Post High School


7 Things to Know About College Disability Services

This document from Understood explains the way disability support services work in high school versus in the college setting.

Visit the Understood website

ACT Accommodation Guide

The process of requesting accommodations for the ACT test are described on the ACT's website.

Visit the ACT website

Apprentices- Iowa's Registered Apprenticeship Program

Iowa's Registered Apprenticeship Program provides a list of opportunities and map of employers across many different industries. These programs provide opportunities to learn skills while on the job.

Visit the Iowa's Registered Apprenticeship Program website

Assisting Students with Disabilities

Iowa's Client Assistance Program outlines the type of accommodations that may be available in the college setting. The process for getting accommodations is described, including frequently asked questions.

Visit the Iowa Department of Human Rights website

Complete Guide to Scholarships for Students with Disabilities

Tips for applying for disability scholarships are outlined by Intuit. They also have additional sources of financial aid for students with disabilities.

Visit the Intuit website

Countdown to Your Future

Iowa College Access Network (ICAN) provides a calendar highlighting important dates for college financial assistance. It applies to Juniors and Seniors in high school.

Visit the Iowa College Access Network website

Disability Scholarships

Scholarship opportunities from a variety of organizations are listed. Details and how to apply are included.

Visit the Scholarships.com website

Documents to Keep for Youth Transitioning to Adult Life

The National Parent Center on Transition and Employment provides a list of documents that will support a successful transition. Topics include health history, job portfolio, personal documents and school records.

Visit the National Parent Center on Transition and Employment website

Explore Colleges

Considerations for students going to college are described from the Iowa College Access Network. Topics cover college location, type, academic programs, campus life, costs, living accommodations and campus safety.

Visit the Iowa College Access Network website

Federal Student Aid

Understand how federal financial aid works, how to apply for aid and about loan repayment on the Federal Student Aid Website.

Visit the Federal Student Aid website

Finding and Applying for Scholarships

Information about applying for scholarships is provided by the U.S. Department of Education's Federal Student Aid organization. It includes how to find scholarships and when to apply.

Visit the Federal Student Aid website

Free ACT Test Prep

A free practice test and study guide are available from the makers of the ACT test.

Visit the ACT website

Going to College: Tips for Students with Visual Impairments

PACER's National Center on Transition and Employment outlines some tips for students with visual impairments when transitioning to college.

Visit the National Parent Center on Transition and Employment website

High School Students Careers

The Future Ready Iowa website provides information about options for high school students to connect with high-demand careers, education and training after high school.

Visit the Future Ready Iowa website

Iowa Community Colleges

This website has a list of Iowa's Community Colleges.

Visit the Iowa Department of Education website

Iowa Department for the Blind website

The Iowa Department for the Blind supports people experiencing blindness and low vision to achieve their employment and independent living goals.

Visit the Iowa Department for the Blind website

Job Corps

A description of training programs from Iowa Job Corps.

Visit the Future Ready Iowa website

Junior/ Senior Checklist: Postsecondary Education

A list of things to do for Junior and Senior high school students who are planning to attend college after high school. The tips on this check list are suggested to provide a successful transition to college.

Visit the AEA 8 website

Last Dollar Scholarship- Future Ready Iowa

A description of what is required to be eligible for the Last Dollar Scholarship from Future Ready Iowa.

Visit the Future Ready Iowa website

Planning for College Success

This website answers many questions about college for students with disabilities. The site also includes resources that may be helpful for students who are in college or planning to go.

Visit the National Parent Center on Transition and Employment website

Self-Advocacy and the Transition to College: A Curriculum for Practitioners

This curriculum was created for students with disabilities who are getting ready for college. The eight lessons focus on developing students' skills in self advocacy. Topics include understanding their disabilities and knowing how it affects their learning. Students learn what accommodations they need and how to ask for them. Student's rights and responsibilities are also covered.

Visit the Monadnock Center for Successful Transitions (MCST) website

Students with Disabilities Preparing for Postsecondary Education

Accommodations in college may look different than they were in high school. The Office of Civil Rights explains students' rights and process for getting accommodations in the college setting.

Visit the Office of Civil Rights website

Think College

The Think College website provides information about inclusive college options for people with intellectual disabilities.

