For over 10 years, Jerry Alliston and colleagues have been trying to build momentum for inclusive higher education in the state of Mississippi. In the early 2010s, Dr. Alliston began planting the seeds for a MS state alliance. In the last year, those seeds are starting to sprout. In September of 2023, Susanna Miller-Raines and Chelsea Stinnett from Think College traveled to Jackson, MS for the inaugural MS state alliance meeting. Susanna and Chelsea led representatives from colleges and universities, state agencies, and school districts in strategic planning. The alliance is preparing to have its third meeting on January 31.
In 2023, the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) welcomed their pilot class for RISE to the Top, an inclusive postsecondary education (IPSE) program; RISE stands for Reaching, Including, Supporting, and Educating. Applications are now being accepted for the first full cohort to be welcomed in Fall 2024. Information about RISE to the Top, including how to apply, is available on the USM Institute for Disability Studies website.
Just the second IPSE program in MS, RISE was just awarded Comprehensive Transition Program (CTP) status; see this article on the USM website to learn more. Comprehensive Transition Postsecondary (CTP) programs are approved by the US Department of Education to award federal student aid to students attending their program. There are currently 155 approved programs operating across the US. Learn more about CTP program requirements and the approval process on this Resource by Topic page.
The Mississippi State University ACCESS program, established in 2010, has been the sole IPSE program in MS until now. There are at least three new programs on the horizon in MS. William Carey University is preparing to launch a program in the next year, and Ole Miss (University of Mississippi) and Jackson State University are exploring starting programs. We will share updates as the crop of inclusive college opportunities continues to grow in Mississippi!