ECLS-K-2011 Spring Pilot Respondent Materials, rev.

Appendix D:
Respondent Materials

NOTE: The letters for respondents that are included in this appendix have headers indicating to
whom the letter will be sent. These headers will be removed before the letters are printed and sent
to respondents.

Description of the Respondent Materials Included in this Package
The package includes several materials that will be sent to districts, school staff, and parents in
preparation for the pilot tests. Below is a list of all the materials included in this package.

•

District letter
o

•

LETTER FOR DISTRICTS THAT INCLUDE SCHOOLS SELECTED FOR THE ECLS-K:2011 PILOT
TEST: Mailed to school districts that include schools selected for the pilot test.

School administrator letters and emails
o

LETTER FOR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS OF SCHOOLS SELECTED FOR THE CHILD
ASSESSMENTS/QUESTIONNAIRE AND ONLINE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR
QUESTIONNAIRE ECLS-K:2011 PILOT TESTS: Mailed to school administrators in schools
being recruited for both the child tests and who are being recruited for the online
School Administrator Questionnaire (SAQ) component.

o

RECRUITMENT LETTER FOR SCHOOL ADMININSTRATORS SELECTED FOR THE SCHOOL
ADMINISTRATOR QUESTIONNAIRE ONLY FOR THE 2013 ECLS-K:2011 PILOT TEST: Mailed
to school administrators being recruited only for the online SAQ component. Because it
is anticipated that not all school administrators whose schools are participating in the
child components will agree to participate in the online SAQ themselves, additional
administrator participants will be recruited using this letter.

o

EMAIL TO WELCOME SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS TO THE STUDY: Email sent to school
administrators after the administrator has received an advanced mailing about the
online SAQ pilot test and the study staff has called the administrator and gained his/her
agreement to participate in the online SAQ pilot test.

o

WELCOME LETTER TO SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS IN THE “NEW” GROUP WHO ARE
ASKED TO COMPLETE ONLY THE ONLINE QUESTIONNAIRE: Mailed to participating
administrators randomly selected for the “new” administrator respondent group. These
“new” administrators will be responding only to an online version of the SAQ.

o

SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR QUESTIONNAIRE COVER LETTER FOR “RETURNING”
ADMINISTRATORS: Mailed along with the hard-copy SAQ to participating administrators
randomly selected for the “returning” administrator respondent group.

o

EMAIL INVITATION FOR ONLINE SAQ FOR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS: Email sent to
school administrators after the welcome email has been sent and, for “returning”
administrators only, once the hard-copy SAQ has been shipped to the administrator and
returned to Westat.

o

REMINDER EMAIL FOR ONLINE SAQ FOR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS: Email sent to
school administrators after the online SAQ has not been completed after 1 week.

o

•

School coordinator letter
o

•

•

THANK YOU EMAIL FOR ADMINISTRATORS WHO COMPLETED THE SAQ: Email sent to
school administrators after they have completed the online SAQ.

LETTER FOR SCHOOL COORDINATORS FOR SCHOOLS SELECTED FOR THE 2013 ECLSK:2011 PILOT TEST (CHILD QUESTIONNAIRE AND CHILD ASSESSMENT): Mailed to the
school staff person identified as the school coordinator in schools that will be
participating in the child assessment/child questionnaire tests.

Parent materials
o

ACTIVE CONSENT PARENT LETTER: Mailed to the parents/guardians of children in
participating schools in districts that require signed active parent consent.

o

EARLY CHILDHOOD LONGITUDINAL STUDY, KINDERGARTEN CLASS OF 2010-11 (ECLSK:2011) PARENT PERMISSION FOR CHILD TO PARTICIPATE: Mailed to the
parents/guardians of children in participating schools in districts that require signed
active parent consent.

o

NOTIFICATION PARENT LETTER: Mailed to the parents/guardians of children in
participating schools in districts that require parental notification only.

o

EARLY CHILDHOOD LONGITUDINAL STUDY, KINDERGARTEN CLASS OF 2010-11 (ECLSK:2011) PARENT REFUSAL FOR CHILD PARTICIPATION: Mailed to the parents/guardians
of children in participating schools in districts that require parental notification only.

Study summary sheet flyer
o

STUDY SUMMARY SHEET: Mailed to districts, school administrators, school coordinators,
and parents as an enclosure with their letters.

