National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2)
What is it?
This is a study that includes 12,000 youth nationwide who were ages 13 through 16 at the start of the study (2000). Information will be collected over 10 years from parents, youth, and schools and will provide a national picture of the experiences and achievements of young people as they transition into early adulthood.
The study will:
- Describe the characteristics of secondary school students in special education and their households.
- Describe the secondary school experiences of students in special education, including their schools, school programs, related services, and extracurricular activities.
- Describe the experiences of students once they leave secondary school, including adult programs and services, social activities, etc.
- Measure the secondary school and postschool outcomes of students in the education, employment, social, and residential domains.
- Identify factors in students' secondary school and postschool experiences that contribute to more positive outcomes.
Who funds the NLTS2?
NLTS2 is funded by the Institute of Education Sciences' National Center for Education Research in the U.S. Department of Education as part of the national assessment of the 1997 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA '97).
What activities are involved during the study?
There are many activities in which the information is collected. All sources are confidential, such as parents/legal guardians and student records.
- Telephone interviews:
- Parents will be contacted for telephone interviews about the experiences of their youth and their family life. Interviews began in spring 2001 and repeat every other year thereafter until 2009.
- Youth who are able to complete a telephone interview will also be contacted beginning in 2003. NLTS2 will send out a family/youth survey for those families/youth who were unable to be interviewed.
- The telephone interviews with parents and youth are provided in both English and Spanish.
- School surveys:
- Teachers and school staff who know the youth well were asked to complete a mail survey about the youth's school program.
- These surveys were conducted in the spring of 2002 and 2004 for all students still in school for the duration of those years.
- In 2002 principals or school coordinators were asked to provide information about the youth's school, such as information about teacher training, school safety, and school policies.
- Student assessments:
- An individual assessment was conducted by a trained professional with eligible youth.
- The assessment was arranged at a time convenient for the student, and was given at his or her school or home.
- Parents were notified when an assessment was scheduled.
- The assessment included questions about reading, math, science, and social studies.
- The assessment also included a student interview that covered how students feel about themselves, about school and learning, and about their social relationships.
- When the direct assessment of a student was not appropriate, an alternate assessment (a teacher-completed checklist) was conducted.
- The assessment was conducted only once in either the spring of 2002 or the spring of 2004, when the student was 16 to 18 years old.
- Transcripts:
- To better understand school programs and achievements of students, transcripts are collected each year that a student is enrolled in high school.
NLTS2 Table -summarizes the planned data collection activities over the 9 data collection years of the study.
Instrument | 2000-
2001
| 2001-
2002
| 2002-
2003
| 2003-
2004
| 2004-
2005
| 2005-
2006
| 2006-
2007
| 2007-
2008
| 2008-
2009
| 2009-
2010
|
---|
Parent Interview |
x |
|
x |
|
x |
|
x |
|
x |
|
---|
Youth Interview |
|
|
x |
|
x |
|
x |
|
x |
|
---|
Direct Assessment |
|
x |
|
x |
|
|
|
|
|
|
---|
Teacher Survey |
|
x |
|
x |
|
|
|
|
|
|
---|
School Program Survey |
|
x |
|
x |
|
|
|
|
|
|
---|
School Characteristics Survey |
|
x |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
---|
Transcripts |
|
x |
x |
x |
x |
x |
x |
x |
x |
|
---|
Analysis |
x |
x |
x |
x |
x |
x |
x |
x |
x |
x |
---|
Results of Study:
Students' Post-High-School Goals:
Postsecondary education/training
|
Percentage with goal
|
Attend a 2- or 4-year college
|
46.8
|
Attend a postsecondary vocational training program
|
39.7
|
Employment
|
|
Obtain competitive employment
|
53.2
|
Obtain supported employment
|
8.2
|
Obtain sheltered employment
|
4.8
|
Other
|
|
Live independently
|
49.6
|
Maximize functional independence
|
20.1
|
Enhance Social/ interpersonal relationships and satisfaction
|
25.3
|
Source: NLTS2 Wave 1 student's school program survey.
Note: Includes only students with transition planning.
Active Participants in Transition Planning for Students with Transition Planning:
Percentage of students who:
|
All students with transition planning
|
Do not attend planning meetings or participate in the planning process
|
5.5
|
Are present for planning but participate little
|
24.6
|
Provide input in planning as moderately active participants
|
57.7
|
Are leaders in planning
|
12.2
|
Percentage with active participation by:
|
|
Parent/guardian
|
84.8
|
Special education teacher
|
97.4
|
General education academic teacher
|
58.6
|
General education vocational teacher
|
31.7
|
School counselor
|
61.4
|
School administrator
|
55.6
|
Related services personnel
|
18.4
|
Vocational rehabilitation counselor
|
4.3
|
Others
|
16.9
|
Source: NLTS2 Wave 1 student's school program survey.
Note: The category "Others" includes staff of the Social Security
Administration or other outside agencies, employers, representatives of
postsecondary education institutions, and advocates or consultants.
Supports and Services Specified in Transition Planning:
An Individualized Education Program (IEP) or transition plan that specifies a course of study to meet transition goals
|
74.2
|
Received instruction focused on transition planning
|
64.5
|
Any postschool service needs identified
|
76.2
|
Source: NLTS2 Wave 1 student's school program survey.
Contacts Made by Schools on Behalf of Students with Transition Planning:
Percentage with contacts made with:
|
All Students with Transition Planning:
|
2- and 4-year colleges
|
24.0
|
Vocational schools
|
24.3
|
Potential employers
|
19.8
|
Military
|
15.1
|
Job placement agencies
|
24.0
|
Supported employment programs
|
14.2
|
Sheltered employment programs
|
7.4
|
Other vocational training programs
|
26.2
|
Mental health
|
10.7
|
Social Security Administration
|
11.5
|
State VR agency
|
37.8
|
Other social service agency
|
18.1
|
Supervised residential support
|
5.6
|
Adult day program
|
5.2
|
Congregate care facility
|
2.0
|
Other
|
7.2
|
Source: NLTS2 Wave 1 student's school program survey.
Click the link below to learn more about what the study found out about standardized testing in secondary education for students with disabilities.
http://www.nlts2.org/fact_sheets/nlts2_fact_sheet_2004_04.pdf
Click the link below to learn more about what the study found out about the self-determination and self-advocacy abilities of youth with disabilities.
http://www.nlts2.org/presentations/nlts2_June_2006_briefing.pdf
You can find fact sheets, reports, data briefs, news letters, brochures, and a topic page at the following link.
http://www.nlts2.org/products.html
Click the link below for the full report of the NLTS2.
http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED494935.pdf
Resources:
NLTS2: FAQ. (n.d.). NLTS2: Home. Retrieved March 29, 2010, from http://www.nlts2.org/faq.html#whatisit
http://sefb320.pbworks.com/f/NLTS2%20The%20Transition%20Planning.pdf
Cameto, R., Newman, L., and Wagner, M. (June, 2006). "The National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2) Project Update: Self-Perceptions of Youth with Disabilities." Institute of Education Sciences, Washington, D.C
OSEP's National Longitudinal Studies: Standardized testing among secondary school students with disabilities (April 2004). Menlo Park, CA: SRI International
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