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My professional goal is to become a Disabilities Community College Counselor.    I earned a master's degree in Special Education in 2015 and I will complete a master's degree in Guidance and Counseling from Angelo State University in the Spring of 2019.  I currently work as an Education Specialist at a high school and I love helping disabled students achieve their academic goals and graduate from high school.  Once I become a Disabilities Community College Counselor, I will help disabled community college students achieve their academic goals and graduate from college!

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Exploration Option 2 - American School Counselor Association (ASCA) 

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Exploration Option 2 - American School Counselor Association (ASCA) 

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As I explored the ASCA website, I decided to look into Legislative Affairs.  I learned that on July 31, 2018,  the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V) was signed into law.  This act will have funding implications for all public educational institutions.  School counselors will be required to develop career development activities through an organized framework.
Another ethical issue the website addressed was the importance of counselors helping disabled students develop self-advocacy skills and self-determination.

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Home - American School Counselor Association (ASCA)

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Exploration Option 2 - American Rehabilitation Counseling Association (ARCA)

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Exploration Option 2 - American Rehabilitation Counseling Association (ARCA)

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As I explored the ARCA website, I clicked on Public Policy and Legislation.  According to the website, there is a new act that impacts the workforce.  The Workforce and Innovation and Opportunity Act supersedes the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 and amends the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, the Wagner-Peyser Act, and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.  This act will improve services for  disabled individuals.

Another ethical issue described on the ARCA website is the cut in Medicaid. According to the ARCA website, Medicaid provides extremely important employment related support for people with disabilities.

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Understanding Rehabilitation Counseling: Rehabilitation counseling is a systematic process which assists persons with physical, mental, developmental, cognitive, and emotional disabilities to achieve their personal, career, and independent living goals in the most integrated settings possible through the application of the counseling process. The counseling process involves communication, goal setting, and beneficial growth or change through self-advocacy, psychological, vocational, social, and behavioral interventions.

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Home - American Rehabilitation Counseling Association

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The mission of the American Rehabilitation Counseling Association (ARCA) is to enhance the development of people with disabilities throughout the lifespan and to promote best practices in the rehabilitation counseling profession. ARCA's goal is to provide leadership that will encourage excellence in rehabilitation counseling practice, research, consultation, and professional development.

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While exploring the INSIDE HIGHER ED website, I read an article about the controversial issue of keeping confederate statues at UNC (Jaschik, 2018). There were protests and marches regarding the removal of the statue from both opinions regarding the Confederate statue.

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The saga of Silent Sam continued on Saturday as a small group of protesters hoisting Confederate flags gathered at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to protest the removal Monday night of a statue of a Confederate soldier.

As of 12:45 p.m. there had been seven arrests, according to UNC officials:

Three for assault

Two for assault, destruction of property and inciting a riot

One for destruction of property

One for resisting an officer

Video posted online suggested that the pro-Confederate was relatively small, and that the group was shouted down by students and others. While some of the interactions were peaceful, scuffles broke out as well.

The march followed a protest Monday night in which participants pulled down Silent Sam, a Confederate statue (at right after being pulled down) whose presence has upset many students and faculty members for years. University officials (both at Chapel Hill and in the system) had nsisted that they lacked the legal authority to bring down the status and many state politicians had urged that it not be moved. But to students and faculty members, the statue has long been associated with white supremacy and the university's former policies of segregation.

The statue has been taken off campus, and UNC officials declined at a briefing for reporters Thursday to say what would happen to it.

UNC released a statement Friday urging students not to attend today's events.

"We respect and believe in the First Amendment, the Campus Free Speech Act and the rights of peaceful protestors," the statement said. "We do not know for sure what groups may attend, but we are mindful that the current atmosphere is highly charged, and protests that begin peacefully do not always remain that way. For this reason, we urge you not to attend. For those who do attend, please know that we will do all we can to protect and keep everyone safe."

