Chapter 8: Transitional Needs of “Special” Students During the Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic complicated the transition to adulthood for young people around the United States and the world. Rates of students graduating high school, entering directly and continuing in post-secondary education, and continuing in post-secondary programs all fell sharply in 2020 and 2021 (National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, 2021). The pandemic also saw significant spikes in unemployment and job losses for young adults (Kuroishi et al., 2022). Disruptions to planned transitions to work and post-secondary education, disruptions to services, and delayed health care caused by the pandemic contributed to significant rises in physical and mental health related issues reported by young adults (Geranios et al., 2022).