May 2023 KSHEP Newsletter
If you experience problems accessing the May 2023 KSHEP Newsletter, please get in touch with erin.fitzgerald@uky.edu for a copy in an alternate format.
If you experience problems accessing the May 2023 KSHEP Newsletter, please get in touch with erin.fitzgerald@uky.edu for a copy in an alternate format.
Read the original article in the Owensboro Times
The State of HDI is a podcast exploring initiatives and projects of the University of Kentucky Human Development Institute (HDI).
In Episode 1, Johnny Collett (HDI Deputy Director) and Erin Fitzgerald (CTP Coordinator) discuss inclusive higher education programs that support students with education and career goals.
CTPs were created by the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA, 2008). They support students with Intellectual Disabilities (ID) who want to continue academic, career, or technical instruction in higher education to better prepare for competitive integrated employment and independent living. CTPs:
Students enrolled in an approved CTP must have a documented ID, as defined by the HEOA. This means a student:
Student Financial Assistance:
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 College Access Program Grant programs, if eligible. Students and families can contact the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA) at (800) 928-8926 or visit kheaa.com for help with the financial aid process.
To learn more about financial assistance for students enrolled in an approved Kentucky CTP, see CTP Brief: Student Financial Assistance.
Students interested in enrolling in an approved CTP should complete the FAFSA each year at www.studentaid.gov and indicate which college(s) they want information sent.
Students with any diploma or credential other than a standard high school diploma (e.g., alternative high school diploma, GED, no diploma) select “none of the above”. This answer will not affect eligibility for student aid if a student is enrolled in an approved CTP.
In some cases, the U.S. Department of Education requires the financial aid office to verify the accuracy of certain information reported on the FAFSA. The school may request additional documentation from the student or parents to complete this review before federal student financial aid can be finalized. Being chosen for verification does not suggest that an error was
made on the FAFSA, and financial aid counselors can support students throughout the process.
As outlined by college/university satisfactory academic progress (SAP) policies for students in CTPs, students must maintain SAP and meet the basic federal student aid eligibility requirements. Students must re-apply each year for federal aid by filing the FAFSA.
College financial aid offices work directly with the statewide KEES coordinator at KHEAA to report enrollment and request the KEES CTP awards for eligible students (KRS 164.7882). KEES amounts for students enrolled in an approved CTP are $500 if enrolled in at least six (6) hours in an academic term; or $250 if enrolled in less than six (6) hours in an academic term. Note: KEES funds can only be awarded for fall and spring terms.
All that is necessary to qualify for renewal of the KEES CTP award is for a student to maintain enrollment in the CTP and maintain satisfactory academic progress as outlined in the SAP policy. Students are eligible for KEES CTP awards for a maximum of eight (8) academic terms.
Click here to learn more about the WRKS Program, including how to apply.
Grants, scholarships, fellowships, or gifts received for educational expenses are not counted as income or resources by Social Security if they are used to pay for educational expenses in a timely manner. To learn more about Supplemental Security Income (SSI) when students turn 18, including how grants and scholarships affect SSI benefits, visit: www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-11005.pdf
Last updated 9/13/2023. To view the latest version of this document, visit www.kshep.hdiuky.org/resources
Johnny W. Collett
Deputy Director
(859) 257-2304
Comprehensive Transition and Postsecondary Programs (CTPs) were created by the Higher Education Opportunities Act (HEOA, 2008). These programs support students with intellectual disabilities (ID) who want to attend a college or university.
CTPs include:
Eligible students with ID, as defined by the HEOA, who are enrolled in an approved CTP have opportunity to take challenging and meaningful credit and non-credit courses in their chosen fields of study.
Students enrolled in an approved CTP are eligible for federal and state financial assistance. This includes students who don’t have a high school diploma and may not be working toward a degree.
Student Financial Assistance:
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 College Access Program Grant programs, if eligible. Students and families can contact the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA) at (800) 928-8926 or visit kheaa.com for help with the financial aid process.
To learn more about financial assistance for students enrolled in an approved Kentucky CTP, see CTP Brief: Student Financial Assistance.
Students with ID may have questions about options for going to college.
Is college possible? How do I prepare? How do I apply? Can I afford it? How do I find the right college? What else do I need to know?
Answers to these questions can be found at www.thinkcollege.net/family-resources
To learn more, students and families may wish to talk to a teacher, school or vocational rehabilitation counselor and/or their Admissions and Release Committee (ARC).
Think College offers helpful information for students preparing to go to college and useful resources for families. To explore these resources, visit: www.thinkcollege.net/resources
If you would like to watch stories of other students with ID who have gone to college, you can find those here: www.tinyurl.com/yxaz3lco
Last updated 9/13/2023. To view the latest version of this document, visit www.kshep.hdiuky.org/resources
Johnny W. Collett
Deputy Director
(859) 257-2304
Watch a video by Rebecca Gregory and Erin Fitzgerald about Comprehensive Transition and Postsecondary Programs. The video outlines key points students should know.
ThinkCollege provides readers with stories from students with intellectual disabilities who have gone to college. Read them by clicking the button below.
Think College creates and curates a variety of resources on topics related to postsecondary education for people with intellectual disability. The Resource Library includes over 850 selected resources on a wide range of topics related to postsecondary education for people with intellectual disabilities.