HB1791

Good morning, I am writing in support of this bill as both a parent of a college student with a disability and a professional in the disability service system. As a parent with lived experience in obtaining support for my son in the college setting, I want to bring to your attention that, despite the Office of Accommodation or Student Services providing assistance to students with disabilities, professors have the discretion to allow or not allow accommodations in their classrooms. We determined his enrollment and college choice based on the level of support available to him. As my son progresses in his college career, we are finding that these schools with adequate support tend to be more expensive. Lastly, I want to address concerns raised at the hearing about providing scholarships to students without a high school diploma. It is important to acknowledge that some students and their families choose to remain in special education and accept a certificate of attendance to strengthen skills that may be unrelated to their academic capabilities, or to strengthen learning skills that can be transferred to a college setting with reasonable support. Please support this bill and allow more students like my son the opportunity to explore their talents, pursue their dreams, and become contributing members of our community.

This program and the funding of it, provides individuals with disabilities to opportunity to live a meaningful life in their community. Inclusive educational opportunities lead to inclusive employment opportunities, adding meaning and and personal value/worth. It also breaks down social and community barriers when we create and provide opportunities for inclusivity. Please support this important social and economic opportunity.

I support HB 1791. This bill expands access to post-secondary education for individuals with developmental disabilities and strengthens inclusive programs at New Hampshire’s public colleges.

I support this bill strongly! EFA's are out of control! Public funds are mostly being used for private education for students who never attended public schools. Funds are used for recreational purposes, and there is no accountability for their learning. Public school children are being held to a higher level of accountability for their learning, while EFA students spend the funds without any accountability for meeting their educational milestones.