Administrator, Counselor and School Coordinators Questionnaires, and School, IT Coordinators and Batch Tracing Materials,

As the HSLS:09 School Coordinator (SC), you play an important role in the success of the study. RTI will provide a trained Session Administrator (SA) to conduct the student session and to assist you in your role.

Study Details

The first follow-up phase of HSLS:09 consists of the following:

Student survey and math assessment—The sampled students will be administered a questionnaire and mathematics assessment via computer. The session will take about 90 minutes. Each participating student will receive $10.00. A trained Session Administrator from RTI will conduct the student session at your school.
School Administrator Questionnaire—The school administrator or designee will complete a web-based questionnaire about the school and its environment. This questionnaire will take an average of 30 minutes to complete. RTI will send information to the person who is designated to answer the School Administrator Questionnaire.
School Counselor Questionnaire—The lead school counselor will complete a web-based questionnaire concerning students’ needs and school resources. This questionnaire will take an average of 30 minutes to complete. RTI will send information to the person who is designated to answer the School Counselor Questionnaire.
Parent Questionnaire—One parent of each sampled student will complete a questionnaire via the Internet or by telephone interview. This questionnaire will take an average of 30 minutes to complete. RTI will contact the parent directly.
Transcript Data—High School transcripts for sampled students will be collected from the school in the 2012-2013 school year.

For additional information, you may visit our website at: https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsls1

Your Responsibilities

You have been asked to complete several tasks prior to the student data collection session that will take place in the spring of 2011. These include providing student information, working with RTI on the session logistics, assisting with parental consent form distribution and receipt, and helping obtain a copy, or the website location, of your school’s course catalog. Table 1 shows the activities you will be asked to perform and a timeline for these activities.

Table 1. Activities Timeline

Provide information on the students who were selected to participate in the study in the fall of 2008.	Within 3 weeks of receipt of request.
Coordinate session logistics (date, time, location, consent type)	By February 4, 2011
Test CD on school computers (can be done by your IT coordinator)	By February 4, 2011
Distribute parental permission forms to all selected students.	About 3 weeks prior to scheduled session
Notify/remind students about the data collection session.	One week prior and one day prior to session
Provide copy or the website location of your school’s course catalog	On or before the day of the session
Assist the SA with getting the students to the session	On the day of the session

Providing Student Information

We are asking you to verify the enrollment status of the students at your school who were selected to participate in the study in the fall of 2008 and confirm the parent contact information for those same students. If a student is no longer enrolled at your school, we ask that you provide information (if known) on why the student is no longer enrolled at your school and the last known contact information for that student.

Assisting with Student Session Logistics

In order to minimize disruption at the school on the day of the student data collection, it is crucial that arrangements be made in advance. These arrangements include:

Determine the feasibility of using your school’s computers for the student data collection. We will send you a test CD and you or your IT coordinator can test it on your school’s computers.
Determine a date/time for the student data collection.
Reserve a computer lab for the student session. The session will take about 90 minutes. If we are unable to use the school’s computers, please reserve a room that can accommodate 5 laptop computers.
Determine parental permission type (implied/passive or written/active).

Parental Permission

Parental permission materials will be provided by RTI a few weeks before the scheduled session. We ask that you distribute the parent permission forms to the sampled students.

Most schools are using implied/passive permission (which means students only return a form if their parent denies permission to participate). If you are using this permission type, please record parent refusals onto the Student Tracking Form (STF) which will be provided with the permission forms. Please make sure any returned forms have a parent/guardian signature (not just a printed name) and the name of the student.
Some schools require written/active consent. If your school requires active consent, parents are asked to return signed permission forms to the school coordinator. Please keep track of the return of these forms on the STF. Please make sure any returned forms have one “box” checked, a parent/guardian signature (not just a printed name) and the name of the student.

Your Session Administrator (SA) will be in contact with you to ask about the status of these forms. The SA will check the permission forms on the day of the session to make sure we do not include anyone whose parents have not granted permission. Please keep the returned parent permission forms in a locked or secure location. Your SA will take the forms with him/her after the session to return to RTI. Please let him/her know if you need to retain copies.

Course Catalogs

Please provide a copy of your school’s course catalog, or the website location, for each of the following school years: 2008-2009, 2009-2010, 2010-2011, 2011-2012.

Assist on Day of Student Session

Our SA will arrive at the school about an hour before the session. In order to have valid results from the study, we need as many sampled students to participate as possible. We are depending on you to make certain the students and teachers are aware of the date, time, and location for their participation and to generate enthusiasm. This often makes the difference in high student attendance. You may want to make a PA announcement about the study the day before and the day of the session.

Honorarium

As a token of our appreciation for your help with HSLS, you will receive a $100 honorarium after the student session has been completed. If your school has high student response rates, you will receive an additional honorarium of $25 or $50 (see Table 2). If your IT coordinator assists with the student data collection, he/she will receive a $50 honorarium.

THANK YOU for your help to make the HSLS:09 First Follow-Up Study a success!! We really appreciate your time and assistance!

Table 2. HSLS Coordinator Honorarium Calculations

Base honorarium to coordinator = $100
	Number of students participating*:			Number of students participating*:
Eligible students	Base+$25 ($125 total) Minimum of 85%	Base+ $50 ($150 total) Minimum of: 92%	Eligible students	Base+ $25 ($125 total) Minimum of: 85%	Base+ $50 ($150 total) Minimum of: 92%
1	NA	1	31	27	29
2	NA	2	32	28	30
3	NA	3	33	29	31
4	NA	4	34	29	32
5	NA	5	35	30	33
6	NA	6	36	31	34
7	6	7	37	32	35
8	7	8	38	33	35
9	8	9	39	34	36
10	9	10	40	34	37
11	10	11	41	35	38
12	11	12	42	36	39
13	12	13	43	38	40
14	12	13	44	38	41
15	13	14	45	39	42
16	14	15	46	40	43
17	15	16	47	40	44
18	16	17	48	41	45
19	17	18	49	42	46
20	17	19	50	43	46
21	18	20	51	43	47
22	19	21	52	45	48
23	20	22	53	46	49
24	21	23	54	46	50
25	22	23	55	47	51
26	23	24	56	48	52
27	23	25	57	49	53
28	24	26	58	50	54
29	25	27	59	51	55
30	26	28	60	52	56

Dear <IT Coordinator>,

Your school is participating in the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09). If possible, we would like to conduct the student sessions in a school computer lab utilizing the school’s computers. We have spoken with our HSLS school coordinator to determine the feasibility of using a computer lab at the school. You have been identified as the person most knowledgeable about the computers in your school.

To conduct the session at your school this spring, between March and the end of the school year, we will need to determine if we can use a bootable CD called Sojourn. Sojourn will provide a secure link from your school’s computers to the math test and questionnaire. In order to determine if it is feasible to use Sojourn in your computer labs, or if we will use RTI provided laptops, we would like to enlist your assistance with the following tasks:

Test the Sojourn CD in your schools computers. This quick test is enormously important in determining how Sojourn functions in your school’s computer lab and will inform us of any changes that need to be made before the session this fall. (Instructions and the CD will be sent in a separate mailing.
If using the Sojourn CD in your school’s computers, we would like for you to be available on the designated test day to assist our session administrator in preparing for the student sessions.
If our CD is not compatible with your school computers, we will bring individual laptops for the students to use. You will not need to be present during test day administration if laptops are used.

Thank you for your help with this important test. For your assistance, a $50.00 check will be provided to you as a thank you upon completion of student data collection activities.

Sincerely,

Jon Paslov

In-School Data Collection Task Leader

HSLS:09

HSLS:09 FIRST FOLLOW-UP STUDY

STUDENT SCRIPT FOR IN-SCHOOL DATA COLLECTION

INSTRUCTION TO SESSION ADMINISTRATOR: READ THE FOLLOWING SCRIPT VERBATIM TO THE STUDENTS PRIOR TO STARTING THE STUDENT QUESTIONNAIRE.

Good morning/afternoon. I would like to thank you for participating in the first follow-up phase of the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009—HSLS:09 for short. My name is ________________ and I represent RTI, a non-profit research organization that has been hired to administer the study by the National Center for Education Statistics from the U.S. Department of Education.

We think the best way to learn about student’s school-related experiences, decisions, and plans for the future—is by asking the students themselves! Therefore we’re asking you to complete a computerized questionnaire which will help educators and policy makers understand your needs and interests better.

We’re also assessing the level of academic achievement of students in the United States so that effective programs and services for future high school students can be developed—so we’ll be asking you to complete a computerized mathematics assessment too! You’ll fill out the student questionnaire first, than the mathematics assessment—it will take no more than 90 minutes total.

All of the information you give us will be kept strictly confidential and nobody will ever know how you answered. The math assessment will not affect your grades—in fact, no one at the school will ever see your scores!

