Systems Building

Postsecondary Education Program in South Carolina

NDSS Transition and Postsecondary Education Model Program in New Jersey

New Jersey Postsecondary Request for Proposals

New Jersey Postsecondary Request for Proposals Budge and Cover Page

NDSS College Transition Partnership Project in South Carolina

South Carolina Postsecondary Request for Proposals

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NDSS POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

Since 2004, NDSS has been actively engaged in developing postsecondary education opportunities for students with intellectual disabilities. In mid-2008, the three year grant provided to two colleges in New Jersey to develop such programs ended, but the work of NDSS in the arena of postsecondary education has just begun. NDSS is emerging as a leader in the postsecondary realm, given the successful and inclusive nature of the programs in New Jersey. NDSS entered into a partnership with the College Transition Connection (CTC) in South Carolina, where NDSS is providing technical expertise and grant administration and CTC is providing state and local expertise, as well as fundraising. A system of three programs is currently in development in South Carolina.

A goal of the postsecondary initiatives from the beginning has been broader systems change. The idea of students with intellectual disabilities going to college was, and still is, foreign to many, showing a critical need to identify why this is possible and needed, as well as to break down the barriers to make it happen. At the state level, this systems change includes working with key state agencies to identify funding streams that might be used to help fund postsecondary education (DDD, DVR, etc.), discussing the use of IDEA funds to cover college tuition, transportation, or other expenses with school districts for dually-enrolled students, and changing the perception of students with intellectual disabilities on the campuses of institutions of higher education.

Another example of successful systems change is the work NDSS has done with our Tennessee affiliates. Through the work of the Policy Center, NDSS organized a state-wide Governmental Affairs Committee (GAC) in Tennessee. During GAC training, one priority area identified was the need to develop postsecondary education opportunities in Tennessee. NDSS continued to assist our affiliates as they developed relationships with the key state decision-makers and agency leaders. This resulted in an invitation-only conference sponsored by our affiliates, the Developmental Disability Council, and the Vanderbilt UCEDD, and attended by a number of colleges and representatives of all relevant state agencies. NDSS staff spoke at the meeting and helped bring in other national experts. The result was a task force that has continued to work on this effort and sent representatives to visit the NDSS New Jersey model programs. Subsequently, the Developmental Disability Council in the state announced it would provide $500,000 over three years to develop model programs in the state.

The National Down Syndrome Society has been actively sought out by several parent and education groups who are seeking to develop postsecondary programs in their communities. NDSS has provided technical assistance to these groups through the provision of guidance in developing programs based on our experience and the particular needs/concerns of the group, introduction to key state and national stakeholders and experts, as well as the facilitation of visits to the two programs in New Jersey.

NDSS staff members frequently speak at national and state conferences on postsecondary education for students with intellectual disabilities. Examples include pre-conference sessions at the Council for Exceptional Children and National Down Syndrome Congress conferences, a plenary session at the Association of University Centers on Developmental Disabilities conference, and speeches in Florida, Ohio, California and other states.

NDSS is creating written guidelines to help other organizations and groups who are interested in developing postsecondary education programs based on the NDSS’ models and experience. These documents are in development and the first of them should be available on this webpage by early summer 2009. If you are interested in or are in the process of developing a postsecondary program, please review the postsecondary education resource list on our website. This list will be updated regularly and contains links to key resources in finding out information about postsecondary education for students with intellectual disabilities. If you have additional questions, please contact NDSS to be put in contact with the appropriate staff member.