Home » Programs Research Data Sources
Senior Exit Questionnaire
The Senior Exit Questionnaire is a short online survey developed by PSESD that is administered to high school seniors in the May before high school graduation. On the survey, students are asked a series of questions about their postsecondary plans. In 2006, 94% of seniors completed the survey. Reports are available for the graduating classes of 2004, 2005, and 2006.
FAFSA
Through a partnership with the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC), PSESD is able to track submission and completion of the FAFSA for current seniors with a valid Social Security number. In addition, ISAC provides information on student eligibility for federal and state-based grants. The student-level data is reported to the schools weekly starting in late March and continuing until the end of the school year. FAFSA data will be integrated into PSESD research reports in Fall 2007.
College Enrollment
Through the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC), PSESD obtains actual college enrollment data for CPS graduates. More than 2,900 US colleges and universities are included in the NSC database which includes 91% of higher education students. The college enrollment data is used to produce several reports.
College Fall enrollment reports track whether graduates enrolled in college in the fall after high school graduation. Reports are available for the graduating classes of 2004, 2005, and 2006.
College retention reports examine persistence in students’ first, second, and third years of college. A one-year retention report is available for the graduating classes of 2004. New retention reports for the graduating classes of 2004 and 2005 will be available in Fall 2007.
College graduation reports have not been released, but they will track college completion rates at intervals of three years (for Associate’s) and six years (for Bachelor’s) after high school graduation.
Employment
Through an agreement with the Illinois Department of Employment Security, PSESD is able to track the employment of graduates employed in the state of Illinois. Because the data is provided by quarter, PSESD tracks employment in the fall after high school graduation, continuous employment through the year after graduation, and earnings. Reports are available for the graduating classes of 2004 and 2005.
Career Exploration
PSESD purchased a career and college exploration software called Choices Planner than includes an electronic portfolio. Through this, schools can track student activity on the software and a variety of exploration indicators, such as the careers and colleges students are interested, students that have completed a resume, and students that have applied to colleges.
