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Updates and resources to support inclusive education and post-school success for students with disabilities.
Winter Newsletter
January 30, 2024
We hope you had a rejuvenating winter break and are staying warm during this very cold January. As we kick off the new year, we want to express our heartfelt gratitude for your efforts in contributing to the success of the Post-School Survey. Your commitment has made it possible for us to gather valuable data that will drive positive changes in the lives of students.
In this newsletter, we share how to access the newly completed Post-School Outcome Data Reports from the 2023 survey (2021-22 leaver year), provide initial takeaways from the survey, and introduce a new report on agency connections data. We also provide a link to the recently developed resource co-developed with OSPI: Transition Support and Services Summary for Students, Families, and Caregivers. Finally, there are links to our free transition training modules.
New Post-School Outcome Data Available
- Post-school outcome data reports and presentations from the 2023 survey (2021-22 leaver year) are now available for viewing and download.
- To access Washington state, ESD, and county-level data, visit the Post-School Outcomes Reports page on the CCTS website.
- To access district-level data:
- You must have an active user account in the TSF2, CCTS’s secure online data collection platform.
- If you do not have an account, contact your district’s data manager or email CCTS@seattleu.edu.
Initial Takeaways from 2023 Post-School Survey (2021-22 leaver year)
The 2023 Post-School Survey was conducted with former students one year after they permanently exited high school and who were receiving special education services at the time of exit. From June 1–November 1, 2023, survey responses were recorded for 77.93% of the 8,369 eligible former students. Results from the census survey of former students who left school in 2021–22 show the following changes from students who left in 2020–21:
- The Overall Engagement rate decreased by 1.41 percentage points, or 1.90%.
- The Higher Education category increased by 0.53 percentage points, or 3.14%.
- The Competitive Employment category increased by 10.20 percentage points, or 33.17%.
- The Other Education category decreased by 0.03 percentage points, or 0.77%.
- The Other Employment category decreased by 12.11 percentage points, or 53.25%.
- The No Engagement rate increased by 1.41 percentage points, or 5.48%.
| Post-School Outcomes | 2020–21 | 2021–22 | Percentage Point Change | Percent Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Engagement | 74.27% | 72.86% | -1.41 | -1.90% |
| Higher Education | 16.87% | 17.40% | 0.53 | 3.14% |
| Competitive Employment | 30.75% | 40.95% | 10.20 | 33.17% |
| Other Education | 3.91% | 3.88% | -0.03 | -0.77% |
| Other Employment | 22.74% | 10.63% | -12.11 | -53.25% |
| No Engagement | 25.73% | 27.14% | 1.41 | 5.48% |
To learn more about post-school outcomes by county, ESD, or demographic categories (exit status, gender, disability, race/ethnicity, language proficiency), visit the Post-School Outcomes Reports page on the CCTS website.
Agency Connections Data
The most recent post-school outcome (PSO) data reports include a new section that highlights connections between former student leavers and adult service agencies.
When conducting the Post-School Survey, former students were asked if they contacted an adult service agency in the year since leaving high school. If the answer is yes, they were asked to name which agencies (they may name more than one). It is important to note that the question is not if services were provided, but rather if the former student contacted an agency. This connection could be an initial phone call, in-person meeting, or submitting paperwork for services. Districts can use this information to better understand the connections between their former students and adult agencies that might provide services after leaving high school.
CCTS recommends that every IEP transition plan includes contact information for at least one adult service agency before the student’s last year in high school. The student and family should have this information available so that, even if not connected while in high school, they have a starting point for support that may be needed after exiting school.
As districts review their PSO data for agency connections, consider the following questions:
- What percentage of students indicated a connection to any agency?
- Was there a higher rate of connections for students from different high schools, different teachers, different disability categories, and/or other demographic categories?
- Which agencies were most often identified?
- What might be the reason for higher rates of connections for certain agencies?
- What questions might they ask of the student or family to better understand the agency connections (beyond the survey questions)?
- What else would the district like to know about these connections?
- Are there strategies that the district or high school could put into practice that would strengthen these connections?
As we explore the data at the state level, CCTS would love to hear and learn from districts who are reviewing and discussing their PSO data. Please reach out and let us know what you’re discovering!
Transition Support and Services Summary: New Resource for Students, Families & Caregivers
A collaboration between OSPI and CCTS, the Transition Supports and Services Summary for Students, Families & Caregivers (PDF) highlights how the IEP Transition Plan and aligned High School and Beyond Plan support students in preparing for their post-school goals. It includes the components of both planning documents and clarifies the differences between transition plans, transition services, and transition programs.
Additional information and resources are available on OSPI’s Transition Services (Ages 16-21) web page.
CCTS Self-Paced Online Training
Each of CCTS’s self-paced training courses can be accessed free of charge from the CCTS website. Courses include modules and activity workbooks that can be completed individually or with a group.
- Writing Effective Transition Plans (10 modules)
- Student-Led IEPs (7 modules)
- Developing Job Shadow Experiences (4 modules)
- Partnerships for Inclusion: Special Education and Career Technical Education (5 modules)
Visit CCTS’s Professional Development and Training page for details.
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