Think College National Coordinating Center

Project Description

The Think College National Coordinating Center provides support, coordination, training, and evaluation services for Transition and Postsecondary Education Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities (TPSIDs). Our center offers these services to TPSID grantees, as well as other programs for students with intellectual disability nationwide.

Think College is honored to continue the work it began in 2010 when it was first funded as the National Coordinating Center, supporting the growth and enhancement of postsecondary options for students with intellectual disability across the United States. To learn more about the TPSID projects, visit our TPSID web page.

Current key activities of the Think College NCC are to:

1) Increase knowledge about impact and outcomes of postsecondary education (PSE) for students with intellectual disability

2) Collect valid longitudinal data on effective practices and identify predictors of desired outcomes

3) Conduct standards-based, data-driven technical assistance (TA) to inform continuous quality improvement

4) Develop a process to implement national Program Accreditation Standards to ensure quality and accountability of PSE programs for students with intellectual disability (ID).

The NCC will conduct strategic activities related to three key goals:

Goal 1: Knowledge Development and Evaluation.

Activities include refinement of the TPSID Evaluation Protocol, used to collect, analyze, and report annual qualitative and quantitative data on TPSID program components and outcomes. These data will serve as the foundation for data-driven technical assistance provided to each TPSID site annually. TPSIDs will be supported to document and monitor progress toward accreditation standards attainment each year. Further, the NCC will analyze TPSID-collected follow-up data on former students.

Goal 2: Technical Assistance and Dissemination

Universal technical assistance is available via on-demand website tools, community outreach and assistance tools, and webinars and publications. More intensive targeted technical assistance is provided to TPSID and non-TPSID programs as requested. Tools and resources are developed for and disseminated to K-12 transition professionals, PSE faculty and staff, Vocational Rehabilitation and Developmental Disability agency staff, and to students and families.

Goal 3: Leadership and Coordination

Activities focus on broadening engagement and building infrastructure for program accreditation. A Project Advisory Committee guides development and dissemination of NCC resources. An Accreditation Workgroup with all required members supports implementation of Program Accreditation Standards. The NCC will develop and pilot a program accreditation process including associated documentation and training. The workgroup will submit a final report on activities and outcomes to the Secretary and other required entities.