Visit the Think College website

IEP Transition Plan

This section of the Understood site focuses on transition planning; what transition planning involves and who may be involved in the process. Links to resources and planning tools are provided. Understood is a nonprofit organization affiliated with the National Learning Disabilities Association.

Visit the Understood website

Individual Transition Planning Guide

This planning tool from the Minnesota Developmental Disabilities Council helps students and their families think about and plan for the student's transition needs. This is an electronic form that may be printed out or saved by the user.

Visit the Minnestoa Council on Developmental Disabilities website

Secondary Transition

This website provides information and guidance on the transition planning process. Topics include Age of Majority, Transition Planning Components in the IEP, Services provided beyond the 4th year of high school (4+), and Post-Secondary Summary Information. From Iowa's Area Education Agencies (AEA.)

Visit the Iowa IDEA Information (i3) website

A Transition Guide to Postsecondary Education and Employment

An updated Transition Guide by the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services includes best practices.

Visit the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services website

Comparison of the Individuals with Disabilities Act(IDEA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504), and The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

A chart comparing the rights of people with disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the American's with Disabilities Act (ADA) is provided on the Iowa IDEA information website.

Visit the Iowa IDEA Information (i3) website

ICAN website

The Iowa College Access Network provides programs, tools, and resources to help students with preparing for the academic, social and financial aspects of going to college.

Visit the Iowa College Access Network website

School counselors: Facilitating transitions for students with disabilities from high school to post-school settings

This on-line training provides an overview of the Transition Planning process. It includes ideas on how School Counselors can contribute to the process.

Visit the IRIS Center website

Independent Living Postsecondary Goal IEP Team Decision Assistance Form

An assessment tool to help the IEP team decide if a student needs a postsecondary goal in the area of independent living. It is provided by the Transition Coalition.

Visit the Transition Coalition website

Indiana Transition Assessment Matrix

A collection of assessments is available through this site and can be sorted by areas of living, learning, working and grade level appropriateness. Includes Spanish language assessments.

Visit the Indiana University website

Transition to Postsecondary Education for HS Educators

The Office of Civil Rights provides information to help educators advise students about the process of transitioning from high school to college.

Visit the Office of Civil Rights website

Mission: Employable

Mission: Employable is a podcast by Iowa Workforce Development that discusses a variety of opportunities that are available in the workforce in Iowa.

Visit the Mission Employable website

Safer Driver Solutions

Safer Drivers Solutions is an organization that specializes in working with individuals with special needs. They provide driving instruction that is individualized. Find general tips and information about the process and possible funding options.

Visit the Safe Driver Solutions website

Suggest or Request a Resource

Searching for a resource but can't find it? Please fill out our form to let us know what information would be helpful to you.

Complete The Form

Senior Year Plus

Information about Senior Year Plus programming which includes any classes that have the potential to generate college credit. Includes Advanced Placement (AP), Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO), and Dual Enrollment, etc.

Visit the Iowa Department of Education website

Secondary Transition Decision Guide - Learning

This document is available for IEP teams to use during transition planning in the area of learning. This should guide teams around what might be provided during the traditional four years of high school and when to consider the possibility of continuing services for students beyond the traditional four years of high school.

Visit the Iowa Department of Education website

ASK a Family- Transition to College

In this video Mike, a youth with disabilities, and his mom discuss the experience that he has had and what they have learned when he started attending college at the University of Iowa's REACH program.

View the webinar from ASK Resource Center

Learn about Self-Advocacy

This collection of short videos cover a range of important topics that support self-advocacy and independence for people with disabilities

Visit the Self-Advocacy Online website

Students with Disabilities Preparing for Postsecondary Education: Know Your Rights and Responsibilities

Learn about the 504 accommodations that are available to students in the college setting, along with how these accommodations might look different than what was available in high school.

Go to the U.S. Department of Education website

Nursing Career Guide for People With Disabilities

This guide to nursing careers for people with disabilities provides information about the benefits and challenges, common nursing degrees and specialty fields, and some common accommodations for students with disabilities in nursing programs.

Visit the Nursing Education website

Pro Tips for the 2024–25 FAFSA® Form

Tips for preparing to fill out the FAFSA® form like what documents to have ready and tips for filling out the form are provided by the Office of Federal Student Aid.

Visit the Student Aid website