LETTER FOR DISTRICTS THAT INCLUDE SCHOOLS SELECTED FOR THE
ECLS-K:2011 PILOT TEST
Date

[SUPERINTENDENT NAME]
[DISTRICT NAME/DIOCESE]
[ADDRESS]
[CITY, STATE ZIP]
Dear [SUPERINTENDENT]
I am writing to inform you that one or more schools in your [district/diocese] have been
selected to take part in a brief data collection focusing on the development of direct assessments
in reading, mathematics, and science for the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten
Class of 2010-11 (ECLS-K:2011) this spring. During this development phase, we will be testing
and refining the content of the direct assessments for use in the third- through fifth-grade
rounds of data collection for the national ECLS-K:2011 study.
The ECLS-K:2011 is the third in a series of longitudinal studies of young children conducted by
the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The earlier studies have been important
sources of data for researchers and policy makers to address key issues related to children’s
development and learning, including literacy in the home, the teaching of reading and
mathematics, and the associations between physical exercise, childhood obesity, and well-being.
Researchers using the data have published their findings widely in scientific journals and the
popular press. NCES also presents results from these studies for practitioners and the general
public on our website, http://nces.ed.gov/ecls.
Like its predecessor studies, the ECLS-K:2011 will provide important information on children’s
early learning and development, transition into kindergarten, and progress through elementary
school. The new cohort of students’ school experiences will be compared to those of over a
decade earlier to study the extent to which the demographic profile of children and their
environment for learning have changed, and how these changes relate to developmental and
academic differences across the cohorts. The study is described in more detail in the enclosed
flyer.
This spring, we are asking third-, fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grade students to complete individual
assessments with trained ECLS-K:2011 assessors. Most participating children will complete an
assessment designed to measure children’s reading, mathematics, and science skills and knowledge.
These assessment activities will take approximately 60 minutes per child. In some schools, an
additional group of third- and fourth-grade children will be asked to complete a computer-assisted
questionnaire about themselves instead of participating in the direct assessments. The questionnaire
should take approximately 15 minutes to complete.
Participation in this study is voluntary; however, we ask your agency to support the participation
of schools in your district in this phase of the ECLS-K:2011. The participation of each of the
schools selected for this brief data collection is crucial for the development of valid assessments
that will accurately measure students’ knowledge and skills in the national ECLS-K:2011 study.
The National Center for Education Statistics of the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of
Education Sciences is the primary sponsor of ECLS-K:2011, which is being conducted on

behalf of NCES by Westat. The ECLS-K:2011 has been endorsed by the national education
organizations listed on this letter. NCES is authorized to conduct this study under 20 U.S. Code,
Section 9541. Under that law, the data provided by your 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 (20 U.S. Code, Section 9573).
The U.S. Office of Management and Budget has approved the data collection under OMB #
1850-0803 (expires 9/30/2013).
In preparation for our spring activities in the schools, in the next few days a representative from
Westat will contact the schools in your district that have been selected. We are required by law
to protect the names of schools in the study from disclosure; we ask that each district respect
this requirement and protect the identity of participating schools as well. Information collected
from multiple individuals will be combined to produce reports of findings from the ECLSK:2011. The reports will not identify participating districts, schools, children and their parents,
or individual staff.
If you have questions about the ECLS-K:2011 or your schools’ participation in this brief
data collection, please feel free to call Westat toll-free at 1-888-204-4864 or send an email to
[email protected]. Also, more information about ECLS-K:2011 is available at:
http://nces.ed.gov/ecls/MyECLSK2011.
Thank you for your support of the ECLS-K:2011.
Sincerely,

Jack Buckley, Ph.D.
Commissioner
National Center for Education Statistics
Institute of Education Sciences
cc: [DISTRICT TEST DIRECTOR]
Enclosures

LETTER FOR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS OF SCHOOLS SELECTED FOR THE
CHILD ASSESSMENTS/QUESTIONNAIRE AND ONLINE SCHOOL
ADMINISTRATOR QUESTIONNAIRE ECLS-K:2011 PILOT TESTS
Date
[ADMINISTRATOR NAME]
[SCHOOL NAME]
[ADDRESS 1]
[CITY, STATE ZIP]
Dear [ADMINISTRATOR]:
I am writing to invite you to participate in the development of the Early Childhood
Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 (ECLS-K:2011). The ECLS-K:2011
began in the 2010-11 school year with a sample of approximately 18,300 participating
children in approximately 970 schools across the country. At this time, we are working on
the development of direct assessments of students’ knowledge and skills in reading,
mathematics, and science for use in the third- through fifth-grade rounds of data collection
for the national ECLS-K:2011 study.
Although your school is not part of the national ECLS-K:2011 data collection, I am
contacting you because your school has been selected to take part in a brief data collection in
which we will be testing and refining the content of the reading, mathematics, and science
direct assessments. We are asking third-, fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grade students to complete
an assessment that will be individually administered by a trained ECLS-K:2011 assessor and
that takes approximately 60 minutes per child. Some additional third- and fourth-grade
children will be asked to complete a computer-assisted questionnaire about themselves
instead of participating in the direct assessments. The questionnaire should take
approximately 15 minutes to complete. We expect that an assessment team will be in your
school for 3 to 4 days during the data collection period, which runs from mid-April through
mid-June, 2013.
We are also asking some school administrators to complete an online School Administrator
Questionnaire that collects information about their school’s demographics, programs,
facilities, neighborhood, policies, and practices, as well as their own background. Some
administrators will be asked to complete both a paper and an online version of the
questionnaire, while others will be asked to complete the online version. We will also be
soliciting feedback about administrators’ experiences with the online system using questions
included in the online questionnaire. An ECLS-K:2011 staff member may also call with
some follow-up questions about the online system.
Participation in this study is voluntary; however, I encourage your school’s participation in
this phase of the ECLS-K:2011. The participation of each of the schools selected for this
brief data collection is crucial for the development of valid questionnaires and student
assessments that will accurately measure students’ knowledge and skills in the national
ECLS-K:2011 study. We are asking you to identify a staff member at your school to act as a
liaison with the ECLS-K:2011 and facilitate the activities in the school that are part of the
study. In appreciation for your time and effort, your school will receive a $7
honorarium for each child who completes the direct assessments or the child
questionnaire. If you participate in the School Administrator Questionnaire
component, you will receive an additional honorarium for completing the
questionnaire and providing feedback to study staff about your experience.
The ECLS-K:2011 is the third in a series of longitudinal studies of young children conducted
by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The earlier studies have been