When you have finished both the questionnaire and assessment, I will give you $10 as a thank you for your participation.

Your participation in HSLS:09 is voluntary, and you don’t have to answer any questions you don’t want to. Your answers will be used for statistical purposes only and will be combined with other student’s responses for things like statistical reports to congress. Your answers won’t be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any purpose unless otherwise compelled by law (Public Law 107-279, Section 183).

We are also asking your principal, school counselor and one parent or guardian to each complete a questionnaire. This will help provide contextual information such as school programs and practices.

In about 2 years, you will be contacted again about participating in another follow up to this study. Therefore we’ll be asking you to provide contact information today so that we will be able to get in touch with you then.

Any questions before we begin?

[DATE]

[PRINCIPAL NAME]

[SCHOOL NAME]

[ADDRESS]

[CITY STATE ZIP]

Dear [PRINCIPAL],

We are writing to thank you for your continued participation in the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09). The commitment of you and your staff in the base year and first follow up studies has helped to make HSLS:09 a great success. We would particularly like to thank [SCHOOL COORDINATOR NAME/you] for helping to encourage the participation of sampled students at your school and for helping to coordinate the logistics of the session. [CONDITIONAL STATEMENT—IF IT COORDINATOR WAS NAMED] {Please pass along our special thanks to [IT COORDINATOR NAME] for providing on-site computer assistance to help us make sure that all of the technical components ran smoothly.} Again, we are grateful to you and your team for all of your efforts.

One important component of HSLS:09 is the collection of transcript data and course catalogs. These data will provide contextual information on student course-taking patterns and academic outcomes. Having this piece of the puzzle will help researchers and educators better understand the sequence of math and science courses and its impact on student learning. Therefore, in the 2012-2013 academic year we will contact you to request transcripts of sample members and course catalogs (if we have not already collected the catalogs in 2011). We look forward to working with you again at that time.

If you have any questions about HSLS:09, please contact us at RTI at (877)292-HSLS (4757) or by email at [email protected].

Again, thank you for partnering with us and for all your efforts in helping to make HSLS:09 a success. We could not have done it without you.

Sincerely,

Laura LoGerfo Dan Pratt

NCES Project Officer RTI Project Director

Parent Initial Contact; No Student Permission Needed

[DATE]

<PARENT NAME> Web Address: surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsls1
<ADDR1> Your Study ID: <XXXXXXX>
<ADDR2> Your Password: <XXXXXXX>m
<CITY STATE ZIP>

Dear <Parent or Guardian Name>:

About two-and-a-half years ago, <STUDENT NAME> < “participated” / “was selected to participate”> in the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09), sponsored by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences. We are now conducting the first follow-up to HSLS:09. The purpose of this study is to understand the impact of the high school experience on students’ learning and education and career choices. Over 21,000 students from more than 900 schools have participated in HSLS:09. Collecting information from parents provides us with a complete picture of the students’ experience, including how the home environment affects student school performance and the choices students make during and after high school. For this reason, we are writing to ask you to fill out a questionnaire. We sincerely appreciate your time to help us make this study a success!

Your participation is voluntary; however, as <STUDENT_NAME>‘s parent or guardian, you are a unique source of information on the family background. This will take about 30 minutes, on average, to complete. Please log in using the web link and unique study ID and password provided above. Data collected are used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law (Public Law 107-279, Section 183).

HSLS:09 is endorsed by the National Parent Teacher Association, the National Education Association, and the American Federation of Teachers, among others. The enclosed brochure provides detailed information about HSLS:09 and RTI, who is conducting HSLS:09 for NCES. If you have any questions about participation in the study, or if you would prefer to complete the questionnaire on the phone with a professional interviewer, please call Randy Ottem at RTI toll-free at 1-877-282-HSLS or 1-877-282-4757. If you have questions about rights as a study participant, you may call RTI’s Office for Research Protection at 919-316-3358 or toll free at 1-866-214-2043.

We thank you in advance for your cooperation in this important research.

Sincerely,

Stuart Kerachsky, Acting Commissioner
National Center for Education Statistics
Institute of Education Sciences
U.S. Department of Education

Enclosure: HSLS:09 Brochure

NCES is authorized to conduct HSLS:09 under the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-279, Section 153). According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number of this voluntary information collection is 1850-0852. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 30 minutes per response, including the time to review instructions, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collection. If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate or suggestions for improving the interview, please write to: High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09), National Center for Education Statistics, 1990 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20006.

Parent Initial Contact; Student Permission Needed (Doubles as Student’s First Contact)

[DATE]

<PARENT NAME> Web Address: surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsls1
<ADDR1> Parent Study ID: <XXXXXXXX>
<ADDR2> Parent Password: <XXXXXXXX>m
<CITY STATE ZIP> Student STUDY ID: <XXXXXXXX>
Student Password: <XXXXXXXX>m

Dear <Parent or Guardian Name>:

About two-and-a-half years ago, <STUDENT NAME> < “participated” / “was selected to participate”> in the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09), sponsored by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences. We are now conducting the first follow-up to HSLS:09. The purpose of this study is to understand the impact of the high school experience on students’ learning and education and career choices. Over 21,000 students from more than 900 schools have participated in HSLS:09. Collecting information from parents provides us with a complete picture of the students’ experience, including how the home environment affects student school performance and the choices students make during and after high school. For this reason, we are writing to ask you to fill out a questionnaire, as well as to provide us with permission to interview <STUDENT_FNAME>. We sincerely appreciate your time to help us make this study a success!

When you log into your interview, you will be asked to provide your consent so that <STUDENT_FNAME> can log into the student interview. We have provided unique parent and student study IDs and passwords for each interview, so please give <STUDENT_FNAME> the “Student Study ID” and “Student Password.” Each of the interviews will take approximately 30-35 minutes to complete. We are also asking that <STUDENT_FNAME> complete a math assessment which will take approximately 40 minutes. This assessment will not be graded and no teachers or school officials will be informed of the results. We will send <STUDENT_FNAME> a check for $<int_inc> after the interview has been completed, and $10 for the math assessment, if they are each completed by <DATE>.

<STUDENT_FNAME>‘s and your participation is voluntary and all responses will 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 (Public Law 107-279, Section 183). HSLS:09 is endorsed by the National Parent Teacher Association, the National Education Association, and the American Federation of Teachers, among others. The enclosed brochure provides detailed information about HSLS:09 and RTI, who is conducting the study for NCES. If you have questions about the study, please call Randy Ottem toll-free at 1-877-282-HSLS or 1-877-282-4757. If you have questions about your rights as a study participant, you may call RTI’s Office for Research Protection at 919-316-3358 in Durham, NC or 1-866-214-2043 (a toll-free number).

We thank you in advance for your cooperation in this important research.

Sincerely,

Stuart Kerachsky
Acting Commissioner
National Center for Education Statistics
Institute of Education Sciences
U.S. Department of Education

Enclosure: HSLS:09 Brochure

NCES is authorized to conduct HSLS:09 under the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-279, Section 153). According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number of this voluntary information collection is 1850-0852. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 30-35 minutes per response, including the time to review instructions, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collection. If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate or suggestions for improving the interview, please write to: High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09), National Center for Education Statistics, 1990 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20006.

Parent Completed Interview; Need Permission for Student

[DATE]

<PARENT NAME> Web Address: surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsls1
<ADDR1> Parent Study ID: <XXXXXXXX>
<ADDR2> Parent Password: <XXXXXXXX>m
<CITY STATE ZIP> Student Study ID: <XXXXXXXX>
Student Password: <XXXXXXXX>m

Dear <Parent or Guardian Name>:

Thank you very much for your participation in the first follow-up to the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09). We really appreciate your time and participation!

We also would like to interview <STUDENT_FNAME>, but we need your permission before <STUDENT_FNAME> can participate. As you know, HSLS:09 follows a cohort high school students through high school and into postsecondary education, the labor force, and adult roles to understand how high school experiences impact students’ learning and their education and career choices.

The student interview includes a 35 minute questionnaire and a 40 minute mathematics assessment. To provide permission for the student interview, please go to the website listed above and enter the “Parent Study ID” and “Parent Password” listed above. This will take you to a webpage where you will be able to provide your permission so that <STUDENT_FNAME> can complete the student interview. Once you give your permission, <STUDENT_FNAME> will be able to log in using the web link and the unique student study ID and password provided above. We will send <STUDENT_FNAME> a check for $<int_inc> after the interview has been completed, and $10 for the math assessment, if they are each completed by <DATE>.

<STUDENT_FNAME>‘s participation is voluntary and all responses will be protected from disclosure; no parents, students, school officials, teachers, or staff will see any responses and no individually identifying data will be reported. Data collected are used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law (Public Law 107-279, Section 183).

