Initial Contact to Amish Teacher

Dear Teacher Name:
The National Center for Education Statistics of the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S.
Census Bureau would like to thank you for making the 2007-08 Schools and Staffing Survey
(SASS) a success. Once again, we are asking for your insight into the teaching profession in the
United States.
This year we are conducting the Teacher Follow-up Survey (TFS) with a sample of teachers who
participated in SASS. The TFS is a survey that is more focused on changes in your career and life
factors that affect work than the SASS and will take less time to complete. Your contribution will
help to:
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Measure teacher retention and attrition
Understand the effects of school policies and practices on teachers’ decisions to remain in
or leave the profession
Develop incentive programs to encourage teachers to remain in the profession
Describe how teachers rate their workplace conditions relative to other professions

Please complete and return your questionnaire in the postage-paid return envelope within
two weeks.
If you have any questions, please contact the Census Bureau staff by either writing to the address
below or calling 1-866-872-6868. Staff will be available to take your call Monday thru Friday
between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time).
U.S. Census Bureau
Education Surveys Branch
Demographic Surveys Division 8400
Washington, D.C. 20233
Your responses are protected by federal statute (P.L. 107-279, Title I, Part E, Sec. 183). Your

answers may be used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed, or
used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law. The information
you provide will be combined with the information provided by others in statistical summaries.
Your participation is very important to ensure that this survey yields meaningful results.
However, you may decline to answer any or all of the items.
For additional information about the TFS, please see the reverse side of this letter.
Thank you, again, in advance for your cooperation in this important survey effort.
Sincerely,

Stuart Kerachsky
Acting Commissioner for Education Statistics
Office of the Commissioner
National Center for Education Statistics

Enclosures

What is the purpose of this survey?
The purpose of this survey is to obtain information about the career paths of new teachers,
including current teachers’ experiences and satisfaction, and about former teachers’ current
employment and reasons for leaving the teaching profession.
Who authorizes this survey?
This survey is authorized by Title I, Part E, Sections 151(b) and 153(a) of Public Law 107-279,
the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002. The U.S. Census Bureau is conducting this survey
for The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) of the U.S. Department of Education.
Why should you participate in this survey?
Policymakers and educational leaders rely on data from this survey to inform their decisions
concerning K-12 schools. This survey provides important insight into the career paths of
beginning teachers and your participation will contribute to the success of this data collection.
Because it is a sample survey, your responses represent the responses of many. Higher response
rates give us confidence that the findings are accurate.
Will your responses be kept confidential?
Your responses are protected by federal statute (P.L. 107-279, Title I, Part E, Sec. 183). Your

answers may be used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed, or
used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law.
How will your information be reported?
The information you provide will be combined with the information provided by others in
statistical reports. No individually-identifiable data will be included in the statistical reports.

Paperwork Burden Statement
According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a
collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. The valid
OMB control number for this information collection is 1850-0617. The time required to
complete this information collection is estimated to average __ minutes per response, including
the time spent to review instructions, search existing data sources, gather the data needed, and
complete and review the information collection. If you have any comments concerning the
accuracy of the time estimate(s) or suggestions for improving this form, please write to: U.S.
Department of Education, Washington, DC 20202-4651. If you have comments or concerns
regarding the status of your individual submission of this form, e-mail: [email protected], or
write directly to: Schools and Staffing Survey, National Center for Education Statistics, 1990 K
Street, N.W., #9018, Washington, DC 20006.