KU Transition to Postsecondary Education (TPE)
A win for DEI. Every. Single. Day. Providing an inclusive college education for students with intellectual disabilities.
Every classroom engagement. Every friendship made. Every student interaction across campus. KU students in the KU Transition to Postsecondary Education undergraduate certificate program (KU TPE) create ripples that win the day for campus diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Launched with a federal grant in 2015, KU TPE has supported 29 KU students with intellectual disabilities (IDD) in working toward a KU undergraduate certificate through the School of Education and Human Sciences. Students complete at least 24 hours of KU credit-bearing courses that are included on their KU transcript, as well as career internships, and full participation in KU student life. Along the way, their wake is changing perceptions, opening eyes and hearts, and establishing a KU culture of presumed competence for students with IDD.
“Everything is the same as any other KU student,” says Carrie La Voy, a lecturer in the School of Education and Human Sciences who is also a mom of a student in KU TPE. “Carleigh is not just taking a math class with TPE students. That’s the thing that really sets it apart from most other places, and the thing that she has benefitted from the most.”
La Voy contends that other students in Carleigh’s classes and her instructors also benefit from the experience of getting to know another student with disabilities. “Really, everyone benefits from that (inclusion),” she says, and she’s seen it firsthand with her own students who have served as volunteer peer mentors or academic coaches in KU TPE.
“I work with teachers. I teach teachers, so I think their involvement with the TPE program made them better teachers,” La Voy said. “That’s really cool to see because then we can have different discussions. In my own classroom, when we’re talking about inclusion, as an elementary teacher, they just have a whole different perspective to bring to the conversation.”
Sean Phelan has a KU bachelor’s and a master’s degree that prepared him to be a special education teacher at Blue Valley North High School. He’s part of the TPE ripple effect because of his experiences as a peer mentor with KU students in TPE.
“Because TPE was an inclusive educational experience,” says Phelan, “I consider myself more of an inclusive educator, rather than a special education teacher. TPE showed me that students with intellectual disabilities really can go to college, get a meaningful credential, take classes, be independent. Our goal [at BV North] is transition — to help students get out of high school and be successful. Since I saw that next step for three years, it’s really helped me reflect and go back and think, ‘OK, how can I be more direct with my instruction for my students now to better help them [prepare for college and careers]?’ TPE really helped shape me for doing what I’m doing now, in a lot of different ways.”
Currently, 10 students are attending KU with support from TPE. They have a variety of living arrangements including KU dorms, scholarship halls, and living at home.
KU TPE is currently accepting applications for fall 2022. The application deadline is January 6, 2022.
Informational sessions for prospective students, families, and educators are scheduled in October and November at locations across the state and online. For details about meetings, eligibility, deadlines, and the application process, visit the KU TPE website.