Higher ed legislation

Several members of the U.S. Congress are promoting legislation to fund programs that would support students with disabilities in higher education. Here are copies of the materials that explain. For some readers of LD Blog, access and support for students with disabilities in higher education settings is a special area of concern. They may wish to contact their representatives and encourage support of this legislation.

OPEN THE DOORS OF HIGHER EDUCATION TO STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
DEADLINE MARCH 15
March 8, 2007

Dear Colleague:

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act has reaped incredible rewards for students with disabilities in terms of increased services, participation in the general education curriculum, high school graduation, and effective transition planning for moving from high school to employment and postsecondary education. Students with disabilities are now seeking admission to college in the largest numbers ever.

In the last 25 years, the percentage of college students with disabilities has grown from 2.6% to almost 10% of the postsecondary population. However, they still lag behind their peers in both participation and graduation. The Report of the President’s Commission on Excellence in Special Education (2002) found that “students with disabilities who elect to continue their education at the post-secondary level … face significant barriers to achieving their goals.”

The Higher Education Amendments of 1998 established “Demonstration Projects to Ensure Students with Disabilities Receive a Quality Higher Education.” Funded at $7 million, the program supports 27 projects in 21 states, providing essential technical assistance and professional development to college faculty and administrators to help disabled students obtain a college education.

I ask you to join me in signing a letter to Chairman Ralph Regula and Ranking Member David Obey of the Labor, HHS, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee to urge them to provide $10 million in funding for these vital programs. They will make a life-changing difference for individuals with disabilities in terms of their college graduation, successful transition to employment, and self-sufficiency as citizens of a nation that prides itself in its diversity and equality of opportunity. Please contact Moira Lenehan-Razzuri at 5-2531 by Thursday, March 15, if you would like to sign the letter.

Sincerely,

Rubén Hinojosa
Member of Congress

March 15, 2007

The Honorable Dave Obey The Honorable James Walsh
Chair Ranking Member
Labor, HHS, and Education Labor, HHS, and Education
Appropriations Subcommittee Appropriations Subcommittee
U.S. House of Representatives U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515 Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Chairman Obey and Ranking Member Walsh:

We are writing to urge you to ensure funding for the “Demonstration Projects to Ensure Students with Disabilities Receive a Quality Higher Education,” which are authorized under Title VII, Part D of the Higher Education Act. These Demonstration Projects carry out the mandate of the President’s Commission on Excellence in Special Education to “Support higher education faculty, administrators and auxiliary service providers to more effectively provide and help post-secondary students with disabilities to complete a high quality post-secondary education.” Although these projects have proven effective, data from a recent survey of 1,353 postsecondary disability service providers (Harbour, 2004) indicated that over 80% still need information about best practices.

In the last 25 years, the percentage of college students with disabilities has grown from 2.6% to almost 10% of the postsecondary population. However, they still lag behind their peers in both participation and graduation. The Demonstration Projects are essential to ensuring access to and persistence in college for this growing group of students. Funded at $6.9 million for the current fiscal year, the program supports 27 projects in 21 states, providing essential technical assistance and professional development to college faculty and administrators to ensure that students with disabilities receive a quality postsecondary education.

The projects are also consistent with the President’s “New Freedom Initiative” to expand educational opportunities and increase the ability of people with disabilities to integrate into the work force and live independent, self-sufficient lives. Data from the National Center for Education Statistics demonstrate that students with disabilities who graduate from college exhibit similar labor market outcomes as their counterparts without disabilities. Given the focus on outcomes it is important to note that the National Council on Disability (2004) states that “higher education is key to the economic prospects and independence of youth with disabilities.”

As you prepare the Fiscal Year 2007 Labor, HHS, and Education Appropriations Bill, we urge you to fund these vital programs at $10 million, the level authorized in both the House and Senate committee-passed bills to reauthorize the Higher education Act. The demonstration projects will make a life-changing difference for individuals with disabilities in terms of their college graduation, successful transition to employment, and self-sufficiency as citizens of a nation that prides itself in its diversity and equality of opportunity.