Kentucky’s Employment First Council Launches First Meeting!

Alternative High School Diploma Update

By Jill Griffiths

Dr. Harold Kleinert, KentuckyWorks Works Project Staff Member, has noted that “a state-defined alternate diploma would allow students with significant cognitive disabilities to be counted as part of our state’s successful high school graduation rate. Most importantly, a state-defined diploma would provide these students with a curriculum that is both relevant and rigorous, and tied directly to the skills for successful employment.”

In April 2012, Kentucky passed Senate Bill 42 to require the KY Board of Education (KDE) to create rules for an alternative high school diploma. This diploma is for students with disabilities whose Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) say they cannot do regular state tests. In federal law, these students are identified as having significant cognitive disabilities. This law started with the graduating class of 2013. The law says that if students with disabilities cannot take part in the state tests, they need to be offered an “alternative course of study.” An “alternative course of study” means students with disabilities do different types of classes and classwork to get their diploma.

Tracking Employment Progress in KY for Students with Disabilities

By Tony Lobianco

KentuckyWorks tracks its progress through data from the Kentucky Post School Outcomes Center. This Center looks at employment and education outcomes in the first year after high school for students with disabilities. We focus on former students with autism, functional mental disabilities, and multiple disabilities. The figure below shows rates of competitive employment (defined as working at or above minimum wage for an average of 20 hours or more per week for 90 days) and enrollment in higher education (defined as completing at least one term in a two or four-year college or university).

As can be seen rates for both competitive employment and higher education were highest but declining prior to the start of Kentucky Works. However, between 2017 and 2018 gains were made in both areas, moving from a competitive employment rate of 12.8% to 14% and a higher education rate of 11% to 11.6%.

Upcoming Events

• CCDD Lunch and Learn on "Advocacy Throughout the Lifespan" by Norb Ryan and Nicole Maher: October 16, 2018 from 12-1pm at HDI's Cold Stream campus
  Register here.
   
• MAPPING DREAMS—TRANSITION TO ADULTHOOD
  • ​October 16 2018 from 6—8pm at Holly Hills Retreat, 100 Chapel Drive, Somerset, KY 42501
  • October 18 2018 from 6—8pm at 
    Path Forward of Kentucky, Inc./ 707 Executive Park/ Louisville, KY 40207
  • October 24 2018 from 6—8pm at Path Forward of Kentucky, Inc./ 1030 Burlington Lane, # 3/ Frankfort, KY 40601
     
• Kentucky APSE Conference: in Lexington, KY: October 17-19
   
• HDI Seminar Series on "A Brief History of Developmental Disabilities: What We Learned:"
  October 19, 2018 from 1:00 - 3:00 PM EST at the HDI's Cold Stream campus
  This seminar will address a brief history of developmental disabilities in our state since 1970, with a particular focus on where we have been, where we are now, and future challenges. Register here.
   
• ADA Series: ADA & Public Accommodations on Thurs., October 25 from 10-11am online and at HDI CATS – 2358 Nicholasville Rd. Suite 180, Lexington KY
  The next training will be led by Jason Jones and will cover Disability & Law Enforcement: Interaction and Emergency Response. Register here or get more information by emailing hdiatcenter@l.uky.edu.

KentuckyWorks Louisville Employment Community Conversation

Come join us on Monday, December 3 from 6:30-8:30pm at Down Syndrome of Louisville’s Sublett Hall to engage in conversations about setting employment priorities for people with disabilities throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky! Organizing partners of the event include Down Syndrome of Louisville, Center for Accessible Living, and the University of Louisville Kentucky Autism Training Center.