THE PATHWAY FROM EDUCATION TO EMPLOYMENT: RESULTS FROM STUDY 1.1 OF THE FROM COLLEGE TO CAREER (FCTC) PROJECT - Part 1 - executive summary

Oct 15, 2026

Strengthening Employment Outcomes after Postsecondary Education for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (FCTC) targets evidence on how postsecondary education supports competitive integrated employment (CIE). The study focuses on employment outcomes for participants who attended postsecondary education, using RSA-911 and the Think College TPSID dataset. RSA-911 analyses cover 2020–2023 among ages 17–35 with intellectual disability, comparing CIE at VR exit. Methods include descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, mean comparisons, and sequential logistic regression incorporating demographics and employment barriers.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages6

Reading Time15 min

AccessFree to download

Study 1 scope

Project purpose and study focus

Datasets used (RSA-911 and TPSID)

RSA-911 analysis

Sample and eligibility criteria

Key variables (PSE participation, CIE at exit)

Methods (descriptive stats, chi-square, regression)

Sample characteristics (Table 1)

Findings

Employment outcomes by PSE participation

THE PATHWAY FROM EDUCATION TO EMPLOYMENT: RESULTS FROM STUDY 1.1 OF THE FROM COLLEGE TO CAREER (FCTC) PROJECT By John Shepard, Alberto Migliore, Jean Winsor, and Clare Papay The purpose of the From College to Career: Strengthening Employment Outcomes after Postsecondary Education for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (FCTC) project is to strengthen the evidence base on how postsecondary education (PSE) can support competitive integrated employment (CIE) outcomes for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) . In 2024, only 37.4% of working-age people with disabilities were employed compared to 74. 9% of people without a disability (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025) . PSE is widely recognized as a key factor associated with employment outcomes in the general population (Carnevale et al., 2011) . In 2024, individuals with some college (25 .2%) or a bachelor’s degree or higher (31 .7%) were more likely to be employed than individuals with less than a high school diploma (11 .3%) or no college education (17.3%; US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025) . PSE participation has been found to be associated with improved employment outcomes (Cimera et al., 2018; Miller et al., 2019; Sannicandro et al., 2018; Smith et al., 2018) . However, thereis variability in the effectiveness of CIE preparation across programs and additional barriers to securing employment after PSE that are not well understood (Grigal et al., 2019) . The goal of the FCTC project is to identify, develop, and test evidence-based solutions to address barriers that PSE programs encounter when supporting students on the pathway from PSE to CIE. Study 1 of FCTC focuses on: » understanding employment outcomes of people who attended PSE » identifying characteristics and experiences associated with successful employment outcomes To do this, Study 1 analyzed two complementary datasets: 1. RSA-911, a national dataset of individuals who received services through state vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies. It includes individual-level information on demographics, education and service indicators, and employment outcomes at VR case closure. 2. The Think College National Coordinating Center’s (NCC) Transition and Postsecondary Education Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities (TPSID) dataset, a national dataset capturing student experiences and employment outcomes within federally funded TPSIDs programs. Funded since 2010 in 5-year cycles, TPSID grantees report annual program and student data to the Think College NCC. Data from the TPSID dataset tell us about the PSE experiences of students with IDD including activities that prepare individuals for CIE and whether the student obtains an employment outcome. The most recent TPSID data are from Cohort 3 (2020-2025) . Findings from RSA-911 In this brief, we will share findings from the RSA-911 dataset. Please read (From College to Career for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: Results from Study 1.2) for findings from the TPSID dataset. Sample We analyzed RSA-911 program years 2020–2023 to examine whether PSE or training participation is associated with CIE outcomes at VR exit among people ages 17–35 with intellectual disability. We selected this age range to align with TPSID analyses and to focus on transition-age youth and young adults, a group for whom PSE and employment outcomes are most directly relevant. The analytic sample included intellectual disability as the primary disability for the individuals who exited VR during the study period. Key Variables PSE participation was defined using the RSA-911 indicator for whether an individual was enrolled in PSE or career/technical training as part of their individualized plan for employment leading to a recognized PSE credential. CIE at exit was measured using the RSA-911 closure outcome variable indicating whether an individual exited VR in CIE (with or without supports) .

FAQs

What is the main purpose of the FCTC project?

The FCTC project aims to strengthen evidence on how postsecondary education can improve competitive integrated employment outcomes for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Which datasets does Study 1 analyze?

Study 1 analyzes RSA-911, a national vocational rehabilitation dataset, and the Think College NCC TPSID dataset, which captures experiences and employment outcomes in TPSIDs programs.

How is CIE at exit measured in the RSA-911 analysis?

CIE at exit is measured using the RSA-911 closure outcome variable indicating whether individuals exited vocational rehabilitation in competitive integrated employment, with or without supports.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Aria Callaghan