House Passes Sessions Amendment Providing Students with Intellectual Disabilities Access to Federal Work-Study Funds

House Passes Sessions Amendment Providing Students with Intellectual Disabilities Access to Federal Work-Study Funds

Washington, Mar 29 -

U.S. Congressman Pete Sessions (R-Dallas) today introduced an amendment to the College Access and Opportunity Act (H.R. 609) that will provide students with intellectual disabilities access to federal work-study funds. The amendment passed the House by voice vote with strong bipartisan support.

Currently, approximately 94 higher education institutions nationwide offer programs for students with intellectual disabilities (mental retardation). However, these students are not able to access federal work-study funds due to disqualifying factors such as the absence of a high school diploma or enrollment in non-degree education programs.

Sessions' amendment to the College Access and Opportunity Act of 2005 allows students with intellectual disabilities access to federal work-study funds for enrollment in comprehensive post-secondary education programs that approve students' academic and personal skills, independence, and employability. Federal work-study funds to these students would be dispersed from current work-study resources and implemented at the discretion of higher education institutions.

"Making federal work-study funds available to students with intellectual disabilities will provide them the opportunity to obtain valuable, paid work experience while pursuing their studies," said Sessions.

"My goal is to help make it possible for these students to achieve their higher education goals and attain gainful employment," Sessions continued. "Greater productivity through employment will provide students with intellectual disabilities opportunities for greater self-sufficiency, more independence, and the ability to save for retirement and long term care."

"This amendment creates no new federal program and, therefore, requires no cost to the federal government," Sessions added.

According to a recent report of the President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities, in 2002 approximately 90 percent of adults with intellectual disabilities were not employed; 26 percent of youth with intellectual disabilities dropped out of school; fewer than 15 percent participated in postsecondary education; and over 700,000 people with intellectual disabilities lived with parents aged 60 or over.

Research shows that comprehensive postsecondary programs have had a positive impact on student rates of employment and wages, social networks, and self-determination skills (Guenette, 2003). A growing number of two and four-year colleges and universities are now including students with mental retardation in educational, independent living and vocational programs. The increasing numbers of such programs reflects the strong need for a variety of postsecondary education opportunities for this population of students.

"This group of nontraditional students can become more self-sufficient if provided opportunities. I believe they should have access to postsecondary education, and the resulting employment and independent living opportunities, just as their non-disabled peers do," Sessions concluded.

http://sessions.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=41553