important sources of data for researchers and policy makers to address key issues related to
children’s development and learning including literacy in the home, the teaching of reading
and mathematics, and the associations between physical exercise, childhood obesity, and
well-being. Researchers using the data have published their findings widely in scientific
journals and the popular press. NCES also presents results from these studies for
practitioners and the general public on our website, http://nces.ed.gov/ecls.
Like its predecessor studies, the ECLS-K:2011 will provide important information on
children’s early learning and development, transition into kindergarten, and progress through
elementary school. The new cohort of students’ school experiences will be compared to
those of over a decade earlier to study the extent to which the demographic profile of
children and their environments for learning have changed, and how these changes relate to
developmental and academic differences across the cohorts. The study is described in more
detail in the enclosed flyer.
The National Center for Education Statistics of the U.S. Department of Education’s
Institute of Education Sciences is the primary sponsor of the ECLS-K:2011, which is being
conducted on behalf of NCES by Westat. The ECLS-K:2011 has been endorsed by the
national education organizations listed on this letter. NCES is authorized to conduct this
study under 20 U.S. Code, Section 9541. Under that law, the data provided by your school,
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 (20
U.S. Code, Section 9573). The U.S. Office of Management and Budget has approved the
data collection under OMB # 1850-0803 (expires 9/30/2013). Information collected from
multiple individuals will be combined to produce reports of findings from the ECLSK:2011. The reports will not identify participating districts, schools, children and their
parents, or individual staff.
Within the next few days, a representative of Westat will contact you about participating in
this brief data collection. If you have any questions, please feel free to call Westat toll-free at
1-888-204-4864 or send an email to [email protected]. Also, more information
about the ECLS-K:2011 is available at http://nces.ed.gov/ecls/MyECLSK2011.
Thank you for your support of the ECLS-K:2011.

Jack Buckley, Ph.D.
Commissioner
National Center for Education Statistics
Institute of Education Sciences
Enclosure

RECRUITMENT LETTER FOR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS SELECTED FOR
THE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR QUESTIONNAIRE ONLY FOR THE 2013
ECLS-K:2011 PILOT TEST
Date
[ADMINISTRATOR NAME]
[SCHOOL NAME]
[ADDRESS 1]
[CITY, STATE ZIP]
Dear [ADMINISTRATOR]:

I am writing to invite you to participate in the development of the Early Childhood
Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 (ECLS-K:2011). The ECLS-K:2011
began in the 2010-11 school year with a sample of approximately 18,300 participating
children in approximately 970 schools across the country.
Although you and your school are not part of the national ECLS-K:2011 data collection, I
am contacting you to ask for your participation in the development phase of the study in
which we are testing a School Administrator Questionnaire. During this phase, we are
asking school administrators to complete a questionnaire that collects information about
their school’s demographics, programs, facilities, neighborhood, policies, and practices, as
well as their own background. Some administrators will be asked to complete both a paper
and an online version of the questionnaire, while others will be asked to complete the online
version. We will also be soliciting feedback about administrators’ experiences with the online
system using questions included in the online questionnaire. An ECLS-K:2011 staff member
may also call with some follow-up questions about the online system.
Participation in this study is voluntary; however, I encourage your participation in this phase
of the ECLS-K:2011. The participation of each of the administrators selected for this brief
data collection is crucial for the development of a valid online questionnaire. In
appreciation for your time and effort, you will receive an honorarium for completing
the questionnaire and providing feedback to study staff about your experience.
The ECLS-K:2011 is the third in a series of longitudinal studies of young children conducted
by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The earlier studies have been
important sources of data for researchers and policy makers to address key issues related to
children’s development and learning including literacy in the home, the teaching of reading
and mathematics, and the associations between physical exercise, childhood obesity, and
well-being. Researchers using the data have published their findings widely in scientific
journals and the popular press. NCES also presents results from these studies for
practitioners and the general public on our website, http://nces.ed.gov/ecls.
Like its predecessor studies, the ECLS-K:2011 will provide important information on
children’s early learning and development, transition into kindergarten, and progress through
elementary school. The new cohort of students’ school experiences will be compared to
those of over a decade earlier to study the extent to which the demographic profile of
children and their environments for learning have changed, and how these changes relate to
developmental and academic differences across the cohorts. The study is described in more
detail in the enclosed flyer.

