Menendez Announces $2.5M in Federal Funding to Enhance Educational Opportunities for Students with Intellectual Disabilities

PARAMUS, NJ – U.S. Senator Bob Menendez today joined educators and disability advocates to announce up to $2.5 million in federal funding over five years to Bergen Community College (BCC) through the U.S. Department of Education’s Transition and Postsecondary Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities (TPSID).

“Too often the work we do for those with disabilities when they are young, from identification and early intervention to an inclusive education and individualized attention, falls apart when they age out of our system,” said Sen. Menendez. “Through the development of essential skills, personalized goal-oriented instruction, and partnerships with employers and supportive services, these students will be able to join their peers in the workforce. They will have an opportunity to become both financially and personally independent.”

BCC has received the grant’s first installment of $499,449 to create or expand high-quality inclusive postsecondary education and transition programs for students with intellectual disabilities. These programs will focus on academic enrichment, socialization, independent living skills, and integrated work experiences for students, and includes a plan for sustainability of the program after the grant period ends.

BCC used a $2.3M TPSID grant awarded in 2010 to launch its “Turning Point” program. The new funding will assist the College in expanding community outreach activities for students with intellectual disabilities and broaden opportunities to career pathways leading to industry recognized credentials.

“Community colleges have a responsibility to serve the needs of their communities; the ‘Turning Point’ program represents a shining example of the College’s commitment to creating inclusive educational opportunities for local residents with disabilities,” BCC President B. Kaye Walter, Ph.D., said. “’Turning Point’ has helped many young adults achieve their dreams of earning a postsecondary credential.”

The “Turning Point” program admits up to 15 students between 18 and 30 years old for a two-year, non-residential certificate program each year. Vocational skills taught align with high-growth industry sectors identified by the State of New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development such as child development, patient care and hospitality. Early program graduates have secured full-time jobs with retail, commercial and municipal employers, while others have chosen to continue their education and pursue associate and bachelor’s degrees.

“I want to thank Senators Menendez and Booker for working to secure this important grant funding,” said Bergen County Executive James J. Tedesco III. “Programs like Turning Point provide an opportunity for young adults with disabilities to continue to pursue education and vocational training as they learn skills to live independently. I’m proud that Bergen Community College’s Turning Point program has been recognized as a model program serving students with intellectual disabilities. This funding ensures that Bergen County will continue to have valued partners like BCC for ‘Post 21 programs’ that support educational and workforce development opportunities for members of our communities as they age out of the system.”

Sen. Menendez voted for the last reauthorization of the Higher Education Act in 2008, which created and funded several programs that provide for postsecondary and transitional educations for those with intellectual disabilities, including TPSID. He has been a strong supporter of and advocated for Congress to fully fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

“I will continue to work in Washington to ensure that those with any intellectual or developmental disability do not age out of the support system without the requisite skills to succeed on their own,” Sen. Menendez said. “We must all commit ourselves to ensuring that the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act receives the full funding that it deserves, and that our children deserve”

The Senator has also been the leading champion in Congress of the Autism Collaboration, Accountability, Research, Education and Support (Autism CARES) Act, which was signed into law on August 8, 2014. This bill ensures that federal investment in autism research and support services for families and individuals continue for an additional five years. Additionally, this law provides the first coordinated federal effort to address young adults with and autism spectrum disorder as they “age out” of school based supports and services.

###