Postsecondary Education & Training
Webinar 7
Affordable?
PRESENTED BY:
The Center for Change in Transition Services
CCTS Webinar Series
Welcome to the 2014-2015 Webinar series on
postsecondary education and training.
Presented by the Center for Change in Transition Services
(CCTS), a Special Education State Needs Project housed at
Seattle University and funded through the Office of the
Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI).
CCTS has been serving special need students, their
families and schools since 1990.
Introductions
Sue Ann Bube
Cinda Johnson
Julia Schechter
Ed.D., Director
Ed.D., Principal
Investigator
M.Ed. Doctoral
Research Assistant
Guest
Jessica Queener, Ed.D.
Project Director Research
Associate
HEATH Resource Center at the
National Youth Transitions Center
George Washington University
CCTS disclaimer
The information contained in this presentation and
power point is an overview of special education
requirements. The presentation is not intended as
legal advice. The state regulations that implement
IDEA are located at Chapter 392-172A WAC. Outside
resources are not intended to be an endorsement of
any service or product. District personnel should
always review their district’s procedures and review
questions with their administrative staff.
2014-2015 Webinars
May 13th
Transition Planning
The focus of our final webinar will be
preparing for a successful transition
by learning how to write postsecondary
education goals into the IEP
and how to use the Summary of
Performance (SOP) document
as a passport to education.
Registration
1) Everyone participating in the webinar
needs to type the following in the chat box
– Name
– Email Address
2) You will be sent a link following the
webinar to register for Clock Hours. You
must complete the registration process
to apply for clock hours!
Thank you for joining us today!
Closed Captioned (CC)
This webinar is closedcaptioned. To view the
captioning click on the CC
icon just above the video.
Webinar Norms
Raise your hand and wait to be called on by
moderator
If you have a microphone, please keep it turned off
until called on.
You may ask questions by typing in the chat box or
by raising your hand (if you have a microphone).
Agenda
1. Increased need
2. Financial aid
3.Challenges & opportunities
4. Question & answer
CCTS Contact Information
Email: ccts@seattleu.edu
Phone: 206.296.6494
http://www.seattleu.edu/ccts
Increased financial need
For students with
disabilities
WA Post-School Outcomes
Special Education 2011-2012
Income differential
Young adults with disabilities from households with
parent incomes of more than $50,000 were more
likely than those from households with parent
incomes of $25,000 or less to have ever enrolled in a
postsecondary institution.
NLTS2 National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2, 2011)
Fewer financial supports
Students with disabilities generally have lower
incomes than their peers without disabilities but rely
on the same federal state and institutional programs
that serve low-income students.
Therefore, opportunities have been diminished by the
inadequate levels of financial aid, particularly grants.
Wolanin & Steele (2004)
More expensive
• It is expensive for low-income students with
disabilities to meet the special needs associated
with daily life.
• Students with disabilities generally need more time
for self-care, daily living and academic tasks than
their non-disabled peers.
• This results in SWD taking twice as long to
complete degrees.
Wolanin & Steele, 2004
Financial aid
Options &
Opportunities
What is financial aid?
Federal loans
Private
scholarships
Social Security
Income (SSI)
Federal grants
State Vocational
Rehabilitation
(VR)
Plan for
Achieving Self
Support (PASS)
FAFSA
All students applying for federal assistance are
required to fill out the free application for federal
student aid (FAFSA). Postsecondary institutions use
the FAFSA to determine financial aid awards. For
more info:
https://studentaid.ed.gov/
www.fafsa.gov
1-800 4-FED-AID (433-3243)
TTY line for the paper FAFSA is 1-800-730-8913
Check deadlines: https://www.fafsa.gov/deadlines
Financial aid determination
Cost of
attendance
Expected
Family
Contribution
Financial
Need
What is a financial package?
Financial aid packages are assembled by the
institution the student applies to and vary by
institution. They are usually a combination of grants,
scholarships, loans & work-study such as:
• Federal Pell Grants are available to undergraduate
students. Grants do not have to be repaid.
• Federal Stafford Loans (low interest) are student loans that
must be repaid
• Campus-based aid and scholarships.
