LaGuardia Community College Receives $5.8 Million From NYS Education Department to Support Students With Disabilities

LONG ISLAND CITY, NY (October 31, 2024) — The New York State Education Department (NYSED), on behalf of its Office of Adult Career and Continuing Education Services – Vocational Rehabilitation (ACCES-VR), is providing $5,819,599 in funding to LaGuardia Community College/CUNY to provide pre-employment transition services (Pre-ETS) to students with disabilities over the next 3 years. This award is the largest presented to a single CUNY college in support of students with disabilities.

ACCES-VR assists individuals with disabilities to achieve and maintain employment and to support independent living through training, education, rehabilitation, and career development. Individuals who are eligible for ACCES-VR must have a medically documented physical, cognitive and/or behavioral health impairment that prevents or significantly affects their ability to prepare, enter, engage, retain, or advance in their employment.

Kenneth Adams, President of LaGuardia Community College, explains that the partnership with ACCES-VR supports the College’s mission of providing access, equity, and inclusiveness.

“LaGuardia is committed to ensuring a welcoming and inclusive learning environment for all students, including students with disabilities,” President Adams said. We believe that disability services and campus accessibility are critical factors in students’ ability to succeed. We are grateful for the generous support from the NYSED Office of ACCES-VR to help our students in their search for jobs and rewarding careers.”

New York State Education Department Deputy Commissioner for Adult Career and Continuing Education Services, Ceylane Meyers-Ruff said, “The New York State Education Department is thrilled to collaborate with LaGuardia Community College in this critical initiative to empower students with disabilities. By providing opportunities to explore career options and engage in pre-employment experiences, we are helping to pave the way for their journey toward independent living and economic self-sufficiency. Together, we are creating a brighter future for all students.”

Pre-ETS are designed to address the overwhelmingly high unemployment rate of people with disabilities in New York State. According to a report from the New York State Comptroller, the unemployment rate for people with disabilities is 16.9% and 11% for people without disabilities. In addition to high unemployment, people with disabilities have difficulty accessing the pipeline to successful careers and advancement beyond minimum wage paying jobs. Only a third of high school students with disabilities pursue college. For those students with disabilities who do attend college the dropout rate is over 50%.

With this funding, LaGuardia will create a targeted strategy that will assist eligible students with disabilities in receiving job exploration counseling, work-based learning experiences, counseling on postsecondary options, workplace readiness training, self-advocacy training and peer mentoring.

Dr. Alexis McLean, Vice President for Student Affairs, says these supports and services will prepare students with disabilities for a successful transition from high school to college/vocational training and ultimately into the workforce.

“By offering students with disabilities pre-employment services within a programmatic model that has the much-needed staffing structure and resources, our College can support their development as individuals, students, and professionals,” said Dr. McLean. “This is why our team pursued this partnership with ACCES-VR. LaGuardia is now better positioned to help students with disabilities become equipped with the resources and support they need to obtain and sustain employment.”

With ACCES-VR funding, LaGuardia will hire the appropriate staff, faculty and mentors to provide Pre-ETS to the identified eligible students with disabilities that include:

• Job Exploration Counseling – Career Advisors will support student exploration of employment paths and lead workshops focused on resume creation and interview preparation, and non-traditional employment options.
• Work-Based Learning Experience – Career Advisors will work alongside internal stakeholders and external partners to coordinate micro internships for students within the cohort. Micro internships are short-term (12 week) placements in a workplace environment that allow students to gain firsthand knowledge and experience. The short-term placement model is designed to provide students with just enough exposure to determine whether the job and work environment will be conducive to their long-term career goals.
• Counseling on Opportunities for Enrollment in Comprehensive Transition or Post-secondary Educational Programs – Academic Advisors will help students in the cohort make connections between degree/certificate completion and career and provide guidance that enables students to gain insight about their skills and interests and how they can be applied to a specific field or industry.
• Workplace Readiness Training to Develop Social Skills and Independent Living – The College will assign Life Skills Coaches to the cohort who will help students understand how to acclimate to the world of work by meeting employer demands with an emphasis on effective communication, professional comportment, and working well with others.
• Instruction in Self-Advocacy – Students will receive a plethora of support as they engage in career planning and create both personal and professional goals. Staff will facilitate group and individual sessions that prioritize decision-making and self-advocacy, problem solving and team building, requesting and utilizing accommodations, and students’ rights and responsibilities.

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LaGuardia Community College (LAGCC), a Hispanic-Serving Institution, located in Long Island City, Queens offers more than 50 associate degrees and academic certificates, and more than 65 continuing education programs to prepare New Yorkers for transfer to senior colleges and rewarding jobs and careers. An institution of the City University of New York (CUNY), the College reflects the legacy of our namesake, Fiorello H. LaGuardia, the former NYC mayor beloved for his advocacy of the underserved. Since 1971, LaGuardia’s academic programs and support services have advanced the socioeconomic mobility of students from Queens, NYC and beyond.

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