Information for Parents & Counselors

Below is some information to help you with either entering a student into Cleveland State or preparing them for whichever school they have chosen. The CSU Office of Disability Services is here to help you prepare your child or student for adulthood by helping them advocate for themselves and assisting in providing the academic accommodations to help them succeed at Cleveland State. You may also want to check the Prospective Students page for information about starting at Cleveland State.

Confidentiality

Information about students at the university level is considered confidential, including disability information. The ODS can release information within the university on a need-to-know basis, but cannot release information to individuals outside the university-including to parents-without written consent. The Family Educational Right to Privacy Act (FERPA) is the law that governs the confidentiality of educational records.

However, if you believe there is something we should know about your student (additional disability information, concerns you may have) you can always feel free to call and let one of our staff know. We can't guarantee how that information will be used, but it is often helpful for us if we know there might be a problem or concern.

The following information will help you prepare an incoming student for college:

• Disability Documentation Guidelines - shows the information we need and the documents we require to verify a students disability. This page also has a list of Learning Disability evaluators.
• Differences Between High School and College - explains the differences a student will need to understand when transitioning from High School.
• Autism Resources - This document is a compiled list of organizations, support groups, and social groups for people with autism and their families.
• Students with Disabilities Preparing for Post Secondary Education - This information was prepared by the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights to inform students and parents of the students rights and responsibilities when entering higher education.
• Preparing for College, An Online Tutorial - This website was prepared by the University of Washington to give parents, students, and counselors a list of resources for properly selecting a students vocational path and preparing them for college with introducing self-advocacy skills.
• Self-Advocacy for College Students - This information is available from LD Online to dispel myths about learning disabilities and promote self-advocacy for students in college. It was prepared by the National Center for Learning Disabilities in 1993 and has great information that would work for all disability types.