Maine Parent Federation Action Alert: LD 46 An Act to Establish a Grant Program to Increase Postsecondary Educational Opportunities for Students with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities or Autism Spectrum Disorder

We are excited to share that after dying in Appropriations last session An Act to Establish a Grant Program to Increase Postsecondary Educational Opportunities for Students with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities or Autism Spectrum Disorder will be reintroduced this legislative session as LD 46.
 
If passed this bill will establish a grant program available to Institutions of Higher Education (accredited colleges and universities) in Maine to create post-secondary programming and offer scholarships to students with Intellectual Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) and/or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
 
We do not yet have a date for a public hearing, but we wanted to educate all of you on this bill now in order to prepare for possibly submitting testimony. Hearing from educators, administrators, and professionals is wonderful. However, we know the Committee would love to hear from students themselves.
 
The public hearing will be an opportunity for your legislators on the Educational and Cultural Affairs Committee to hear from you before they vote whether or not to move the bill forward to the full Maine Congress. You are welcome to provide testimony in support of, against, or neither for nor against the bill.
 
Talking points for this specific bill can include:

• Maine offers graduating seniors, 2 free years of Community College which was again included in the Governors proposed budget. These programs are not accessible to students with I/DD and/or ASD who have graduated from high school.
• Currently in Maine there is one available program for students with I/DD and ASD compared to the 29 accredited colleges and universities.
• Post-secondary programming statistically improves the chances of an individual with I/DD and/or ASD become employed, (see Think College)
• Provides the opportunity for dual enrollment for students 18-22-years-old still publicly enrolled in school, and
• There is work being done to braid funding for sustainability through Vocational Rehabilitation as well as the Lifespan Waiver (currently being designed) this grant will assist in developing the programing.

 
When it is time to testify the bill will be posted on the webpage for the Joint Standing Committee for Education and Public Affairs.
 
If you choose to testify virtually or to submit written testimony you will need to register by clicking on the Testimony Submission link at the top of the page.
 
You can testify in-person in Room 208 in the Cross Building located at 111 Sewall St. in Augusta. Be sure to bring 20 copies of your testimony for members of the Committee. You do not need to register for this option, just show up.
 
Please feel free to disseminate this information to anybody and everybody you think would be interested.
 
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact Carrie Woodcock, [email protected].
 
Kind Regards,
Carrie Woodcock - Maine Parent Federation