A Comprehensive Transition Support Program for Individuals with Learning Disabilities

By: Athena Swiader

The transition from high school to postsecondary education or employment presents significant challenges for individuals with learning disabilities. Without adequate support, these students often face barriers in accessing accommodations, navigating new environments, and securing successful educational or employment outcomes. This can be called summer melt. Summer melt refers to the phenomenon where high school graduates, particularly those from low-income or marginalized backgrounds, intend to enroll in college but fail to do so by the fall due to various barriers, such as financial, logistical, or informational challenges. Although federal laws such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) ensure access to services throughout K-12, many students face a gap in support after graduation. In the 2021-22 academic year, 7.3 million students, or 15% of all public school students, received special education services under IDEA. Yet, the transition to higher education remains difficult. Roughly 19% of undergraduate students reported having a disability, but many still struggle with accessing necessary accommodations and services at colleges and universities. This program would offer personalized transition planning, enhanced mentorship opportunities, tailored skill development workshops, and partnerships with post-secondary institutions to address these issues and improve successful outcomes for students with disabilities as they move from high school to postsecondary education.

Issues Identified
One of the primary barriers students with disabilities face is insufficient preparation for the transition to postsecondary education. Students often lose access to the structured support provided by high school individualized education programs (IEPs or 504s), leaving them to navigate complex accommodation processes on their own. Research shows that a significant number of students with disabilities experience “summer melt,” failing to matriculate into postsecondary institutions even after being accepted. These students may be unaware of their rights under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act or the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), or they may struggle to access accommodations without a clear support system.

Additionally, many postsecondary institutions are not fully equipped to meet the needs of students with disabilities. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), 88% of postsecondary institutions report enrolling students with disabilities, yet institutions frequently cite a lack of resources and faculty training in disability services.

Insufficient Preparation for Postsecondary Transitions

• All students with disabilities lose the structured support provided by their Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) or 504 Plans after high school. While they may still access accommodations in postsecondary settings, the legal framework and implementation differ significantly. Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), K-12 schools are responsible for identifying students with disabilities, developing and implementing IEPs, and proactively providing necessary support. In contrast, colleges operate under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which require students to self-disclose their disability, request accommodations, and provide documentation—a shift that can be overwhelming without adequate preparation. Without guidance on self-advocacy—such as how to communicate with disability services offices, provide appropriate documentation, and negotiate for necessary accommodations—students may struggle to access the support they need, increasing their risk of disengagement and non-enrollment.
•  This lack of preparation contributes to summer melt, with studies showing that 10-20% of students intending to enroll in college fail to do so. Furthermore, students often lack awareness of their rights under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act or the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), leaving them unprepared to navigate complex accommodation processes in postsecondary settings.

Limited Institutional Resources and Training

• While 88% of postsecondary institutions report enrolling students with disabilities, only 24% of faculty receive training on accommodating these students. As a result, many students face significant barriers in accessing services or accommodations. The National Center for College Students with Disabilities reports that two-thirds of students with disabilities find the accommodation process stressful or confusing, contributing to dropout rates.

Economic and Employment Challenges

• Beyond education, employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities remain inequitable. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), in 2022, the employment rate for working-age individuals with disabilities was only 21.3%, compared to 65.4% for those without disabilities. Addressing these barriers early in the transition process could improve both educational and career trajectories.

Areas of Opportunities
There is a growing recognition of the need for systemic change in supporting students with learning disabilities during the transition period. Federal legislation like the Respond, Innovate, Succeed, and Empower (RISE) Act, which aims to ease the process of securing accommodations in higher education by allowing high school documentation (such as IEPs) to suffice for accommodation requests, is an important step. However, there is an opportunity to go further by creating a transition program that addresses not only accommodations but also skill development, mentorship, and partnerships with postsecondary institutions.

Existing initiatives, such as college access programs for marginalized students, provide a foundation for expanding efforts specifically for students with disabilities. By building on these models, we can create a robust program that offers tailored support during this critical transition phase.

• Federal Legislation – Legislation such as the RISE Act is a promising step, allowing high school documentation like IEPs to suffice for postsecondary accommodations. However, the bill does not address the lack of preparatory programs or the need for skill development and mentorship.
• Expanding on Successful Models – Existing initiatives, such as TRIO programs, have proven effective in supporting low-income and first-generation college students. By adapting these models to include tailored supports for students with disabilities, the gap between high school and postsecondary education can be significantly reduced.

Policy Proposal
This memo recommends the creation of a Comprehensive Transition Support Program (CTSP) that would bridge the gap between high school and postsecondary education for students with disabilities. The program would consist of the following components:

Personalized Transition Planning

• Starting after May 1st, when students have already committed to college, students with disabilities will start the CTSP. Plans would be developed in collaboration with the student, their family, and relevant educators, focusing on identifying necessary accommodations, setting goals for postsecondary education, and outlining steps to achieve these goals. These plans would include a clear roadmap for accessing accommodations under the ADA and Section 504. While transition meetings do happen typically for high school seniors with disabilities, it does not address where and how to find support once leaving the K-12 space or what their futures could look like as adults with a disability. 

