Learning Disabilities In Higher Ed: Community College Alum Open Up About Getting The Services They Needed

Tammy Carrillo graduated from East Los Angeles College in 2021. Growing up, she didn't know she had a learning disability.LAist is facing a budget shortfall, but our mission to provide fact-based journalism is stronger than ever. We cannot do this important work without your member support today. Whether you give for the first time or increase your monthly donation, it all goes a long way in setting us up for a sustainable future.

Carrillo grew up in poverty, watching her single mother struggle to make ends meet. By the time she enrolled at ELAC, she was also traumatized after witnessing two friends get killed. She was timid, and she had no idea what to major in. Students around her proudly declared: “I'm a nursing major,” or, “I'm going into business.” Carrillo just felt overwhelmed.“It didn’t make sense to me,” she said. “So I just figured: It’s me. I’m the one who’s lacking something.

Through the assessment, Carrillo was diagnosed with a processing deficit. “That just means it takes me a little bit longer to get to where I need to,” she said.If you’re a high school senior with a learning disability — or if you’ve struggled in school despite trying your best — you might benefit from specialized academic support when you’re in college. The same can be true for adults returning to school after years away.ELAC provided her with a note-taker and a personal counselor.

On her graduation day, Carrillo paused to take it all in. She was in her car, clad in a cap and gown, with her mom and children in tow. “Knowing where I've come from, it was a huge accomplishment,” she said.Like Carrillo, Christopher Elquizabal attended a continuation school in Southern California. He was removed from his home when he was a teenager. At school, a counselor told him college was not for him, and Elquizabal believed her.

After transferring to Cal State Long Beach, he began to focus on students with disabilities, in part because of his coursework. “We tend to sort of slice up students into identity pieces,” he added. “But the reality is our students are also undocumented. Our students are also LGBTQ. Our students are also Black. Our students are also part of foster care, they’re parents. We see every population in our office.”Community colleges can be a gateway for students, whether they’re continuing their education or looking for a fresh start.

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