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| Program Contact | Bernadette Fotopoulos |
| bfotopoulos@bcps.org | |
| Phone | 443-809-3660 |
The Post Secondary Functional Academic Learning Support (PSFALS) program is located at Community College of Baltimore County campuses in Essex, Dundalk, Catonsville and Owings Mills and also at Towson University. Our college-based transition programs are for 19-21 year old high school students with significant cognitive disabilities who have met eligibility requirements and gone through the referral process while enrolled in a Baltimore County Public High School. Essential 21st century real world application skills are taught and generalized through direct classroom instruction; campus/community work sites; college course opportunities; navigating transition connections such as agency tours, job fairs, portfolio development and interviews; community based instruction; mobility training; participation in clubs, organizations, campus and community social events which bridge friendships and camaraderie with typically developing peers; a variety of volunteer service-oriented community contributions; as well as inter-campus networking and collaborative activities. Our programs provide diverse opportunities for career development, through utilizing and showcasing students’ interests, strengths, gifts, and capabilities. The programs are an option of high school special education offerings for college and career readiness, while still including staff in district-wide professional development trainings, the IEP team process, updates on teaching, learning, and curricular resources, funding, staffing and transportation.
| General | |
|---|---|
| Public or private: | Public |
| Type of school: | 2-year community college or junior college |
| Is this program a federally funded TPSID program? | No |
| Students in this program: | Are still enrolled in high school |
| Number of students: | 55 |
| Description of our summer transition program: | We use IEP ESY services to transition to the program in order to register for fall classes, learn to navigate campus while it's relatively empty, and to complete interest inventories or sample work opportunities for small periods of time. |
| Affiliates | |
|---|---|
| School district or agency partner: | Baltimore County Public Schools |
| Contact person: | Bernadette Fotopoulos |
| Email: | bfotopoulos@bcps.org |
| Requirements | |
|---|---|
| Deadline to apply to this program: | Students can express interest in the program at their IEP meeting |
| Requirements for admission to this program: |
|
| Accepts out-of-state students?: | No |
| Please indicate which disabilities students in this program have: |
|
| Program length: | 2 years |
| Cost | |
|---|---|
| Cost of the program: | Registration course tuition and fees for one or two credit course, family responsibility ranges from $50-$200. |
| Is this program able to provide federal financial aid as a Comprehensive Transition Program (CTP)? | No |
| Students pay for the program in the following ways: |
|
| Scholarships available: |
Families contribute what they can towards tuition costs, the school district covers the remaining balance. |
| Academic | |
|---|---|
| Students take these types of "typical" courses (with students who don't have disabilities): |
|
| More about course access: |
Courses have not been open historically at Towson, however students participating at the community college sometimes participate in college courses. |
| Students take courses that are only for students in this program: | Yes |
| Information on special classes: |
We provide real-world application skill instruction towards independence, vocational skills, and IEP goals. |
| Time spent only with other students in this program: | About 75% of the time |
| Employment | |
|---|---|
| Percent of students in this program have paid work while attending the program: | 5% |
| Other career development activities are: |
|
| Percent of students in this program that had paid work after exiting the program: | 5% |
| We offer the following specialized credentials: |
No. |
| Housing | |
|---|---|
| Housing is provided to students: | No |
| Extracurricular | |
|---|---|
| Students participate in student organizations on campus: | Yes |
| Proportion of time spent only with other students in this program: | 75% |
| Students have participated in these social/extracurricular activities and organizations: |
Students participate in campus-wide events such as social events, fundraising events, or holiday celebrations with the campus peers. They also are welcomed to attend sporting events, shows, and concerts on their own after hours. Best Buddies at the University, and other clubs on different campuses |