Yin Secures Grant for Disability Transitions Project
Northwestern University economist Michelle Yin received a five-year $2.98 million grant from the US Department of Education and the Maine Division of Vocational Rehabilitation to help children with disabilities transition from high school to adult life, independent living, and successful careers.
Research has consistently shown that students with disabilities fare better after high school if they can access personalized and coordinated services and supports across different systems.
But despite federal requirements, “true collaboration among youth-serving agencies has been inconsistent,” says Yin, an associate professor in the School of Education and Social Policy. “This lack of coordination is particularly challenging in rural states like Maine, where issues such as limited access to resources, transportation, and appropriate programming exacerbate the problem.”
Yin, an economist who studies education and labor economics––with a focus on disability employment––serves as the principal investigator of the initiative, which is designed to help bridge gaps in transition services across agencies and reduce disparities.
- Learn more about open positions related to the grant: lead economist, assistant professor, and research assistant.
In 2022, just 19% of people with disabilities in Maine earned a bachelor's degree compared to 37% of those without disabilities, according to Data from the Center for Workforce Research and Information’s disability dashboard.
Fewer than 37% of people with disabilities in Maine are employed, in contrast to 80% of those without disabilities. Even when they do have jobs, however, workers with disabilities in Maine earn over $15,000 less in median earnings compared to workers without disabilities.
“Raising expectations and instilling the belief that working real jobs with fair pay is attainable should begin early through messaging from schools and providers,” Yin says.“Introducing concepts of career planning, community exploration, and independent living to children with disabilities between the ages of 10 and 13 allows them to start envisioning and planning for their futures. The Maine Pathway to Partnerships initiative (P2P) also gives families and service providers resources they need to support and encourage the transition.”
The project is part of the federal Pathways to Partnerships initiative, funding designed to bring together key local and state agencies, schools, and federally funded centers for independent living. With better coordination and the ability to access resources at a younger age, supporters say, people with disabilities can work alongside everyone else, contributing to and participating fully in their communities.
Yin, director of the Master’s in Social and Economic Policy program at Northwestern’s School of Education and Social Policy, has led a range of research disability-focused studies using experimental methods and designs.
In 2022, she received a $4.29 grant from the Department of Education to assess a Virginia intervention designed to end the practice of paying less than the minimum wage to people with disabilities.
She was the principal investigator of an evaluation study of a Transition Work-Based Learning Model for youth with disabilities in Maine and the impact study lead for two career pathway demonstration projects in Virginia and Kentucky.
She is currently the principal investigator on two grants to evaluate the impact of Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools on students with intellectual disabilities’ behavior and schooling outcomes, both domestically and internationally, and has served as the evaluator or supported the evaluation of several other grant-funded projects focused on enhancing employment of individuals with disabilities.
She is also a co-investigator to study the universal design and accommodations features for students with disabilities using the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) process data, funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education.