Resources for Educators & Community Partners

The Kentucky Supported Higher Education Partnership will be hosting an informational webinar on Tuesday, May 26 at 2:00 PM. Next Steps Beyond the CTP Experience, A resource webinar for CTP students, Families and CTP Programs. Webinar Details Tuesday, May 26, 20263:00 PM Speakers Exploring services that pertain to CTP students and familiesJonathan White – Assistant Director of VR Field Services Living independentlyMegan Kuhlwein- Executive Director, Statewide Independent Living Council Competitive integrated employmentKatie Whaley – Chair, Kentucky Employment First Council Click here to register

In Kentucky, 19% of students with disabilities, across disability categories, enrolled in a college or university in the year following their exit from high school. For students with an intellectual disability, it was 9%. (2024 Kentucky Post School Outcomes Center) The Kentucky Supported Higher Education Partnership (KSHEP) is a network of Institutions of Higher Education across the state offering higher education programs for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities, such as CTP programs. Comprehensive Transition and Postsecondary (CTP) programs support students with intellectual disabilities (ID) who want to continue academic or career and technical instruction at an institution of higher education to better prepare for competitive integrated employment and independent living. Before 2020, when the Kentucky General Assembly started investing dollars for programslike CTPs, Kentucky had only 3 U.S. Department of Education approved CTP programs. Since 2020, Kentucky has doubled its number of CTPs. Application & Enrollment 164 Applicants 48%

As students with disabilities approach the end of high school, families often face a critical question: What comes next? For many, the path to independence, employment, and further education can seem uncertain. That’s where Comprehensive Transition and Postsecondary Programs (CTPs) come in—offering a bridge to brighter futures. What Are CTPs? CTPs are higher education programs specifically designed for students with intellectual disabilities. These programs, hosted by six Kentucky colleges and universities, provide students with the opportunity to continue their education while gaining essential life and job skills. CTPs are approved by the U.S. Department of Education: Students enrolled in these programs may be eligible for federal financial aid, even if they are not pursuing a traditional degree. Students with ID enrolled in an approved CTP can access federal financial aid for which they qualify and state financial aid from the Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES), Work Ready Kentucky Scholarship, and

The SEPSEA conference is an excellent opportunity to connect with others who are passionate about inclusive postsecondary education programs. You can attend sessions with students, alums, and professionals to learn more about what different people are doing to increase access to learning, engagement, and advocacy in college and university settings. If you are not a member of SEPSEA, you can also find out more information about membership – as well as details about this year’s conference – at this link: https://sepsea.org/sepsea-annual-conference/#

SEPSEA Advocacy Group meeting February 24, 2025 The next SEPSEA Advocacy Group meeting will be held (on ZOOM) on Monday, February 24 from *4:00-5:00 Eastern Time (*3:00-4:00 Central Time). The Southeast Postsecondary Education Alliance (SEPSEA) is an organization promoting access to quality inclusive postsecondary education for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities across the region. This online Advocacy Group is a space for students and alums of Inclusive Postsecondary Education (IPSE) programs to connect and share about their college experiences. During this meeting, we will hear from a few graduates and students from the College and Career Studies program at the University of Kentucky about ways they are connecting with their community. Afterward, we would love to hear from everyone else about ways you connect with your community. We hope you will join us for this conversation! For more information about this group, or to get the zoom link for this

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Western Kentucky CTP Approved Western Kentucky University’s application to the US Dept of Ed to establish a CTP has been approved. WKU’s program is the 6th Comprehensive Transition Program that has been approved in the Commonwealth. Read More

Through multiple projects and initiatives over the last 20 years, Kentucky has demonstrated a strong commitment to supporting students with intellectual and developmental disabilities in postsecondary education. The timeline below highlights some of this work. 2005 Postsecondary Opportunities Workgroup(POW) is launched by families, young adults with intellectual disabilities, and Kentucky organizations. 2008 Postsecondary Inclusion PartnershipPIP begins a three-year grant funded by the Commonwealth Council on Developmental Disabilities. 2010 The University of Kentucky Human Development Institute is awarded a five-year $2.1 million federal grant Supported Higher Education Project, SHEP. 2011 A pilot between SHEP and the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation provides support services on college campuses around Kentucky. 2012 SHEP staff and students with intellectual disabilities present to the Kentucky Legislative Subcommittee on Postsecondary Education.A group from Murray State University, led by a parent advocate, expresses interest in starting a program on campus.Representative Carl Rollins attends the POW meeting and hears

Kentucky Comprehensive Transition and Postsecondary Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities Program Brief for Educators As Educators, our job is not just to get students to graduation, but to prepare them for life after they leave high school. For some students with intellectual disabilities, that may include enrollment in one of Kentucky’s Comprehensive Transition and Postsecondary programs.Jason E. Glass, Ed.D., Kentucky Education Commissioner In Kentucky, there are increasingly more higher education options for students with Intellectual Disabilities (ID). This brief is intended to assist educators in supporting students with ID in pursuing their postsecondary education and employment goals. Comprehensive Transition & Postsecondary Programs (CTPs) CTPs were created by the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA, 2008). They support students with ID who want to continue academic, career or technical instruction in higher education to better prepare for competitive integrated employment and independent living. CTPs: utilize person-centered planning to help students identify