Minnesota

The purpose of this paper is to propose and describe a model for engaging and retaining students with IDD/autism in Minnesota's 24 community and technical colleges and seven state universities (MnSCU). The model, as described in this paper, is based upon past and current efforts to provide postsecondary education opportunities for these students. The paper, first, provides background to clarify the diverse characteristics and outcomes of students with IDD/autism. It then examines the relevance and critical importance of drawing upon MnSCU’s system capacity to serve these students.

Introduced in 2019, but not passed, this bill would require that at least two Minnesota state colleges and universities offer an academic program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities must select the specific institutions, who will have admit at least 15 incoming students to their new postsecondary program for students with IDD each year. The programs must offer an inclusive, two-year full-time residential experience to students and should enable them to engage fully in campus life.

Introduced in February 2019, this bill directs the Minnesota Office of Higher Education to inform students from 7th grade onwards about planning and preparing for postsecondary education opportunities. This includes students with intellectual and developmental disabilities, as well as their families, who should receive guidance on appropriate coursework to pursue in high school, how to plan for PSE early, how to evaluate PSE programs before applying to or enrolling in them, how to transfer credits across higher education institutions, and financial assistance options for PSE in Minnesota.

The Minnesota State Legislature, in its 2017 session, requested that the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota provide a two-year residential academic program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) at the University of Minnesota Morris effective with the 2018-2019 academic year. This report was written in response to the legislative request, providing a preliminary outline of the program as it would be designed and implemented on the Morris campus.

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.

In 2016, Minnesota State was charged with the task of developing a plan for inclusive programming specifically for those individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (2016, Chapter 189, Article 1, Section 29). A team of faculty, staff, and community members with interest and expertise in serving students with intellectual and developmental disabilities was convened. Team members represented a variety of functional areas including accessibility/disability services, faculty in occupational skills programs, career services, and student services.