Many on campus have been applauding the student protest that took down the statue, and contrasting UNC's inaction on the issue with the way Duke University responded a year ago, after the violence in Charlottesville, Va., by removing a statue of Robert E. Lee from the university chapel. Duke recently announced that it would leave the spot where the statue of Lee stood empty, symbolizing the racial problems in American society. The hashtag #DoItLikeDurham has been popular in the anti-Silent Sam protest movement, a rare tip of the hat from Carolina loyalists to arch-rival Duke.

At the same time, UNC leaders have repeatedly since Monday denounced the protest that removed the statue, saying that it was illegal and could have resulted in harm to students or others.

In other developments:

On Friday, campus police issued three arrest warrants in connection with the Monday night protest.

A member of the Board of Governors of the UNC System took to Twitter to vow that Silent Sam would be reinstalled on campus.

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Pro-Confederate protesters clash with students at Chapel Hill

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The saga of Silent Sam continued on Saturday as a small group of protesters hoisting Confederate flags gathered at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to protest the removal Monday night of a statue of a Confederate soldier. As of 12:45 p.m.

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While exploring the INSIDE HIGHER ED website, I came across a report regarding a survey done on the views of community college presidents (Smith, 2018).  According to the survey, finances and enrollment are the biggest concerns for community college presidents today (Smith, 2018)

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Enrollment concerns and finances remain the biggest challenges community college presidents say they face.

And those challenges have two-year college leaders not only concerned for their students and institutions but worried about the future of the community college presidency as the sector faces increasing pressures to improve work-force outcomes and completion, according to Inside Higher Ed's 2018 Survey of Community College Presidents.

The fourth annual survey, released today and conducted by Gallup, is based on responses from 177 two-year college leaders. The survey found that 71 percent of presidents regard financial matters and 68 percent report enrollment management as major challenges for themselves.
More About the Survey
Inside Higher Ed's 2018 Survey of Community College Presidents was conducted in conjunction with Gallup.

Inside Higher Ed regularly surveys key higher ed professionals on a range of topics.

On Tuesday, May 22, at 2 p.m. Eastern, Inside Higher Ed editors Scott Jaschik and Paul Fain will present a free webcast on the results and take your questions. Sign up here.

The Inside Higher Ed survey of presidents was made possible in part by advertising from Jenzabar and McGraw-Hill Education.

Enrollment is a significant concern for community college presidents, with 57 percent reporting enrollment down at their colleges over the past three years. Only 22 percent reported an enrollment increase, and 20 percent reported no change.

But this year's survey revealed that fewer presidents than last year are reporting declines in their enrollment. Last year, 61 percent of presidents said their enrollment was down.

Joe May, chancellor of Dallas County Community College District, said enrollment is up about 2.5 percent across his seven two-year institutions. He credits the increase to partnerships with K-12 school districts, universities and businesses.

"That's 2,000 more people for us, which is a nice increase," he said, adding that the system has focused on initiatives that encourage retention. "As we've seen the median income of the student body decline over the last 10 years, we've provided public transportation passes for our students, food banks and other resources. And we created a Promise program to allow several of our 100,000 students to attend at no costs."

Dallas is also opening more early-college high schools. So far, the system has 31 participating high schools where ninth- through 12th-grade students can earn college credit while also completing high school. The community college system plans to add 12 more early-college high schools this year, which will help enrollment.

Michael Baston, the president of the State University of New York's Rockland Community College, also pointed to enrollment and financial issues as significant challenges. When he took over the post at Rockland last year, he recognized that part of the problem was the traditional approach to the community college experience that institutions offer students, even as the number of recent high school graduates plateaus.

"We have to rethink who gets educated in the community we serve, and we can't just limit ourselves to the traditional [high school] graduate," he said, adding that he's asked the college to rethink programs and schedules with adult learners in mind. "We've created a position in admissions for adults. So, we have a person responsible for recruitment and orientation specifically for adults."

The survey also revealed:

75 percent of community college presidents say their college added new programs on campus to make it easier to transfer to universities, with the hope that these arrangements would make it easier for their institutions to recruit new students.