» Retrieved from FAFSA.ed.gov
Campus-Based Aid
Campus-based financial aid programs are
administered by participating schools. There are three
Campus-based programs:
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants are
grants available for undergraduates only; awards range from
$100-$4,000.
• Federal Work-study provides jobs to undergraduate and
graduate students, allowing them to earn money to pay education
expenses.
• Perkins Loans are low-interest (5 percent) loans that must be
repaid; the maximum annual loan amount is $4,000 for
undergraduate students
Retrieved from FAFSA.ed.gov
Loans
A student’s ability to repay debt after graduating
should be carefully considered before borrowing.
• Stafford subsidized & unsubsidized loans up to
$5,500.
• Federal PLUS Loans are unsubsidized loans made
to parents.
Private Loan Concerns
Most students at for-profit gainful employment
programs who graduated with an associate degree
were also left with federal student loan debt, which
averaged $23,590, while the majority of students at
community colleges did not borrow.
For-profit gainful employment programs analyzed by
U.S. Depart. of Ed., the majority—72%—produced
graduates who on average earned less than high
school dropouts.
U.S. Dept of Education, 2014
Government vs. Private Loans
Federal Student Loans
Private Student Loans
You will not have to start repaying your federal student loans until you Many private student loans require payments while you are still
graduate, leave school, or change your enrollment status to less than
in school.
half-time.
The interest rate is fixed and is often lower than private loans—and
Private student loans can have variable interest rates, some
much lower than some credit card interest rates. View the current
greater than 18%. A variable rate may substantially increase the
interest rates on federal student loans.
total amount you repay.
Undergraduate students with financial need will likely qualify for a
Private student loans are not subsidized. No one pays the
subsidized loan where the government pays the interest while you are in interest on your loan but you.
school on at least a half-time basis.
You don’t need to get a credit check for most federal student loans
(except for PLUS loans). Federal student loans can help you establish a
good credit record.
You won’t need a cosigner to get a federal student loan in most cases.
Private student loans may require an established credit record.
The cost of a private student loan will depend on your credit
score and other factors.
You may need a cosigner.
Interest may be tax deductible.
Loans can be consolidated into a Direct Consolidation Loan. Learn
about your consolidation options.
If you are having trouble repaying your loan, you may be able to
temporarily postpone or lower your payments.
There are several repayment plans, including an option to tie your
monthly payment to your income.
There is no prepayment penalty fee.
Interest may not be tax deductible.
Private student loans cannot be consolidated into a Direct
Consolidation Loan.
Private student loans may not offer forbearance or deferment
options.
You should check with your lender to find out about your
repayment options.
You need to make sure there are no prepayment penalty fees.
You may be eligible to have some portion of your loans forgiven if you
work in public service. Learn about our loan forgiveness programs.
It is unlikely that your lender will offer a loan forgiveness
program.
Free help is available at 1-800-4-FED-AID and on our websites.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's private student
loan ombudsman may be able to assist you if you have
concerns about your private student loan.
Students with disabilities
Challenges &
opportunities
Students with disabilities
May face additional expenses not incurred by other
students such as:
• Special equipment (related to the disability) and its
maintenance.
• Cost of services for personal use or study such as
note takers, personal care attendants &
interpreters.
• Transportation if traditional means are inaccessible.
Heath 2014-15
Challenges
Federal student aid such as Pell
grants do not provide the flexibility
to offer a maximum full-time
award to students with disabilities.
“SWD often face difficulties in assembling a financial
aid package from diverse sources because of
standard expectations of employment and borrowing
that are unrealistic as well as the complex
coordination of outside sources of supports.”
Wolanin & Steele (2004)
Resource mapping
Resource mapping is a process where multiple
agencies (i.e., VR, DD, One-Stop Career Centers,
DOL, DOE) outline what types of services each offers
across specific areas (such as postsecondary
education and/or employment). This process can help
interagency teams to identify overlaps and/or gaps in
services.
