The United States Census Bureau yesterday released Educational Attainment in the United States: 2015. The study provides a summary of the state of education in our nation. It provides a wealth of useful information. You can peruse the study here.
Concerning the educational attainment of people with disabilities, the study concluded " Adults who
reported a disability had lower levels
of educational attainment compared
to those without a disability.
Seventy-nine percent of adults who
had a disability had at least a high
school diploma while 90 percent
of those without a disability had completed a high school education
or more. In addition, the percentage
of those who had completed
a bachelor’s degree or more was
about twice as large for those without
a disability compared to those
with a disability. Thirty-five percent
of adults without a disability held
at least a bachelor’s degree compared
to 17 percent of adults with
a disability."
In other words, we still have a long way to go!
The report also contains data on educational attainment by race, gender, Hispanic origin, and Nativity status. Your thoughts?
My question is - what level of disabilities? Mild to Moderate? Moderate to severe? What we are seeing in Ohio is those students who have the more severe disabilities, who need full time support, are less likely to receive any post secondary assistance due to a lack of funding. They are more likely to stay until they are 22 and then when they age out of their program, they are not being placed into a post secondary program but rather are on a waiting list for funding to get into some sort of program which will provide them the full time support.I believe all people with a disability, no matter how severe, should have the right to work, to go on to some post secondary placement, which will enable them to grow and have a purpose. It is easier for people with mild to moderate disabilities to attain such status than it is for those who have more severe disabilities. We have a long way to go across the board for all people with a disability.
ReplyDeleteTeresa,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment.
JG
I agree, we still have a long way to go!! The study proved the unsaid—that students with disabilities are underrepresented in the education system. The fact that people without disabilities have higher high school and/or college graduation rates puts in question the school districts’ efforts in providing the students with disabilities the Educational Benefit to ensure their academic success and therefore their advancement from grade to grade. It is truly sad that students with special needs are not seen with the same values as the people without disabilities. Preparing students with disabilities for life after high school is imperative to meet the demands of the 21st century as well as to gain self-sufficiency and independence. I truly hope that special education continues to progress how it has been throughout the years, and that more attention is given to students with disabilities because ultimately we are all human beings.
ReplyDeleteUK,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment.
JG