The study is being conducted by RTI International under contract from the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics. HSLS:09 is endorsed by the National Parent Teacher Association, the National Education Association, and the American Federation of Teachers, among others. The enclosed brochure provides detailed information about HSLS:09. If you have any questions about participation in the study, please call Randy Ottem at RTI toll-free at 1-877-282-4757. If you have questions about rights as a study participant, you may call RTI’s Office for Research Protection at 919-316-3358 in Durham, NC or 1-866-214-2043 (a toll-free number).

We thank you in advance for your cooperation in this important research.

Sincerely,

Stuart Kerachsky
Acting Commissioner
National Center for Education Statistics
Institute of Education Sciences
U.S. Department of Education

Enclosure: HSLS:09 Brochure

NCES is authorized to conduct HSLS:09 under the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-279, Section 153). According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number of this voluntary information collection is 1850-0852. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 35 minutes per response, including the time to review instructions, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collection. If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate or suggestions for improving the interview, please write to: High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09), National Center for Education Statistics, 1990 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20006.

Parent: Second letter

[Date]

«fname» «mname» «lname» «suffix» Study ID: «caseid»

«addr1» Password: «password»

«addr2»

«city», «state» «zip» «zip4»

Dear «fname» «lname»:

We recently sent you information on how to complete an interview for the first follow-up to the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09). As you know, HSLS:09 is a longitudinal study that is following a cohort of students through high school and into postsecondary education, the labor force, and adult roles. HSLS:09 focuses on the impact of the high school experience on students’ learning and their education and career choices. As a parent or guardian of one of the approximately 21,000 students who <“participated” / “were selected to participate”> in HSLS:09, your input is extremely important to the success of this study. As <STUDENT_NAME>‘s parent or guardian, your input will help researchers and policymakers understand the home affects students’ learning and the paths they take in and after high school.

The interview should take approximately 30 minutes to complete. You may call us toll-free at 1-877-282-4757 to complete the interview with one of our professional telephone interviewers, or via the Web by logging in to our secure website at https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsls1/ using the study ID and password provided above. Data collected are used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law (Public Law 107-279, Section 183). If you have questions or problems completing your interview online, simply call the HSLS:09 help desk, toll free, at 1-877-282-4757.

RTI is conducting this study for the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences. If you have already completed the interview, we thank you. We sincerely appreciate your time and assistance. If you have any questions or concerns about the study, please contact Randy Ottem, toll free at 1-877-282-4757, or the NCES Project Officer, Dr. Laura LoGerfo, at 202-502-7402.

Thank you in advance for making HSLS:09 a success!

Dan Pratt

HSLS:09 Project Director

RTI International

Parent: Third Contact: Postcard

PO Box 12194

Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2194

RTI Project #0209234.003.003.003.006

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

«fname»«mname»«lname»«suffix»

«addr1»

«addr2»

«city», «state» «zip» «zip4»

Study ID «caseid»

«panelinfo»

High School

Longitudinal

Study of 2009

<SCHOOL_NAME> is participating in the first follow-up to the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09). We know your time is valuable, but we are asking that you take some time to lend us your unique insight into your teenager’s high school experience to help educators, researchers, and policymakers improve high school education in the United States. RTI is conducting this study for the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences. If you have already completed the interview, we would like to thank you. Your assistance is very much appreciated.

To complete a web interview over our secure website, log in to https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsls1 using the information below:

Study ID = «userid» Password = «password»q

If you have any questions or problems completing your web interview, or would like to complete the interview by telephone with a professionally trained interviewer, please contact the HSLS:09 help desk at 1-877-282-4757.

Thank you.

Parent: Fourth Letter

[Date]

«fname» «mname» «lname» «suffix» Study ID: «caseid»

«addr1» Password: «password»

«addr2»

«city», «state» «zip» «zip4»

Dear «fname» «lname»:

We have been trying to reach you, as the parent or guardian of <STUDENT>, to participate in the First Follow-Up of the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09). This exciting study focuses on students and their parents, school administrators, and school counselors to understand how all of these influences affect the choices that students make during and after high school.

Please take about 30 minutes to complete the interview. To make participation in HSLS:09 as convenient as possible, we have provided two options to complete the interview. You may call us toll-free at 1-877-282-4757 to complete the interview with one of our professional telephone interviewers, or via the Web by logging in to our secure website at https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsls1/ using the study ID and password provided above.

Data collected are used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law (Public Law 107-279, Section 183). RTI is conducting this study for the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences. If you have already completed the interview, we thank you for your time and assistance. If you have any questions or concerns about the study, please contact Randy Ottem, toll free at 1-800-282-4757, or the NCES Project Officer, Dr. Laura LoGerfo, toll-free at 202-502-7402.

Thank you in advance for making HSLS:09 a success!

Dan Pratt

HSLS:09 Project Director

RTI International

Parent: Fifth and Final Letter

[Date]

«fname» «mname» «lname» «suffix» Study ID: «caseid»

«addr1» Password: «password»

«addr2»

«city», «state» «zip» «zip4»

Dear «fname» «lname»:

We understand that as a parent or guardian of a student at <SCHOOL_NAME>, you are very busy. However, we are asking that you take some time out of your schedule to complete this important interview. The High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09) is interested in understanding how the home environment impacts the transitions students make from high school to beyond and how experiences in high school impact learning, as well as education and career choices. Because your teenager <“is participating”/”was selected to participate”> in HSLS:09, your input is key to the success of this follow up study. The study ends on <DATE> and the interview takes approximately 30 minutes to complete.

To complete the interview by phone with a professional interviewer, please call us toll-free at 1-877-282-4757. To complete it online, please visit our secure website at https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsls1/ and use the study ID and password provided above.

All responses will be protected from disclosure; no parents or guardians, students, school officials, teachers, or staff will see any answers and no individually identifying data will be reported. Data collected are used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law (Public Law 107-279, Section 183). If you have questions or problems completing your interview online, simply call the HSLS:09 help desk, toll free, at 1-877-282-4757.

RTI is conducting this study for the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences. If you have already completed the interview, we thank you. Your assistance is very much appreciated. If you have any questions or concerns about the study, please contact Randy Ottem, toll free at 1-877-282-4757, or the NCES Project Officer, Dr. Laura LoGerfo, at 202-502-7402.

Thank you in advance for making HSLS:09 a success!

Dan Pratt

HSLS:09 Project Director

Education Studies Division

RTI International

Student: Parent Permission Reminder Insert

Dear Parent,

We still need your permission for <student_name> to participate in the student portion of the study. To provide permission for the student interview, please go to http://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsls1 and enter the “Parent Study ID” and “Parent Password” listed below. This will take you to a webpage where you will be able to provide your permission so that <STUDENT_FNAME> can complete the student interview. Once you give your permission, <STUDENT_FNAME> will be able to log in using the web link and the unique student study ID and password provided above. We will send <STUDENT_FNAME> a check for $<int_inc> after the interview has been completed, and $10 for the math assessment, if they are each completed by <DATE>.

The student interview includes a 35 minute questionnaire and a 40 minute mathematics assessment.

Parent Study ID: <XXXXXXXX>
Parent Password: <XXXXXXXX>m

Student Study ID: <XXXXXXXX>
Student Password: <XXXXXXXX>m

Thank you for your assistance.

Sincerely,
The HSLS:09 Data Collection Staff

Dear Parent,

The student interview includes a 35 minute questionnaire and a 40 minute mathematics assessment.

Parent Study ID: <XXXXXXXX>
Parent Password: <XXXXXXXX>m

Student Study ID: <XXXXXXXX>
Student Password: <XXXXXXXX>m

Thank you for your assistance.

Sincerely,
The HSLS:09 Data Collection Staff

Student: Second Letter

[DATE]

<Student_fname> <Student_lname> Web Address: <student_website>
<ADDR1> Your STUDY ID: <XXXXXXX>
<ADDR2> Your PASSWORD: <XXXXXXX>n
<CITY STATE ZIP>

Dear <Student_fname>:

When you were in ninth grade, your high school participated in the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09), which was a nationwide survey of high school students. HSLS:09 is being conducted by RTI International for the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences. We’re now conducting the first follow-up to HSLS:09. <IF MISSED IN_SCHOOL: “Since you were unable to participate in the study when we were in your school, we’d like to give you an opportunity to participate over the web.”>

Participation consists of a 35-minute online interview that asks questions about topics such as your school, your teachers, and your study habits. We also ask that you complete a 40-minute, online mathematics assessment. Don’t worry, you’re not being graded on it. In fact, no one from your school, your parents, or anyone else besides the researchers who are conducting the study will know what answers you provide to the interview or the math test. The information we collect is used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law (Public Law 107-279, Section 183). After you complete the interview and the math test, we will give you a total of $<tot_incent>; $<int_incent> for completing the interview and $10 for completing the math assessment, if you complete each before <DATE>.