Career One-Stop Job Center finder:
www.careeronestop.org
PASS Plans
Plans for Achieving Self-Support (PASS Plans):
PASS Plans were developed by the Social Security
Administration (SSA) as an incentive to encourage
individuals who may be receiving Supplemental
Security Income (SSI) or Supplemental Security
Disability Income (SSDI) to enter the workforce. In
essence, this plan allows an individual to work and
save money and not be penalized by a deduction
from their SSI or SSDI check.
http://www.passplan.org
SSI
• Community colleges may offer tuition waivers to
individuals who receive Supplemental Security
Income. Often, information about these waivers is
listed in the college catalog as a benefit for senior
citizens. However, these waivers apply to students
of any age receiving SSI.
• Community colleges offering these waivers require
students to complete a form, available from the
bursar's office, and have their status verified at a
local Social Security office.
Retrieved from Think College: http://www.thinkcollege.net/topics/paying-for-college
Vocational Rehabilitation
Tuition waivers through the state vocational
rehabilitation (VR) agency or local community colleges.
• Waivers typically apply to any
state-run college or university for
tuition; sometimes fees and books.
• Students are eligible to receive this
type of support if they have been
deemed eligible for VR services
and if the classes in which they
want to enroll are related to an
identified vocational goal.
Dual Enrollment
Dual enrollment occurs when high school students
enroll and participate in college courses, while still
being supported by their local school district.
The advantage is that a student can
receive individualized support from
their high school (under IDEA) while
also having the opportunity to
experience college. In this
circumstance, the school district may
be responsible for transportation and
educational coaching.
Retrieved from Think College
http://www.thinkcollege.net/topics/paying-for-college
Encourage juniors to:
 Explore colleges & visit campuses.
 Investigate financial aid opportunities.
 Begin the application process with Vocational
Rehabilitation and/or Social Security.
 Be sure that student’s IEP includes
postsecondary goals and agency connections.
 Collect information and documents for completing
financial aid forms.
Encourage seniors to:
 File the Free Application for Federal Student Aid
(FAFSA) as soon as possible after January 1.
 Contact college financial aid offices during the
application process to verify that they received
documents and are processing the aid package.
 If student is a VR client, be sure VR counselor is
in touch with the financial aid offices at the
colleges(s) where student’s applying.
Questions & Answers
Thank you for
participating!
Resources
The Guide to Federal Student Aid: Funding your education.
Office of the U.S. Dept. of Education (2014) 1-800-433-3243
https://https://studentaid.ed.gov/
Social Security Administration:
http://www.ssa.gov/applyfordisability/
How to apply for Social Security disability benefits:
http://www.ssa.gov/work/
http://www.socialsecurity.gov/redbook/index.html
http://www.passplan.org
http://hrsa.dshs.wa.gov/Eligibility/HWD_FAQs.htm
http://www.theinitiative.ws/
Scholarships
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Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) Scholarships recognize outstanding student members and CEC
student chapter advisors who make significant contributions to CEC and exceptional children (fall
deadline).
The disABLEDperson.com Scholarship Competition asks students to write an essay for the chance to
win a $1,000 scholarship (spring deadline).
The Incight Go Getter Scholarship provides multiple scholarships ranging from $500 to $2,500 to
students with disabilities who have demonstrated outstanding merit in giving back to the community and
overcoming obstacles to get a higher education (spring deadline).
Newcombe Scholarships for Students with Disabilities are grants paid directly to colleges or universities
to help students with disabilities who demonstrate financial need.
The American Association of Health & Disability (AAHD) Scholarship Program is for students who are
full-time undergraduates (freshman or greater status) or part-time or full-time graduate students. You
must provide documentation of a disability. (Applicants who have not yet graduated from high school will
not be considered.)
The Ability Center of Greater Toledo Scholarship is for Greater Toledo, OH area residents with
disabilities (spring deadline).
Retrieved from https://www.disability.gov/scholarships-specifically-students-disabilities/
For Students Who Are Blind
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American Foundation for the Blind awards scholarships from $500 to $3,500 to students who are blind
or visually impaired (spring deadline).
The American Council of the Blind awards scholarships to students who are legally blind. A 3.3
cumulative point average is usually required (spring deadline).
