Florida Board of Governors

10/04/2010

Statement by State University System Chancellor Frank Brogan Regarding Disability History and Awareness Events (October)

State education officials K-20 gather Monday with stakeholders at kick-off
“I have more than 9,000 reasons to be excited for this time of reflection and awareness, because that"s right about how many students with disabilities seek services at our 11 state universities out of more than 300,000 a year. There are even more young adults who attend our institutions and who have attained complete independence and do not need special services – some of those students, in fact, have been assisted during the past 15 years by the System"s partnership with and administration of the Theodore R. and Vivian M. Johnson Scholarship Fund, which has provided more than $6 million in need-based aid to students with disabilities.”


BACKGROUND:

Johnson Scholarship recipients who have graduated in 2010 to date from a state university have earned degrees in mathematics, electrical engineering, hospitality management, music, social work, education and health administration. The Johnson Scholarships are administered through the Florida Board of Governors Foundation, Inc.

At the event Monday will be information from several state universities as to their specific services for students with disabilities. The State University System"s exhibit table also will include information and application forms for the next annual Johnson Scholarships awards.

The first two weeks of October were designated in Florida law as Disability History and Awareness Instruction Weeks beginning in 2008. The law encourages the DOE"s school districts to provide disability history and awareness instruction to expand students" knowledge, understanding, and awareness of individuals with disabilities, the history of disability education and the disability rights movement.

There also will be a performance at the Monday event by the 2009 Very Special Arts Florida young soloist Erin Cheeseborough of Tallahassee.

Brogan will participate in a kick-off event Monday, Oct. 4, at 11 a.m. with host, Dept. of Education Commissioner, Dr. Eric Smith, and other state education officials, in the Turlington Building lobby, 325 W. Gaines St., Tallahassee. The event will have refreshments sponsored by Florida Developmental Disabilities Council. Exhibit tables include the Clearinghouse Information Center, Florida Division of Career and Adult Education, Division of Blind Services, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Division of Florida Colleges, and the State University System, as well as Family Café, Florida Alliance for Assistive Services and Technology, Florida Diagnostic and Learning Resources System Center, Florida Developmental Disabilities Council, Florida Disabled Outdoors Association, Florida Youth Council, Project Transition Education Network and VSA Florida, the state organization on disability and arts.

For more information on Monday"s event, contact Kathy Burton at 850-245-0478 or kathy.burton@fldoe.org.

-end-