Part C

The ECLS-K:11 Questionnaires
C.1

Introduction

This section provides information about the general contents of the ECLS-K:11 parent interview,
the school principal/director questionnaire, the regular and special education teacher questionnaires,
and the wrap-around early care and education provider (WECEP) interview. Appendices A (Parent
Interview), B (School Administrator Questionnaire), C (Teacher Questionnaires), and D (WECEP
Interview) include the questionnaire items that are being considered for inclusion in the final survey
instruments and that are intended to measure the constructs and topics listed in this section.1
The design of the ECLS-K:11 and the survey instruments is guided by a conceptual framework of
children’s development and learning that emphasizes the interaction among the various
environments in which children live and the resources within those environments to which children
have access. For this reason, the study collects information on a wide array of topics, including the
characteristics of the child, the child’s family, the community, nonparental care and education
arrangements, and the child’s school and classroom environments. The ECLS-K:11 incorporates
multiple respondents so that information on each of these environments can be collected from the
people most likely to provide accurate and reliable data. The respondent interviews and
questionnaires included in the study and the general topics covered in each include:

1

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Parent Interview—to be administered to parents/guardians of children in the study.
The parent instrument includes questions about family structure; the primary language
spoken in the home; parent education; parent employment; the home environment; the
parent’s health and well-being; family practices; food security and consumption;
discipline; parent involvement in school; school practices; child care; and the child’s
behavior regulation. Parents provide assessments of children’s social skills that are
comparable to those in the teacher questionnaire and also report on their children’s
level of physical activity, health, and disabilities.

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School Principal/Director Questionnaire—to be completed by the principal or
director of each school attended by a child in the study. This instrument includes a
broad range of questions about the school setting; policies, programs, and practices at

The topics and items that appear in the final instruments that will be used in the full-scale collection may differ from the information provided in this
OMB submission as a result of input from experts on the ECLS-K:11 technical review panel and from cosponsor agencies. Final instruments will be
included with the OMB package that will be submitted after the ECLS-K:11field test.

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Kindergarten Class of 2010-11

C-1

the school level and in the target grade of study children; and questions about the
principal and about the teaching staff.
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Teacher Questionnaire—to be completed by all teachers of children in the study. The
teacher questionnaire is split into three sections. The first section includes questions
about the classroom and student characteristics, class schedules, class materials,
instructional practices, and curriculum. The second section includes items on the
teacher’s background, teaching experience, and attitudes about teaching and the school
climate. The third section has questions specifically about each study child and includes
the teacher’s assessment of the child’s academic and cognitive abilities, behaviors, and
social skills as well as information about program placements and special services that
each child may receive.

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Special Education Teacher Questionnaire—to be completed by the special
education teacher or service provider for children in the study who have Individual
Education Plans (IEPs). This questionnaire is split into two sections. The first section
includes questions about the teacher’s background and training. The second section has
questions about the study child who has an IEP and includes child characteristics and
services the child receives.

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Wrap-Around Early Care and Education Provider (WECEP) Questionnaire—to
be administered to the early care and education providers of sampled children who
attend before- or after-school care for at least 5 hours per week. The provider with
whom the child spends the most time on a weekly basis will be the respondent. The
early care and education provider instrument asks about the characteristics of the child’s
care and education arrangement, as well as the provider’s background and professional
development activities.

The data from these instruments can be used, in conjunction with the data obtained in the ECLSK:11 direct assessments, to answer a wide variety of research questions about how home, school,
and neighborhood factors relate to children’s cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development.
The following sections include examples of these research questions followed by a list of the most
important constructs covered in each instrument.

C.2

ECLS-K:11 Parent Interview

C.2.1

Parent Interview: Example Research Questions

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What is the status of children’s development (as defined by cognitive, social, and
emotional development; behavior; and physical status measures) at entry to
kindergarten? How does children’s development vary by child and family social,
demographic, and contextual characteristics at the time of kindergarten entry?

Early Childhood Longitudinal Study
Kindergarten Class of 2010-11

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How do variations in children’s developmental status (as defined by ECLS-K:11
cognitive, socioemotional, and physical measures) at kindergarten entry affect later
success in school?

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How do family sociodemographic and contextual characteristics influence later success
in school within and across outcome domains and within sex and racial/ethnic
subgroups?

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What are the effects of family processes and parenting practices (e.g., home
environment, family activities, and cognitive stimulation) on children’s readiness,
developmental status, and social and emotional adjustment? How do critical family
processes and parenting practices influence later success in school?

