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This is the story of Micah, who has an intellectual disability, his community, and his ground-breaking journey to full inclusion in K-12 schools, college, work and life. It is told by Micah, as well as his parents, his sister, friends and colleagues in essays, poems and interviews.

Introduced in March 2016, this Washington State bill proposed a blue ribbon commission to develop a strategic plan to improve education at all levels for students with disabilities. Commission members  include education advocates, researchers, educators, parents, students, and mental health professionals appointed by the governor.

This Tennessee act, signed in 2016, enables recipients of the STEP UP state scholarship to apply its funds to enrollment in two and four-year postsecondary programs for students with intellectual disability. This expands eligibility for the Tennessee STEP UP scholarship, for students with IDD who complete high school and pursue PSE at any college in the state with an approved comprehensive transition and postsecondary (CPT) programs.

This legislation, enacted in April 2016, directs Oklahoma institutes of higher education to work with all government agencies that provide services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to consider the development of comprehensive transition and postsecondary education (CTP) programs. Programs created from such partnerships must also include private sector businesses that can create practical learning opportunities for students. It also states that IHE transition programs must work with national disability groups to collect and analyze student outcome data.

This bill, introduced in 2016, but not passed, would have established new two-year pilot academic programs for students with intellectual disability. The programs would be located at four state universities and would admit at least ten new students every year. The programs would provide mentoring supports and internship/apprenticeship opportunities to students and will aim to promote independent living. The Board of Trustees of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities would design the program and report regularly to the legislature.

This bill, passed in 2016, states that the Massachusetts Executive Office of Education must develop and administer a discretionary grant program to fund partnerships between public higher education institutions and school committees that create inclusive concurrent enrollment program options for students with IDD aged 18-21. The Executive Office of Education was charged with producing a report on the programs in question by December 2017.

This bill, signed in 2016, authorizes an increase in the amount of Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarships (KEES) for students with IDD who enroll in a CTP in Kentucky. These students will be eligible for a $500 KEES if they are enrolled in at least six credit hours in a term, or $250 if they are enrolled in less than six credit hours.

Signed into law by Florida’s governor on January 21, 2016, the Florida Postsecondary Comprehensive Transition Program Act (the Act) (FS 1004.6495) established the Florida Center for Students with Unique Abilities (FCSUA) at the University of Central Florida and charged the Center with managing the Florida Postsecondary Comprehensive Transition Program (FPCTP) application and approval process.

This legislation, enacted in June 2016, creates a pilot program at University of Northern Colorado, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, and Arapahoe Community College.  The program is supported through a collaboration between the Department of Higher Education, JFK Partners, and the Colorado Initiative for Inclusive Higher Education. Program site institutions must collaborate with Colorado Department of Labor and Employment to identify VR supports and opportunities.