The number of presidents saying their institutions decreased or froze tuition also decreased from 38 percent last year to 27 percent this year.

87 percent of presidents said they expect to see a continued expansion of free college programs, and they believe those programs improve the way people view their local community colleges.

May said he's seen a similar effect with Dallas's Promise program, which offers up to three years of free tuition to eligible students. He said the program also helped ease the transition from high school to college, which in turn has contributed to improving enrollment and retention.

"It has been about changing the behavior of schools, counselors and parents earlier in the process," he said. "No one seems to know when students complete the [federal aid application], but when we look at economically disadvantaged students, the No. 1 predictor is not when they complete, it's whether or not they complete it. We've used our Promise to complete that early in the process."

The presidents surveyed in the report said they didn't just feel the pressures of getting students into college -- but of keeping them there. But transfer and completion are just as much, if not more, of a challenge. For instance, 90 percent of presidents say a lack of clear pathways allowing associate-degree holders to transfer credits to a four-year institution is a barrier, and 60 percent said a lack of universities accepting transfer students is a significant barrier.

"There's a lot of shifting and more complexity depending on where your college is across the country," said Karen Stout, a former community college president and chief executive director of Achieving the Dream. "Demographics are shifting in the student body, and drops in enrollment are creating one dynamic. Certainly, state funding is not stable in some parts of the country, and in federal policy there is uncertainty. And this is the student success imperative we're facing."

Those pressures to increase completion have many presidents worried about some of the methods colleges may take to increase attainment rates. For instance, 57 percent of presidents agreed that reforms such as encouraging full-time status as part of the completion agenda may not result in increased learning. While 41 percent of two-year presidents agreed that the pressure to show dramatic gains in graduation rates could create incentives for colleges to cut corners, only 34 percent disagreed. City Colleges of Chicago, for instance, has faced scrutiny over its increased completion rates.

However, most presidents -- at 78 percent -- disagreed with the idea that their own institutions had taken steps to improve completion rates that didn't necessarily improve student learning.

"There has always been this tension from policy makers of the immediacy of now and organizational and institutional leaders who want to reflect on how they best move their institution, without disruption, toward a better model," said Scott Jenkins, strategy director with the Lumina Foundation, which has been helping lead development of completion-agenda reforms in states. "At this point, there is a lot of urgency to do these reforms now, since a lot of the incremental change over the last 20 years has not yielded the kind of success we had hoped for, especially for underserved populations, and the time of polite conversation around this is rapidly drawing to a close."

Jenkins said it's that urgency that presidents may be feeling, and while institutional leaders and even faculty members may have concerns around the reforms to developmental education or implementing guided pathways, these are initiatives that are starting to show a lot of promise in helping students be successful, he said.
The Future of the Presidency
With the growing list of challenges facing community colleges today, many of the presidents surveyed expressed pessimism around the current pool of future community college leaders and the lack of training currently available to prepare those leaders.

Only 28 percent of current presidents said they were impressed with the talent pool of future community college presidents. And the percentage of presidents who agreed there are no clear paths to prepare for the presidency increased from 40 percent last year to 47 percent.

"There was a time when pathways to the presidency were very clear," Stout said. "Where you taught, became an academic chair, a provost and then president, and now more and more presidents do not follow that pathway ... There's less certainty about the pathway because there are so many pathways now."

Robert Templin, a former president of Northern Virginia Community College, said that about three years ago he would have agreed with the presidents in the survey. He was worried about the future of the presidency and didn't see a clear pathway into the position. But that changed when he became a senior fellow in the Aspen Institute's College Excellence Program. As part of the program, Templin helps prepare that next generation of community college leaders through Aspen's Presidential Fellowship.

"As I looked at the folks replacing me after I retired, I found those most likely to step in were ready for retirement themselves, or they didn't want the job, or they thought it was too demanding and not rewarding," Templin said, adding that despite those concerns he guarantees most presidents responding to the survey would still take on the leadership role again. "And the reason they would do it again is because it is one of the most joyful and impactful roles in American society."

