Longitudinal study of 1996 to 1998 high school graduates one year after graduation

Abstract

Student data on 7,964 high school graduates from Colorado's largest school district were matched with data from both the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment and the Colorado Commission on Higher Education. Data collected for the 1996,1997, and 1998 graduates examined two of the paths selected by students immediately after graduation: enrollment in post-secondary education and workforce employment Relationships were identified in terms of gender, ethnic background, and graduation year groups. Post-secondary variables included type of institution and program, most frequently selected institution and degree program, and cumulative hours completed. Employment variables included earnings, industry type, and the size of company where students were employed. In addition, the author provides descriptive comparisons of enrollment and employment data with the information provided by students on their high school graduation exit surveys. According to the data, one year after graduation approximately 54% of the study participants were enrolled in Colorado post-secondary institutions and 46% were employed in Colorado industries. Over 90% of the students enrolled in post-secondary education were also employed. Exit surveys indicated that 72% of the 1996-1998 graduates planned to enroll in post-secondary education programs, and 14% indicated they planned to find full-time employment Statistically significant differences were found between male vs. female and majority vs. minority populations in several categories. For example, based on the percentage in the sample, more female and more majority students than expected were working and attending school in the first year after high school graduation. In addition, more male students than expected were employed-only and more minority students were enrolled-only. The data also show that male graduates earned significantly more than female graduates, and minority students earned significantly more than majority students. Moreover, almost 50% of the students enrolled in post-secondary education were enrolled as undeclared or enrolled in Liberal Arts degree programs. Of the students who were employed, almost 70% were working in retail trade and services industries. This study demonstrates the ability of researchers to match school district data with employment and enrollment data from two state agencies and demonstrates that matched data can be used to identify the paths high school students select after graduation. A final recommendation is offered that school districts from all 50 states establish cooperative agreements with employment and higher education agencies to develop procedures for completing follow-up studies on graduates.