Elizabeth Evans Getzel Virginia Commonwealth University Access to Postsecondary Education for Individuals with Disabilities One State’s Effort to Address the Documentation Issue Elizabeth Evans Getzel Virginia Commonwealth University

Virginia Higher Education Leadership Partners (VA HELP) Overview Consortium of diverse stakeholders that collaborate on issues pertinent to enhancement and accessibility of postsecondary education for individuals with disabilities Established in 1999, members meet quarterly to work on specific issues determined by the members

Documentation of a Disability VA Help members have been working since 1999 on the issue of the documentation of a disability for higher education Determined a summit was needed to bring statewide leaders together to address this issue and determine ideas and strategies for Virginia

Need for Summit To bring together decision makers, leaders and stakeholders to develop strategies to: establish consistency in documentation requirements across postsecondary programs develop systems of shared responsibility for providing documentation for all students with disabilities entering postsecondary education programs in Virginia.

Focus of Summit To determine strategies, approaches, or areas of collaboration among summit participants to move Virginia in a direction of shared language among stakeholders, collaboration of resources or information sharing among stakeholders, and consensus across postsecondary education programs on documentation guidelines.

Focus of Summit There is a great need for information about best practices, clear policies, and effective communication on documentation requirements to facilitate the transition of students with disabilities from secondary to postsecondary education, and the transfer of students with disabilities from one higher education program to another.

Summit Developed series of information for participants based on: Literature review Key stakeholder interviews (Virginia & nationally) National search of promising practices Representatives attending summit: State agencies (VDRS, VDOE, VDBVI,SCHEV, VCCS) Higher Education (2 and 4 year) School Psychologists Public School Superintendents Parent Representative

Three Guiding Questions Developed for Summit Discussion What steps can Virginia take toward developing policies and practices to establish consistency in requirements for the documentation of a disability? What steps can Virginia take to establish mechanisms for sharing resources enabling students with disabilities access to assessments and evaluations to document a disability for accommodations?

Three Guiding Questions Developed for Summit Discussion What steps can Virginia take to establish and support research studies, practices, and/or strategies to evaluate new approaches in developing a statewide approach to transition and documentation?

Preliminary Outcomes from the Summit Align access to higher education for individuals with disabilities with the Higher Education Restructuring Act Develop communication mechanisms across state higher education systems and with VDOE Work on expanding diversity within the State Strategic Plan to include individuals with disabilities

Preliminary Outcomes from the Summit Work with General Assembly to develop pilot studies of assessment information collected by secondary schools to use as documentation with a 2 and 4 year college to determine type of accommodations provided and cost of accommodations

Preliminary Outcomes from the Summit Results of pilot compared to traditional methods of obtaining accommodations Explore economic development (getting business community involved) through Governor’s Commonwealth Initiative

Vision for Virginia The Commonwealth of Virginia ensures equal access to higher education for students with disabilities by reducing the barriers caused by documentation requirements.

Vision for Virginia: Objectives Determine what is available now in secondary education regarding documentation for students with disabilities. Summary of Performance, IEP information, student portfolios Virginia Department of Education convene stakeholder meeting State performance plan—Indicators #13(age appropriate transition assessments) and #14 (post school outcomes- participation rate in postsecondary education)

Vision for Virginia: Objectives 2. Determine what higher education can use to accommodate students. Survey higher education programs to gather information on documentation and alternatives considered, awareness level of Summary of Performance Consider models used in other states

Vision for Virginia: Objectives 3. Determine how secondary and postsecondary education can best align. Conduct pilot study Meet with community college system, 4 year college system, and secondary education to further discuss summit outcomes 4. Information sharing Training for students and parents, disability support personnel, evaluators, transition specialists

Immediate Steps (Next 4 Months) VA HELP members developing a document on summit proceedings and outcomes for distribution (Virginia & nationally) Meet with state legislators Review state policies to include language on individuals with disabilities Collaborate with interested organizations to further the implementation of summit outcomes