Postsecondary School Enrollment and Experiences of Youth With Disabilities: A National Perspective Findings From the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2) Lynn Newman, Ed.D. SRI International Institute of Education Sciences Third Annual Research Conference Washington, D.C. June 10-12, 2008

2 NLTS2 Overview Stratified random sample Nationally representative sample of 501 LEAs and 38 special schools, stratified by: Geographic region Enrollment size District wealth 11,275 students by disability category Focuses onYouth, ages 13 to 16 at start of study Study began2000 – 2001 school year Generalizes toAll disability categories, each age cohort Longitudinal 10 years (now in year 8) 5 waves of data collection over 9 years (wave 4 recently completed) NLTS2 has been funded with federal funds from the U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Special Education Research, under contract number ED-01-CO The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the view or policies of the U.S. Department of Education, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. government.

3 NLTS2 Data Source Parent telephone interview and youth telephone interview/survey Wave 3, 2005 Responses for youth who have been out of high school up to 4 years (n=approximately 2,950) Ages 17 through 21

4 Today’s Focus Postsecondary school enrollment Postsecondary school experiences Postsecondary accommodations and supports Preliminary postsecondary school completion rates

5 Postsecondary Enrollment

6 Postsecondary School Enrollment Since Leaving High School Percentage-point difference 17*** 10*** *** p <.001 comparing youth with disabilities in 1990 with youth with disabilities in 2005, and comparing youth with disabilities in 2005 with youth in general population. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, National Transition Study (NLTS), Wave 2 parent and youth interview/survey, 1990; U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Special Education Research, National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2), Wave 3 parent interview and youth interview/survey, 2005; U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 (NLSY97) 2001 youth survey, responses for 17- to 21-years-old.

7 Postsecondary School Enrollment Since Leaving High School of Youth With Disabilities, by School Type and Year of Data Collection Percentage-point differences *** p <.001 comparing youth with disabilities in 1990 with youth with disabilities in SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, National Transition Study (NLTS), Wave 2 parent and youth interview/survey, 1990; U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Special Education Research, National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2), Wave 3 parent interview and youth interview/survey, *** 11*** 17*** Ever enrolled in a:

8 Postsecondary School Enrollment at the Time of the Interview of Youth With Disabilities and Youth in the General Population, by School Type *** p <.001 comparing youth with disabilities and youth in the general population. Note: General population comparison data not available for vocational, business, or technical school enrollment. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Special Education Research, National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2), Wave 3 parent interview and youth interview/survey, 2005; U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 (NLSY97) 2001 youth survey, responses for 17- to 21-year-olds. Enrolled at the time of the interview in a:

9 Difference in Postsecondary School Enrollment Associated With Individual and Household Characteristics

10 Postsecondary School Enrollment Since Leaving High School, by Disability Category SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Special Education Research, National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2), Wave 3 parent interview and youth interview/survey, 2005.

11 Postsecondary School Enrollment Since Leaving High School of Youth With Disabilities, by High School Leaving Status Ever enrolled in a: *** p <.001 comparing high school completers with noncompleters. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Special Education Research, National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2), Wave 3 parent interview and youth interview/survey, 2005.

12 Postsecondary School Enrollment Since Leaving High School of Youth with Disabilities, by Household Income Ever enrolled in a: *** * ** * p <.05, ** p <.01, *** p <.001 comparing youth from households with incomes of $25,000 or less with those from households with incomes of more than $50,000. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Special Education Research, National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2), Wave 3 parent interview and youth interview/survey, 2005.

13 Postsecondary School Enrollment Since Leaving High School of Youth With Disabilities, by Race/Ethnicity Ever enrolled in a: ** p <.01 comparing White youth with African American youth. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Special Education Research, National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2), Wave 3 parent interview and youth interview/survey, **

14 Postsecondary Experiences

15 Mean Number of Months Between Leaving High School and Beginning Postsecondary School by Youth With Disabilities Students enrolled in a: Note: Refers to number of months between leaving high school and first enrollment in a specific type of postsecondary school, for those ever enrolled in postsecondary school. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Special Education Research, National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2), Wave 3 parent interview and youth interview/survey, 2005.

16 Full-Time Attendance at Postsecondary Schools by Youth With Disabilities Students enrolled in a: Note: Of youth who have ever enrolled in postsecondary school, refers to current enrollment or for those not currently enrolled, their most recent enrollment. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Special Education Research, National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2), Wave 3 parent interview and youth interview/survey, 2005.

