Testimony in Support of An Act Creating Higher Education Opportunities for Students with Intellectual Disabilities, Autism, and Other Developmental Disabilities - H 1331/S 846
MAC Young Adult Leader Fellow Jevon Okundaye presented the below testimony on July 13, 2021 before the Joint Committee on Higher Education. Click here for a recording of his testimony (begins at 1:39:08)
My name is Jevon Okundaye, and I am the Young Adult Leaders Fellow at Massachusetts Advocates for Children (MAC). I am an autistic young man who attended Tufts University after passing the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment Test (MCAS) and graduated in May 2019 with a Bachelor of Arts in Africana Studies and English. I am testifying in favor of House Bill 1331 and Senate Bill 846, An Act Creating Higher Education Opportunities for Students with Intellectual Disabilities, Autism, and Other Developmental Disabilities. Even though I did not go to college through the Massachusetts Inclusive Concurrent Enrollment Initiative (MAICEI), I can speak to the benefits of college for students with disabilities.
MAC Young Adult Leader Fellow Jevon Okundaye presents at the Joint Committee on Higher Education’s virtual hearing via Microsoft Teams. Click here for a recording of his testimony (begins at 1:39:08)
As a student with autism, going to college was valuable to me because I learned how to advocate for myself and improved my social skills. I developed self-advocacy skills through registering with Student Accessibility Services (SAS), requesting accommodations, and meeting with my professors. I practiced social skills and built a sense of community and belonging by joining campus clubs, such as a creative writing club and an autism support club.
Higher education opportunities are important for all students, including students with disabilities who may not have regular high school diplomas, because college is a gateway between high school and adulthood. College is the first time many students with disabilities have to advocate for themselves, which is a skill needed when applying for and maintaining jobs. College also teaches students independent living skills, such as making their own schedules, performing activities of daily living, navigating mini-city-like college campuses, and budgeting financial aid money.
Students with all levels of disability should have higher education opportunities because college makes the transition to adulthood easier. Transitioning to adulthood is hard because students have to be more independent. College makes this transition less difficult by providing a place for students to practice independent living skills in a familiar and supportive environment. For example, it is easier for students to learn how to self-advocate in college than at work. Without access to college, students with intellectual disabilities, autism, and other developmental disabilities do not have this important stepping stone into adulthood, making this already challenging new stage of life even harder. If House Bill 1331 and Senate Bill 846 are passed, then students with disabilities can experience the benefits of college and acquire new skills that will enable them to obtain gainful employment and transition smoothly into adulthood.