Georgia IPSE Programs Celebrate Graduates and Milestones

Last month, parents, family members, educators, and friends celebrated the newest college graduates of the Class of 2026.

Across the ten inclusive post-secondary education (IPSE) programs in Georgia, graduates wore their cap and gown to mark an important life milestone - graduating from college. This year, the IPSE program at Berry College also marked an important milestone. Their first cohort was launched in 2024. This year, it welcomed its first graduates. Berry College’s IPSE program is the first of its kind at a private college or university in Georgia.

“Watching our first three IPSE students walk across the podium and shake hands with our newly inaugurated president, fully included in our graduation ceremony, was the realization of my decade-long dream to create an IPSE program at Berry College,” said Michelle Haney, Director of the Berry College Program for Inclusive Learning.

Since its launch two years ago, Berry College’s program has been successful in making college a meaningful experience for students with disabilities. The program met many goals during the past two years and has supported six full-time students with intellectual disabilities (ID). Students took classes in departments throughout campus and engaged in a variety of social and club events based on their interests. And every student in the program had a paid job in an area aligned with their interests while in the program.

IPSE programs also had another great milestone to celebrate. IPSE Grant funds are now permanent, allowing for students with ID and their families to have more access to attending college after high school. The grants now also apply to public and private universities and colleges in Georgia.

The IPSE Grants funds went into effect July 1, 2023, and the pilot was planned to end on July 1, 2028. It was a state-funded scholarship for IPSE students that covered tuition and other fees.

IPSE Grants Now Permanent

This year, Senate Bill 431, sponsored by State Senator Kay Kirkpatrick, included provisions to make the IPSE grants permanent. For families of students with intellectual disabilities, the bill:

• Makes IPSE grant funding permanent rather than temporary.
• Expands eligibility to approved private colleges and universities.
• Strengthens long-term access to inclusive college programs.
• Creates greater financial support for students pursuing postsecondary education after high school.
• Signals Georgia's continued commitment to employment, independence, and inclusive college experiences for students with intellectual disabilities.

"The successful IPSE grant program is an important tool for helping students with disabilities set higher goals and achieve them. I am pleased that my bill on immediate enrollment for foster students provided an appropriate way to make this program permanent,” said Senator Kirkpatrick.

Georgia now has 10 colleges and universities with programs eligible for IPSE Grant funding, including Berry College, thanks to Senate Bill 431.

“As more institutions develop programs for students with intellectual disabilities and become eligible to receive IPSE Grant funds, more choices will be available to families, making it more likely for students to improve their future career outcomes,” added Lance Wallace, senior vice president of External Affairs, Georgia Student Finance Commission.

This milestone for Georgia’s IPSE programs increases access for students with intellectual disabilities to build a future that leads to employment and independence, just like their peers without disabilities.

To learn more about the Georgia IPSE Grants, visit the Georgia Student Finance Commission website.

To learn about the Georgia IPSE programs, visit the Georgia Inclusive Post Secondary Education Consortium website.

Congrats, Grads!

Congratulations to the 2026 graduates from the following Georgia’s IPSE programs!