Evaluating Post Secondary Outcomes of Students with Disabilities, AKA Indicator 14

2022

Purpose Statement: States are required to collect and report data annually to the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) on the employment and education/training outcomes for all students that had an IEP (Individualized Education Program) when they left high school. This data collection is known as Indicator 14 and the information gained through this evaluation can be used to help improve school programming and supports for future students in Indiana schools. The purpose of the Indicator 14 Post-school Outcomes Survey project is to gather the data for this evaluation, analyze and report the post-school outcomes to the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) and LEAs for the leavers in special education the previous year. In 2019, the Center on Community Living and Careers was contracted to complete the Indicator 14 data collection and evaluation for the IDOE. This project narrative and budget are being submitted for year three of this award. Project Description: The Center on Community Living and Careers will work with the IDOE to complete the post-school outcomes evaluation by surveying former students, who exited school with an IEP, one year after they have left school. The survey will include opportunities for survey participants to tell us about their employment, education and training, and other experiences after leaving school. In an effort to ensure that we have the most accurate student data to use in this evaluation, we will work with the IDOE to share a consistent message to special educators, families and students regarding the purpose of the survey and the importance of ensuring the school records reflect current and accurate contact information for the student and his/her family prior to leaving school. This will be done through branding the survey (Whats Next? Finding Your Path in Life) with a name and logo that is used consistently across all informational and survey materials, including the monthly Whats Next? newsletter for families and youth with a disability transitioning to adulthood. Students and their families will be encouraged to sign up for this newsletter at their exit transition IEP meeting in high school to better support the family and student after high school and to connect them to the CCLC Whats Next? post-school outcomes survey project, which should increase respondent rates since they will be familiar with the logo when the survey arrives. All student and survey data will be stored in secure institutional storage in Microsoft Teams for data containing personally identifiable information and protected health information (i.e., disability diagnosis). Access to this data will be limited to staff who are working on the project and all of whom have taken the IU Data Protection and Privacy Tutorial (https://expand.iu.edu/browse/e-training/courses/data-protection-and-privacy-tutorial). Survey data will be stored in Qualtrics (a form builder for approved PHI data such as disability diagnosis https://kb.iu.edu/d/arkj).

Indicator 14; leavers; post secondary outcomes

Performing Research or Evaluation

Quality Assurance, Education & Early Intervention, Employment-Related Activities

Family Members/Caregivers, Adults with Disabilities

Racial or Ethnic Minorities, Disadvantaged Circumstances

State

N/A