Asked if they had to do it again, 94 percent of presidents said they would still pursue a career as a community college president.

Templin said he's optimistic about the pipeline because the next generation of presidents is a more diverse group of people coming from different backgrounds and experiences and bringing a new set of skills into a profession that is facing a growing number of challenges.

Baston, the Rockland president, was a part of the first group of Aspen presidential fellows and was hired into his position immediately after completing the program.

He agreed that because the role has changed and become more complex, it requires different skill sets.

"We're still in an outmoded recruitment model that assumes the provost is the most logical person to be the next institutional leader, when the expectations of the work require more than just being able to understand the academic schedule," Baston said, adding that he's also concerned about the lack of diversity in executive positions at colleges.

That sentiment was shared by other presidents, of whom nearly 70 percent agreed there are too few minority candidates for two-year college presidencies, and 45 percent said there are too few women candidates.

"We aren't charging search firms with the responsibility, in my view, with making sure the pool of applicants is not simply white male provosts," Baston said. "And if you don't have faculty members of color, they can't get department chairs, who then can't get to the office of the provost, so they can get into the presidency."

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Survey of community college presidents' views on range of issues

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April 27, 2018 -- Inside Higher Ed's 2018 Survey of Community College Presidents was conducted in conjunction with researchers from Gallup. Download a free copy of the survey report here. On May 22, Inside Higher Ed presented a webcast to discuss the survey's results. View the webcast here.

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Legal and Ethical Issue of Interest to Me - Transition Services for Youth: The Workforce and Innovation and Opportunity Act 

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Legal and Ethical Issue of Interest to Me - Transition Services for Youth: The Workforce and Innovation and Opportunity Act 

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After researching and browsing several professional websites, I decided the legal and ethical issue of interest to me is transition services for youth and the new workforce act - The Workforce and Innovation and Opportunity Act.  I find this act important because it addresses the issue of preparing disabled students for the workforce.  As a current Special Education teacher and a future Disabilities College Counselor, this act will directly impact my current and future students.

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Researching Transition Services for Youth:  The Workforce and Innovation and Opportunity Act 

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Researching Transition Services for Youth:  The Workforce and Innovation and Opportunity Act 

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In my search of the Angelo State University Library, I found an academic article titled Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act: States and Local Areas Report Progress in Meeting Youth Program Requirements by Chelsa Gurkin.
The article discusses the reports from local areas and states regarding the target to meet the requirements of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). The article mentions the spending requirements for youth programs and the challenges in meeting the target.

Gurkin, C. (2018). WORKFORCE INNOVATION AND OPPORTUNITY ACT: States and Local Areas Report Progress in Meeting Youth Program Requirements. GAO Reports, 1.

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Researching Transition Services for Youth:  The Workforce and Innovation and Opportunity Act 

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Researching Transition Services for Youth:  The Workforce and Innovation and Opportunity Act 

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While browsing the internet, I came across an article on transition services for youth and the Workforce and Innovation and Opportunity Act.  The article answers questions regarding the WIOA, specifically for parents of disabled youth.

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The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) is a federal law that helps youth and adults access employment training and support services. It also helps match employers with the workers they need. The ultimate goal of WIOA is competitive employment for those most vulnerable and "at risk," including individuals with disabilities.

WIOA of 2014 replaces the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) as the main national legislation on workforce development. This new version of the law includes an increased focus on youth with disabilities. WIOA funds many programs that can help youth with disabilities in high school and young adulthood gain important skills for successful employment.

The programs operate through a network of local centers in each state, American Job Centers (AJC), which provide youth job training, education, and employment services at a single location. Services include skill assessments, information on employment, information on training opportunities, job search and placement assistance, up-to-date information on job vacancies, and transition services.

What youth are eligible for services?

WIOA has a priority to serve those who are most at-risk, which is determined by a variety of factors including disability status, income, and whether or not the individual is currently enrolled in school (in-school youth or out-of-school youth). The best way to determine availability of services is to contact your local American Job Center .

