(1) There is created in the department the inclusive higher education grant program to provide grants to state institutions of higher education for the purpose of establishing, or expanding existing, inclusive higher education programs for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. (2) A state institution of higher education that receives a grant through the grant program shall use the money for the purpose of establishing an, or expanding an existing, inclusive higher education program. The grant recipient may use the grant award to: (a) Perform an institutional assessment to determine training, technical assistance, and the capacity needed to provide inclusive higher education opportunities for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities; (b) Identify institutional policies and practices that foster or impede inclusive higher education opportunities; (c) Offer programs and supports for the students that allow each student to take for credit or to audit a minimum of two on-campus undergraduate courses each semester in a student's chosen area of study, and to take a course each semester that is designed to meet the needs of each student and is necessary to receive the award of a credential in the student's chosen area of study; (d) Integrate the students academically and socially into the normative offerings of the state institution of higher education; (e) Provide peer mentoring services for the students; (f) Coordinate programs and supports with available vocational rehabilitation through the department of labor and employment; (g) Provide programs and supports that prepare the students for gainful competitive employment; (h) Provide programs and supports for the students to develop independent living skills, including self-care, socialization, career readiness, healthy lifestyle choices, and financial literacy; (i) Provide benefits counseling to the students; (j) Develop admissions standards that do not require students applying to participate in an inclusive higher education program to take a national assessment test as an admission requirement; and (k) Perform outreach to high schools to ensure awareness of available inclusive higher education opportunities. (3) No later than September 30, 2022, the department shall issue a request for proposals for an organization to administer the grant program. The department shall select and contract with an organization that has demonstrated success in assisting students with intellectual and developmental disabilities to attend state institutions of higher education. The department shall select the administering entity and enter into a contract with the administering entity no later than December 30, 2022, which contract is subject to annual review and renewal. (4) The department and administering entity shall implement the grant program in accordance with this article 80. Grants must be awarded as provided in this article 80. (5) Upon receiving notice from the administering entity that a state institution of higher education is selected to receive a grant, the department shall, as soon as practicable, transfer to the administering entity the amount of the grant award. (6) The commission shall adopt policies as required by this article 80 or as may be necessary to implement the grant program. At a minimum, the policies must specify the form of the grant program application, the time frames for applying for grants, and the time frames for distributing grant money.
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