This bill, introduced in 2023 but not passed, would have established the Higher Education Opportunities for Students with Disabilities act. The bill, introduced in both the House and Senate in spring 2023, would provide inclusive educational opportunities for a student with disability in order to improve academic achievement, employment, independent living skills, and independent learning. The bill outlines the programs guidelines and requirements for universities and college to follow, and identifies student qualifications for attendance.
Rhode Island
Enacted in June 2016, this legislation mandates that the Governor’s Workforce Board create and expand job and career opportunities for individuals with intellectual, developmental, or other significant disabilities while producing a strategic statewide employment and training plan for the state. The law directs the Board to structure the plan over a period of two fiscal years and produce a comprehensive analysis of all workforce development activities in Rhode Island in order to identify strategies to improve statewide employment, including for individuals with IDD.
The bill was held for further study by the state house in March 2016, but it was not taken up again. This legislation would have required the Rhode Island Council on Postsecondary Education to direct all public colleges to establish and maintain an office that assists students with disabilities with needs related to their education. The offices in question must provide support with all “academic, social, living and career-planning” aspects of postsecondary education in order to ensure that students are able to participate and succeed to the same extent as their peers.