What types of services must WIOA youth programs provide?

While WIOA youth programs must include all of the following options, the specific services provided to participants will be based on individual assessments and goals. These services include:

tutoring, study skills instruction and support leading to high school completion (including dropout prevention);

alternative school services;

adult mentoring for at least 12 months ;

paid and unpaid work experiences (including internships and job shadowing);

occupational skills training (including apprentice and certificate programs);

leadership development opportunities (including volunteering, peer mentoring, life skill training);

follow-up services for not less than 12 months as appropriate (including case management, support services, regular contact);

comprehensive guidance and counseling (including mental health, career, education, drug and alcohol); and

supportive services (including school fees, child care, transportation and other work costs needed for youth to participate in WIOA program activities).

The five new program elements that local WIOA youth programs must offer are:

financial literacy;

entrepreneurial skills training;

services to provide local labor market information;

activities to help youth transition to postsecondary education and training; and

education offered in the context of workforce preparation and occupational skills training.

What is the role of the Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agency?

Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies are a required partner under the new law. Each state's VR program will have a larger role in assisting youth who are transitioning from school to adult life.

At least fifteen percent of public VR funds must now be reserved for youth transition services, specifically for pre-employment services which include:

career exploration and guidance;

continued support for educational attainment, opportunities for skills training in in-demand industries and occupations;

pre-apprenticeships or internships;

postsecondary opportunities;

workplace readiness training;

training on self-advocacy; and

other services if funds are available.

Seventy-five percent of youth program funding must be spent on out-of-school youth.

What are WIOA limitations on sub-minimum wages?

As of 2016, it is required that a series of steps must be taken for a youth under the age of 24 before he or she can be placed in a sub-minimum wage position. Schools are prohibited from contracting with sub-minimum wage contractors. Supported Employment services may be extended from 18 to 24 months in order to assist youth to be successful in competitive employment. WIOA gives VR agencies a "gatekeeper" role in determining if situations resulting in sub-minimum wage are appropriate for an individual.

How does WIOA ensure individuals with disabilities are able to participate in workforce programs?

Section 188 of WIOA prohibits discrimination in the provision of services under the law. State VR agencies, American Job Centers, and other service providers must ensure individuals with disabilities have equal opportunity to participate in services and receive appropriate accommodations.

Definition of Terms

WIOA includes definitions for several key terms that determine eligibility for certain programs and describe important elements of the law.

Competitive integrated employment is now considered the optimal outcome of WIOA. It is defined as full-time or part-time work at minimum wage or higher, with wages and benefits similar to those without disabilities performing the same work, and fully integrated with co-workers without disabilities.

Customized integrated employment for a person with a significant disability that is based on the individual determination of the strengths, needs, and interests of the individual. It is designed to meet the specific abilities of the individual with a significant disability and the business needs of the employer and carried out through flexible strategies. This service is now available nationally.

In-School Youth (ISY)is an individual who is:

1. Attending school (as defined by State law) including secondary and postsecondary school;

2. Not younger than age 14 (unless an individual with a disability who is attending school under State law) or older than 21 at the time of enrollment and once enrolled may receive services beyond the age of 24;

3. A low-income individual; and one or more of the following:

1. Basic skills deficient;

2. An English learner;

3. An offender;

4. A homeless individual, a homeless child or youth, a runaway, in foster care or has aged out of the foster care system, a child eligible for assistance under sec 477 of the Social Security Act, or in an out-of-home placement;

5. An individual who is pregnant or parenting;

6. An individual with a disability;

7. An individual who requires additional assistance to complete an educational program or to secure or hold employment.

Low-Income Individual for Title I WIOA youth programs includes individuals who receives or is eligible to receive a free or reduced price lunch or who is living in a "high poverty area." "High poverty area" is to be further defined in the final WIOA regulations.