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What are parents’ definitions of readiness—i.e., what beliefs and standards do they have
for children’s behavior and academic performance at entry into kindergarten? How do
definitions of readiness differ by parental socioeconomic status (SES) and
race/ethnicity? What are parents’ assessments of individual children’s readiness for and
adjustment to school?

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How does parental involvement in children’s education relate to school performance
over the course of the early grades? Do parental involvement levels differ by family
social, demographic, and contextual characteristics?

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What are children’s patterns of participation in early care and education? How do early
care and education arrangements differ by family sociodemographic factors, SES, and
race/ethnicity? How are these arrangements related to children’s progress through
school?

C.2.2

Parent Interview: Construct Coverage

Parent’s Involvement with the Child’s Education
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Parent’s choice of school for child;
Parent contact with teachers, the guidance counselor, or the school;
School-initiated contact with parents;
Parent attendance at parent-teacher conferences and meetings;
Parent participation in school activities;
Parent’s evaluation of school practices to communicate with parents;
Parent satisfaction with the teachers and school;
Barriers to involvement with the school;
Parent networks;
School practices to communicate with parents and encourage involvement;
Parent beliefs about efficacy to help with homework and make a contribution to their
child’s education;
Child’s tardiness to school;
School climate;

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Kindergarten Class of 2010-11

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Involvement of parents or other persons in helping with homework; and
Use of tutoring services.

Parental Beliefs and Expectations
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Parent’s educational expectations for how far the child will go in school (high school,
college, etc.); and
Parent’s predictions of how well the child will do in reading and math in the current
school year.

Family Structure
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A roster of the household;
Information about why people who were in the household in a previous round of
collection have left the household;
Information about how long the child has lived with each household member;
Marital status and history of the primary caretakers;
Contact with biological/adoptive parents no longer living in household;
Number of times child has moved from one home or school to another between
interviews;
Tenure at current address (based on how many data collection points the child has the
same address);
Family structure change and loss (e.g., remarriage, divorce, death, and homelessness); and
Change in the relationship of the respondent (and his/her partner) to the child (e.g.,
adoption).

Parent Characteristics
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Parent’s sex, age, and race/ethnicity; and
Parent’s vital status (collected when the biological parent doesn’t live in the household or
when a parent/parental figure identified in a previous round is no longer in the
household).

Immigration Status
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Country of origin for parents and sample child;
Length of residence in U.S. for parents and sample child;
Citizenship for parents; and
Years of schooling obtained by the parent outside the U.S.

Home Environment, Activities, and Cognitive Stimulation
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Frequency of cognitive activities with child (reading, storytelling, etc.);
Outings and activities with child;
Literacy materials in the home;
Library use;
Availability and use of a home computer;

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Kindergarten Class of 2010-11

C-4

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Parental monitoring of television viewing;
Family routines;
Time spent playing with child;
Talking to child about ethnic or racial heritage;
Additional resource materials in the home (e.g., newspapers, magazines); and
Parent’s reading habits.

Neighborhood
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Neighborhood safety;
Neighborhood problems (e.g., incidence of nonviolent crime and violent crime); and
Neighborhood resources.

Child’s Social Skills, Problem Behaviors, and Approaches Toward Learning
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Social skills, problem behaviors, and approaches toward learning;
Adjustment to school; and
Executive function and behavior regulation.

Critical Family Processes
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Marital satisfaction; and
Social, material, and emotional support for the family.

Child Care
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Participation in early care and education, by type of arrangement (e.g., relative; nonrelative; and center-based);
Payment for current child care arrangements; and
Hours per week child spends in self-care.

Parental Discipline, Warmth, and Emotional Supportiveness
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Warmth;
Aggravation from parenting;
Disciplinary practices;
Verbal and physical affection toward child;
Quality of parent-child relationship;
Discussions with child; and
Listening and communication.

Involvement of Nonresident Parent
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Current contact;
Distance from the nonresident parent’s home to the child’s home;
Child support; and
Payment of other bills and expenses.

Early Childhood Longitudinal Study
Kindergarten Class of 2010-11

C-5

Child’s Health and Well-Being
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Birth weight;
Whether child was born at term, preterm, or post-term;
Whether child was part of a multiple birth;
Early language, speech, and communication development;
Early physical development;
Ear infection history;
Behavioral and attention problems;
Vision and hearing problems;
Disabilities;
Diagnoses of disabilities and health conditions;
Chronic illnesses or other conditions;
Special equipment and services;
Child’s general health status;
Routine health and dental care;
Childhood health conditions and treatments used;
Childhood injuries;
Health insurance coverage;
Exercise/physical activities;
Child’s diet and nutrition;
Children’s anxiety and depression;
Weight concerns;
Reasons that child no longer receives services for disabilities; and
Receipt of individual and/or family therapy.

