: job coach
Paid Employment
 Youth who participated in PSE were
26% more likely to leave Vocational
Rehabilitation with paid employment
 Earned a 73% higher weekly income
 Individuals need greater access to PSE
supported by Vocational Rehabilitation
Data Set: RSA 911
Migliore, A., Butterworth, J., & Hart, D. 2009. Postsecondary Education and
Employment Outcomes for Youth with Intellectual Disabilities. Fast Facts
Series, No. 1. Boston, MA: Institute for Community Inclusion
Impact on Employment
Youth with I/DD whose parents expected
they would be employed were 28 times
more likely to have enrolled in PSE after
leaving high school than youth whose
parents did not expect employment.
(Papay, 2011)
Predictors of Employment
 The only post-high school transition goal in IEPs that
was a predictor of employment for students with ID
was having the goal of attending a two or four year
college.
 11% of students with ID
had this goal
A Standards-Based Conceptual Framework
Funding Sources used by students
Private pay
State VR funds
Other funding sources
Scholarships
Local Education Agency
Federal/State grant
Tuition waived
Social Security funds
46%
14%
13%
9%
7%
7%
5%
3%
Moving Forward
• Increase public
• Support PSE options in all
awareness
NC geographic areas
• Create system change
• Demonstrate outcomes in
that builds capacity
terms of students, campus
• Develop support
community, families, state
systems for students on
service needs/budget,
the autism spectrum
increased diversity
• Identify funding sources
Getting started:
Community Collaboration
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Enlisting champions
Business leaders
Youth advocates
College Admin & HR
School system
Commissioners
Local news
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Local representatives
Group home directors
Support services
Parents
P.A.C.E.
Pathways to an Accessible College Experience
• The passion behind our mission
• Taking your story to local advocates for
support
• Create the proposal and present
to local stakeholders for buy in
Student Recruitment
• Day programs (Monarch Beach and Lighthouse
Club)
• Group homes
• High schools
• Knowing folks in your community in the
who would benefit from PSE
Challenges
• Structural difference college setting and day group
settings
• Coordination between various
programs, caregivers, and college schedule
• Transportation
• Must provide constant reassurance and
communication open with caregivers
Screening and Admitting
• Students complete official PACE program
application
• Application is reviewed/approved by team at
COA
• Interview potential students and caregivers
for selection process and limit pool of
students to five students per new cohort
Launching your Program
• Invite community leaders\stakeholders to
event
• Utilize local radio stations with PSA’s
• Newspapers\ online resources
• Have students present at commissioner
meetings
• Seek support from local rotary clubs, advocacy
groups
Educate/Inform College Staff
• Send out informative letter introducing the
program to college staff and instructors
• Include links to THINK college and NCPSEA
websites for further education
• Offer additional training and meetings for
apprehensive instructors
• Seek out local student government groups and
get them involved
Recruit Mentors
• Partner with your college media division to
assist in development\
distribute recruitment flyer
• Email\ post flyer
throughout the college
• Set up information table at Open House or any
club event for recruitment\ exposure
Who are your Stakeholders?
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Group Homes/Day Programs
Families – Cfac, First in Families
Elementary/Middle Schools
Social Services
Civic Groups
Hospitals
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Chamber of Commerce
Real Estate Organizations
Business Leader Associations
Government Agencies
Financial Institutions
Taking our Mission Straight to the Capital
Educate/Inform - HOW
• Meet with students to discuss how they feel about
going to college and discuss goals.
• Community project where students document their
college experience through video journaling
• Partner with local Arts Council\interested partners to
showcase the journeys of the students
• Present at local civic groups and governing agencies
• In-service trainings for elementary, middle and high
school teachers and counselors
Educate/Inform- WHY?
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Empower students
Preparing the next generation
Changing mindsets
Identifying/creating internship opportunities
Job opportunities
Have a voice in policy change – Lets go to
Raleigh
The Whole College Experience
• Engage students in as many college activities
as you can so they can participate with their
peers
• Participate and join clubs for exposure and
inclusion with their peers
• Mentors involved with Special Olympics Spring
Games
Internships
• Encourage students to explore their interests
• Be creative when finding the internship fit
• Does the internship provide volunteer
mentors, guidance to engage the student
• Explore outside agencies to see about
additional support
• Provide guidelines and expectations of the
student
Dare County Health Department
• “ I dream of being in the health care field”
Jeanette’s Pier
“I like the outdoors and to fish”
Potential Students
• Partner with local high schools
to recruit prospective students
• Arrange campus tours\ meetings with current
students to ease the anxiety of potential
students
Most important lesson
• “Don’t let perfect be the enemy of the good”
Online Resources
• Think College www.thinkcollege.net
• NC Postsecondary Education Alliance (PSEA)
www.cidd.unc.edu/psea
• Post-Secondary Education Research Center (PERC)
www.transitiontocollege.net
– Info on options and trends; funded by OSEP.
• The National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance
Center www.nsttac.org
– Builds capacity for transition outcomes; directed by the
Special Education Program at UNC-Charlotte in partnership
with Special Education Programs at Western Michigan
State and ASU. Funded by OSEP.
Thank you!
Questions?
Contact: Deborah.Zuver@cidd.unc.edu
Donna.Yerby@cidd.unc.edu
Rmacchirole@benchmarksnc.org
North Carolina Postsecondary Education Alliance
Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
www.cidd.unc.edu/psea