What Happens Next?

The period that extends from the end of high school through a youth's twenties challenges youth with decisions regarding education, careers, marriage, and parenting; demands for financial and residential independence; and the myriad responsibilities (legal, social, and personal) that accompany adulthood (Osgood et al. 2005). In the first few years after high school, the paths into young adulthood of youth with disabilities who finish high school diverge in important ways from those followed by youth with disabilities who do not finish high school. The following sections focus on youth with disabilities who had been out of school from a few weeks up to 2 years and describes their activities in the areas of education, employment, independence, and community participation.11

Participation in high school diploma/certificate programs. Dropping out of school is not an irrevocable decision. Young people may still obtain a high school diploma by reentering a regular or alternative secondary school program or by taking an examination to obtain a General Educational Development (GED) credential. Up to 2 years after leaving high school, 29 percent of youth with disabilities who had dropped out had taken one or more classes or tests to earn a high school diploma, and almost one-third of those program participants had earned a high school diploma or certificate—i.e., 9 percent of all dropouts with disabilities. Although obtaining a GED or following another degree path does not overcome the labor market disadvantage for dropouts compared with graduates, GED holders in the general population have been found to earn higher wages than uncredentialed dropouts (Tyler 2003).

Postsecondary school enrollment. One of the clearest advantages of finishing high school is that it provides the necessary foundation for pursuing most postsecondary education opportunities, which is critically important if youth with disabilities are to participate fully in an economy that is increasingly knowledge based. The advantage of finishing high school is evident in the rates of postsecondary school enrollment of youth with disabilities (figure 3).

Within 2 years of leaving high school, 39 percent of graduates with disabilities enroll in some kind of postsecondary education institution, more than four times the enrollment rate of dropouts (9 percent). Two-year or community colleges are the most popular kind of postsecondary school among graduates; 27 percent of graduates enroll in such schools. In contrast, high school dropouts are most likely to attend vocational, technical, or business schools; 8 percent of dropouts do so. About 1 in 8 graduates enroll in a 4-year college; not surprisingly, virtually no dropouts do.

Employment. The advantages that accrue to high school graduates with disabilities in the postsecondary education arena are not evident in the employment domain in the first years after high school (figure 4). There is no statistically significant difference between those who do and do not finish high school in the likelihood of working for pay outside the home; 46 percent of graduates are working, as are 38 percent of dropouts. Neither do the hourly wages of the two groups differ; 38 percent of graduates with disabilities and 51 percent of dropouts earn more than $7.00 per hour. However, graduates are much less likely than dropouts to work full-time (34 percent vs. 59 percent), in part because graduates are more likely than dropouts to be attending a postsecondary school.

Independence. Both youth with disabilities who finished high school and those who did not begin to demonstrate several aspects of adult independence in their first few years after high school (figure 5).

About three-fourths (78 percent) of high school graduates are living with one or both parents up to 2 years after high school. The large majority of graduates (92 percent) are single, and few (4 percent) have had or fathered a child. In contrast, significantly fewer high school dropouts with disabilities (57 percent) live with parents. Similarly, many fewer dropouts (74 percent) are single, and almost five times as many dropouts as graduates are parents (19 percent).

Even though dropouts are more likely than graduates to be living independently and to have the responsibilities of parenthood, they are less likely to have the mobility that comes with having driving privileges. Almost three-fourths (73 percent) of age-eligible graduates with disabilities have a driver's license or permit, compared with about half (51 percent) of dropouts. Dropouts also are less likely than graduates to have one of the financial management tools that are markers of adulthood—a checking account (16 percent vs. 39 percent).

Community participation. NLTS2 has investigated several aspects of community participation by youth with disabilities, including taking part in organized community groups and in volunteer or community service activities. Overall, 31 percent of graduates with disabilities take part in organized community groups within 2 years of finishing high school, and 30 percent take part in volunteer or community service activities. This is not significantly different from the 19 percent and 18 percent of dropouts who are thus engaged. Taking part in the political process through voting is another positive form of community participation. In the early years after high school, 69 percent of graduates with disabilities are registered to vote, significantly more than the 48 percent of dropouts who are.

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