A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

To Assure the Free Appropriate Public Education of All Children with Disabilities - 1996

Outcomes for Youth with Disabilities in Urban Areas

In many regards, the transition from secondary school to postsecondary roles appears more difficult for youth with disabilities in urban areas compared to youth in suburban and rural areas. NLTS data indicate that urban youth with disabilities are less likely to graduate from high school, less likely to enroll in postsecondary education, and less likely to be employed in the years immediately after high school. This section compares and contrasts outcomes for youth with disabilities in urban, suburban, and rural areas using data from the NLTS.

Secondary School Completion

Youth with disabilities in urban areas were less likely than their peers in suburban and rural areas to graduate from high school, and were more likely to drop out of school. As shown in table 4.8, 50.8 percent of youth with disabilities in urban areas graduated from high school, compared to 66.9 percent of youth in suburban areas and 60.8 percent of youth in rural areas. The relatively low rate of graduation for urban youth corresponds with a higher dropout rate; 36.6 percent compared to 24.6 percent for suburban youth and 31.4 percent for rural youth. Research consistently shows that high school graduation is an important predictor of postsecondary success for youth with disabilities (Edgar, 1987; Hasazi, Gordon, & Roe, 1985; Porter, 1982; Wagner, Blackorby, Cameto, & Newman, 1993; Zigmond & Thornton, 1985). As such, the fact that urban youth are less likely to complete high school is a legitimate concern.

TABLE 4.8 Secondary School Completion for Youth with Disabilities,
by Community Type
                             Urban      Suburban       Rural                              =====      ========       =====        Graduated             50.8         66.9         60.8                              (4.3)        (3.6)        (3.5)         Dropped Out           36.6         24.6         31.4                              (4.2)        (3.3)        (3.4)         Suspended/Expelled     5.5          3.4          3.0                              (2.0)        (1.4)        (1.2)         Reached Maximum Age    7.1          5.1          4.9                              (2.2)        (1.7)        (1.6)
NOTE: Standard errors are in parenthesis.

SOURCE: Valdés, K. A., Williamson, C. L., & Wagner, M. (1990). The National Longitudinal Transition Study of Special Education Students. Statistical Almanac, Volume 1. Menlo Park, CA: SRI International.

Postsecondary Education and Employment

Given the relatively high dropout rate for urban youth with disabilities, it is not surprising that few enrolled in postsecondary education or training. Analysis of NLTS data (Valdés, 1990) shows that of those urban youth with disabilities who were out of secondary school for up to two years, 14 percent reported having taken any postsecondary course in the past year. The figure for suburban youth was slightly higher (17 percent). The figure for rural youth was lower than for urban or suburban youth (12 percent).

Urban youth with disabilities were also less likely than suburban or rural youth to have been employed in the past year (50 percent for urban youth, 68 percent for suburban, and 65 percent for rural youth). Some of these youth were still enrolled in secondary school (56 percent) which accounts, in part, for the relatively low rates of employment.

Employed youth in urban areas earned slightly higher wages, on average, than youth in suburban or rural areas. The mean wage for employed youth in urban areas was $4.10 per hour, compared to $4.00 per hour for youth in suburban areas and $3.60 per hour for youth in rural areas. Table 4.9 shows the types of jobs youth with disabilities held in the years immediately after leaving school. A sizeable percentage of youth in urban, suburban, and rural area were employed in manual labor and restaurant work. Youth in rural areas were more likely than those in urban areas to work in lawn care or agriculture. The percentage of youth in urban areas employed in a skilled trade was quite low (6.4 percent).

TABLE 4.9 Percentage of Youth with Disabilities Employed in Various Types
of Jobs, by Community Type
                                  Urban     Suburban     Rural                                =====     ========     ===== Lawn care or odd jobs           9.8        12.0       17.4                                (3.3)       (2.8)      (3.1)  Waiter/Waitress, Busboy, Cook  20.8        16.8       13.0                                (4.5)       (3.2)      (2.8)  Babysitting/Child Care         11.7         8.8        7.5                                (3.6)       (2.4)      (2.2)  Farm/Agricultural               0.1         4.2       16.8                                (0.3)       (1.7)      (3.1)  Factory Work                    3.1         5.7        4.5                                (1.9)       (2.0)      (1.7)  Skilled Trade                   6.4        11.8       12.6                                (2.7)       (2.8)      (2.7)  Other Manual Labor             30.8        33.2       27.5                                (5.1)       (4.0)      (3.7)  Sales, Store Clerk, Cashier     2.9         6.2        4.1                                 (1.9)       (2.1)      (1.6)  Office/Clerical                 4.9         2.7        2.2                                 (2.4)       (1.4)      (1.2)  Hospital Work/Health Care       1.4         0.1        1.6                                (1.3)       (0.3)      (1.0)  Other                          15.3         9.0        8.7                                (4.0)       (2.4)      (2.3)
NOTE: Standard errors are in parenthesis.

SOURCE: Valdés, K. A., Williamson, C. L., & Wagner, M. (1990). The National Longitudinal Transition Study of Special Education Students. Statistical Almanac, Volume 1. Menlo Park, CA: SRI International.

Overall, youth with disabilities in urban areas appear to have some difficulty in adjusting to postsecondary roles. Their relatively low high school graduation rates leave them ill-prepared for many employment opportunities. As a result, their earnings potential is severely limited. While this was also typical of many suburban and rural youth with disabilities, data on urban youth with disabilities suggest particularly difficult postschool adjustments.
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[Factors Associated with the Provision of Special Education to Students with Disabilities in Inner Cities] [Table of Contents] [Summary and Implications]