| Students with disabilities enrolled in special learning programs who reached age 21 during the pandemic would be able to remain in their programs until the age 23 rather than “aging-out” of public education, under legislation that passed the Assembly and Senate last week. The legislation, which was co-sponsored in the Assembly by Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara, D-Rotterdam, would allow special education students to return to school until completing their individualized education plans or turning 23 years old – whichever is sooner. It passed both the Assembly and Senate unanimously among the flood of bills that won approval in the final hours of the 2021 legislative session. “Every student deserves access to a quality education that helps them thrive and for many special education students, that means having supportive school districts that meet the specific needs of their intellectual or developmental disabilities,” said Santabarbara. “As the father of a child with autism, I know the challenges that the pandemic has posed for individuals with disabilities.” |
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