Parent’s Psychological Well-Being and Health
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Depression and subjective well-being;
General health status;
Family health limitations; and
Stressful life events in the past year.

Parent Education and Human Capital
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Diplomas or degrees parent has obtained;
Parents’ current school attendance;
Parents’ current job training;
Parents’ grades in high school;
Type of high school program parent attended; and
Education level of the parents’ parents.

Early Childhood Longitudinal Study
Kindergarten Class of 2010-11

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Parent Employment
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Parents’ current employment;
Occupation and industry; and
Parents’ work schedule.

Welfare and Other Public Transfers
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Receipt of Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) since child’s birth and in last
12 months;
Receipt of Food Stamps during past 12 months;
Participation in Federal School Lunch or Breakfast Program; and
Work or other requirements for receiving TANF/Food Stamps.

Food Sufficiency and Food Consumption
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Ability to purchase food sufficient for family needs;
Frequency that parent and child are hungry;
Frequency child drinks milk, juice, soda, and sports drinks;
Frequency child eats vegetables, fast food, and chips;
Whether or not child has a special diet due to allergies; and
Whether or not child takes vitamin or mineral supplements.

Parent Income and Assets
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Total family income for the year;
Housing situation (own or rent home);
Value of home;
Mortgage payment; and
Savings for child’s education after high school.

C.3

School Administrator Questionnaire

C.3.1

School Administrator Questionnaire: Example Research Questions

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How does the length and schedule of the school year affect children’s progress, especially
cognitive gains?
How do differences in schools’ basic demographic and organizational characteristics
influence children’s academic and social development in the early elementary school years?
Does the school or administrative climate, teachers’ opportunities for staff development,
or school goals for teachers’ progress in the classroom influence children’s academic
development?
Do schools’ practices to involve parents result in higher levels of parent involvement?

Early Childhood Longitudinal Study
Kindergarten Class of 2010-11

C-7

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C.3.2

What kinds of services or programs do schools provide to families, children, or
community members? What are the effects on children’s academic and socioemotional
development of such programs or services?
How do schools respond to the needs of parents with little or no English proficiency?
How do neighborhood or community differences influence children’s cognitive and social
development?

School Administrator Questionnaire: Construct Coverage

School Characteristics, Facilities, and Resources
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School type (public or private (and, among private schools, religious affiliation));
Special mission or philosophy, including magnet status;
Total enrollment;
Ethnic and racial composition of the student population;
School breakfast and lunch programs and the percentage of children eligible for free or
reduced-price meals;
Standardized test score data;
Receipt of Title 1 funding;
Adequacy of the physical plant;
Availability of computers;
School status relative to Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP);
Children transferring in or out due to school’s AYP status;
Other consequences of not meeting AYP, if applicable;
Neighborhood problems (racial tensions, garbage or litter, and crime);
School safety; and
Measures taken to ensure school safety.

School Policies and Practices
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School rules regarding uniforms;
Standardized testing;
Retention policies and practices; and
Efforts to meet AYP, such as replacing staff, offering student transfers.

School-Family-Community Connections
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Programs or services for children available at the school site;
School-based programs or services for parents and families;
School-initiated activities for families (e.g., PTA, teacher-parent conferences, school
performances);
School-family communication about children’s performance;
General level of parent involvement (e.g., volunteering, attending school events); and
School-based management committees.

Early Childhood Longitudinal Study
Kindergarten Class of 2010-11

C-8

School Programs for Special Populations
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Delivery of instruction to English Language Learners (ELL) and services for language
minority (LM) families;
Delivery of special education and related services to children with disabilities; and
Delivery of instruction to gifted and talented children.

Staffing and Teacher Characteristics
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Total number of full- and part-time teachers, specialists, nurses, and paraprofessionals;
The salary ranges for full-time teachers; and
The racial and ethnic composition of teaching staff.

School Governance and Climate
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Frequency of teacher observation;
Staff development opportunities;
Principal’s goals and expectations for teachers;
School climate, including perceived effects of NCLB on school improvement;
School decision-making process; and
Influence of school factors on principal’s evaluation.

Principal Characteristics
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C.4

Principal’s sex, age, and race/ethnicity;
Principal’s years at the study school;
Principal’s years in the role of principal;
Principal’s years of teaching experience;
Principal’s formal education;
Principal’s time allocation; and
Principal’s familiarity with students.

