High School and Beyond

NORC at the University of Chicago, then known as the National Opinion Research Center, developed the sample design and performed the data collection for the study.

HS&B began in 1980 as a nationally representative sample of 30,030 sophomores and 28,240 seniors in 1,015 public and private high schools in the United States.

From the initial sample of 58,270 public and private high school students, 14,825 sophomores and 11,995 seniors were selected to be re-interviewed over their early adult years.

Researchers have used the HS&B data to write many journal articles (over 400), books, dissertations (over 250), and other reports (over 200) in a number of subject areas, including sociology, management, business, education, economics, political science, planning development, family studies, urban studies, social work, public administration, health care and health policy, and others.

[53-54] Findings from the HS&B study have helped to inform public policy debates about workforce training and financial aid for college, among other things.

The 2021 follow-up is funded by the National Institute on Aging and the Alzheimer's Association and will follow up with approximately 25,500 sample members of the 1980 sophomore and senior classes from the original HS&B study sponsored by NCES.

The 2021 follow-up surveys will assess sample members’ cognitive skills as they approach age 60 and are designed to understand the connections between social relationships, education, and health.

The resulting research will focus on understanding how opportunities and experiences of adolescents and young adults, as well as characteristics of their high schools and post-secondary institutions, shape sample members’ lives as they age and approach the retirement years.