PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

Requires colleges to offer a comprehensive transition and postsecondary program for students with intellectual disabilities — a degree, certificate, or nondegree program that helps them keep learning academic, job, and independent living skills so they can prepare for paid work. The program must have advising and a curriculum, require students to participate at least half-time as the school decides, and include academic activities with nondisabled peers (for example, taking credit or noncredit classes, auditing courses, or doing internships). It must also aim for as much social and academic inclusion with nondisabled students as possible. Student with an intellectual disability — a person with a cognitive impairment that causes significant limits in thinking and in everyday adaptive skills (conceptual, social, practical) who is now or was eligible for a free appropriate public education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

Title 20, §1140

Education, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

In this part:

(1)Comprehensive transition and postsecondary program for students with intellectual disabilities

The term “comprehensive transition and postsecondary program for students with intellectual disabilities” means a degree, certificate, or nondegree program that meets each of the following:

(A)Is offered by an institution of higher education.

(B)Is designed to support students with intellectual disabilities who are seeking to continue academic, career and technical, and independent living instruction at an institution of higher education in order to prepare for gainful employment.

(C)Includes an advising and curriculum structure.

(D)Requires students with intellectual disabilities to participate on not less than a half-time basis as determined by the institution, with such participation focusing on academic components, and occurring through 1 or more of the following activities:

(i)Regular enrollment in credit-bearing courses with nondisabled students offered by the institution.

(ii)Auditing or participating in courses with nondisabled students offered by the institution for which the student does not receive regular academic credit.

(iii)Enrollment in noncredit-bearing, nondegree courses with nondisabled students.

(iv)Participation in internships or work-based training in settings with nondisabled individuals.

(E)Requires students with intellectual disabilities to be socially and academically integrated with non-disabled students to the maximum extent possible.

(2)Student with an intellectual disability

The term “student with an intellectual disability” means a student—

(A)with a cognitive impairment, characterized by significant limitations in—

(i)intellectual and cognitive functioning; and

(ii)adaptive behavior as expressed in conceptual, social, and practical adaptive skills; and

(B)who is currently, or was formerly, eligible for a free appropriate public education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act [20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.].

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, referred to in par. (2)(B), is title VI of Pub. L. 91–230, Apr. 13, 1970, 84 Stat. 175, which is classified generally to chapter 33 (§ 1400 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 1400 of this title and Tables.

Prior Provisions

A prior section 1140, Pub. L. 89–329, title VII, § 761, as added Pub. L. 105–244, title VII, § 701, Oct. 7, 1998, 112 Stat. 1801, stated the purpose of former part D, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 110–315, title VII, § 709(2), Aug. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 3361.

Amendments

2010—Par. (2)(A). Pub. L. 111–256 struck out “mental retardation or” before “a cognitive impairment”. 2009—Par. (1). Pub. L. 111–39 added par. (1) and struck out former par. (1) which contained provisions substantially similar to new subpars. (A) to (D), defining “comprehensive transition and postsecondary program for students with intellectual disabilities”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2009 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 111–39 effective as if enacted on the date of enactment of Pub. L. 110–315 (Aug. 14, 2008), see section 3 of Pub. L. 111–39, set out as a note under section 1001 of this title. Definitions For meaning of references to an intellectual disability and to individuals with intellectual disabilities in provisions amended by section 2 of Pub. L. 111–256, see section 2(k) of Pub. L. 111–256, set out as a note under section 1400 of this title.

§1140 Definitions