Navigating the Transition: Disability Services, Funding, and Student Outcomes in Texas Community Colleges
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| Title: | Navigating the Transition: Disability Services, Funding, and Student Outcomes in Texas Community Colleges |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | J. Jacob Kirksey, Braden Re, Jennifer A. Freeman, State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO) |
| Source: | State Higher Education Executive Officers. 2025. |
| Availability: | State Higher Education Executive Officers. 3035 Center Green Suite 100, Boulder, CO 80301. Tel: 303-541-1600; Fax: 303-541-1639; e-mail: sheeo@sheeo.org; Web site: http://www.sheeo.org |
| Peer Reviewed: | N |
| Page Count: | 24 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Document Type: | Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Higher Education Postsecondary Education Two Year Colleges |
| Descriptors: | Community Colleges, Educational Finance, Students with Disabilities, Community College Students, Expenditures, Student Personnel Services, Academic Accommodations (Disabilities), Outcomes of Education, Rural Urban Differences, Budgeting, Costs |
| Geographic Terms: | Texas |
| Abstract: | In recent years, the public policy landscape has placed an increased emphasis on increasing the proportion of adults holding postsecondary credentials, particularly among underrepresented populations. Individuals with disabilities--many of whom begin their postsecondary journey at community colleges (Ankeny & Lehmann, 2011; Miller et al., 2020)--have remained largely overlooked in these efforts, despite persistent disparities in college access, completion, and labor market outcomes. The transition from high school to higher education marks a pivotal point for students with disabilities (Hong, 2015). The transition from K-12 to higher education requires students with disabilities to navigate a less structured and more self-directed system of accommodations. In postsecondary education, particularly within community colleges, institutions are bound by the ADA to provide "reasonable accommodations," but they are not required to develop individualized plans like IEPs. Students must take the initiative to disclose their disabilities, navigate institutional processes, and advocate for the support they need. This transition can be challenging, as many students may lack awareness of their rights or struggle with self-advocacy (Hong, 2015). Without the structured guidance available in K-12, students with disabilities may encounter barriers in accessing accommodations, which can ultimately affect their academic progress and persistence in higher education (Mamboleo et al., 2020). To address these concerns, there is a pressing need for a cost-benefit analysis that evaluates the financial investment required to provide disability services in Texas community colleges, as well as the long-term economic and social benefits of these services. By quantifying the costs and benefits, this study will provide valuable information as to the effectiveness of current funding structures and the broader societal impact of ensuring appropriate access to accommodations for all students. The purpose of this study is twofold: At the community college level, the study examines how expenditures on student services and instruction correspond with the proportion of students receiving disability accommodations in Texas community colleges. For students with disabilities attending community colleges, the study examines the association between the receipt of disability services with postsecondary outcomes, including earning credentials and successful transfer. By linking college-level spending patterns with the proportion of students receiving accommodations and assessing the relationship between disability services and student outcomes, this study aims to inform policy and practice on how to more effectively allocate resources to promote postsecondary attainment and transfer opportunities for students with disabilities. |
| Abstractor: | ERIC |
| Entry Date: | 2025 |
| Accession Number: | ED675532 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | In recent years, the public policy landscape has placed an increased emphasis on increasing the proportion of adults holding postsecondary credentials, particularly among underrepresented populations. Individuals with disabilities--many of whom begin their postsecondary journey at community colleges (Ankeny & Lehmann, 2011; Miller et al., 2020)--have remained largely overlooked in these efforts, despite persistent disparities in college access, completion, and labor market outcomes. The transition from high school to higher education marks a pivotal point for students with disabilities (Hong, 2015). The transition from K-12 to higher education requires students with disabilities to navigate a less structured and more self-directed system of accommodations. In postsecondary education, particularly within community colleges, institutions are bound by the ADA to provide "reasonable accommodations," but they are not required to develop individualized plans like IEPs. Students must take the initiative to disclose their disabilities, navigate institutional processes, and advocate for the support they need. This transition can be challenging, as many students may lack awareness of their rights or struggle with self-advocacy (Hong, 2015). Without the structured guidance available in K-12, students with disabilities may encounter barriers in accessing accommodations, which can ultimately affect their academic progress and persistence in higher education (Mamboleo et al., 2020). To address these concerns, there is a pressing need for a cost-benefit analysis that evaluates the financial investment required to provide disability services in Texas community colleges, as well as the long-term economic and social benefits of these services. By quantifying the costs and benefits, this study will provide valuable information as to the effectiveness of current funding structures and the broader societal impact of ensuring appropriate access to accommodations for all students. The purpose of this study is twofold: At the community college level, the study examines how expenditures on student services and instruction correspond with the proportion of students receiving disability accommodations in Texas community colleges. For students with disabilities attending community colleges, the study examines the association between the receipt of disability services with postsecondary outcomes, including earning credentials and successful transfer. By linking college-level spending patterns with the proportion of students receiving accommodations and assessing the relationship between disability services and student outcomes, this study aims to inform policy and practice on how to more effectively allocate resources to promote postsecondary attainment and transfer opportunities for students with disabilities. |
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