Appendices - Background
It should be noted that the benefits of postsecondary education apply equally to returning students as well as younger students. While it is critical that schools work closely with younger students in building a bridge to postsecondary education, national data tell us that nearly one-quarter - 23 percent - of students with disabilities enrolled in postsecondary education are 40 years old or older, twice the average for students without disabilities. It is equally important that policies and programs aimed at increasing participation in postsecondary education be focused on those students who may have been away from high school for some time, or who took longer than four years to complete high school.
In spite of the obvious benefits to all stakeholders of ensuring greater participation in postsecondary education by students with disabilities, troubling statistics highlight the need for an enhanced commitment to ensuring that greater numbers of qualified students enroll in and graduate from postsecondary education institutions. According to a U.S. Department of Education statistical survey, nationally 57 percent of eighth grade students with disabilities said they aspired to a bachelor's degree, compared with 72 percent of students without disabilities. There is a steady improvement in the performance of school-age students with disabilities in New York State on key standardized tests, indicating that many are more than capable of doing the work. There is every reason to believe that this scholastic improvement will translate into higher numbers of students with disabilities continuing on to postsecondary education.