Factors Associated with the Employment Status of Handicapped Youth Exiting High School from 1979 to 1983

Factors associated with the employment status of handicapped youth were investigated in a sample of 462 youths from nine Vermont school districts. All students from these districts who exited high school between 1979 and 1983, and who had been receiving special education services, were identified. Interviews were conducted with 301 youths to solicit current employment status, employment and training history, and use of social services. Additional information regarding educational history, age, and community demographics was obtained through individual student records. Employment outcomes were related to secondary vocational and training experiences, controlling for geographic location, gender, and level of functioning. Results indicated that over half the sample were employed; that most of the youths found jobs through the “self-family-friend network”; that part-time or summer work during high school were predictors of percentage of time employed since high school and current wages. These findings were discussed in terms of their implications for researchers, service providers, and policy makers.