Florida College Collaborative: Facilitating Inclusive Postsecondary Education Opportunities for Youth with Intellectual Disabilities

In response to the paucity of transition services available for students with intellectual disabilities, the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) allocated grant funding to support model demonstration programs that promote successful transition into higher education. In accordance with the objectives of the HEOA, the Florida College Collaborative (FCC) convened to facilitate the development of an inclusive postsecondary education model that supports individuals with intellectual disabilities. This effort included collaborative strategic planning, two statewide surveys of stakeholders, the development of an informational webpage, and the creation of a registry of existing postsecondary education programs in the state of Florida. A primary goal of the FCC was to lay the groundwork for a proposal for HEOA funding that would be utilized to demonstrate the model. Other states may learn from Florida's efforts and replicate strategics to improve systems and access to postsecondary education opportunities for their youth with intellectual disabilities.