We’ve already asked your parent or guardian for their permission for you to participate, but your participation in HSLS:09 is still up to you. Participation is voluntary, but critical to the success of this study. To access the interview and assessment, please log in to the website above using unique study ID and password provided.

The enclosed brochure provides detailed information about HSLS:09. If you have any questions about participation in the study, please call Randy Ottem at RTI toll-free at 1-877-282-HSLS or 1-877-282-4757. If you have questions about rights as a study participant, you may call RTI’s Office for Research Protection at 919-316-3358 in Durham, NC or 1-866-214-2043 (a toll-free number).

Thank you in advance for making HSLS:09 a success!

Dan Pratt
HSLS:09 Project Director
Education Studies Division
RTI International

Enclosure: HSLS:09 Brochure

Student: Third Contact: Postcard

PO Box 12194

Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2194

RTI Project #0212678.002.235

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

«fname»«mname»«lname»«suffix»

«addr1»

«addr2»

«city», «state» «zip» «zip4»

Panel info: «panelinfo»

Study ID: «caseid»

High School

Longitudinal

Study of 2009

<Student_Name>,

We noticed that you haven’t yet had a chance to complete your interview for the first follow-up to the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09). We are asking that you take some time to lend us your unique insight into your high school experience to help educators, researchers, and policymakers improve high school education in the United States. RTI is conducting this study for the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences. Thank you very much if you have already completed the interview. Your participation is very much appreciated.

To complete a web interview over our secure website, log in to https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsls1 using the information below:

Study ID = «userid» Password = «password»q

Thank you.

Student: Fourth Letter

[Date]

«fname» «mname» «lname» «suffix» Study ID: «caseid»
«addr1» Password: «password»
«addr2»
«city», «state» «zip» «zip4»

Dear «fname» «lname»:

We have been trying to reach you in regards to your participation in the first follow-up to the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09). As you know, HSLS:09 is a nationwide study that follows a group of high school students like you through high school and into postsecondary education, the labor force, and adult roles. The study also focuses on how school and home experiences impact students’ learning and their education and career choices. Because you <“participated approximately two-and-a-half years ago”/”were selected to participate”>, your participation is vital to ensure the continued success of this study.

The interview should take approximately 35 minutes to complete. We are also asking that you complete a mathematics assessment which will take around 40 minutes. To make participation in HSLS:09 as convenient as possible, we have provided two options to complete the interview. You may call us toll-free at 1-877-282-4757 to complete the interview with one of our professional telephone interviewers, or via the Web by logging in to our secure website at https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsls1/ using the study ID and password provided above. The math assessment, however, can only be completed online. The interview and math assessment are both voluntary. After you complete the interview and the assessment, we will send you $<int_incent> for completing the interview and $10 for completing the math assessment, if you complete each before <DATE>.

Remember, all of your responses are used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law (Public Law 107-279, Section 183). RTI is conducting this study for the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences. If you have already completed the interview, we thank you. Your assistance is very much appreciated. If you have any questions or concerns about the study, please contact Randy Ottem, toll free at 1-800-282-4757, or the NCES Project Officer, Dr. Laura LoGerfo, toll-free at 202-502-7402.

Thank you in advance for making HSLS:09 a success!

Dan Pratt
HSLS:09 Project Director
Education Studies Division
RTI International

NCES is authorized to conduct HSLS:09 under the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-279, Section 153). According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number of this voluntary information collection is 1850-0852. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 35 minutes per response, including the time to review instructions, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collection. If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate or suggestions for improving the interview, please write to: High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09), National Center for Education Statistics, 1990 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20006.

Student: Fifth and Final Contact

[DATE]

<Student_fname> <Student_fname> Web Address: <student_website>
<ADDR1> Your STUDY ID: <XXXXXXX>
<ADDR2> Your PASSWORD: <XXXXXXX>m
<CITY STATE ZIP>

Dear <Student_fname>:

As you know, the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09) is interested in understanding how the school and home environment influences the decisions you make through high school and beyond. We need teenagers like you to make this study successful before the HSLS:09 Follow-Up Study ends on June 30, 2011. The interview takes approximately 35 minutes to complete and the math assessment takes approximately 40 minutes to complete. Remember that the assessment is not being graded, and your family, teachers, and school officials will not see how you did on it. We really appreciate your time and participation.

To complete the interview by phone with a professional interviewer, please call us toll-free at 1-877-282-4757. To complete the interview and math assessment online, please visit our secure website at https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsls1/ and use the study ID and password provided above. We’ll send you $<int_inc> after you complete the interview, and another $10 after you complete the math assessment, if you complete each before <DATE>.

Your parent has provided permission for you to participate. Participation in this study is completely voluntary and all responses will 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 (Public Law 107-279, Section 183). RTI is conducting this study for the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences. If you have already completed the interview, we would like to thank you. Your assistance is very much appreciated. If you have any questions or concerns about the study, please contact Randy Ottem, toll free at 1-877-282-4757, or the NCES Project Officer, Dr. Laura LoGerfo, at 202-502-7402.

Thank you in advance for making HSLS:09 a success!

Dan Pratt
HSLS:09 Project Director
Education Studies Division
RTI International

NCES is authorized to conduct HSLS:09 under the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-279, Section 153). According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number of this voluntary information collection is 1850-0852. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 35 minutes per response, including the time to review instructions, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collection. If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate or suggestions for improving the interview, please write to: High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09), National Center for Education Statistics, 1990 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20006.

Student: Mailed Incentive Letter

<DATE>

Dear <firstname> <lastname>,

On behalf of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and the staff of the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09), we would like to thank you for completing your HSLS:09 <if only questionnaire complete: questionnaire.> <if only assessment complete: mathematics assessment.> <if only both interview and assessment complete: interview and mathematics assessment.> Your participation in this study is very important to ensuring its success.

Enclosed you will find a $<inc_amt> check as a token of our appreciation for your participation in this study.

Please do not hesitate to contact us directly at 1-877-282-4757 if you need additional information or assistance.

Sincerely,

Dan Pratt
HSLS:09 Project Director
Education Studies Division
RTI International

Enclosure

[Parent/Student Field Test Brochure]

[HSLS Brochure Logo]

High School Longitudinal Study of 2009

Conducted for:

National Center for Education Statistics

U.S. Department of Education

Institute of Education Sciences

Conducted by:

RTI International

Research Triangle Park, NC

27709-2194

[Logo]

High School Longitudinal Study of 2009

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is conducting the first follow-up study to the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS), a national study of students and their parents, school administrators, and counselors. HSLS follows students over time to understand what home, school, peer, and community factors influence students’ learning and development. The study explores how these factors impact the high school experience, especially students’ education and career choices and the transitions students make after high school. In particular, HSLS:09 focuses on students’ education and career choices in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

Q. Why is the study being conducted?

A. HSLS studies the school, community, and home, influences on students’ decisionmaking processes as they progress through high school and beyond. What students decide to pursue and when, why, and how they do so are crucial questions for HSLS. Because HSLS follows the same students over time, the study provides an excellent resource for understanding a number of important issues, including but not limited to the following:

• What influences students to take STEM courses and pursue STEM careers?

• What factors influence whether students decide to go to college?

• How can we improve the quality of math and science education in the United States?

• How can we improve the high school experience?

• How do changes in young people’s lives and their connections with communities, schools, teachers, families, parents, and friends influence the following:

– academic, social, and interpersonal growth;

– transitions from high school to college, and from high school to work; and

– students’ decisions about courses, majors, and careers, both in general and related to math and science?

• How do the characteristics of high schools and colleges influence decisions students make about their lives?

• How do gender, race and ethnicity, and at-risk status influence student success in school and work?

Q. Who is conducting the study?

A. The first follow-up to HSLS:09 is sponsored by the National Center for Education Statistics in the U.S. Department of Education. NCES is authorized to conduct this study under the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-279, Section 153). Under that law, the data provided by schools, staff, students, and their parents 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 (Public Law 107-279, Section 183). The study is conducted under contract by RTI International, a nonprofit research organization based in North Carolina. RTI International will provide professional survey administrators to collect data.

Q. What is involved for students?

A. Selected students will complete a math test to provide information on their knowledge in algebra and algebraic reasoning. They also will complete a questionnaire that takes about 35 minutes, which covers the following:

How students decide what courses to take in high school;
What factors affect student decisionmaking;
What factors lead students to or from STEM;
How students’ attitudes and learning approaches evolve in the course of high school;
How students prioritize and balance various commitments—such as family, friends, school, and work—while in high school; and
Background information.

The tests and questionnaires will be completed on school computers, if available, or on laptop computers that will be brought to the school for use by the students for the study. Students who have left their ninth grade school will be asked to participate by telephone or Web. Additional follow-ups are planned after high school. High school transcripts will be collected in 2012.

