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All students, including those with disabilities, must be college and career ready, which requires high expectations for them (Every Student Succeeds Act, 2015). In this study, we developed and validated the College and Career Readiness Teacher Expectation Survey (CCR-TES), an instrument that measures the postschool expectations that educators have for students with disabilities (SWD). With a sample of 459 educators, we provide initial evidence for strongly correlated factors, highlighting the difficulty in measuring CCR. Results support one general CCR factor, and invariance testing results show the CCR-TES functions similarly for special and general education teachers. Furthermore, results also revealed educators have somewhat low postsecondary expectations for SWD. Implications for teachers, researchers, and policymakers are discussed.

Increasing numbers of academically talented students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are accessing higher education. This is an underserved and understudied cohort of students, as their talents can mask their autism, or their autism can mask their talents. We conducted interviews with 11 professionals who support academically talented students with ASD at 10 very competitive 4-year institutions in the United States. Findings highlighted the significant academic and personal strengths that these students bring to college, factors that can be incorporated into secondary transition planning for twice exceptional ASD students. Suggestions about important concepts that both families and secondary transition personnel should understand regarding the differences between high school and college are also provided. Implications for secondary transition planning are discussed.

The number of students with ASD also identified as academically talented has been increasing over the last few decades. Unfortunately, little empirical research exists about this population of students. In this qualitative study, 40 college and university students with ASD who were identified as academically advanced and talented and enrolled in competitive colleges and universities were interviewed about academic experiences and teaching strategies that contributed to their success. Several findings related to specific strength-based teaching and support strategies perceived by participants as contributing to their academic success. These included identifying their academic talents; interest-based extracurricular activities based; specific challenge based honors and advanced classes in areas of interest and strength; opportunities for advanced, interest-based academic experiences; participation in residential programs during high school; strong and positive relationships with teachers and counselors; developing compensation strategies that can be applied to all of these areas; and overcoming anxiety while building social connections.

This qualitative comparative case study explored the personal perceptions and institutional factors that facilitated academic success, as well as challenges, in college among a sample of 40 academically talented students with autism spectrum disorder (2e/ASD) who were enrolled in highly competitive colleges and universities in the United States. Findings from the study included that the majority had excellent reading and writing skills, but struggled with mathematics. The personal trait that most enabled them to be successful in college, described by 26 of the 40 students, was a driving passion for learning. Half of the participants were motivated to succeed academically by the independence college offers, as well the flexibility to take advantage of a range of opportunities, and the development of their personal autonomy. The majority of the participants indicated that faculty members' instructional practices were their greatest barriers to learning.

With COVID-19 considered by many experts to be endemic, the likelihood of persistent and incomparable academic and social-emotional disruption for school-aged children is extraordinary. School professionals have also been adversely impacted. Many children and families, prior to the pandemic, dealt with enduring adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)including domestic turbulence and financial, food, and housing insecurity. The disruption of the past two school years, and the possibility of ongoing school disruption, exacerbates these challenges. The recommendations herein are designed to address the expected long-term effects of the ongoing pandemic within the educational setting.