Post-Secondary Transition Planning for Students with Disabilities

The transition from K-12 to post-secondary education is extremely difficult for any student. For students with disabilities, the challenges in this transition are magnified exponentially. Contributing to the challenges students with disabilities face in this transition are the significant changes in the laws that protect them.  

This program, presented by Attorney Robert M. Tudisco, will examine how protections under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504), and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), significantly change and/or disappear upon high school graduation. Tudisco will also address the changes in the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), and the law with respect to Accommodations for High Stakes Testing. The presentation will discuss the changes in the law, as well as discussing proactive practical strategies for attorneys to advise their clients, in order to minimize the impact of this transition.

Learning Objectives: 

1. Discuss the nature of the transition from k-12 to post-secondary education and its impact on students with disabilities
2. Comprehend the changes in the law families of students with disabilities face as they transition to post-secondary education including, IDEA, Section 504, ADA, and FERPA
3. Understand the law with respect to seeking high stakes testing accommodations for students with disabilities transitioning to post-secondary education
4. Identify practical strategies for attorneys to advise their clients to proactively prepare for the legal issues that students with disabilities and their families face in transitioning to post-secondary education