SPP Indicator 14: A results indicator that measures the percent of youth who are no longer in secondary school, had IEPs in effect at the time they left school, and were:
- Enrolled in higher education within one year of leaving high school.
- Enrolled in higher education or competitively employed within one year of leaving high school.
- Enrolled in higher education or in some other postsecondary education or training program; or competitively employed or in some other employment within one year of leaving high school.
Per Indicator 14 of the State Performance Plan (SPP), states are required to collect and report data to the U.S. Department of Education on postsecondary education/training and employment outcomes for youth with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) one year after leaving high school.
- Percent enrolled in higher education = (# of youth who are no longer in secondary school, had IEPs in effect at the time they left school and were enrolled in higher education within one year of leaving high school) divided by the (# of respondent youth who are no longer in secondary school and had IEPs in effect at the time they left school).
- Percent enrolled in higher education or competitively employed within in one year of leaving high school = (# of youth who are no longer in secondary school, had IEPs in effect at the time they left school and were enrolled in higher education or competitively employed within one year of leaving high school) divided by (# of respondent youth who are no longer in secondary school and had IEPs in effect at the time they left school).
- Percent enrolled in higher education, or in some other postsecondary education or training program; or competitively employed or in some other employment = (# of youth who are no longer in secondary school, had IEPs in effect at the time they left school and were enrolled in higher education, or some other postsecondary education or training program; or competitively employed or in some other employment) divided by the (# of respondent youth who are no longer in secondary school and had IEPs in effect at the time they left school).
The goal of Indicator 14 is for youth who are no longer in secondary school, and had IEPs in effect at the time they left school, to be enrolled in higher education or in some other postsecondary education or training program or competitively employed or in some other employment within one year of leaving high school.
The ISBE data source is I-Star (state selected data source - Harrisburg external survey results).
ISBE selects 25% of the school districts from each of four cohorts that are categorized by size and type (small unit LEAs, medium unit LEAs, large unit LEAs, high school LEAs) to administer the Illinois Post-School Survey to former students one year after exiting secondary schools. In addition, 20% of the high schools in the City of Chicago School District 299 are included in the selection process. Districts are selected to administer the survey once every four years. ISBE examines the following data points from the survey when calculating Indicator 14 data: number indicating higher education, number indicating competitively employed, number indicating other education, number indicating other employed, and not engaged.
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SPP Indicator Support Guide
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Selected Districts 2021-2024
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Selected CPS High Schools 2021-2025
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Suggestions for Post-School Outcomes (Indicator 14) Data Collection
- Sample District Letter to Former Student
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Illinois Post-School Survey Interview Questions and Interviewer Script
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Illinois Post-School Survey Expanded Version Interview Questions and Interviewer Script
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Contacting Hard-to Find Youth: Strategies for the Post-School Survey
Yearly, approximately 100,000 former students who had an individual education plan (IEP) when they left high school are contacted to participate in a post-school survey. Efforts are made to contact youth who represent a variety of disabilities, as well as, minority youth and those who left high school with a diploma or dropped out of high school. Nevertheless, there are groups of youth who are difficult to contact and who are routinely underrepresented in the post-school survey data (e.g., those students who leave school early). To learn strategies for contacting youth who are hard-to-find, the National Post-School Outcomes Center conducted six focus groups with young adults and their family members in four states. This document summarizes the strategies recommended by youth and their families. Strategies are organized by five common themes.
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Post-School Outcomes Data Collection and Use: Teachers as Partners
This paper provides information to assist other states in including teachers as partners in post-school data collection and examination. Suggestions are also included for teacher participation in this research with the goal of increasing the positive post-school status of youth with disabilities.
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Collecting Post-School Outcomes Data: Strategies for Increasing Response Rates
As states grapple with collecting post-school outcome data, many are seeking guidance on strategies for improving response rates, especially for students who exit school early and informally by dropping out. The brief contains an overview of the requirement to collect post-school outcome data and challenges experienced by states in collecting these data. Recommendations and strategies that states can use to secure sufficient response rates, especially from youth who drop out of school, are provided.
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Post-School Outcomes Surveys: Coming Soon to a Student Near You!
Participation in state post-school outcomes surveys is voluntary. However, youth and their families should know that their participation is important and valued. By giving a small amount of their time, they can make a big difference in the development of more effective special education and secondary transition programs for future students with disabilities.
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Measuring Transition Success: Focus on Youth and Family Participation
American youth with disabilities now have an opportunity to participate in shaping the future of special education in our country. To determine how well schools are preparing youth with disabilities for success after high school, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) requires states to find out whether their former special education students have pursued further education or found competitive employment within one year of leaving high school. Youth and family participation in these post-school outcome data collection efforts has the potential to usher in a new era of effective, evidence-based transition programs and practices.
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Transition Out of High School: A Quick Stats Fact Sheet
The transition from high school into college or the workforce is a key turning point in the lives of young people. Regardless of their chosen careers or academic paths after high school, young people must have the capacity to grapple with complex problems in order to maximize their potential for professional and personal success. This fact sheet from the National High School provides statistics highlighting some of the challenges and opportunities facing high school students after graduation.
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Advice from the Field: Perspectives of State Directors of Special Education Regarding Post-School Outcomes Data and Indicator 14
The National Post School Outcomes Center (NPSO), in conjunction with the National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE), conducted a focus group with several state directors of special education to (a) discuss the collection of their post-school outcomes data and (b) share their experiences and suggestions with other state directors, especially those who are new to their positions.
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I-Star Student User Guide
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SIS data elements
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State Performance Plan, Data, and Accountability
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ISBE Special Education Data Road Map
