As you or your family member transitions from high school to college, there is a shift in the roles and responsibilities of the students, families, and institutions. The primary differences are between the Success Model of high school, and the Access Model of the college. Students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with these differences as they make the move from secondary to post-secondary school environments.
This outline serves as a foundation for understanding the shift from public school to higher education, but it is not all-inclusive. For any questions, feel free to contact Disability Services at dsc-usm@maine.edu.
Laws and Documentation
| High School | College |
|---|---|
| Section 504, Rehabilitation Act of 1973Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) | Section 504, Rehabilitation Act of 1973Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) |
| Students qualify for public education by being the appropriate age to attend K-12 schools, regardless of disability status. | Students qualify for college by being able to meet all entrance, academic, and graduation requirements, regardless of disability status. |
| The school is responsible for providing services such as physical therapy, speech therapy, and personal assistance. | The student must provide all personal services at their own expense. |
| School provides evaluations and documentation for students at no cost. | Students are responsible for obtaining, and providing to Disability Services, their own documentation and evaluations. |
| Schools must provide all accommodations, modifications, and services to ensure that students are SUCCESSFUL. | Colleges must provide reasonable accommodations to ensure that students have ACCESS. |
Roles and Responsibilities
| High School | College |
|---|---|
| Primary responsibility for arranging accommodations belongs to the school. | Primary responsibility for requesting accommodations through the Disability Services Center belongs to the student. |
| Teachers have a responsibility to initiate contact with students if they seem to need help. | Professors have the responsibility to provide accommodations approved by Disability Services, but students are responsible for initiating communications with instructors. |
| Parents/Guardians are often the primary advocates. | Student is the primary advocate. |
| Decisions can be made between parents and the school. | The student must be involved in any decision making. |
| Parents have full access to student records. | Parents do not have access to student records. |
Academics
| High School | College |
|---|---|
| IEPs and 504s may include significant modifications to the mainstream curriculum. | Accommodations allow for access, but cannot create a fundamental alteration of an academic program or curriculum. |
| Individual tutoring is provided as a service to students with IEPs or 504 plans. | Individual tutoring does not fall under Disability Services, but peer support and tutoring is available for all students through the Learning Commons, free of charge. |
| Teachers provide notes and reminders to keep students caught-up. | Students are expected to independently keep up to date on assignments and course content. |
| Most classes involve regular check-ins and short quizzes to assess student progress. Students often receive frequent teacher feedback on their progress. | Format can vary depending on course design, but infrequent, large assessments are typical. These might include exams or papers. Students must assess their own progress. |
| Reading and assignment schedules are structured by teachers. Daily progress reminders and check-ins are built into lessons. | Students must structure their own reading and assignment schedules. Students are expected to read and follow the syllabus, even if they were not reminded of assignments in class. |