The Association of Blind Citizens runs the Assistive Technology Fund, which covers 50 percent of the
retail price of adaptive services or software for individuals who are legally blind (summer and
winter deadlines).
Christian Record Services for the Blind offers partial scholarships to young people who are legally blind
to obtain a college education (spring deadline).
The Jewish Guild for the Blind’s GuildScholar Program awards scholarships of up to $15,000 to help
outstanding high school students who are legally blind attend college (fall deadline).
Learning Ally’s Mary P. Oenslager Scholastic Achievement Awards are given to Learning Ally members
who are blind or visually impaired and have received or will be receiving their bachelor’s, master’s or
doctoral degree (spring deadline).
The Lighthouse International Scholarship & Career Awards Program offers several awards of up to
$10,000 to outstanding students who are overcoming the challenges of vision loss by getting a higher
education (spring deadline).
The National Federation of the Blind Scholarship Program offers many scholarships from $3,000
to $12,000 to college students who are blind, in recognition of their achievements (spring deadline).
The United States Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) Copeland Scholarship is awarded to USABA
members who are legally blind and enrolled at a two-year or four-year college, university or technical
school as a full-time student (fall deadline).
For Students Who Are Deaf or
Hard of Hearing
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The Alexander Graham Bell Scholarship Program offers scholarships for students who have moderately
severe to profound hearing loss and are getting a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree
(spring deadline).
Cochlear Americas has two scholarship programs – the Graeme Clark Scholarship, which is open to
people who have the Nucleus ® Cochlear Implant, and the Anders Tjellstrom Scholarship, which is open
to people who have the Baha ® System (fall deadline).
The Gallaudet University Alumni Association provides financial assistance to graduates of Gallaudet
University and other accredited colleges and universities who are deaf and are getting their
graduate degree at colleges and universities not specifically for deaf or hard of hearing
people (spring deadline).
The Sertoma Hard of Hearing or Deaf Scholarship helps undergraduate students with clinically
significant bilateral hearing loss pay for college (spring deadline).
For Students with Learning
Disabilities
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LD Resources Foundation Awards help college students with learning disabilities pay for testing and
in some cases award specific types of assistive technologies, such as Dragon Naturally Speaking (fall
deadline).
National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) Scholarships are offered to high school seniors with
documented learning disabilities who are getting a higher education (winter deadline). NCLD also offers
a list ofscholarships for students with learning disabilities or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
(ADHD).
Learning Ally offers two annual scholarship programs for outstanding students with print or learning
disabilities. The top three winners from each program receive a $6,000 scholarship and participate in
a national celebration in Washington, DC (spring deadline).
P. Buckley Moss Foundation Scholarships and Awards offer financial assistance to high school seniors
with learning disabilities who are getting a higher education or are planning a career in the visual arts
(spring deadline).
RiSE Scholarships Foundation, Inc. offers scholarships for students who learn differently (winter
deadline).
The Western Illinois University Chad Stovall Memorial Scholarship is a $500 scholarship for Western
Illinois University students who have Tourette Syndrome, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), or
attention deficit disorder (spring deadline).
The Learning Disabilities Association of Iowa offers scholarships of $1,000 each to high school seniors
planning to enroll in college or vocational programs (spring deadline).
For Students with Physical
Disabilities
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For Students with Physical Disabilities
The ChairScholars Foundation Scholarship Program gives high school seniors and college students up
to $20,000 to help them attend a college or university (spring deadline).
The Marianjoy Scholarship Program awards scholarships to students with physical disabilities or
neuromuscular disorders who are residents of Cook, Will, Kane, DuPage, McHenry, Lake, DeKalb, or
Kendall Counties in IL (spring deadline).
The National Amputation Foundation Scholarship offers $500 to full-time college students who have a
major limb amputation and will be attending an accredited university (summer deadline).
The 1800Wheelchair.com Scholarship is an essay competition that awards $500 to high school seniors
and college students with or without a disability (spring deadline).
The Paralyzed Veterans of America Scholarship Program awards scholarships to PVA members,
spouses of PVA members or an unmarried child (under 24 years of age) who is a dependent.
