NH Inclusive Concurrent Enrollment: College Classes for Students with Disabilities

What Inclusive Concurrent Enrollment Means

Inclusive concurrent enrollment allows students with intellectual disabilities or significant developmental disabilities to attend classes at a New Hampshire college or university while still enrolled in their school district's special education program. The student takes college courses alongside non-disabled peers — not in a segregated program or separate classroom — while continuing to receive IEP-based transition services from their school district.

This isn't dual enrollment in the traditional sense, where a high-achieving high school student earns college credit early. Inclusive concurrent enrollment is specifically designed for students with significant disabilities who may not pursue a degree but benefit enormously from the college environment: social integration, age-appropriate peer interactions, exposure to career fields, independent living practice on a campus, and the experience of navigating an adult educational setting before school services end.

New Hampshire has supported inclusive postsecondary education through initiatives at institutions within the University System of New Hampshire and the Community College System. Programs vary by institution, but the model typically involves the student auditing or participating in courses that align with their transition goals — a culinary arts class for a student interested in food service employment, a computer basics course for a student exploring office work, an art studio for a student building community engagement skills.

How It Connects to the IEP

Inclusive concurrent enrollment is a transition service. It should be written into the student's IEP as part of their coordinated set of activities, connected to measurable postsecondary goals in education, training, or employment.

The school district remains responsible for the student's FAPE during concurrent enrollment. That means:

• The IEP should document how tuition or enrollment fees for the courses the student attends will be handled
• The IEP team coordinates with the college's disability services office to arrange accommodations
• A job coach, educational aide, or transition specialist from the school district may accompany the student to campus, depending on the level of support needed
• The IEP should document who is responsible for transportation to and from campus

This is important because families sometimes hear "college" and assume the school district is off the hook. They're not. Until the student earns a regular high school diploma or ages out (the day before their 22nd birthday under SB 394-FN), the school district funds and coordinates FAPE — and that can include college-based transition services.

Who Benefits

Inclusive concurrent enrollment is most commonly used for students ages 18-21 who:

• Have an intellectual or developmental disability
• Have postsecondary goals related to employment, community integration, or continued learning
• Would benefit from a more age-appropriate setting than a high school building (a 20-year-old sitting in a high school cafeteria is not an age-appropriate placement)
• Are working toward independent living skills that a college campus naturally provides — navigating a large building, managing a schedule, interacting with peers outside the disability community

The student doesn't need to be academically ready for college-level coursework. Many inclusive concurrent enrollment arrangements involve auditing courses (attending and participating without earning credit), participating in campus activities and clubs, or using campus facilities like the library, fitness center, and student organizations as community integration opportunities.

How to Request It

If your child is approaching age 18 and you think inclusive concurrent enrollment would support their transition goals, raise it at the IEP meeting. Specifically:

1. Identify the postsecondary goal it serves — "After leaving school, [Student] will participate in community education programs and employment in the food service industry" → a concurrent enrollment arrangement at a community college culinary program supports both goals
2. Request a transition assessment that evaluates the student's readiness for a college-based setting — social independence, self-care, ability to navigate a campus, communication skills in unstructured environments
3. Ask the transition coordinator to contact the institution's disability services office to explore what inclusive enrollment options exist
4. Ensure the IEP documents the arrangement — the course(s), the schedule, the level of support provided, who's responsible for transportation, and how progress will be measured

If the IEP team determines that a college-based setting is an appropriate transition service, the IEP should document the service, supports, transportation, and how any tuition or fees will be provided.

Practical Considerations

Not every institution has a formal program. Some New Hampshire colleges have structured inclusive postsecondary education programs with dedicated coordinators; others handle it on a case-by-case basis through their disability services office. If your local community college doesn't have a formal program, that doesn't mean concurrent enrollment is off the table — it means the arrangement may require more coordination between the school district, the IEP team, and the college.

Transportation in rural areas. For families outside the Manchester-Nashua-Concord corridor, getting to a college campus daily can be the biggest barrier. The logistics of transporting one student 30-45 minutes each way to a community college may lead the district to push back. Document the request in writing and request Prior Written Notice if the district proposes to deny transportation.

The student still receives IEP services. Concurrent enrollment doesn't replace the IEP. The student continues to receive special education services — these just happen partially or fully on a college campus instead of in a high school building. The IEP team should specify which services are delivered at the college site and which remain school-based.

The New Hampshire IEP Transition to Adulthood Guide includes a timeline for requesting inclusive concurrent enrollment and a checklist for coordinating between the IEP team, VR New Hampshire, and the college disability services office.

See more New Hampshire guides →