Teacher Questionnaires

C.4.1 Teacher Questionnaires: Example Research Questions
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How do instructional practices, content coverage, classroom resources, and methods of
providing feedback differ across classrooms or schools? What are the consequences of
those differences for children’s academic and social development?
Are children’s opportunities to learn in the early elementary grades associated with family
social background characteristics? Are children’s opportunities to learn in the early
elementary school grades associated with later school success?

Early Childhood Longitudinal Study
Kindergarten Class of 2010-11

C-9

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C.4.2

How do teachers and schools handle the diversity of children’s skills? How are children
with special needs (e.g., English Language Learners, gifted and talented students, students
with IEPs) taught?
Do teachers’ sociodemographic characteristics and their educational background or
experience influence children’s outcomes, on average or in interaction with children’s
sociodemographic backgrounds?
Do teachers’ practices to involve parents result in higher levels of parent involvement?

Teacher Questionnaires: Construct Coverage

Classroom and Student Characteristics
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Class time (full/half day, hours per day, days per week);
Organization of the class;
Grade levels of classes the teacher teaches;
Current classroom enrollment;
Age range of children in class;
Racial/ethnic distribution of students in class;
Sex distribution of students in class;
Number of students eligible for free or reduced-price meals;
Number of students who enter or leave during the school year;
Number of students with above or below grade level reading and mathematics skills;
Number of language minority children and English-language learners (ELL) in the
classroom;
Number of children in the classroom receiving special services or in special programs (e.g.,
special education services, a gifted and talented program, remedial services);
Languages spoken in the classroom;
Non-English language instruction in the class;
Numbers of children with disabilities by disability type;
Number of children tardy or absent on an average day; and
Overall behavior of the class.

Instructional Activities and Curricular Focus
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Class activities outside of the regular class (library, lunch, and recess);
Time spent working on various subject areas;
Class organizational strategies (teacher-directed and child-selected activities);
Use of ability grouping, number of groups, and mobility between groups;
Remedial services; and
Homework assignments.

Early Childhood Longitudinal Study
Kindergarten Class of 2010-11

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Content Coverage for Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science Instruction
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Time spent on each subject area (reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social
studies);
Materials used for each subject area;
Emphasis on topics within each subject area; and
Activities used for each subject area.

Resources/Materials
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Classroom aides (paid aides and volunteers) and their characteristics;
Availability and use of instructional materials;
Adequacy of instructional materials and supplies;
Activity centers in the classroom; and
Availability and use of computers.

Student Evaluation
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Standards against which teachers evaluate students;
Methods of assessing children’s progress;
Use of standardized tests; and
Access to and usefulness of test scores.

Parent Involvement
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Sharing information with parents about children’s test scores;
Frequencies of scheduled parent-teacher conferences and other communications with
parents;
Volunteers in the classroom; and
Parents participating in other school activities.

Collegial Relations and Opportunities for Professional Development
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Frequency of meeting with other teachers and specialists;
Participation in staff development and its usefulness; and
Planning and preparation time.

Teachers’ Views on Teaching, School Climate, and Environment
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Teachers’ influence over school policies;
Teachers’ control over classroom planning and teaching;
School climate;
Job satisfaction;
Teachers’ sense of efficacy;
Planning and preparation time;
Transition into kindergarten activities;
Transition into first grade activities;

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Kindergarten Class of 2010-11

C-11

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Teacher’s beliefs about “readiness” and preparation for kindergarten; and
Staff communication.

Teacher Background
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Teacher’s sex, age, and race/ethnicity
Total years teaching experience, overall and in the sample child’s grade;
Total years teaching experience at the study school;
Teacher’s education, including degrees and credentials/licenses;
Type of teaching certification held.

Child-Specific: Enrollment Information
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Kindergarten program type;
Current grade level;
Child’s retention status;
Length of time child has been enrolled in the classroom; and
Number of school absences.

Child-Specific: Evaluation of Child’s Skills and Knowledge
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Language and literacy academic rating scale;
Mathematical thinking academic rating scale;
Science academic rating scale;
Social studies academic rating scale;
Social skills rating scale;
Child’s physical activity level;
Child’s instructional group placement within the class (reading and mathematics); and
Indicator of whether the child has changed to a higher or lower instructional group during
the school year.