The National Center for Education Statistics of the U.S. Department of Education’s
Institute of Education Sciences is the primary sponsor of the ECLS-K:2011, which is being
conducted on behalf of NCES by Westat. The ECLS-K:2011 has been endorsed by the
national education organizations listed on this letter. NCES is authorized to conduct this
study under 20 U.S. Code, Section 9541. Under that law, the data provided by your school,
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 (20
U.S. Code, Section 9573). The U.S. Office of Management and Budget has approved the
data collection under OMB # 1850-0803 (expires 9/30/2013). Information collected from
multiple individuals will be combined to produce reports of findings from the ECLSK:2011. The reports will not identify participating districts, schools, children and their
parents, or individual staff.
Within the next few days, a representative of Westat will contact you about participating in
this brief data collection. If you have any questions, please feel free to call Westat toll-free at
1-888-204-4864 or send an email to [email protected]. Also, more information
about the ECLS-K:2011 is available at http://nces.ed.gov/ecls/MyECLSK2011.
Thank you for your support of the ECLS-K:2011.

Jack Buckley, Ph.D.
Commissioner
National Center for Education Statistics
Institute of Education Sciences
Enclosure

Email to welcome school administrators to the study (includes 1 page each for returning and new
administrators)

The following emails will be sent to school administrators after the following steps have occurred:
•
•

The school administrator has received an advance mailing about the pilot test.
The study staff school recruiter has called the administrator and gained his/her agreement to
participate in the SAQ pilot.

___________________________________________________________________________________
Email to welcome “returning” administrators (those receiving both the hard-copy and online SAQ):
FROM: Westat
SUBJECT LINE: Welcome to the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-11
(ECLS-K:2011)!
Dear School Administrator,
Thank you for agreeing to participate in the development of the School Administrator Questionnaire
(SAQ) and provide us with information about you and your school. As a thank you for completing the
paper and online questionnaires and providing us with feedback on your experiences, we will mail
you a $40 check with the paper SAQ.
In the next few weeks, you will receive a FedEx package containing a paper questionnaire for you to
complete and mail back to us using the provided postage-paid FedEx envelope. The questionnaire
collects information about topics such as your school’s characteristics, facilities and resources, policies
and practices, and characteristics of you and your staff.
After your completed hard-copy SAQ has been received and processed, you will receive an e-mail
containing a link to an online questionnaire that will contain some of the information you provided in
the paper version. The online SAQ will also include some questions about your experiences using the
online questionnaire. An ECLS-K:2011 staff member may also call you to ask for additional feedback on
the online system.
If you have questions about the ECLS-K:2011, please call Westat toll-free at 1-888-204-4864 or send an
email to [email protected]. More information about the ECLS-K:2011 is also available at
http://nces.ed.gov/ecls/MyECLSK2011.
Thank you for your support of the ECLS-K:2011.
Karen Tourangeau
Project Director
Westat
The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1850-0803. Approval expires
9/30/2013.

Email to welcome school administrators to the study (includes 1 page each for returning and new
administrators)

Email to welcome “new” administrators (those receiving the online SAQ only):
FROM: Westat
SUBJECT LINE: Welcome to the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-11
(ECLS-K:2011)!
Dear School Administrator,
Thank you for agreeing to participate in the development of the School Administrator Questionnaire
(SAQ) and to provide us with information about you and your school. As a thank you for completing the
online SAQ and providing us with feedback on your experiences, we will mail you a $25 check.
In the next few weeks, you will receive an e-mail containing a link to an online questionnaire. The
questionnaire collects information about topics such as your school’s characteristics, facilities and
resources, policies and practices, and characteristics of you and your staff. The online SAQ will also
include some questions about your experiences using the online questionnaire. An ECLS-K:2011 staff
member may also call you to ask for additional feedback on the online system.
If you have questions about the ECLS-K:2011, please call Westat toll-free at 1-888-204-4864 or send an
email to [email protected]. More information about the ECLS-K:2011 is also available at
http://nces.ed.gov/ecls/MyECLSK2011.
Thank you for your support of the ECLS-K:2011.
Karen Tourangeau
Project Director
Westat
The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1850-0803. Approval expires
9/30/2013.