Students will be asked to provide contact information (name/address/telephone number). We will also request contact information for their parents or guardians and one other person to facilitate locating efforts in future follow-ups.

Q. Will the math assessment hurt or help a student’s school grades?

A. Neither. The assessment will be used for study purposes only. No one in the school will see the score a student receives on the assessments.

Q. How many students are participating in HSLS?

A. Over 21,000 students from more than 900 schools have participated in HSLS:09 to date

Q. Will students receive an excused absence from class?

A. Yes. The absence is excused, and any school assignments that are missed due to participation in the study may be made up.

Q. What else does this study involve?

A. In addition to the student components, HSLS includes the following:

• School administrator questionnaire;

• Counselor questionnaire; and

• Parent questionnaire.

All tests and questionnaires will be computer based. Information from these sources will provide a complete and well-rounded picture of each student’s background, school setting, and educational performance.

Q. What topics will the parent questionnaire cover?

A. The parent questionnaire will cover the following:

• Home background and education support system;

• Feelings about the importance of math and science education; and

• Plans and expectations for the student’s future.

The parent questionnaire will be completed via the Web or a telephone interview.

Q. How many parents will be selected?

A. One parent of each sampled student will be asked to complete a parent questionnaire.

Q. How long will it take to complete the parent questionnaire?

A. The parent questionnaire will take about 30 minutes to complete.

Q. What if English is not the parent’s native language and/or the parent would prefer to answer in a language other than English?

A. A Spanish-language version of the parent questionnaire can be accessed by clicking on the appropriate link within the Web survey. Additionally, a bilingual telephone interviewer will be available.

Q. Do students or parents have to participate?

A. Participation in HSLS is entirely voluntary; however, the participation of every student and parent is important to ensure the completeness and accuracy of results. The development of valid national results depends on a high rate of participation.

Q. What if a student decides not to participate?

A. Even if the student’s parent gives permission for the student to participate, the student has the right to decide whether or not to participate.

Q. Will the responses of participants be kept confidential?

A. Student, parent, and staff 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 (Public Law 107-279, Section 183). The data collected will be used in analyses to understand students’ coursetaking behaviors, students’ motivation and achievement, and how students decide what to do after high school.

We have implemented strict procedures to ensure confidentiality:

All project staff with any access to study data are liable to severe fines and imprisonment for any disclosure of individual responses.
All electronic data are maintained in secure and protected data files, and all personally identifying information are kept in files separate from the descriptive information.
No data released to the general public can be used to identify individual respondents except when required by law.
These procedures have been reviewed and approved by the federal government.

Q. When will the data for the study be collected?

A. Data collection for the first follow-up to HSLS:09 will begin in spring 2011. A short interview will be conducted during the summer of 2012. Transcripts and information on postsecondary options and choices will also be collected in 2012.

Q. What happens if a student has a test scheduled, is sick, or is otherwise unable to participate on the scheduled survey day?

A. If a student misses an HSLS session for any reason, we may contact the student by phone or mail to participate by telephone or on the Web.

Q. Will the study just include public schools?

A. Information will be collected from public, private, and Catholic high schools.

[back panel]

The following organizations are among those that have given their support to HSLS:

American Association of School Administrators

American Counseling Association

American Federation of Teachers

Council of Chief State School Officers

National Association of Secondary School Principals

National Catholic Educational Association, Department of Secondary Schools

National Center for Improving Science Education/WestED

National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

National Education Association

National Parent Teacher Association

National School Boards Association

National Science Teachers Association

Whom can I contact for further information about HSLS?

For additional information, you may call (877) 282-HSLS, send e-mail to [email protected], visit our website at https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsls1/, or contact:

RTI Project Director:

Mr. Dan Pratt at (919) 541-6615

RTI Principal Investigator:

Dr. Steven Ingels at (202) 974-7834

NCES Project Officer:

Dr. Laura LoGerfo at (202) 502-7402

October 2010

[Staff Brochure for F1FT]

[HSLS Brochure Logo]

High School Longitudinal Study of 2009

Conducted for:

National Center for Education Statistics

U.S. Department of Education

Institute of Education Sciences

Conducted by:

RTI International

Research Triangle Park, NC

27709-2194

High School Longitudinal Study of 2009

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is conducting the first follow-up study to the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09), a national study of students and their parents, school administrators, and school counselors. HSLS:09 follows students over time to understand what home, school, peer, and community factors influence students’ learning and development. The study explores how these factors impact the high school experience, especially students’ education and career choices and the transitions students make after high school. In particular, HSLS:09 focuses on students’ education and career choices in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

In spring 2011, questionnaires will be administered to selected school administrators, school counselors, and eleventh-grade students and their parents. Additional follow-ups are planned after high school.

Q. Why is the study being conducted?

A. HSLS:09 builds on and extends a series of longitudinal high school studies that have been conducted by the U.S. Department of Education each decade since 1972. The study measures math achievement and also investigates the role of home, school, and community influences on the plans and decisionmaking of ninth-graders and how those decisions may be linked to the students’ high school coursetaking and college and career decisions. Because the study follows ninth-graders over time, it will permit the study of high school dropouts and what factors influence these students’ decisions to leave high school. Information collected from students, parents, school administrators, and counselors will help inform and shape efforts to improve the quality of math and science education in the United States, to increase our global competitiveness in STEM-related fields, and to improve the high school experience.

Q. Who is conducting the study?

Q. When will the data for the study be collected?

A. Data collection for HSLS:09 began in fall 2008 and the first follow-up will occur in spring 2011. The next follow-up will take place in summer and fall of 2012 after most students have graduated. Transcripts and information on postsecondary options and choices will be collected during the 2012-2013 school year.

Q. What topics will the questionnaires cover?

The HSLS student questionnaire

The student questionnaire will cover such topics as;

• How students decide what courses to take in high school;

• What factors affect student decisionmaking;

• What factors lead students toward or away from STEM;

• How student attitudes and learning approaches evolve over the course of high school; and

• How students prioritize and balance various commitments—including family, friends, school, and work—while in high school.

Eleventh-graders will complete a questionnaire and math assessment in 2011. The assessments and questionnaires will be completed on school computers, if available, or on laptop computers that will be brought to the school for use by the students for the study. Students who have left their ninth grade school at the time of the follow-up study will be contacted to complete the study via telephone or Web.

The HSLS school administrator questionnaire

The school administrator questionnaire will cover such topics as:

• School characteristics and environment;

• Program offerings in math and science; and

• Programs offered by the school to assist students at risk of failure in these subject areas.

The HSLS school administrator questionnaire is web-based and will take approximately 30 minutes to complete.

The HSLS school counselor questionnaire

The counselor questionnaire will cover topics such as the following:

• How do students get placed into and out of classes?

• What counseling resources are available to struggling and excelling students within the school?

• What are the graduation requirements?

• What college preparation programs are in place in the school?

The HSLS school counselor questionnaire is web-based and will take approximately 30 minutes to complete.

The HSLS parent questionnaire

One parent of each sampled ninth-grader will complete a parent questionnaire that will include the following topics:

• Home background and education support system;

• Feelings about the importance of math and science; and

• Plans and expectations for the future.

The HSLS parent questionnaire is web-based and will take approximately 30 minutes to complete. Parents who do not have computer access will have the option of completing a telephone interview.

Q. How many students are participating in HSLS?

A. Over 21,000 students from more than 900 schools have participated in HSLS:09 to date

Q. How many school staff will be selected at each school?

A. The study will include questionnaires for the school administrator and one school counselor.

Q. Will parents be included in the study?

A. One parent of each sampled student will be asked to complete a parent questionnaire.

Q. Do states, school districts, schools, school staff, students, or parents have to participate?

A. Participation in HSLS:09 is entirely voluntary; however, the participation of every student, parent, school, and school staff is important to ensure the completeness and accuracy of results. The development of valid national results depends on a high rate of participation.

Q. What if a student decides not to participate?

A. Even if parents give permission for a student to participate, the student has the right to decide whether or not to participate.

Q. Will the responses of participants be kept confidential?

A. Student, parent, and staff 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 (Public Law 107-279, Section 183). The data collected will be used in analyses to understand students’ coursetaking behaviors, students’ motivation and achievement, and how students decide what to do after high school.

We have implemented strict procedures to ensure confidentiality:

• All project staff with any access to study data are liable to severe fines and imprisonment for any disclosure of individual responses.

• All electronic data will be maintained in secure and protected data files, and all personally identifying information are kept in files separate from the descriptive information.

• Data will be released to the general public in aggregate format and will not contain individually identifiable information.

• These procedures have been reviewed and approved by the federal government.

Q. When will the results be available?

A. A brief descriptive report will accompany the release of the data in 2013. The study will continue in summer 2012 after most students will have graduated from high school.