Enhanced Mentorship Opportunities

• Mentorship programs would be established to connect students with disabilities to peers or professionals who have successfully navigated similar transitions. These mentors would provide guidance, share personal experiences, and offer support to help students feel more prepared and confident in their postsecondary journeys.

Tailored Skill Development Workshops

• By working with high schools, colleges, and community organizations, we would offer workshops that focus on developing essential skills for students with disabilities. These workshops would cover topics such as self-advocacy, disability law, navigating accommodations in higher education, and workplace readiness, ensuring students are prepared to manage their own accommodations and advocate for themselves in postsecondary settings.

Mentorship programs, such as those modeled after the Posse Foundation, have demonstrated significant success in supporting students through their educational journeys. For instance, the Posse Foundation reports a 90% graduation rate among its scholars, highlighting the effectiveness of its mentorship and support structures. Additionally, research indicates that mentoring programs can positively impact student retention and academic success. A study on peer mentoring found that students who participated in such programs achieved higher grades, better attendance rates, and improved retention levels compared to those who did not participate. While specific figures on the exact percentage increase in persistence rates due to mentoring vary across studies and programs, the consensus in the literature supports the positive influence of mentorship on student outcomes. Implementing mentorship programs tailored to the unique challenges faced by students with disabilities is a valuable strategy for improving their postsecondary persistence and overall academic success.

Formula Funded
This program would be formula-funded, ensuring that resources are allocated equitably based on the number of eligible students with disabilities in each school district or state. Eligible students include those identified under IDEA or ADA and who demonstrate clear postsecondary plans.

Factors for Funding: 

The funding would be allocated to high schools, LEAs, or community organizations based on the number of eligible students with disabilities, defined as those who:

• Have a disability recognized under IDEA or ADA.
• Demonstrate postsecondary plans, such as an acceptance to a university, college, or vocational program or proof of a job lined up after graduation.

Responsibility Assignment
The primary responsibility for implementing the program lies with school districts (LEAs) because the program builds on their existing role in transition planning under IDEA. State education agencies (SEAs) would oversee program compliance and coordinate funding allocations. Postsecondary institutions and vocational programs would collaborate to provide mentorship opportunities and workshops but would not hold direct responsibility for funding or implementation.

Existing Legal Framework and Amendments
This program would amend IDEA to strengthen the transition service requirements, ensuring LEAs implement structured plans for postsecondary success. Additionally, it would leverage provisions in the Higher Education Act to improve collaboration with postsecondary institutions and extend existing Pre-ETS provisions under WIOA to include comprehensive mentorship and skill development programs.

CTSP would ensure systemic integration as follows:

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): This program would expand on IDEA’s existing transition services mandate by adding specific postsecondary planning requirements. IDEA mandates that transition services begin no later than age 16—or younger if determined appropriate by the IEP team—and focus on preparing students for further education, employment, and independent living. However, these services often lack the specificity and structure needed to ensure successful transitions, particularly in the areas of mentoring and skill development.

Recommendation: Amend IDEA to include postsecondary mentoring and skill-building programs as part of mandated transition services for students with disabilities. These programs would:

• Begin after students have committed to a postsecondary plan (e.g., college, vocational program, or employment).
  • If a student is looking for work, mentorship would include helping students find work suited for them. 
• Include structured mentorship opportunities connecting students with peers or professionals who have navigated similar transitions.
• Offer tailored skill-building workshops focused on self-advocacy, understanding disability rights (e.g., ADA and Section 504), and navigating postsecondary environments.

Higher Education Act (HEA): This program could add provisions for collaboration between LEAs and postsecondary institutions to ensure continuity of accommodations and services during the transition.

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA): WIOA’s Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) already target similar goals. This program would complement Pre-ETS by extending services specifically to those who have postsecondary plans in higher education or employment.

Conclusion
Students with disabilities represent a growing demographic in both high schools and postsecondary institutions, yet they continue to face significant barriers during the transition period. The proposed Comprehensive Transition Support Program would address these challenges by offering personalized planning, mentorship, and skill development, as well as fostering partnerships in educational institutions. By implementing this program, we can improve postsecondary enrollment and completion rates for students with disabilities, ultimately enhancing their access, inclusion, and success in both educational and employment settings. Immediate action is necessary to address the systemic gaps that continue to disadvantage students with disabilities, and this policy offers a clear path forward to improve their long-term educational and employment outcomes.

* The National Center for Learning Disabilities provides a platform for its Young Adult Leadership Council members and alumni to share their experiences and perspectives. The views expressed in these pieces are their own and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of NCLD. These writings are intended to share personal insights and should not be cited as official positions or credible sources for policy or research purposes.