1. Leveraging Policy and Partnerships to Support College to Career Pathways for Students with Disabilities
Stormy C. Miller, Ed.D., Director of Student Accessibility Services, College of Marin
Tasneem Sah, M.S., College 2 Career Coordinator/Counselor, Sac City College

2. Presentation Overview
Policies designed to support post-secondary education and career pathways for individuals with disabilities
Potential partners to support efforts
Existing practices demonstrating success in the areas of education and employment for students with disabilities

3. Status of Individuals with Disabilities in Higher Education and Workforce
1 out of every 5 Americans, almost 56.7 million, has a disability (Whitehouse, Ingram, Silverstein, 2016)
Disparities in labor force participation and little opportunity for career advancement (Siperstein, Parker, & Drascher, 2013)
Only 19.8 percent of people with disabilities participate in the workforce compared to the 68.7 percent without a disability (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015)
9 percent of the student population in higher education discloses having a disability (Wolanin and Steele, 2004)
23 percent of youth with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) go to two and four year institutions (Grigal, Hart, & Migliore, 2011)

4. Employment Rates (21-64)

5. Working-Age Adults (21-64) U.S. Compared to CA

6. Data from Department of Developmental Service and the Employment Development Department

7. Policies Designed to Influence Education and Employment Outcomes
Higher Education Opportunities Act of 2008 – (CTP’s, TPSID’s, Federal Financial Aid)
CA Employment First Policy
Tailored Day Services (WIC )
WIOA (2014)
Blueprint (DOE, DOR, DDS)
Home and Community Based Settings – CMS Rule (2014)
Paid Internship Program ABx2 1 (2015)
Student Success and Support Program (2012)
Student Equity; SB (2014)
Adult Education Block Grant AB 86 ( )

8. Key Components to Policies and Initiatives
Collaboration is not only critical but embedded in the language
Need for alignment, coordination, collaboration, braiding/blending of funding
Policy aimed to serve underrepresented populations
Specifically names individuals and students with disabilities
Highlights best practices where there is greater levels of partnership
Investment $$$ to improve outcomes

9. Who Do You Have at the Table?
Department of Rehabilitation?
Regional Center?
Your local Community Colleges? DSPS?
Your local workforce partners (AJCC’s)?
Businesses!
Disability Providers?
State Council on Developmental Disabilities?
Family Resource Centers?
Students with Disabilities?

10. Take these things into consideration before your project takes form…
What do we want to accomplish? What do we aim to achieve?
Does any aspect of what we aim to achieve already exist in our community? If so, do we need to duplicate or can we co-create?
Are there current initiatives within the California Community College system or other state systems that would support our aim?
Who do we need to have at the table and in what format do we structure the start of our conversations? ***consider existing forums as an initial platform

11. Examples of Partnerships within Community College Disability Services

12. DSPS (Supports & Services)
Counseling (Academic and Vocational)
Registration Assistance
Test-taking Accommodations
Interpreters for the deaf
Note-taking accommodations
Adaptive technology & Alternate formats
Tutoring (through the Learning Center)
Advocacy & Referral

13. College 2 Career (C2C): A DOR/Community College Collaborative within DSPS
C2C programs are part of a DOR funded initiative developed in FY in collaboration with the California Community Colleges' Chancellor's Office 
DOR currently funds 8 CCCs at $250,000/yr. for 3 years, no match (College of Alameda, Fresno City, Sacramento CC, Santa Rosa JC, SDCCD, NOCCCD, Shasta, West LA)
Source of Funds for DOR- repurposing of existing funds
Students required to be clients of both DOR and DDS system

14. Goal of College 2 Career
Employment – REAL JOBS FOR REAL WAGES in a career area of the student’s choice
Successful case closure into employment
Students attend local college and avail themselves of a quality inclusive higher education focused on employment

15. College 2 Career Collaboration with Support Teams
Parent Participation
Clarify expectations, goals of the program, roles and responsibilities
Identify employment expectations and ideas
Regional Center
Transportation/mobility training, ILS services, personal counseling
Department of Rehabilitation
IPE goal, Tuition, books/supplies, transportation, interview clothes, workplace uniform

16. Alignment with College Systems and Practices
Fully matriculated
College Code of Conduct-behavioral expectations
Focus on internship and employment
Focus on engagement in college

17. Coordination and Collaboration within the Community College
STUDENTS WHO NEED FIELD WORK OR EXPERIENCE PROVIDING SERVICES:
PSYCH PROGRAMS
SOCIAL SERVICE PROGRAMS
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
COMMUNITY SERVICE
SPECIAL EDUCATION
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
EDUCATION ASSISTANT
WKIII class-Job Development

18. Additional Collaborations (Sac City College)
Occupational Therapy Program Students
Assist students with social/behavioral skills, organization and time management
Weekly Specialized Tutoring
Collaborate with English department faculty
Sister Colleges (ARC, CRC, FLC)
Collaboration to serve students who may choose a major at a sister college that SCC does not offer
ARC-served students with ID and Autism
CSUS Intern began coaching students with Autism and ID in the DSPS office weekly
C2C Circles
Weekly meeting space for students to do homework, talk with coaches and peers, art therapy, listen to music, etc.
C2C Workshops
Social (game day, movie day)
Lifestyle (healthy habits)
Career (C2C Job Club workshops)

19. Collaboration with Off-Campus Resources
Department of Rehabilitation-
Job Coaching, Tutors, Work Experience, Pre-Employment Transition Services
Regional Center
Job Coaching, Tailored Day Services, Paid Internship Programs
Non-profit organizations providing support in education
Tailored Day Services, Integration Programs, Private Pay

20. Collaboration Considerations
ALL SUPPORT TAKES TIME BY STAFF (COORDINATOR, COUNSELOR)
Program may not work well with DSPS
Communication with the supports
Overstepping college boundaries

21. Collaboration: The benefits!
ALL SUPPORTS CAN ACT AS EXTENSIONS OF DSPS
When counselors do not have time to follow up
Out of class assistance to ensure connections to resources
Can ensure appropriate use of accommodations

22. Lessons Learned
“We relearn on a daily basis that students with ID are as different from one another as any group of individuals”
“The colleges can be taught how to accommodate a greater range of diversity among students than one might predict”
“Saying a person has an intellectual disability does not mean that they don't have intellectual curiosity.
C2C gives students a chance to explore classes that they might not otherwise have tried.”
“There can be options for students with ID, other than PE and art. Given support and job goals, they can succeed (or not) on a college campus.”
“The C2C students bring so much to the classroom and the benefits are mutual.”
“The C2C experience is raising expectations for this population which in turn is increasing performance, maturity, responsibility and independence.”

23. Resources
Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA 2008):
Think College National Higher Education Resource:
Standards Based Conceptual Framework for Inclusive Higher education: nsert_F2.pdf
California Employment First Policy: mployment%20First%20Policy%20Summary%20SCDD%20 CECY.pdf

24. Resources
California Tailored Day Services:
Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act:
California Competitive Integrated Employment Blueprint: Employment-(CIE).aspx
Home and Community Based Settings (CMS) Rule:
UCLA Tarjan Center:

25. Thank you!
Stormy C. Miller, Ed.D. Director of Student Accessibility Services College of Marin Tasneem Sah, M.S. College 2 Career Coordinator/Counselor Sac City College