WELCOME LETTER TO SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS IN THE “NEW” GROUP
WHO ARE ASKED TO COMPLETE ONLY THE ONLINE QUESTIONNAIRE
Date
[ADMINISTRATOR NAME]
[SCHOOL NAME]
[ADDRESS 1]
[CITY, STATE ZIP]
Dear [ADMINISTRATOR]:
Thank you again for agreeing to participate in the development of the Early Childhood
Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 (ECLS-K:2011) online School
Administrator Questionnaire (SAQ). We have enclosed an honorarium of $25 as a thank
you for your time and effort in completing the online questionnaire.
If you have not already received it, you will soon be sent an e-mail from the study that
contains the following link for you to use to complete an online questionnaire:
[INSERT SURVEY LINK]
At the end of the SAQ, there are questions asking you about your experience using the
online system. We estimate that it will take approximately 60 minutes to complete the online
SAQ and questions soliciting your feedback. Following your completion of the online
questionnaire, an ECLS-K:2011 staff member may call you to ask some additional questions
about your experience using the online questionnaire.
If you have questions, please call Westat toll-free at 1-888-204-4864 or send an email to
[email protected]. More information about the ECLS-K:2011 is available at
http://nces.ed.gov/ecls/MyECLSK2011.
Thank you again for your support of the ECLS-K:2011.

Jack Buckley, Ph.D.
Commissioner
National Center for Education Statistics
Institute of Education Sciences

The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1850-0803. Approval expires 9/30/2013.

School Administrator Questionnaire Cover Letter for “Returning”
Administrators
School Administrator ID: [S_ID]

Dear ECLS-K:2011 School Administrator: Thank you for participating in the development of the
online School Administrator Questionnaire (SAQ) for the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study,
Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 (ECLS-K:2011). The information you provide is vital to the success
of this important study of elementary education in the United States. Attached is the paper
questionnaire that we would like you to complete. As a gesture of appreciation for your time
and effort, we have enclosed a $40 honorarium. We appreciate your completion of and your
feedback on this important questionnaire.
The SAQ collects information about your school’s demographics, programs, facilities,
neighborhood, policies, and practices.

In addition, it collects information about your

background.
•

Questions in sections A-G can be answered either by you or by a knowledgeable
designee.

•

Questions in section H are best answered by you.

Questionnaire Checklist: Please follow these steps for completing the SAQ:


Complete questions in sections A-G (can be completed by you or a knowledgeable
designee).



Complete questions in section H (should be completed by you)



Return the completed questionnaire within the next two weeks using the enclosed
return envelope.

After we receive and process your completed hard-copy questionnaire, we will send you an
e-mail that contains a link for you to use to complete the online SAQ. The online SAQ will
include some of the information you provide on the paper SAQ as pre-filled responses to
questions.

If you have questions about the ECLS-K:2011, please call Westat toll-free at 1-888-204-4864 or
send an email to [email protected].

Thank you for your participation!

The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1850-0803. Approval expires
9/30/2013.

Email invitation for online SAQ for school administrators (includes 1 page each for returning and new administrators)
The following emails will be sent to school administrators after the following steps have occurred:
•
•
•
•
•

The administrator has received an advance mailing about the pilot test.
The study staff school recruiter has called the administrator and the administrator has agreed to participate in
the SAQ pilot test.
A welcome email has been sent to the administrator.
No bounce-back for the email address occurred.
For returning administrators only, the hard-copy SAQ has been shipped to the administrator and returned to
Westat.

_____________________________________________________________________________________
Email online SAQ invitation for returning administrators (hard-copy and online SAQs):
FROM: Westat
SUBJECT LINE: Link to the ECLS-K:2011 online SAQ!
Dear School Administrator,
Thank you for returning your completed paper copy of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of
2010-11 (ECLS-K:2011) School Administrator Questionnaire (SAQ)! We really appreciate the time and effort you spent
completing the questionnaire. For the next part of this ECLS-K:2011 study development phase, we ask you to please use
the following link to complete an online SAQ:
{INSERT RESPONDENT-SPECIFIC LINK HERE}
We want you to review the information you previously provided that we have used to pre-fill some questions, as well as
answering the other questions which do not have responses pre-filled. At the end of the online SAQ, we have included
additional questions that ask you about your experience using the online system. We estimate that it will take
approximately 60 minutes to complete the entire questionnaire, including the feedback questions. If necessary, you
may exit the online SAQ and return to complete it at a later time. The online system will continually save your progress,
so you may complete the online questions in multiple sessions, if necessary. You may also forward this link to another
staff member who may better be able to answer the questions. However, we do ask that you personally complete the
questions about yourself, as well as the questions soliciting your feedback.
We would appreciate your completion of all online questions during the next two weeks. Once the online system has
recorded all of your responses, an ECLS-K:2011 staff member may call you to ask a few additional questions regarding
your experiences using the online questionnaire.
If you have questions about the ECLS-K:2011, please call Westat toll-free at 1-888-204-4864 or send an email to
[email protected].
Thank you for your support of the ECLS-K:2011.
Karen Tourangeau
Project Director
Westat
The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1850-0803. Approval expires 9/30/2013.