Out-of-School Youth(OSY) is an individual who is:

1. Not attending any school (as defined under the law);

2. Not younger than 16, nor older than 24, at the time of enrollment; and one or more of the following:

1. A school dropout;

2. A student who is within compulsory school attendance laws, but has not attended school for at least the most recent school year calendar quarter (based on how a local district defines a quarter);

3. A recipient of a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent who is low-income and is either basic skills deficient or an English language learner;

4. An individual who is subject to the juvenile or adult justice system;

5. A homeless individual, a runaway, an individual who is in foster care or who has aged out of the foster care system, a child eligible for assistance under Section 477 of the Social Security Act, or an individual who is in an out-of-home placement;

6. An individual who is pregnant or parenting;

7. An individual with a disability;

8. A low-income individual who requires additional assistance to enter or complete an educational program or to secure or hold employment.

Student with a disability is defined as a youth ages 16 to 21 (or beginning at the age the state begins formal transition services) who is eligible for and receiving IDEA services or is an individual with a disability for purposes of section 504. Pre-employment transition services must be provided only to "students with a disability."

Supported employment is integrated competitive employment, or an individual working on a short-term basis in an integrated employment setting towards integrated competitive employment.

Youth with a disability is defined as a youth ages 14 to 24 regardless if they are in school. This term applies mostly to youth who are not currently in school.

Did you find this helpful?

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Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act - National Parent Center on Transition and Employment

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The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) is a federal law that helps youth and adults access employment training and support services. It also helps match employers with the workers they need. The ultimate goal of WIOA is competitive employment for those most vulnerable and "at risk," including individuals with disabilities.

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What I Learned About Transition Services for Youth:  The Workforce and Innovation and Opportunity Act 

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What I Learned About Transition Services for Youth:  The Workforce and Innovation and Opportunity Act 

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The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) is a federal law that helps disabled youth and adults access employment training and support services. The ultimate goal of WIOA is competitive employment for youth and adults who are disabled and those at higher risk of being homeless and unemployed.

WIOA replaced the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) as the main national legislation on workforce development. The act increased focus on disabled youth by adding extensive pre-employment transition services.

These services can help youth with disabilities in high school and young adulthood gain important skills for successful employment.

As a current high school Special Education teacher, I see the need for the WIOA.  It is crucial that disabled youth get the transition support needed to be successful productive citizens.  As a future Disabilities Community College Counselor, I will work to implement many of the programs WIOA offers to disabled youth.  In addition to the above, I will help my students benefit from the transition programs implemented by WIOA.

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Agents of Their Own Success: Self-Advocacy Skills and Self-Determination for Students With Disabilities in the Era of Personalized Learning (2018). Retrieved from https://www.schoolcounselor.org/asca/media/asca/Pubs/Agents-of-Their-Own-Success.pdf

[College Counselor]. (2018). Retrieved August 25, 2018, from https://www.westoverschool.org/curriculum/college-counseling

Cuts in Medicaid. (2018). Retrieved August 25, 2018, from http://www.arcaweb.org/public-policy-and-legislation/

Gurkin, C. (2018). WORKFORCE INNOVATION AND OPPORTUNITY ACT: States and Local Areas Report Progress in Meeting Youth Program Requirements. GAO Reports, 1.

Jaschik, S. (2018). Clash at Chapel Hill InsideHigherEd. Retrieved from https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2018/08/25/pro-confederate-protesters-clash-students-chapel-hill?utm_source=ihe&utm_medium=editorial-site&utm_content=breakingnews

Perkins V. (2018). Retrieved August 25, 2018, from https://www.schoolcounselor.org/school-counselors-members/legislative-affairs

Smith, A. A. (2018, April 27). What Community College Leaders Think on Enrollment, Completion, Presidential Pipeline and More. Retrieved August 25, 2018, from http://www.insidehighered.com/news/survey/survey-community-college-presidents-views-range-issues

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act - National Parent Center on Transition and Employment. (2018). Retrieved August 25, 2018, from http://www.pacer.org/transition/learning-center/laws/workforce-innovation.asp

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Updates. (2018). Retrieved August 25, 2018, from http://www.arcaweb.org/public-policy-and-legislation/