Resources - Planning for Postsecondary

Internal Resources

External Resources

Assistance on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) became law in 1990. The ADA is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the general public. The purpose of the law is to make sure that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else.

Career Education Basic Skills Assessment, Technical Assistance Paper (revised February 2018) (pdf)
Provides information on 1) the legal basis for basic skills assessment in career education; 2) procedures to be followed throughout the assessment process; 3) counseling of students who do not meet the basic skills exit requirements; 4) exemptions/waivers of basic skills requirements; and 5) accommodations for students with disabilities.

Connecting High Schoolers to Apprenticeships
My Future, My Way; First Steps Toward College, A Workbook for Middle and Junior High School Students.

Differences Between High School and College
This document describes some of the fundamental shifts in how students with disabilities are served in high school and how they are served in college. A side-by-side chart compares differences in the approaches to such topics as the laws that govern services to students with disabilities, documentation requirements, instruction, self-advocacy expectations, parent roles and student responsibilities. This document is posted on the National Technical Assistance Center on Transition: the Collaborative (NTACT:C) website.

Developing a Postsecondary Career and Technical Education Program for Students with an Intellectual and Developmental Disability in Florida’s Technical College System: Institutional Leaders and Policymakers Guide (Part I)
This resource provides an overview of Project TOPS, an inclusive postsecondary career and technical education program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities at Robert Morgan Educational Center and Technical College in Miami, Florida and encourages expansion of these programs in Florida technical colleges.

Launching a Postsecondary Career and Technical Education Program for Students with an Intellectual and Developmental Disability in Florida’s Technical College System: Program Developers Guide (Part II)
This resource is designed for program developers as they develop and expand their inclusive postsecondary career and technical education program. Project TOPS began with funding from the Florida Developmental Disabilities Council and has received funding from the Florida Center for Students with Unique Abilities to expand inclusive postsecondary education opportunities for enrolled students with intellectual disabilities.

Economic Security Report: Measuring the Economic Success of Florida's Graduates (2016)
This report results from a partnership between the State of Florida and College Measures. It focuses on the median first-year earnings of recent graduates and completers1 from Florida’s public postsecondary educational institutions: the State University System of Florida (SUS), the Florida College System (FCS) and District Technical Centers (DTCs).

Florida Postsecondary Education Guide
This guide provides detailed information about postsecondary education programs for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities at Florida public and private institutions. Also available at this site for download and/or order is First Steps: A Guides to Your Child's Development, an easy-to-read resource for parents of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities and stakeholders to help them understand these disabilities and to help these children reach their potential. This publication addresses postsecondary education options, secondary transition and other education topics, as well as an array of other topics, from birth through adulthood.

Making My Way through College: A Guide for Students with Disabilities
This resource was written by the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability forYouth (NCWD/Youth) and is a comprehensive guide that can assist students, primarily students with disabilities, who are planning to complete some type of postsecondary educational experience. The information within the guide addresses a variety of topics relevant to transitioning from high school to college and into the world of work.

National Deaf Center - Transition Topics
The goal of transition is to ensure students are prepared for life after high school. Transition planning should consist of small milestones like increasing self-advocacy skills and larger milestones like completing degrees or certifications and getting jobs. Transition goals are deeply personal and individualized - and often change over time. NDC has developed a variety of resources and tools using evidence-based strategies to support transition planning for deaf youth.

Set a Postsecondary Education or Training Destination and Map a Course to Get There (pdf)
This two-page handout developed by the PACER Center provides an overview of things for parents and students to consider in order to make a plan for a successful transition to postsecondary or training opportunities, including entrance exams, financial aid and engagement with other agencies.

Strategies for Postsecondary Students in Developmental Education Practice Guide Summary
This guide includes six evidence-based recommendations on ways to improve college students’ progress through developmental education, academic achievement and degree attainment.

Supporting Accommodation Requests: Guidance on Documentation Practices (pdf)
This April 2012 document from the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) presents a conceptual framework for using disability documentation to make informed decisions in a postsecondary setting.

Training: A Checklist for Parents (pdf)
This two-page checklist developed by the PACER Center can be used by parents to begin a conversation with their child or children about postsecondary education and training.

Training: What Parents Can Do Now (pdf)
This brief handout developed by the PACER Center outlines considerations and steps for parents to take to help their youth with disabilities prepare for postsecondary education and training.

U.S. Department of Education
The U.S. Department of Education's mission is to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access.