The Ohio Longitudinal Transition Study (OLTS) is the system used in Ohio to ascertain what students with disabilities anticipate doing after graduation (Exit Survey) and to report their post-graduation activities one year after high school graduation (Follow-up Survey). Data collected during the Exit Survey interview includes demographic information, types of services received in school, post-school goals and outcomes, and student satisfaction with the overall transition process. Data gathered during the Follow-up Survey phone interview, conducted one year after the student graduated, includes the type of education and/or employment the former student participated in, living arrangements, involvement in community activities, how things are paid for, and a myriad of other questions related to adult life.
All public school districts in Ohio, who graduate students with disabilities, are included in the study. All public districts in Cuyahoga County, including community schools that graduate students with disabilities have participated in Ohio Longitudinal Transition Study at least one time since 2005.
From the state data collected over several years, the Ohio Longitudinal Transition Study has identified predictors of postsecondary success. This data was compiled from information obtained through interviews of students with disabilities prior to their graduation (Exit Survey) and one year later (Follow-up Survey). These predictors include:
- Passing the Ohio Graduation Tests and being included in the general curriculum 80% or more was a strong predictor of enrolling in a 4-year college;
- Students who participated in a paid community work experience (Work-Study services), including summer jobs, during high school, had a significantly better chance of being successfully employed one year after graduation, both full and part-time;
- Students who participated and completed career technical education training had a significantly better chance of being successfully employed one year after graduation, full or part-time;
- Participating in a job training program (Job Training Coordinator), strongly and significantly predicted part-time employment for students with multiple disabilities; and
- Completing an application for work prior to graduation was a substantial and significant predictor of full-time employment one year after graduation.
Note: These predictors represent the outcomes of only those students who participated in the OLTS surveys and should not be used to quantify all students with disabilities.