Email invitation for online SAQ for school administrators (includes 1 page each for returning and new administrators)

Email online SAQ invitation new administrators to the study (online SAQ only):
FROM: Westat
SUBJECT LINE: Link to the ECLS-K:2011 online SAQ!
Dear School Administrator,
Thank you again for agreeing to participate in the development of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten
Class of 2010-11 (ECLS-K:2011) School Administrator Questionnaire (SAQ )!
Please use the link below to complete the online SAQ. At the end of the online SAQ, we have included additional
questions that ask you about your experience in using the online system. We estimate that it will take approximately 60
minutes to complete the entire questionnaire, including the feedback questions.
{INSERT RESPONDENT-SPECIFIC LINK HERE}
If necessary, you may exit the online SAQ and return to complete it at a later time. The online system will continually
save your progress, so you may complete the online questions in multiple sessions, if necessary. You may also forward
this link to another staff member who may better be able to answer the questions. However, we do ask that you
personally complete the questions about yourself, as well as the questions soliciting your feedback.
We would appreciate your completion of all online questions during the next two weeks. Once the online system has
recorded all of your responses, an ECLS-K:2011 staff member may call you to ask a few additional questions regarding
your experiences using the online questionnaire.
If you have questions about the ECLS-K:2011, please call Westat toll-free at 1-888-204-4864 or send an email to
[email protected].
Thank you for your support of the ECLS-K:2011.
Karen Tourangeau
Project Director
Westat
The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1850-0803. Approval expires 9/30/2013.

Reminder email for online SAQ for school administrators (includes 1 page each for returning and new administrators)
The following emails will be sent to school administrators after the following steps have occurred:
•
•
•
•
•
•

The administrator has received an advance mailing about the pilot test.
The study staff school recruiter has called the administrator and gained his/her agreement to participate in the
SAQ pilot test.
A welcome email has been sent to the administrator.
No bounce-back for the email address occurred.
For returning administrators only, the hard-copy SAQ has been shipped to the administrator and returned to
Westat.
The online SAQ has not been completed by the administrator after 1 week.

_____________________________________________________________________________________
Reminder email to complete the online SAQ for returning administrators (hard-copy and online SAQ):
FROM: Westat
SUBJECT: Reminder to complete the ECLS-K:2011 online SAQ
Dear School Administrator,
Thank you for again for completing the paper School Administrator Questionnaire (SAQ). We appreciate the time and
effort you took to fill it out. If you have not already done so, please use the following link to complete the online
version of the SAQ:
{INSERT RESPONDENT-SPECIFIC LINK HERE}
We want you to review the information you previously provided that we have used to pre-fill some questions, as well as
answering the other questions which do not have responses pre-filled. At the end of the online SAQ, we have included
additional questions that ask you about your experience using the online system. We estimate that it will take
approximately 60 minutes to complete the entire questionnaire, including the feedback questions. If necessary, you
may exit the online SAQ and return to complete it at a later time. The online system will continually save your progress,
so you may complete the online questions in multiple sessions, if necessary. You may also forward this link to another
staff member who may better be able to answer the questions. However, we do ask that you personally complete the
questions about yourself, as well as the questions soliciting your feedback.
Please complete the online questions during the next two weeks. Once the online system has recorded all of your
responses, an ECLS-K:2011 staff member may call you to ask a few additional questions regarding your experiences using
the online questionnaire.
If you have questions about the ECLS-K:2011, please call Westat toll-free at 1-888-204-4864 or send an email to
[email protected].
Thank you for your support of the ECLS-K:2011.
Karen Tourangeau
Project Director
Westat
The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1850-0803. Approval expires 9/30/2013.

