Students with Intellectual Disabilities to Benefit from Collaborative Federal Grant Award

BATON ROUGE, LA — Add an Integrative Community Studies (ICS) program partnership to the growing list of LSU teams that win for Louisiana and the world. For the second year in a row, ICS program faculty and staff have won an influential federal grant competition award. The latest funding - $2.2 million over 5 years – comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s Model Comprehensive Transition and Postsecondary Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities (TPSID).

The LSU ICS program is one of 28 winners nationally. Empowered to be Gainfully Employed: Co-Developing Industry-Based Credential Curriculum and Technology in a Comprehensive Transition Program is a systemic and collaborative initiative that will expand postsecondary training options for young adults with intellectual disabilities who have exited secondary transition programming and are interested or enrolled in postsecondary education. Completion of the grant will result in the following five major accomplishments:

1. Expand the LSU ICS postsecondary program from two to four years with advanced coursework;  
2. Develop industry-based credentials to certify workforce readiness and proficiency in pharmacy technician and hospitality/hotel customer service jobs;
3. Advance independent practical living skills in financial literacy and emergency preparedness;
4. Enhance instruction and skill development through interactive, web-based gamified modules; and
5. Broaden the LSU ICS educational, independent living, and workforce impact by adapting curricular and training advancements for Louisiana high school transition programs.

“The collaborative effort and expertise that will be directed at LSU postsecondary programming and students will enrich ICS and our students in the near term and set the stage for greater life and work outcomes for young adults with intellectual disabilities, their families, and the communities in which they live for years to come,” Paul Mooney, PhD, ICS co-founder and faculty advisor and grant co-principal investigator, said.

“It will be amazing to see what the team of collaborators we’ve assembled will accomplish over the next five years,” Allie Boquet, PhD, co-principal investigator and Lutrill & Pearl Payne School of Education special education programs faculty member, said. “By working hand-in-hand with our community partners, we can ensure that students gain access to meaningful, credentialed training that leads directly to gainful employment. This grant allows us to extend the reach of ICS well beyond campus.”

"This grant for the LSU Integrative Community Studies program reaffirms our college’s unwavering commitment to providing research-driven, inclusive educational opportunities for students of every background,” Dean Roland Mitchell, PhD, of the LSU College of Human Sciences & Education, said. “The true strength of this program is found in the collaborative power of LSU and our community partners, who help us bring our mission to life, to enhance the quality of life for citizens of Louisiana, the nation, and the world across the lifespan. This award represents another important step in demonstrating how Louisiana’s flagship university continues to lead in education and workforce development innovation.”

The project will be built in collaboration with 12 community and industry partners, who will co-develop training models, provide applied learning opportunities, and support students in navigating inclusive career pathways. Partnerships include local school districts, workforce development boards, and employers across multiple sectors, reflecting a commitment to both statewide impact and sustainable career outcomes.

Working partners include Chad and Rose Olivier of Olivier Wealth Management Group, Bambi Polotzola and Nicole DeJean of Disability Access Solutions, Sharon Correa of CVS/Aetna, Patrick Detwiller of Drury Inns and Suites, Joe Ryan, PhD, of ClemsonLIFE, and Roxane West and Rebecca Hanberry of RBW Consulting. Renée Lastrapes, PhD, of the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, an LSU graduate, will be the external evaluator. External support letters were provided by Louisiana Rehabilitation Services, the East Baton Rouge School System Exceptional Student Services, Louisiana Department of Education, and the Louisiana Board of Regents. University partners include Jennifer Qian, EdD, of the LSU Lutrill & Pearl Payne School of Education, and Mahmood Jasim, PhD, of the LSU Division of Computer Science & Engineering. 

“It will be exciting to see our theory of action come to life,” Leanora Hernandez, ICS program manager, said. “If we develop specialized curricula and instruct with proven methods, then our students will do the work to discover their talents, and we will see the measurable outcome of them earning credentials and securing competitive employment.”

“It is going to be so rewarding to see the assembled team, some of whom are already working with us, grow opportunities and outcomes for students, staff, and the program, for the college and university, for the greater community and state, and for themselves,” Sarah Ayala, MEd, an LSU Lutrill & Pearl Payne School of Education graduate assistant, said. Ayala is responsible for teaching independent living skills and supporting job coaching to ICS students. “As one of 27 awardees, we’ll share information with our TPSID cohort members in the coming years, and they will share new understandings with us. How exciting!”

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About the College of Human Sciences & Education 
The College of Human Sciences & Education (CHSE) is a nationally accredited division of Louisiana State University. The college is comprised of the School of Education, the School of Information Studies, the School of Kinesiology, the School of Leadership & Human Resource Development, and the School of Social Work. CHSE has two model demonstration schools, the Early Childhood Education Laboratory Preschool, enrolling birth to age four and the University Laboratory School enrolling Kindergarten through grade 12. The college also has four centers and institutes: the Early Childhood Education Institute, the Healthy Aging Research Center, the Leadership Development Institute, and Social Research & Evaluation Center. The college is committed to achieving the highest standards in teaching, research, and service and aims to improve quality of life across the lifespan.
 
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