Dear [title] [last name],
I’m writing to ask you to support the Respond, Innovate, Succeed, and Empower (RISE) Act, which was recently reintroduced.
This important piece of legislation will remove barriers for students with disabilities in higher education who need services and accommodations to succeed. Currently, colleges require new evaluations and disability documentation from students with disabilities before they will provide services. Many students and families will need to pay for these tests themselves, which can cost hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. The RISE Act would require colleges to accept previous documentation of an IEP or 504 plan as evidence of disability when a student is seeking accommodations in college.
The RISE Act would also require colleges to report and share what accommodations are available to students, how many students with disabilities are being served, and what the academic outcomes for these students are. This transparency is essential for students with disabilities to make informed decisions that will set them up for academic success.
Students with disabilities deserve every chance to be successful in college. I urge you to support the RISE Act to remove this barrier to higher education for students with disabilities.
Thank you for your consideration.
