Office of Academic Affairs, Mulder 130, Louisiana State University of Alexandria
8100 Highway 71 South
Alexandria, LA 71302
Program Contact | Brittany Soden, Director |
Program Contact Email | bsoden@lsua.edu |
Phone | (318) 427-4475 |
Website | Program website |
link to program Facebook page |
Special Program for the Enhancement of Resources and Opportunities
LSUA SPERO, “I hope” in Latin, is a four-year program for students with intellectual disabilities which aims to bring hope to the lives of students with intellectual disabilities. Students in the program audit college classes alongside their traditional LSUA peers and take special SPERO program classes designed and taught by Life Skills Specialists to improve their daily living skills, social and communication skills, and employment skills. Students achieve social integration through participation in on-campus and community events and activities. Students also participate in internships and workforce training either on campus or at approved off-campus venues and are assisted by student mentors and job coaches both during and outside of class time. While student mentors, job coaches, LSUA students, faculty, and staff provide assistance to SPERO students, they claim that our students "make the campus a better place!"
Program information submitted: January 31, 2024
General | |
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Public or private: | Public |
Type of school: | 4-year college or university |
Is this program a federally funded TPSID program? | No |
Number of students: | 8 |
Requirements | |
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Program serves students who have left high school? | Yes, all of our students have left high school |
Regular high school diploma required? | No, an IEP/non-standard diploma/certificate of attendance is accepted |
Deadline to apply to this program: | End of the prior Fall semester |
Link to admissions process: | Admissions link |
Criteria for admission |
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Accepts out-of-state students? | No |
Please indicate which disabilities students in this program have: |
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Planned program length | 4 years |
Acceptance, Retention, and Completion Rates | |
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Acceptance rate for the most recent fall term: | 100.00% |
Retention rate for first year students from the previous academic year to the current one: | 100.00% |
Cost | |
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Average student tuition and fees for the current school year: | $3900.00 |
Is this program able to provide federal financial aid as a Comprehensive Transition Program (CTP)? | Yes |
Students pay for the program in the following ways: |
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Academic | |
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Students enrolled in this program take the following types of inclusive courses (with students who don't have disabilities): |
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More about course access: | Auditing or participating in courses for which the student does not receive academic credit Each semester, all program students audit six hours of credit-bearing courses in which regular degree-seeking students are enrolled. Recent courses that program students have audited or are currently auditing include THTR 1020 (Introduction to Theatre), CMST 1061 (Communication Fundamentals), CMST 2010 (Mass Communications), and AGRI 1011 (Introduction to Animal Science). The program students who audit these courses do complete class assignments or modified versions of such assignments but do not receive regular academic credit upon course completion. |
Students take courses that are only for students in this program: | Yes |
Information on special classes: | All program students take non-credit bearing “skills” classes. These classes, which are taught by the program director and Life skills specialist, address three areas: 1) daily living skills; 2) social skills; and 3) employment skills. The skills curriculum is based on the Life Centered Education Transition Curriculum developed by the Council for Exceptional Children. These classes are not attended by students without disabilities. |
Percentage of academic time spent in inclusive courses (with students who don't have disabilities): | 100% |
Do all students in this program enroll in at least one inclusive college/university course for credit or audit each semester? | Yes |
Credential(s) students earn upon completing the program: | Certificate of Achievement |
Is the credential approved by the college/university? | Awarded by program, not officially recognized by the IHE |
Students in the program have access to the following campus-wide services: | Academic tutoring services |
Employment | |
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Percent of students in this program have paid work while attending the program: | 0% |
Other career development activities are: |
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Percent of students in this program that had paid work after exiting the program: | 0% |
Additional information about career development and work experience: | Each program student aquires career development training during years 1-3 of the program. Such skills and attributes include understanding the important of punctuality and meeting deadlines; understanding how to treat coworkers with courtesy and respect; dressing appropriately for work; and being willing and able to work together with others as a team. In year 4, students will aquire on-campus employment or off-campus at approved venue. |
Does this program have a working partnership with VR to provide funding, supports and/or services to students in the program? | Yes |
Housing | |
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Housing is provided to students: | No |
Extracurricular | |
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Percentage of social time spent in inclusive activities (open to all students on campus): | 100% |
Students may participate in the following extra-curricular activities | Campus events |