17 Primary Focus of Courses Taken at 2-Year or Community Colleges by Youth With Disabilities Note: Of youth who have ever enrolled in postsecondary school, refers to current enrollment or for those not currently enrolled, their most recent enrollment. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Special Education Research, National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2), Wave 3 parent interview and youth interview/survey, 2005.

18 Postsecondary Accommodations and Supports

19 Disclosure of Disability by Youth With Disabilities in Postsecondary School Note: Of youth who have ever enrolled in postsecondary school, refers to current enrollment or for those not currently enrolled, they most recent enrollment.\ SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Special Education Research, National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2), Wave 3 parent interview and youth interview/survey, 2005.

20 Self-Identification of a Disability, by Disability Category Student does not consider self to have a disability: Note: Responses of students who have ever enrolled in postsecondary school. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Special Education Research, National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2), Wave 3 parent interview and youth interview/survey, 2005.

21 Receipt of Accommodations and Supports From Postsecondary School Because of Disability Note: Of youth who have ever enrolled in postsecondary school, refers to current enrollment or for those not currently enrolled, their most recent enrollment. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Special Education Research, National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2), Wave 1 school program survey, 2002, and Wave 3 parent interview and youth interview/survey, Received accommodations and supports independent of whether informed school of disability and supports in:

22 Receipt of Accommodations and Supports From School Because of Disability Note: Of youth who have ever enrolled in postsecondary school, refers to current enrollment or for those not currently enrolled, their most recent enrollment. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Special Education Research, National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2), Wave 1 school program survey, 2002, and Wave 3 parent interview and youth interview/survey, Received accommodations and supports independent of whether informed school of disability and supports in:

23 Receipt of Accommodations and Supports From School by Youth Who Consider Themselves to Have a Disability and Have Informed School of Disability Students enrolled in a: Note: Of youth who have ever enrolled in postsecondary school, refers to current enrollment or for those not currently enrolled, their most recent enrollment. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Special Education Research, National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2), Wave 3 parent interview and youth interview/survey, 2005.

24 Types of Accommodations and Supports Received From Postsecondary Schools by Youth with Disabilities Note: Of youth who have ever enrolled in postsecondary school, refers to current enrollment or for those not currently enrolled, their most recent enrollment. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Special Education Research, National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2), Wave 3 parent interview and youth interview/survey, 2005.

25 Receipt of Help With Schoolwork From Postsecondary School, Not Necessarily Related to a Disability Students enrolled in a: Note: Of youth who have ever enrolled in postsecondary school, refers to current enrollment or for those not currently enrolled, their most recent enrollment. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Special Education Research, National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2), Wave 3 parent interview and youth interview/survey, 2005.

26 Postsecondary Students With Disabilities Got Help on Their Own Outside of What School Had Provided Students enrolled in a: Note: Of youth who have ever enrolled in postsecondary school, refers to current enrollment or for those not currently enrolled, their most recent enrollment. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Special Education Research, National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2), Wave 3 parent interview and youth interview/survey, 2005.

27 Youth With Disabilities’ Perceptions of Assistance With Postsecondary Schoolwork Note: Of youth who have ever enrolled in postsecondary school, refers to current enrollment or for those not currently enrolled, their most recent enrollment. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Special Education Research, National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2), Wave 3 parent interview and youth interview/survey, Students enrolled in a:

28 Youth With Disabilities’ Perceptions of Sufficiency of Schoolwork Assistance Note: Of youth who have ever enrolled in postsecondary school, refers to current enrollment or for those not currently enrolled, their most recent enrollment. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Special Education Research, National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2), Wave 3 parent interview and youth interview/survey, Students enrolled in a:

29 A Preliminary Look at Postsecondary School Completion

30 School Completion Goal of Postsecondary Students With Disabilities Enrolled at the Time of the Interview Working toward a diploma, certificate, or license at: SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Special Education Research, National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2), Wave 3 parent interview and youth interview/survey, 2005.

31 Postsecondary School Completion Within 4 Years of Leaving High School by Youth With Disabilities Who Have Ever Been Enrolled in a Postsecondary Program Graduated or completed program at: SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Special Education Research, National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2), Wave 3 parent interview and youth interview/survey, Percent of students who had ever been enrolled in postsecondary school but are not currently enrolled

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