2024 CTE Works! Summit

This session will introduce participants to inclusive postsecondary education and its alignment with Minnesota State's Equity 2030 initiative and the Perkins V State Plan, with a focus on expanding Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways to include students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Additionally, the session will address the technical assistance and financial resources available through the Office of Higher Education and the Minnesota Inclusive Higher Education Technical Assistance Center (TA). The TA Center provides support to students with IDD, their families, educators, and higher education institutions in creating access to postsecondary education opportunities.

Did you know college is possible for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD)? This session will introduce participants to inclusive postsecondary education and its alignment with Minnesota State's Equity 2030 initiative and the Perkins V State Plan. The discussion will focus on expanding Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways to include students with IDD. The most under-represented demographic on college campuses are students with IDD. In Minnesota, less than 3% of students with IDD have access to college. In 2023, the Minnesota Inclusive Higher Education Act was passed into law that established a TA Center and competitive grant funding. This session will provide an overview of the technical assistance and financial resources available through the Office of Higher Education and the Minnesota Inclusive Higher Education Technical Assistance Center (TA). Financial resources include competitive grant funding, which eligible Minnesota colleges and universities can apply for and use to offer enrollment to students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The TA Center supports students with IDD, their families, educators, and college faculty and staff in making higher education accessible to students with IDD. The Center's vision is to establish, expand, and sustain inclusive higher education initiatives that enroll and support students with IDD throughout the state of Minnesota.

You'll leave this session knowing how to:

1. Understand the Alignment: Participants will be able to explain how inclusive postsecondary education for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) aligns with Minnesota State's Equity 2030 initiative and the Perkins V State Plan. 
2. Identify Resources and Support: Participants will be able to identify the technical assistance and financial resources available through the Office of Higher Education and the Minnesota Inclusive Higher Education Technical Assistance Center (TA) for expanding CTE pathways to students with IDD. 
3. Recognize the Importance of Inclusion: Participants will understand the significance of including students with IDD in postsecondary education, particularly in CTE pathways, and the impact of the Minnesota Inclusive Higher Education Act on creating more opportunities.