Students with disabilities may soon have an easier transition from high school to college if federal lawmakers move bipartisan legislation that aims to remove barriers for one of the fastest-growing populations in higher education.
This week, the Senate passed the Respond, Innovate, Succeed and Empower (RISE) Act, which lets college students use existing documentation from their K-12 schools — such as an individualized education program or a 504 plan — to qualify for accommodations, rather than undergo new diagnostic testing.
The bill, sponsored by Sens. Jim Banks (R-Indiana), Maggie Hassan (D-New Hampshire), and Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), would provide funding to help colleges and universities support students with disabilities. It would also require colleges to provide students with clearer information about their disability services.
Colleges and universities have been enrolling more students with documented disabilities amid increased diagnoses and greater willingness to self-identify. A recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report found the share of college students with disabilities has nearly doubled, from 11 percent in 2004 to 21 percent in 2020. College students with disabilities often get accommodations such as more time to complete assignments and exams.
The college trend is occurring alongside a growth in the number of K-12 students receiving disability services, which researchers in a separate GAO report found increased 21 percent between the 2012-13 and 2023-24 academic years. About 16.5 percent of public school students in pre-K through 12th grade received services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act during the 2024-25 school year, federal data show.
Students with disabilities can face significant challenges transitioning to and attending college. Researchers at GAO said some students are unaware of or unprepared for the self-advocacy needed to request support, while others are met with reluctance from faculty to provide accommodations. Even when students can clear those hurdles, they must contend with documentation requirements that can be costly and time-consuming.
Documentation requirements vary from college to college. One college noted in the GAO report said psychoeducational or neuropsychological evaluations used as evidence of a learning disability could be no more than five years old, while another had no time frame. Students who need new evaluations could spend months trying to get appointments and pay thousands of dollars for evaluations, the report found.
“Students with disabilities shouldn’t have to pay for costly and duplicative testing to prove a disability that they’ve already documented,” Banks said in a statement. “My bipartisan RISE Act slashes red tape, removes unnecessary barriers, and ensures students receive the support they need to succeed.”
Lawmakers are confident about the bill’s chance in the House, where Reps. Suzanne Bonamici (D-Oregon) and Erin Houchin (R-Indiana) have sponsored companion legislation. Bonamici, who has introduced similar legislation for years, told The Washington Post she is in conversation with her colleagues in the House about how to get the legislation to the floor for a vote before the end of the year.
“This legislation has long had bipartisan support in the House,” Bonamici said in an email. “I’m optimistic we will be able to get it passed on suspension or have it come up for a vote with bipartisan support.”
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