For Students with Other
Disabilities
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The Cystic Fibrosis Scholarship Foundation awards scholarships to students based on financial need,
academic achievement and leadership (spring deadline).
The Dr. Angela E. Grant Memorial Scholarship Fund gives awards to students affected by cancer. You
must be a cancer survivor who is actively pursuing or planning to pursue a college education, or be an
applicant with an immediate family member who has been diagnosed with cancer (spring deadline).
The Little People of America Scholarship Program awards scholarships to students with and without
disabilities. Priority is given to applicants who have a medically diagnosed form of dwarfism (spring
deadline).
The Elizabeth Nash Foundation awards scholarships from $1,000 to $2,500 to help people with cystic
fibrosis pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees (spring deadline).
Google Lime Scholarship Program awards $10,000 scholarships to undergraduate, graduate or Ph.D.
computer science students with a disability currently enrolled at a university.
Ruby’s Rainbow grants scholarships to adults with Down syndrome seeking post-secondary education,
enrichment or vocational classes.
The Lilly Reintegration Scholarship is for people diagnosed with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia,
schizophreniform or schizoaffective disorder or major depressive disorder.
The Microsoft DisAbility Scholarship is awarded to high school seniors who plan on successfully
completing a vocational or academic college program and have a financial need. The amount of this
non-renewable scholarship is $5,000.
The Diabetes Scholars Foundation program is available to incoming freshmen seeking a higher
education at an accredited four-year university, college, technical or trade school. This scholarship
recognizes students who are actively involved in the diabetes community and who have high academic
performance (spring deadline).
For Students with Other
Disabilities
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The Eric Marder Scholarship Program awards scholarships to undergraduate students living with
primary immunodeficiency diseases who plan to complete post-secondary education (spring deadline).
The National Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society Scholarship Program offers scholarships to high school
seniors with MS, or who have a parent with MS, and will be attending an accredited postsecondary
school for the first time. Learn more by reading the FAQs. (winter deadline).
Hemophilia Foundation of America Scholarships awards ten scholarships of $1,500 each to promising
students with bleeding disorders (spring deadline).
The Ira Rosenzwog Memorial Scholarship Fund helps students who have epilepsy further their
education. Thisscholarship is for students who live in Maryland (spring deadline).
The Able Flight Training Scholarship Program offers flight and career training scholarships for people
with disabilities who want to learn how to fly or train for a career in aviation.
The Hydrocephalus Association’s Scholarship Program provides $1,000 scholarships to promising
young adults with hydrocephalus (spring deadline).
The UCB Family Epilepsy Scholarship Program offers educational scholarships to people living with
epilepsy, family members and caregivers who demonstrate academic and personal achievement (spring
deadline).
Organization for Autism Research Scholarship Program people with an autism diagnosis (DSM-IV or
later criteria) pursuing full-time, post-secondary, undergraduate education or vocational-technical
training.
Through the Looking Glass offers scholarships for students who have at least one parent with a
disability. To qualify, you must be a high school senior planning to attend college or technical school, or
currently in college or technical school. Read the FAQs to learn more (spring deadline).
References
Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (2013). High School, Social Security Benefits, and Going to
Work Guide.
Retrieved from https://www.dshs.wa.gov/sites/default/files/JJRA/dvr/documents/SSBenefitsAndWorkIncentivesGuide.pdf
Heath Resource Center at the National Youth Transition Center (2014). Planning ahead: Financial aid for student with
disabilities. Retrieved from https://heath.gwu.edu/files/downloads/2014_2015_heath_financial_aid_publication.pdf
Sanford, C., Newman, L., Wagner, M., Cameto, R., Knokey, A.-M., and Shaver, D. (2011). The Post High School Outcomes of
Young Adults With Disabilities up to 6 Years After High School. Key Findings From the National Longitudinal Transition Study2 (NLTS2) (NCSER 2011-3004). Menlo Park, CA: SRI International.
United States Department of Education (2014). Obama administration takes action to protect Americans from predatory, poorperforming career colleges. Retrieved from http://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/obama-administration-takes-actionprotect-americans-predatory-poor-performing-career-colleges
.