Support Funding for the Workforce Development College Navigator Program.
FY 2027 Budget Request
Paving the way for students with disabilities to diminish the employment disparity. Please add $400,000 for funding for the Easterseals Massachusetts College Navigator Program in line item 4120-4000
$400,000 is needed to hire 4 new College Navigators to serve 100 college students across Massachusetts. $4,000 per year per student.
Forty percent (40%) of students with disabilities drop out of college, and only 31% of people with disabilities without a college degree are employed. Having a 2- or 4-year college degree nearly doubles the employment rate for people with disabilities to 59%. For comparison, people without disabilities having no college education have a 73-75% employment rate, which increases to about 84% for those having a bachelor’s degree or higher. This shows a strong correlation between higher education and competitive employment for people with disabilities.
Of students enrolled in the College Navigator Program, 90% stay in college, dropping the 40% dropout rate to 10%. College Navigator continues to prove success in keeping students in college. Note that, with some college, the employment rate for people with disabilities increases to 44%; therefore, attending college and/ or earning a college degree improves both employment prospects and lifetime earnings potential. The College Navigator Program does this by addressing the significant service gap that students with disabilities encounter when transitioning from secondary to post-secondary environments. Specifically, the program provides individualized services to college students with disabilities based on their goals, strengths, and needs.
The impact of earning a college degree is increased job security, better employment options, and higher earning potential, which increases quality of life and financial freedom for individuals with disabilities.
Please take action by writing to your legislators: TBA