Reminder email for online SAQ for school administrators (includes 1 page each for returning and new administrators)

Reminder email to complete the online SAQ for new administrators (online SAQ only):
FROM: Westat
SUBJECT: Reminder to complete the ECLS-K:2011 online SAQ
Dear School Administrator,
If you have not already done so, please use the link below to complete the online School Administrator Questionnaire
(SAQ). The online system will continually save your progress, so you may complete the online questions in multiple
sessions, if necessary. You may also forward this link to another staff member who may better be able to answer the
questions. However, we do ask that you personally complete the questions about yourself, as well as the questions
soliciting your feedback.
{INSERT RESPONDENT-SPECIFIC LINK HERE}
Please complete the online questions during the next two weeks. Once the online system has recorded all of your
responses, an ECLS-K:2011 staff member may call you to ask a few additional questions regarding your experiences using
the online questionnaire.
If you have questions about the ECLS-K:2011, please call Westat toll-free at 1-888-204-4864 or send an email to
[email protected].
Thank you for your support of the ECLS-K:2011.
Karen Tourangeau
Project Director
Westat
The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1850-0803. Approval expires 9/30/2013.

Thank you email for administrators who completed the SAQ

The following emails will be sent to school administrators after they have completed the online SAQ.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Email to thank ALL administrators:
FROM: Westat
SUBJECT: Thank you participating in the development of the ECLS-K: 2011 SAQ!
Dear School Administrator,
Thank you for your participation in the development of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study,
Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 (ECLS-K:2011) school administrator questionnaire! The information you
provided will help us refine our questionnaire and procedures before we ask hundreds of school
administrators across the nation to complete the questionnaire during in the national ECLS-K:2011
study.
If you have questions about the ECLS-K:2011, please call Westat toll-free at 1-888-204-4864 or send an
email to [email protected].
Thank you for your support of the ECLS-K:2011.
Karen Tourangeau
Project Director
Westat
The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1850-0803. Approval expires
9/30/2013.

LETTER FOR SCHOOL COORDINATORS FOR SCHOOLS SELECTED FOR
THE 2013 ECLS-K:2011 PILOT TEST (CHILD QUESTIONNAIRE AND CHILD
ASSESSMENT)
[NAME]
[SCHOOL NAME]
[ADDRESS 1]
[ADDRESS 2]
[CITY, STATE ZIP]

Spring 2013

Dear School Coordinator:
We are very happy that your school is participating in the assessment development
activities for the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-11
(ECLS-K:2011). During this phase of the study, we will be testing and refining the
content of direct assessments of students’ knowledge and skills in reading, mathematics,
and science that will be used in the third- through fifth-grade rounds of data collection
for the national ECLS-K:2011 study.
We are asking third-, fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grade students to complete an assessment
that will be individually administered by a trained ECLS-K:2011 assessor and that takes
approximately 60 minutes per child. We expect that an assessment team will be in your
school for approximately 3 to 4 days during the data collection period, which runs from
mid-April through mid-June, 2013. In some schools, some additional third- and fourthgrade students will be asked to complete a computer-assisted questionnaire about
themselves instead of participating in the direct assessments. The questionnaire should
take approximately 15 minutes to complete.
We appreciate your help with three tasks, which are detailed in the enclosed materials.
These are (1) set a date and time for the assessment activities; (2) identify an appropriate
space for the assessments; and (3) obtain parental consent for children to participate,
keep track of the returned parental consent forms, and provide us with a list of students
who have permission to participate in this phase of the study. Please read the enclosed
materials for more information about the study and your important role in it.
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) of the U.S. Department of
Education’s Institute of Education Sciences is the primary sponsor of the ECLS-K:2011,
which is being conducted on behalf of NCES by Westat. The ECLS-K:2011 has been
endorsed by the national education organizations listed on this letter. NCES is
authorized to conduct this study under 20 U.S. Code, Section 9541. Under that law, the
data you provide 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 (20 U.S. Code,
Section 9573). The U.S. Office of Management and Budget has approved the data
collection under OMB # 1850-0803 (expires 9/30/2013).
Thank you for your support of the ECLS-K:2011. We look forward to working with you
and your school. An ECLS-K:2011 representative will call you in the coming week to
further explain the data collection and your responsibilities. If you have any questions or
concerns in advance of the phone call, please call Westat toll free at 1-888-204-4864 or
send an email to [email protected].
Sincerely,

Jack Buckley, Ph.D.
Commissioner
National Center for Education Statistics
Institute of Education Sciences

