TPSID, or Transition and Postsecondary Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities, is a grant-funded program for individuals who are 18 to 21 years of age with intellectual disabilities, which is supported in large part by the United States Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education. The goal of the program is to provide support for students as they transition from high school to a college environment at the Damon City Campus. We are partnering with the Rochester City School District to establish this program and working closely with the Institute for Innovative Transition at the University of Rochester, as well as the other TPSID sites in the region: University of Rochester, Keuka College, and Roberts Wesleyan College.
Historically, students with intellectual disabilities have had limited opportunities to participate in a college environment, and of the 250 campus-based initiatives across the nation in which they might participate, the majority are segregated and under-budgeted. The recent reauthorization of the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 urges for inclusive postsecondary education opportunities for students with intellectual disabilities. Students will not only be on campus, but they will be an integral part and a valued member of the community.
This program aligns with standards set by Think College! for postsecondary education services for students with intellectual disabilities. These standards include providing access to a variety of course options with cooperating faculty, offering academic support for these courses, providing students with opportunities for employment experience through internships, and facilitating social networking through access to clubs, organizations, and other social events on campus. Throughout this process, the students’ interests and life goals are of utmost importance, and they play an active role in their individualized program design through person-centered planning. Ultimately, the program strives to foster an inclusive college environment in which collaboration between students, families, faculty, and campus resources enhances the postsecondary experiences of these students.
While students will begin this program on the Damon City Campus, any faculty or staff members across the college who are interested in working with these students in classroom settings or unpaid internship sites can contact the TPSID coordinator, Eileen Radigan, at eradigan@monroecc.edu or 262-1637.
For more information on local transition programs and Think College!:
https://www.nytransition.org/
https://www.thinkcollege.net/