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Demand vs. Supply

“Of the nearly 4,000 colleges in the U.S., only 74 offer autism specific support, accounting for only 2.2% of the nation’s public, private, and non-profit colleges. There are 21 states that are absent of college autism support programs.”

 According to a year-long search conducted by Brett Ranon Nachman, Catherine Tobin McDermott, and Bradley E. Cox for the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders published in 2021, of the nearly 4,000 colleges in the U.S., only 74 offer autism specific support, accounting for only 2.2% of the nation’s public, private, and non-profit colleges. There are 21 states that are absent of college autism support programs.

Support beyond the legally mandated K-12 assistance drastically decreases after high school. Two pieces of federal legislation that molded much of the way ASD and other disabilities are addressed and supported in K-12 education includes The Americans with Disabilities Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act.

Karen Maffett is a teacher at Los Alamitos High School in Orange County, California. Much of her teaching is mandated by the ADA and must follow IDEA guidelines and standards of service. Maffett is a Life Skills teacher, working with students on the spectrum, as well as students with learning and other disabilities. Maffett's goal is to help her students develop problem solving skills and practice independence, and that is done through fostering practical tools such as cooking, cleaning and hygiene, employment, dating and social competency. 

The ADA was created to protect people with disabilities from discrimination in the workplace and community at large. ADA is fundamental for education because it assures individuals with disabilities receive equal opportunity in public accommodations, transportation, and state and local government services.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act is one of the primary laws governing the education of students with disabilities. IDEA established guidelines that school districts must guarantee, and one of the most important is “free and appropriate public education” or FAPE. Schools must also provide appropriate education, an individualized education program, or IEP, a least restrictive environment, parent and student involvement in decision making, and procedural safeguards, according to IDEA guidelines. 

Life Skills, at Los Alamitos High School, is a three-to-four-year program designed for students who are continuing their education until the age of 22. These students are not set to graduate and move on to college immediately, unless they transition to the Diploma Track, which is intended for students who plan to attend college after graduating. 

Maffett’s work in Life Skills extends beyond the classroom, focusing on goal planning, behavior, IEP meeting preparation, and self-advocacy. Helping students find employment at local job sites that collaborate with the high school, Maffett works to create realistic opportunities for growth for her students. 

A large part of IEP’s is transition planning, which takes place around the age of 16. This is when the student, parents, and IEP team discuss plans for college. In the Los Alamitos School District, a portion of that discussion is whether the student will move to the Diploma Track or stay where they are. Maffett’s role in this phase is to present the pros and cons of each option, as well as discuss alternatives to post-high school plans.

Federal legislation guarantees necessary support for students through high school or until the age of 22. At the collegiate level, it’s a different story.