Q. Will the study just include public schools?

A. Information will be collected from public, private, and Catholic high schools. Students who have left their ninth grade school at the time of the follow-up study will be contacted to participate via telephone or Web.

[back panel]

The following organizations are among those that have given their support to HSLS:09:

American Association of School Administrators

American Counseling Association

American Federation of Teachers

Council of Chief State School Officers

National Association of Secondary School Principals

National Catholic Educational Association, Department of Secondary Schools

National Center for Improving Science Education/WestED

National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

National Education Association

National Parent Teacher Association

National School Boards Association

National Science Teachers Association

Whom can I contact for further information about HSLS:09?

For additional information, you may call (877) 292-HSLS, send e-mail to [email protected], visit our website at https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsls1/, or contact:

RTI Project Director:

Mr. Dan Pratt at (919) 541-6615

RTI Principal Investigator:

Dr. Steven Ingels at (202) 974-7834

NCES Project Officer:

Dr. Laura LoGerfo at (202) 502-7402

October 2010

Administrator: First Letter

[Date]

<SCHOOL ADMIN NAME> Web Address: surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsls1

<SCHOOL NAME> Your STUDY ID: <XXXXXXX>

<ADDR1> Your PASSWORD: <XXXXXXX>m

<ADDR2>

Dear <School Administrator>:

The first follow-up to the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09) is now underway and we thank you for your school’s continued participation in this important research. As you know, HSLS:09 seeks to understand the impact of the high school experience on students’ learning and their education and career choices. This study also explores the transitions students make from high school to postsecondary education, the labor force, and adulthood. HSLS:09 is being conducted by RTI International for the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Over 21,000 students from over 900 high schools have participated in HSLS:09. In addition to students and the principal from each participating high school, HSLS:09 also includes the students’ parents and a counselor from each school.

As an administrator at <SCHOOLNAME>, you have a unique opportunity to provide your insight into the administration and policies at your school. Therefore, we are asking you to complete an online school administrator questionnaire which should take approximately 30 minutes for most respondents. To give you access to the questionnaire, the web link and your unique study ID and password are provided above. The questionnaire is divided into four sections. The first three sections mainly request factual information about this school and its programs. These sections can be answered by the principal or a designee who is able to provide this information. The final section asks for judgmental evaluations about the school climate, and we ask that this section be completed by the principal only. If you will have a designee (someone other than yourself) complete the initial portion of the survey, please let us know so that we may supply that person with access to the on-line survey.

Data collected are used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law (Public Law 107-279, Section 183). The data collected will be used by researchers, educators, and policymakers to understand students’ course-taking behaviors, motivation and achievement, and how students decide what pathways to follow during and after high school. Information collected from students, parents, teachers, counselors, and school administrators will help to inform and shape efforts to improve the quality of the high school experience, including math and science education in America.

HSLS:09 is endorsed by the National Association of Secondary School Principals, the American Association of School Administrators, the National Education Association and the National School Boards Association, among others. The enclosed brochure provides detailed information about HSLS. If you have any questions about your participation in the survey, please call Ms. Jane Griffin at RTI, toll-free at 1-877-292-HSLS (1-877-292-4757). If you have questions about your rights as a study participant, you may call RTI’s Office for Research Protection at 919-316-3358 in Durham, NC or 1-866-214-2043 (a toll-free number).

We thank you in advance for your cooperation in this important research.

Sincerely,

Stuart Kerachsky

Acting Commissioner

National Center for Education Statistics

Institute of Education Sciences

U.S. Department of Education

Enclosure: HSLS: 09 Brochure

NCES is authorized to conduct HSLS:09 under the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-279, Section 153). According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number of this voluntary information collection is 1850-0852. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 30 minutes per response, including the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collection. If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate or suggestions for improving the interview, please write to: High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09), National Center for Education Statistics, 1990 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20006.

Administrator: Second Letter

[Date]

<SCHOOL ADMIN NAME> <SCHOOL NAME>	Web Address: Your STUDY ID:	surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsls1 <XXXXXXXX>
<ADDR1>	Your PASSWORD:	<XXXXXXXX>n
<ADDR1>
<CITY STATE ZIP>

Dear <School Administrator>:

Recently, we sent you information on how to complete your interview for the first follow-up to the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09). This round of HSLS:09 is a continuation of a study that is following a cohort of eleventh grade students through high school and into postsecondary education, the labor force, and adult roles. In addition to exploring the transition from high school to beyond, HSLS:09 focuses on the impact of the high school experience on students’ learning and their education and career choices. As an administrator at <SCHOOL NAME>, your knowledge of the school’s academic policies and programs and their impact on student learning is crucial to the success of this study. Since your high school (participated two years ago/was selected to participate), we need your unique viewpoint as an administrator to make this study as well rounded as possible.

The interview should take approximately 30 minutes to complete. As an administrator, you are only required to complete the final section of the interview; you may designate someone else who is knowledgeable about your school to complete the first three sections. If you wish to have someone else complete the interview, please call the HSLS:09 help desk toll-free at 1-877-292-4757 to get log-in information for your designee.

You may also call us at that toll-free number to complete the interview with one of our professional telephone interviewers, or you may complete it via the Web by logging in to our secure website at https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsls1/ using the study ID and password provided above.

Data collected are used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law (Public Law 107-279, Section 183). RTI is conducting this study for the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences. If you have already completed the interview, we would like to thank you. Your assistance is very much appreciated. If you have any questions or concerns about the study, please contact Jane Griffin, toll free at -877-292-4757, or the NCES Project Officer, Dr. Laura LoGerfo, at 202-502-7402.

Thank you in advance for making HSLS:09 a success!

Dan Pratt

HSLS:09 Project Director

Education Studies Division

RTI International

NCES is authorized to conduct HSLS:09 under the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-279, Section 153). According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number of this voluntary information collection is 1850-0852. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 30 minutes per response, including the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collection. If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate or suggestions for improving the interview, please write to: High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09), National Center for Education Statistics, 1990 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20006.

Administrator: Third Contact: Postcard

PO Box 12194

Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2194

RTI Project #0212678.002.236

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

«fname»«mname»«lname»«suffix»

«addr1»

«addr2»

«city», «state» «zip» «zip4»

Panel info: «panelinfo»

Study ID: «caseid»

High School

Longitudinal

Study of 2009

<SCHOOL_NAME> is participating in the first follow-up to the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09). We know your time is valuable, but we are asking that you take some time to lend us your unique insight into your high school to help educators, researchers, and policymakers improve high school education in the United States. RTI is conducting this study for the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences. If you have already completed the interview, we would like to thank you. Your assistance is very much appreciated.

To complete a web interview over our secure website, log in to https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsls1 using the information below:

Study ID = «userid» Password = «password»q

Thank you.

Administrator: Fourth Letter

[Date]

<SCHOOL ADMIN NAME> <SCHOOL NAME>	Web Address: Your STUDY ID:	surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsls1 <XXXXXXXX>
<ADDR1>	Your PASSWORD:	<XXXXXXXX>p
<ADDR1>
<CITY STATE ZIP>

Dear <School Administrator>:

We have been trying to reach you in regards to your participation in the first follow-up to the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09). Your input about your school’s academic policies and programs and their impact on student learning is crucial to the study’s success. The current interview is the first follow-up to the study we are conducting in your school this spring, and was conducted in your school approximately two-and-a-half years ago. HSLS:09 explores the transitions students make from high school to beyond in a cohort of high school students.

The questionnaire should take approximately 30 minutes to complete. As the principal, you are only required to complete the final section of the interview; you may designate someone else who is knowledgeable about your school to complete the first three sections. If you have someone else complete the interview, please call the help desk toll-free at 1-877-292-4757 to get log-in information for your designee.

RTI is conducting this study for the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences. If you have already completed the interview, we would like to thank you. Your assistance is very much appreciated. If you have any questions or concerns about the study, please contact Jane Griffin, toll free at 1-877-292-4757, or the NCES Project Officer, Dr. Laura LoGerfo, at 202-502-7402.

Thank you in advance for making HSLS:09 a success!

Dan Pratt

HSLS:09 Project Director

Education Studies Division

RTI International

NCES is authorized to conduct HSLS:09 under the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-279, Section 153). According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number of this voluntary information collection is 1850-0852. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 30 minutes per response, including the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collection. If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate or suggestions for improving the interview, please write to: High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09), National Center for Education Statistics, 1990 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20006.

Administrator: Fifth and Final Contact

<DATE>

<SCHOOL ADMIN NAME> <SCHOOL NAME>	Web Address: Your STUDY ID:	surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsls1 <XXXXXXXX>
<ADDR1>	Your PASSWORD:	<XXXXXXXX>v
<ADDR1>
<CITY STATE ZIP>

Dear <School Administrator>:

We understand that as the principal at <SCHOOL_NAME>, you are very busy. However, your unique perspective is critically important to the success of the first follow-up to the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09). HSLS:09 is interested in understanding the transitions students make from high school to beyond and how experiences in high school impact learning as well as education and career choices. HSLS:09 follows these same eleventh graders through high school and into postsecondary education, the labor force, and adult roles.

