On February 4, 2019, we were fortunate to have Jessica Braun, with Florida Diagnostic & Learning Resource Systems (FDLRS- http://www.fdlrs.org/) and the Lee County Public School District, speak at our office about the options and resources available to teens and families transitioning from high school. I took copious notes so that I could share everything I learned from her with you. So, be prepared, this blog post is much longer than normal.
She began by sharing that after age 22, or after a student graduates from high school, the rights provided to students via the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) are no longer eligible. This is important for students who may need specific accommodations if they decide to continue their educational journey. They will instead fall under the rights afforded through the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, which entitles those with a documented or perceived disability access to additional services.
The one caveat to this is that once in college, the student MUST SELF-IDENTIFY as a person with a disability by going to the office of Adaptive Services to request accommodations. The student will also need to communicate directly with their professors or educators regarding their disability. It is advised that students visit the office of adaptive services prior to enrollment to determine what is available, as accommodations will vary among educational institutions. Due to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records, after age 18 parents no longer can act on behalf of the student. This means that the student must be the one to request the additional services. They can be accompanied by a parent, but a parent may not be able to call the college and communicate on behalf or obtain academic information on behalf of the student.
She advised that students benefit from working on self-advocacy throughout their primary education experience in preparation for this process in adulthood. She noted that at age 14 students with an IEP are invited to a transition IEP meeting where they begin the process of discussing their dreams for their future.
Options for the future for students earning a standard high school diploma are vast; however, for those that are unable to meet the criteria or select another option such as the GED or Certificate of Completion the options become fewer. Students who are unable to pass the FSA requirements and earn a Certificate of Completion are eligible to attend a state college, such as Florida Southwestern College, but must take and pass remedial level coursework before being able to enroll in coursework to meet the requirements of for a college degree. She noted that one of the challenges with this option is that the remedial coursework is not eligible for financial aid which may pose a hardship to many families.
A technical program or vocational education institution, such as Ft. Myers Technical College or Sunstate Academy, can be attended by earning a GED and taking the Tests of Adult Education (TABE) test. These programs are eligible for financial aid through programs such as the Pell Grant. Students interested in pursuing the GED have multiple options including both virtual/online and in-person instruction at the Lee County School District office.
Another option is to transition directly into employment or an apprenticeship. For students in need of additional assistance with this process, they will benefit by connecting with the Department of Education Department of Vocational Rehabilitation. Their mission is “to help people with disabilities find and maintain employment and enhance their independence” (http://www.rehabworks.org/, 2019).
Students also have the option of pursuing a military career, which will require them to complete the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB). The military uses the results of this test to determine occupational placement during service. Students interested in pursuing military options can learn more at the local recruiter’s office located at 4470 Fowler Street, Fort Myers, Florida 33901.
For families interested in pursuing financial resources to pay for secondary education, she suggests using a website called FastWeb. We also have a fabulous local resource called Unmazed, which offers a magazine, website and live events focused on helping teens with all aspects of this transition process.
Below is a list of websites that provide helpful information for families of students with disabilities:
- https://www.flbog.edu/forstudents/ati/disabilities.php
- This is the State University System of Florida Board of Governors website. This page provides the links to office of disabilities for each State University within Florida.
- http://Project10.info
- The mission of Project 10: Transition Education Network is “assist Florida school districts and relevant stakeholders in building capacity to provide secondary transition services to students with disabilities in order to improve their academic success and post-school outcomes. Project 10 serves as the primary conduit between the Florida Department of Education, specifically the Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services (BEESS), and relevant school district personnel in addressing law and policy, effective practices, and research-based interventions in the area of transition services for youth with disabilities,” (2019).
- http://www.floridashines.org
- This website offers a variety of resources for students of all ages (even adults).
- https://www.floridashines.org/find-a-career page is all about what happens after you finish your education. It allows you to create an account and take career interest inventories, learn about different career options, find information about colleges and learn how to write an effective resume.
- https://www.floridashines.org/go-to-college page focuses on college readiness for students. You can explore different college programs offered throughout the state, explore different schools, and obtain information on how to pay for school, including scholarships.
- https://www.floridashines.org/succeed-in-college page focuses on assisting with the needs of students already in enrolled in college. They have resources to help students find FREE textbooks! AH-MAZING! They also provide you with information about how to enroll in courses at another university within the Florida University system, as well as explore online learning options.
- http://apd.myflorida.com/
- This is the Agency for Persons with Disabilities website. One nice feature of the site is their online resource directory, which allows you to look up a variety of categories (legal, mental health, therapy and rehabilitation, transition, transportation, etc…) and filter according to locale. Go directly to the resource search with the following link https://resourcedirectory.apd.myflorida.com/resourcedirectory/Default.aspx
- http://www.rehabworks.org/
- This Department of Vocational Rehabilitation’s (or VR as it is commonly referred) mission is to assist persons with physical or mental disabilities in obtaining and maintaining meaningful employment.
- They provide the following types of assistance after graduation:
- Workplace Accommodations,
- Job Placement,
- Job Coaching,
- On-the-Job Training,
- Supported Employment,
- Assistive Technology & Devices,
- Time-Limited Medical and/or Psychological Treatment, &
- Postsecondary Education/Training.
- http://fldoe.org
- Anything you want to know about the Florida Public School system will on here, from graduation options and requirements to legal policies regarding education.
- There is a page dedicated to students with disabilities http://fldoe.org/academics/exceptional-student-edu/
- http://fldoe.org/academics/exceptional-student-edu/parent-info/ can be accessed through the above page link. It provides resources specific to parents including PDFs on understanding the Florida Standardized Assessments, FERPA, and guides for understanding exceptional education (some documents are also accessible in Spanish).
- http://www.fldoe.org/accountability/assessments/k-12-student-assessment/fsa.stml provides access to LOTS of great resources on assessments including Florida Standardized Assessment practice tests.
- https://fndusa.org/ The Family Network on Disabilities website also has a plethora of information and resources to assist families. What is wonderful about this website is that it is available in the following languages: English, Spanish, Creole & Russian.
- https://fndusa.org/contact-us/programs/pen/ The Parent Education Network for Lee county can be accessed via this link. They offer support and resources to help you advocate for your child.
I hope you find these resources helpful to you and your child/children. Many of them may be beneficial regardless of ability.
If you believe your child with special needs would benefit from mental health services, please don’t hesitate to call us at 239-297-7099. We love helping kids develop the social-emotional regulation skills that help them thrive in the classroom and in life!