Message

Please Co-Sponsor the RISE Act to Help Students with Disabilities Succeed in College

Dear [Decision Maker],

I urge you to co-sponsor the bipartisan Respond, Innovate, Succeed, Empower (RISE) Act. This new legislation will help students with learning and attention issues transition to and succeed in college.





* Personalize your message As a parent of a child with learning and attention issues, it is critically important that colleges are welcoming environments for diverse learners. Record numbers of students with learning and attention issues such as learning disabilities including dyslexia, and ADHD are attending college yet feel unsupported in accessing disability services. We can and must do better for our students. Far too often, it is challenging to find information about the types of disability services offered at a college. In fact, a survey conducted by the National Center for Learning Disabilities together with Understood (www.understood.org) -- showed that 72% of parents found it difficult to find information about disability services. Without this information, planning for success in college can be daunting. I am pleased that the RISE Act increases transparency for prospective and enrolled students with learning and attention issues. Furthermore, college students with learning and attention issues are often saddled with a maze of new and often costly requirements to "prove" that they have a disability to access disability services. Many students are forced to pay out-of-pocket for new tests to demonstrate they indeed have a disability, despite their well-documented history of having an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 Plan in elementary, middle and high school. The RISE Act will allow this well-documented history of having an IEP or 504 Plan to provide sufficient evidence of a disability, easing this burden for students

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

[Your Address]

[City, State ZIP]