HSLS:09 data collection will end on <END_DATE>. The interview takes approximately 30 minutes to complete. As the principal, you are only required to complete the final section of the interview; you may designate someone else who is knowledgeable about your school to complete the first three sections. If you have someone else complete the interview, please call the help desk toll-free at 1-877-292-4757 to get log-in information for your designee.

Please call our toll-free number to complete the interview with one of our professional telephone interviewers, or you may complete it via the Web by logging in to our secure website at https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsls/ using the study ID and password provided above.

Data collected are used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law (Public Law 107-279, Section 183). If you have questions or problems completing your interview online, simply call the HSLS:09 help desk, toll free at 1-877-292-4757.

RTI is conducting this study for the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences. If you have already completed the interview, we would like to thank you. Your assistance is very much appreciated. If you have any questions or concerns about the study, please contact Jane Griffin, toll free at 1-877-292-4757, or the NCES Project Officer, Dr. Laura LoGerfo, at 202-502-7402.

Thank you in advance for making HSLS:09 a success!

Dan Pratt
HSLS:09 Project Director
Education Studies Division
RTI International

NCES is authorized to conduct HSLS:09 under the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-279, Section 153). According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number of this voluntary information collection is 1850-0852. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 30 minutes per response, including the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collection. If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate or suggestions for improving the interview, please write to: High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09), National Center for Education Statistics, 1990 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20006.

Counselor: First Letter

[Date]

<COUNSELOR NAME> Web Address: surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsls1
<SCHOOL NAME > Your STUDY ID: <XXXXXXX>
<ADDR1> Your PASSWORD: <XXXXXXX>
<CITY STATE ZIP>

Dear <Counselor Name>:

Two years ago, <SCHOOL NAME> participated in the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09), sponsored by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in the U.S. Department of Education. Interviews have begun for the next round of the study and we need your unique perspective as a school counselor to make the study as successful as possible. The purpose of HSLS:09 is to understand the impact of the high school experience on students’ learning and education and career choices and to explore the transitions from high school to postsecondary education, the work force, and adulthood. Students, counselors, and administrators from over 900 schools have participated in HSLS:09.

Your participation is voluntary; however, as a counselor at <SCHOOL NAME>, your understanding of the influence of the school’s academic policies and programs on the overall learning environment is crucial to the study. Therefore, we ask that you complete an online questionnaire, which will take most counselors approximately 30 minutes. To do so, please log in using the web link and unique study ID and password provided above. Your responses will be protected from disclosure; no parents, students, school officials, teachers, or staff will see your answers and no individually identifying data will be reported. Data collected are used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law (Public Law 107-279, Section 183).

National organizations endorsing HSLS include the American School Counselors Association, the American Association of School Administrators, the National Education Association, the American Federation of Teachers, the National Parent Teacher Association, and the National Association of Secondary School Principals among others. The enclosed brochure provides detailed information about HSLS:09. If you have any questions about your participation in the survey, please call Jane Griffin at RTI, toll-free at 1-877-292-4757. If you have questions about your rights as a study participant, you may call RTI’s Office for Research Protection at 919-316-3358 in Durham, NC or 1-866-214-2043 (a toll-free number). For more information on the study and RTI, the nonprofit organization conducting it, please see the attached brochure.

We thank you in advance for your cooperation in this important research.

Sincerely,

Stuart Kerachsky
Acting Commissioner
National Center for Education Statistics
Institute of Education Sciences
U.S. Department of Education

Enclosure: HSLS: 09 Brochure

NCES is authorized to conduct HSLS:09 under the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-279, Section 153). According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number of this voluntary information collection is 1850-0852. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 30 minutes per response, including the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collection. If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate or suggestions for improving the interview, please write to: High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09), National Center for Education Statistics, 1990 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20006.

Counselor: Second Letter

[Date]

<COUNSELOR NAME> <SCHOOL NAME>	Web Address: Your STUDY ID:	surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsls1 <XXXXXXXX>
<ADDR1>	Your PASSWORD:	<XXXXXXXX>
<ADDR1>
<CITY STATE ZIP>

Dear <Counselor>:

The High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09) represents the first time that high school counselors have been asked to participate in a federally-funded, longitudinal study. Recently, we sent you information on how you can help make this study successful by completing your interview for the first follow-up to HSLS:09. As a counselor at <SCHOOL NAME>, your knowledge of the school’s academic policies and programs and their impact on student learning is crucial to the study. At the core of HSLS:09 is a cohort of students whom we are following through high school and into postsecondary education, the labor force, and adult roles. In addition to exploring the transition from high school to beyond, HSLS:09 also focuses on the impact of the high school experience on students’ learning and their education and career choices.

The interview should take approximately 30 minutes to complete. You may call us toll-free at 1-877-292-4757 to complete the interview with one of our professional telephone interviewers, or it can also be completed via the Web by logging in to our secure website at https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsls1/ using the study ID and password provided above.

RTI is conducting this study for the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences. If you have already completed the interview, we would like to thank you. Your assistance is very much appreciated. If you have any questions or concerns about the study, please contact Jane Griffin at RTI, toll-free at 1-877-292- 4757, or the NCES Project Officer, Dr. Laura LoGerfo, at 202-502-7402.

Thank you in advance for making HSLS:09 a success!

Dan Pratt

HSLS:09 Project Director

Education Studies Division

RTI International

NCES is authorized to conduct HSLS:09 under the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-279, Section 153). According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number of this voluntary information collection is 1850-0852. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 30 minutes per response, including the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collection. If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate or suggestions for improving the interview, please write to: High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09), National Center for Education Statistics, 1990 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20006.

Counselor: Third Contact: Postcard

PO Box 12194

Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2194

RTI Project #0212678

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

«fname»«mname»«lname»«suffix»
«addr1»
«addr2»
«city», «state» «zip» «zip4»

Panel info: «panelinfo»

Study ID: «caseid»

High School

Longitudinal

Study of 2009

<SCHOOL_NAME> is participating in the first follow-up to the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09). We know your time is valuable, but we are asking that you take some time to lend us your unique insight into your high school to help educators, researchers, and policymakers improve high school education in the United States. RTI is conducting this study for the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences. If you have already completed the interview, we would like to thank you. Your assistance is very much appreciated.

To complete a web interview over our secure website, log in to https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsls1 using the information below:

Study ID = «userid» Password = «password»q

Thank you.

Counselor: Fourth Letter

[Date]

<COUNSELOR NAME> <SCHOOL NAME>	Web Address: Your STUDY ID:	surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsls1 <XXXXXXXX>
<ADDR1>	Your PASSWORD:	<XXXXXXXX>p
<ADDR1>
<CITY STATE ZIP>

Dear <Counselor>:

We have been trying to reach you in regards to your participation in an important study, the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09). This study is the first follow-up to a study conducted during the fall of 2008. Since your school is participating, we are asking you to take approximately 30 minutes to complete your counselor interview. As a counselor at a participating high school, your input about your school’s academic policies and programs and their impact on student learning is crucial to the success of this study. As you know, HSLS:09 is a unique study that follows high school students through high school and into postsecondary education, the labor force, and adult roles. The study focuses on how high school experiences impact students’ learning and their education and career choices.

The interview should take approximately 30 minutes to complete. To make participation in HSLS:09 as convenient as possible, we have provided two options to complete your interview. You may call us toll-free at 1-877-292-4757 to complete the interview with one of our professional telephone interviewers, or you may complete the interview via the Web by logging in to our secure website at https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsls1/ using the study ID and password provided above.

RTI is conducting this study for the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences. If you have already completed the interview, we thank you. Your assistance is very much appreciated. If you have any questions or concerns about the study, please contact Jane Griffin, toll-free at 1-877-292-4757, or the NCES Project Officer, Dr. Laura LoGerfo, at 202-502-7402.

Thank you in advance for making HSLS:09 a success!

Dan Pratt

HSLS:09 Project Director

Education Studies Division

RTI International

NCES is authorized to conduct HSLS:09 under the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-279, Section 153). According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number of this voluntary information collection is 1850-0852. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 30 minutes per response, including the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collection. If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate or suggestions for improving the interview, please write to: High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09), National Center for Education Statistics, 1990 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20006.