Child-Specific: Special Services and Programs
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Participation in federally funded Title I or Title III programs or services;
Receipt of special services (pull-out or in-class grouping for regular or remedial services,
individual tutoring, ELL services, speech-language therapy, other special education
programs, programs for children with behavioral/emotional problems, gifted/talented
instruction);
Instruction provided in the child’s native (non-English) language;
Child’s IEP/IFSP status; and
Testing accommodations and participation.

Child-Specific: Parent Involvement
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Parents’ involvement in children’s schools and education;
Parent-teacher communication; and
Frequency that child completes homework.

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Kindergarten Class of 2010-11

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Child-Specific: Teacher-Child Relationships
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Level of closeness between child and teacher; and
Level of conflict between child and teacher.

C.5

Special Education Teacher Questionnaires

C.5.1

Special Education Teacher Questionnaires: Example Research
Questions

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C.5.2

What are the types of service delivery models in place for special education? How do
program variations relate to differences in children’s academic or social development?
What is the prevalence of different types of disabilities among children in elementary
school? What types of services, instructional strategies, and assistive devices are provided
to children with different types of disabilities?
What is the effect of inclusion on children’s progress through the early grades?

Special Education Teacher Questionnaires: Construct Coverage

Special Education Teacher Background
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Teacher’s sex, age, and race/ethnicity;
Total years teaching experience;
Total years as a special education teacher;
Total years teaching experience at the study school;
Teacher’s education, including degrees, credentials/licenses, and coursework;
Type of teaching certification held;
Specific position held in the school;
Locations in which the teacher delivers services within the school;
Attitudes and beliefs about teaching; and
Number of students with IEPs with whom the teacher works during a typical week.

Child-specific: Disabilities and Placement
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Date child first had an IEP;
Teacher’s review of child’s records related to special education services;
Child’s disabilities;
Goals contained in the child’s IEP;
Type and amount of special education services the child receives;

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Kindergarten Class of 2010-11

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Child’s classroom placement;
Teaching methods and materials used with child, including assistive technologies;
Communications with other teachers about the child;
Communication with the child’s parents;
Individual evaluations; and
Extent to which the IEP goals have been met.

C.6

Wrap-Around Early Care and Education Provider (WECEP)
Interview

C.6.1

Wrap-Around Early Care and Education Provider Interview: Example
Research Questions

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What are the patterns of participation in early care and education? How do early care and
education arrangements differ by family sociodemographic factors, SES, and
race/ethnicity? How are these arrangements related to children’s progress through school?
How do the variations in before- and after-school care and education programs—
including organization, sponsorship, and quality—relate to the achievement of children
with varying backgrounds and needs during the kindergarten year?
What is the relationship between early care and education and academic and social
difficulties experienced by children? How do early care and education experiences affect
the academic and social difficulties of children with disabilities and English Language
Learners?

C.6.2

Wrap-Around Early Care and Education Provider Interview: Construct
Coverage

C.6.2.1

Center Director Questions

Center Information
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Type of program;
Location;
Affiliation;
Sponsorship;
Accreditation;
Number of children of certain ages center is licensed to care for;
Average fees charged for care; and
Sources of funding.

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Kindergarten Class of 2010-11

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Staffing
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Number of full-time and part-time staff; and
Staff turnover.

Center Services
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C.6.2.2

Health and developmental screenings; and
Meal programs.

Caregiver Questions

Care of Focal Child
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Relationship to child;
How long cared for child;
Amount of time child is in their care per week; and
Caregiver’s primary language and language spoken most with child.

Other Children in Care
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Number of other children cared for at same time as child;
Total number of children provider cares for;
Ages/grades of children cared for; and
Number of children with special needs.

Caregiver Beliefs, Practices, and Attitudes
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General approaches to providing education and care; and
Attitudes about caring for children.

Learning Environment
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Prevalence of learning materials;
Frequency of activities in which children participate (e.g., learning activities, sports, free
play, etc.);
Television viewing; and
Meals and snacks.

Wrap-Around Care Characteristics
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Child’s hours of participation;
Grouping by age, ability, activity, etc.;
Focus of program;

Early Childhood Longitudinal Study
Kindergarten Class of 2010-11

C-15




Curriculum use and training (if applicable); and
Tailoring of activities to child.

Caregiver Background




Caregiver sex, age, and race/ethnicity;
Education level and credentials held; and
Total years experience caring for children.

Opportunities for Professional Development





Orientation for new staff;
Inservice trainings;
Staff meetings; and
Availability of professional resource materials and/or professional library.

Early Childhood Longitudinal Study
Kindergarten Class of 2010-11

C-16