Was reading back a little, can see my post a few up about SpecEd schools and age groups.
Some states do call their SpecEd students Exceptional students or call their programs Exceptional Education. Fun fact, NJ has a Twice-Exceptional term for if you're both retarded but a savant at something. The school above does offer a 21+ program, so it looks like the GenEd goes until 20/21 depending on the student. So my thoughts still stand, he is in a local area that has decent special ed support and he and his "girlfriend" could have met there or in a similar program.