Counselor: Fifth and Final Letter

[Date]

<COUNSELOR NAME> <SCHOOL NAME>	Web Address: Your STUDY ID:	surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsls1 <XXXXXXXX>
<ADDR1>	Your PASSWORD:	<XXXXXXXX>v
<ADDR2>
<CITY STATE ZIP>

Dear <Counselor>:

We understand that as a counselor at <SCHOOL_NAME>, you are very busy. However, we are asking that you take some time out of your schedule to complete this important interview. The High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09) is interested in understanding how school and home factors influence student education and career choices, learning, and transitions from high school to beyond. HSLS:09 is following the same students through high school and into postsecondary education, the labor force, and adult roles. Your unique perspective is important to the success of this study since high school counselors have never participated in a Federally-funded study of this kind before HSLS:09.

HSLS:09 data collection will end on [END DATE]. The interview takes approximately 30 minutes to complete. To complete the interview by phone with a professional interviewer, please call us toll-free at 1-877-292-4757. To complete the interview via the Web, log in to our secure website at https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsls1/ and use the study ID and password provided above.

RTI is conducting this study for the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences. If you have already completed the interview, we would like to thank you. Your assistance is very much appreciated. If you have any questions or concerns about the study, please contact Jane Griffin at RTI, toll-free at 1-877-292- 4757, or the NCES Project Officer, Dr. Laura LoGerfo, at 202-502-7402.

Thank you in advance for making HSLS:09 a success!

Dan Pratt

HSLS:09 Project Director

Education Studies Division

RTI International

NCES is authorized to conduct HSLS:09 under the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-279, Section 153). According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number of this voluntary information collection is 1850-0852. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 30 minutes per response, including the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collection. If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate or suggestions for improving the interview, please write to: High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09), National Center for Education Statistics, 1990 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20006.

HSLS:09 Main Study Panel Maintenance Materials: Parent Letter

Go to https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsls/

Select “Parent Contact Update”

Enter your study ID: <IDfill>

date>

<name>

Dear <ParentName>:

In the fall of 2009, <9thgradername> [IF BY RESPONDENT: “participated”; IF BY NONRESPONDENT: “was selected to participate”] in the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09). This important research follows a cohort of teenagers who were ninth graders during the 2009-2010 school year to understand what factors influence students’ learning and development.

Beginning in 2012, we will ask your teenager to complete a questionnaire and math assessment. We also may ask you to participate in a survey of parents and guardians. It is critically important to the success of this study that you and your teenager continue to participate in HSLS:09.

As we prepare for this next phase of HSLS:09, we are updating our contact information for the parents and guardians of the teenagers who were selected to participate. It is crucial to the success of this study that we have most up-to-date contact information for each student. We hope that you can take about five minutes and update your contact information and <9thgradername>‘s current education status. Please visit our secure website and use the study ID provided above to update your contact information. If you prefer, you may also complete and return the enclosed address update form.

HSLS:09 is being conducted by RTI International for the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), an organizational unit in the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute for Education Sciences. NCES is authorized by federal law (Public Law 107-279, Section 153) to conduct HSLS:09. Data will 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 (Public Law 107-279, Section 183). If you have any questions about HSLS:09 or about updating your contact information, please call the HSLS:09 help desk at 1-877-282-4757. You may also send us an e-mail at [email protected].

We thank you in advance for your help and greatly appreciate your continued support of this important research!

Sincerely,

Dan Pratt

Project Director

High School Longitudinal Study of 2009

RTI International

HSLS:09 Main Study Panel Maintenance Materials: Parent E-mail

From:	Dan Pratt, HSLS Project Director

Subject line:	Please update your contact information for HSLS

Dear <ParentName>:

In the fall of 2009, your son or daughter [IF StudentRespondent SAY: “participated;” IF StudentNonRespondent SAY: “was selected to participate”] in the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09). Recently, we sent a letter asking for your help in verifying your contact information. If you have already completed this update, we thank you! If you have not yet had an opportunity, this is a friendly reminder to please spend about five minutes to update this information at your earliest convenience. We greatly appreciate your help with this critical effort.

One of the most powerful aspects of HSLS:09 is that it follows a cohort of teenagers through high school education and beyond. Our ability to assess the progress of these teenagers over time will help educators, researchers, and policymakers better understand what drives students to academic and professional success.

Please use your unique study ID to log-in to the web address below to update your contact information.

Go to https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsls/
Select “Parent Contact Update” on the right-hand side of the page
Enter your study ID: <studyID>

HSLS:09 is sponsored by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute for Education Sciences. NCES is authorized by federal law (Public Law 107-279, Section 183) to conduct HSLS:09. Data will be used only for statistical purposes and will not be disclosed or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law (Public Law 107-279, Section 183). If you have any questions or encounter any difficulties, please call the HSLS help desk, toll-free, at 1-877-282-4757.

Thank you for your continued participation in this important study. We look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Dan Pratt

HSLS:09 Project Director

RTI international

Web Parent Contact Update Form

High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 Parent Contact Update Information

Thank you for your interest and continued participation in the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09). We are currently preparing for the first follow-up study to take place in January, 2012. Please take a few moments to provide your most recent contacting information and your teenager’s current status in school.

Student name:: ________________________

What is the name of the high school you expect your teenager to be enrolled at in the spring of 2012? _________________________

Check here if this is a different high school than your teenager attended as a ninth grader

NOTE: These next two questions will only be displayed if the box above is checked.

What city and state is this different high school in?

City:
State:

What is the reason for leaving the school?

Transferred to a new school
Left to be home schooled
No longer attends school and is not home-schooled

Please provide your contacting information below.

Name:
Address:
City
State
ZIP

Home phone:
Work phone:
Cell phone:

In the space below, please provide contacting information for another parent. If an information is the same as the information you provided above, please check the box to the right of each field.

			Check if same as parent or guardian 1
Name:
Address:
City
State
ZIP

Home phone:
Work phone:
Cell phone:

We will send an e‑mail to let you know that data collection has begun. Please provide an e‑mail address that we can use to contact you.

Primary e‑mail address:
Alternate e‑mail address:

Would you like us to send a text message to the cell phone listed above when data collection is about to begin? (Please note: standard text message rates apply)

NOTE: These next question will only be displayed if the “yes” box above is checked. Will not be displayed if “no” is checked or nothing is checked.

If yes, we will need the name of your cell phone service provider (e.g., AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, etc.) to ensure the message is sent to the correct carrier.

Service provider:

Thank you in advance for making the

High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 a success!

Hardcopy Parent Contact Update Form

The High School Longitudinal Study of 2009
Contact Update Information

Thank you for your interest and continued participation in the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09). We are preparing for the first follow-up study to take place in January 2012.

Please take a moment to update your current address and telephone information in the space provided below if different than what is printed below. If you prefer, you can also provide this information on our secure website at https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/hsls/ by clicking the “Parent Contact Update” link.

Student name: <STUDENT_NAME> (Your teenager who was in ninth grade during the 2009–10 school year.)

If the name listed above is not the same as the student who participated in the fall of 2009, please write the new name here: ________________________

2. Parent/Guardian information. If the information to the on the left side is incorrect, please update it on the right side.

Parent or guardian 1
Name:	<name>	Name:
Address:	<address>	Address:
City	<city>	City
State	<state>	State
ZIP	<ZIP>	ZIP

Home phone:	<homephone>	Home phone:
Work phone:	<workphone>	Work phone:
Cell phone:	<cellphone>	Cell phone:

Parent or guardian 2			Check if same as parent or guardian 1
Name:	<name>	Name:
Address:	<address>	Address:
City	<city>	City
State	<state>	State
ZIP	<ZIP>	ZIP

Home phone:	<homephone>	Home phone:
Work phone:	<workphone>	Work phone:
Cell phone:	<cellphone>	Cell phone:

The High School Longitudinal Study of 2009
Address Update Information (cont.)

3. Please enter the name of the high school you expect your teenager to be enrolled at in the spring of 2011: _________________________

Check if same high school attended as a ninth grader

4. If this is a different school, what city and state is this high school in?

City:
State:

5. What is the reason for leaving the school?

Transferred to a new school
Dropped out of school
Left to be home schooled
Other (please specify) _________________________________

6. We will send an e‑mail to let you know that data collection has begun. Please provide an e‑mail address that we can use to contact you.

Primary e‑mail address:
Alternate e‑mail address:

7. Would you like us to send a text message to the cell phone listed above when data collection is about to begin? (Please note: standard text message rates apply)

If yes, we will need the name of your cell phone service provider (e.g., AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, etc.) to ensure the message is sent to the correct carrier.

Service provider:

Thank you in advance for making the First Follow-Up of the
High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 a success!

File Type	application/msword
File Title	APPENDIX A:
Author	RTI_DP
Last Modified By	#Administrator
File Modified	2010-12-13
File Created	2010-12-13

Administrator, Counselor and School Coordinators Questionnaires, and School, IT Coordinators and Batch Tracing Materials,

High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09) First Follow-up Field Test 2011

Appendix A HSLS-09 First Follow-up Field Test 2011_Data_Collection_Communication_Materials