October 2, 2026 – The Tourette Association of America (TAA) is proud to announce its support for the Higher Education Grant Flexibility Act of 2026, reintroduced by Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and cosponsored by Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.). The bill addresses a significant barrier facing many students living with Tourette Syndrome and other Tic Disorders: the risk of losing financial aid simply for using an accommodation they need.
Under current law, students with disabilities who are approved for a reduced course load as an accommodation can lose eligibility for full funding from federal programs that require full-time enrollment, including Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG), and TEACH Grants. The Higher Education Grant Flexibility Act would close this gap, allowing students who take a reduced course load for reasons related to their disability to qualify for the same grant amounts as their full-time peers, removing a financial penalty tied directly to their accommodation.
No student should have to choose between using the accommodations they need and receiving their fair share of financial aid. This legislation recognizes that reality and takes a meaningful step toward making higher education more accessible for students with disabilities.
The TAA joins a broad coalition of patient and disability advocacy organizations in supporting the Higher Education Grant Flexibility Act, including the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD), the National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD), the National Disability Rights Network (NDRN), The Arc of the United States, and dozens of others spanning the education and disability communities. The TAA will continue to monitor the bill’s progress and advocate for policies that expand access to education for individuals and families impacted by Tourette Syndrome.
