After leaving high school in 2007, nearly 40 percent of students with disabilities are unemployed and not enrolled in any type of college or vocational program a year later.
These are the findings of a post-secondary survey conducted by the Illinois State Board Education and analyzed by Access Living. The report released on Nov. 12 surveyed 209 disabled students who exited CPS; some had graduated, while others had dropped out. The students surveyed had a mix of disabilities, though they were slightly more likely to have learning disabilities than the district’s population as a whole.
The report also notes that students with disabilities from CPS were less likely to be working (by 5 points) than disabled adults from other states.
Fewer than 10 percent of students with disabilities who had dropped out of school had jobs and only 3 percent of them were attempting to earn a GED, according to the survey.
Also interesting: Close to 8 percent reported that they had attended some college, but had since left.
Twenty-three percent of the students were in college or vocational training; while another 20 percent were in listed as other, which includes military, prison or other type of institutionalization. About 18 percent were working, though less than half had full time positions.