The annual Post-School Survey is conducted with former students one year after they've permanently exited high school and who were receiving special education services at the time of exit. The survey gathers information about work and school activities that took place within the first year of exiting high school.
Any Engagement refers to respondents who met reporting requirements for one of the four engagement outcomes: Higher Education, Competitive Employment, Other Education, or Other Employment. No Engagement refers to respondents who did not meet reporting requirements for any engagement outcomes.
At any time in the year since leaving high school, 16.7% of respondents were enrolled full- or part-time in a community college (two-year institution/program) or college/university (four- or more year institution/program) for at least one complete term.
At any time in the year since leaving high school, 27.2% of respondents worked for pay (at or above the minimum wage) in a setting with others who are nondisabled, for a period of 20 hours a week or more, for at least 90 days.
At any time in the year since leaving high school, 4.6% of respondents enrolled full- or-part-time for at least one complete term in an education or training program which is less than a two-year program (e.g., Job Corps, adult education, workforce development program, or vocational technical school).
At any time in the year since leaving high school, 21.4% of respondents worked for pay or were self-employed for a period of at least 90 days, but they worked for less than 20 hours per week and/or less than minimum wage.
Survey responses were recorded for 7,170 of the 9,173 eligible former students (78.2%). Survey responses come directly from former students or designated family members.
CCTS Indicator B14 Post-School Outcome Report, 2019-20 - PDF (2022, January 18). Seattle: Center for Change in Transition Services.
Report includes statewide outcomes by exit, gender, race/ethnicity, disability, and English proficiency categories.
Post-school outcome (PSO) data provide a picture of life after high school for former special education students in relation to postsecondary education and employment. Positive post-school outcomes involve some level of “engagement” after high school, meaning that former students are continuing their education or have secured employment. PSO data are collected not only for state and federal reporting, but for continuous programmatic improvement.
School staff and other stakeholders use PSO data to inform practice around transition services including instruction, development of transition plans, activities, and agency collaboration. The goal is to increase engagement outcomes and decrease non-engagement.
PSO data are also tied to the Local Education Agency (LEA) Application for Federal Funds for Special Education. School districts must develop a plan to maintain or improve PSO in their application.
To gather PSO data, school districts conduct a phone survey each year, reaching out to former students one year after they exited high school. CCTS offers technical support to school districts as they conduct the Post-School Survey, and provides state and district-level data reports after the survey closes.
Page last updated
January 20, 2022