Advocating for IPSE
Georgia has led the way in advocating for Inclusive Post Secondary Education programs at the state level. As of Fall 2024, 10 schools will support people with intellectual disabilities (ID) in college across Georgia. IPSE serves as a pipeline for a skilled workforce, where talented candidates with disabilities in Georgia gain an education and learn the skills to enter the workforce and/or live independently after college.
Each year, IPSE directors, students, parents, and community leaders head to the Georgia State Capitol, or The Gold Dome, to advocate for inclusive post secondary education support.
Students, families, and staff from across Georgia meet with state lawmakers to educate them on the importance of supporting IPSE programs for students with intellectual disabilities.
In the 2023 Georgia legislative session, advocates successfully requested a state-funded grant program for students attending IPSE, now known as IPSE Grants. These grants will be available for five years, ending July 1, 2028. The General Assembly backed these grants with nearly $1M in funds for the 2023-2024 academic year and added another annualized $1.6M to the IPSE Grants budget for the 2024-2025 academic year. After the grants expire, advocates hope that lawmakers will finalize the grants into the state budget moving forward.
