Leading the Way or Falling Behind? A Policy Panel on Pay Disparities for People with Disabilities

People with disabilities are an important part of the workforce, but make 63 cents for every dollar earned by a person without a disability—and that gap rises as educational attainment increases.

On Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2020, the Institute for Educational Leadership and AIR led a discussion on the challenges that people with disabilities face in the workplace, and the implications for policymakers at the state and local levels. An expert panel identified policies that can address the pay gap and improve employment and career outcomes for people with disabilities.

See recent research on this topic on the IEL website and AIR’s research and resources on National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

View the webinar recording

Panelists:

• Kristin Vandagriff, Executive Director, Alaska Governor’s Council on Disabilities and Special Education
• Gabriel “Gabe” Cazares, Director, Houston Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities
• Kristen McCosh, Disability Commissioner & ADA Title II Coordinator, Boston Mayor's Commission for Persons with Disabilities 
• Dr. Michelle Yin, Principal Economist, AIR
• Dahlia Shaewitz, Vice President, Transition Disability & Inclusion, Institute for Educational Leadership