Senator Hassan Helps Introduce Bill Empowering Students with Disabilities to Succeed in Higher Education

WASHINGTON - In case you missed it, U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) helped introduce the bipartisan Respond, Innovate, Succeed, and Empower (RISE) Act. This legislation would amend the Higher Education Act to eliminate the requirement that students with disabilities go through burdensome diagnostic testing if their disability is already documented. Senator Hassan introduced the legislation alongside Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Jim Banks (R-IN), Todd Young (R-IN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Tina Smith (D-MN).

"Heading off to college is an exciting time, but for students with disabilities, it can also mean navigating barriers, unnecessary paperwork, and expensive tests to reestablish a documented disability," said Senator Hassan. "This commonsense, bipartisan bill will help ease the transition from high school to college for students with disabilities, clarifying that colleges should accept the proof that students used in high school to establish disabilities, saving both students and universities time and money."

"Students with disabilities have long-faced barriers to enter and succeed in higher education. The RISE Act would be a critical step forward to making higher education more accessible to learners with disabilities by streamlining the process to access critical accommodations to help them reach their educational goals," said Lisa Marsh Ryerson, President, SNHU.

"No student should have to jump through extra hoops or incur extra costs to prove their disability," said Dr. Cassidy. "This commonsense legislation removes unnecessary barriers for students with disabilities and gives them the resources they need to succeed in college."

"This bill cuts unnecessary red tape and uses common sense to make sure students aren't forced to jump through the same hoops twice. It lets them focus on learning instead of paperwork," said Senator Banks.

The RISE Act is endorsed by the National Center for Learning Disabilities, American Council on Education, the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU), The Center of Higher Education Policy and Practice (CHEPP) at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), AHEAD - Association on Higher Education And Disability, All4Ed, American Psychological Association, Autism Society of America, Council for Learning Disabilities, EdTrust, Learning Disabilities Association of America, National Association of School Psychologists, National Disability Rights Network (NDRN), National Down Syndrome Society, SchoolHouse Connection, Teacher Education Division of the Council for Exceptional Children, and The Advocacy Institute.

Read the full bill text here.

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