Enclosures

Active Consent Parent Letter
Spring 2013
Dear Parent:
I am pleased to invite your child to participate in the development phase of an important
study of how children develop and learn: the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study,
Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 (ECLS-K:2011). It is the third in a series of longitudinal
studies of young children conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics
(NCES). Like the earlier studies, the ECLS-K:2011 is a critical source of data for researchers
and policy makers as they seek to understand and improve children’s development and
learning.
Your child’s district office and school administrator have agreed to participate in the current
phase of the study in which we are developing new assessments. This spring, students in
your child’s school and other schools across the nation will be administered an assessment
designed to measure skills and knowledge in reading, mathematics, and science. The
assessments will be administered individually to each child by trained assessors. In some of
these schools, a small group of children will be asked to complete a questionnaire about
themselves instead of participating in the direct assessments. Most children find these
activities enjoyable. The information we collect from your child will help researchers create
new and better assessments for use with other students in future data collections for the
ECLS-K:2011.
Participation in this study is voluntary; however, I encourage your participation in the
ECLS-K:2011. The participation of each of the children selected for this brief data
collection is crucial for the development of valid assessments that will accurately measure
students’ knowledge and skills in the national ECLS-K:2011 study.
Information from multiple individuals will be combined to produce statistical reports; no
information that identifies you or your child (for example, name or address) will be included
in any reports. All information collected will be protected from disclosure to the fullest
extent allowable by law (20 U.S.C., § 9573). Your child’s school will not receive any
information about you or your child as a part of this study.
A consent form for your child to participate in the ECLS-K:2011 assessment is enclosed.
Please sign the form and return it to your child’s school.
If you have questions about the ECLS-K:2011 or your child’s participation in this
development phase of the study, please feel free to call Westat toll free at 1-888-204-4864 or
send an email to [email protected]. Also, more information about ECLS-K:2011
is available at the NCES website at http://nces.ed.gov/ecls/myECLSK2011.
Thank you for your time and consideration of the study.
Sincerely,

Jack Buckley, Ph.D.
Commissioner
The collection of information in this survey is authorized by 20 U.S. Code, Section 9541. Participation is voluntary. Responses are protected from disclosure by federal statute
(20 U.S. Code, Section 9573). All responses that relate to or describe identifiable characteristics of individuals may be used only for statistical purposes and may not be
disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1850-0803. Approval
expires 9/30/2013.

National Center for Education Statistics
Institute of Education Sciences

Enclosures

The collection of information in this survey is authorized by 20 U.S. Code, Section 9541. Participation is voluntary. Responses are protected from disclosure by federal statute
(20 U.S. Code, Section 9573). All responses that relate to or describe identifiable characteristics of individuals may be used only for statistical purposes and may not be
disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1850-0803. Approval
expires 9/30/2013.

Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-11
(ECLS-K:2011)
Parent Permission for Child to Participate

Your child is being asked to take part in a design phase of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study,
Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 (ECLS-K:2011), which is taking place from mid-April to mid-June 2013. The
ECLS-K:2011 is sponsored by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) of the U.S. Department of
Education’s Institute of Education Sciences and is being conducted on behalf of NCES by Westat. The ECLSK:2011 is an ongoing study that measures children’s skills and knowledge in reading, mathematics, and
science. Study staff are currently developing the assessments for future ECLS-K:2011 data collections.
We have selected your child to participate in the current phase of the study in which we are developing
assessments that measure children’s knowledge and skills in reading, mathematics, and science, as
well as a questionnaire for children to report on themselves. The information collected during this phase
of the ECLS-K:2011 will be used to guide the development of the direct child assessments and a child
questionnaire for the national ECLS-K:2011 study.
The collection of information in this study is authorized by 20 U.S. Code, Section 9541. The valid OMB control
number for this information collection is 1850-0803 (expires 9/30/2013). Participation in the ECLS-K:2011 is
voluntary. Children may skip questions they do not wish to answer; however, we hope that they will answer as
many questions and participate as fully as they can. Children's responses are protected from disclosure by
federal statute (20 U.S. Code, Section 9573). All responses that relate to or describe identifiable characteristics
of individuals 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. Data from multiple individuals will be combined to produce
statistical reports. No individual data that link names, addresses, telephone numbers, or identification numbers
with responses will be included in the statistical reports.
If you have any questions or concerns about the protection of the information you provide or your rights in this
research study, contact Gail Mulligan at the National Center for Education Statistics at 1-202-502-7491 or
[email protected].
PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT
By signing below, I indicate that I have read the information provided and I freely agree to allow my
child to participate in the ECLS-K:2011 study activities.
Please complete, sign, and return this form in the enclosed envelope to your child’s school.
CHILD’S NAME:
First and last name
Sign your name:
Signature of parent/guardian

Date

Print your name:
First

Middle

Last

Notification Parent Letter
Dear Parent:

Spring 2013

I am pleased to invite your child to participate in the development phase of an important
study of how children develop and learn: the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study,
Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 (ECLS-K:2011). It is the third in a series of longitudinal
studies of young children conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics
(NCES). Like the earlier studies, the ECLS-K:2011 will be a critical source of data for
researchers and policy makers as they seek to understand and improve children’s
development and learning.
Your child’s district office and school administrator have agreed to participate in the current
phase of the study in which we are developing new assessments. This spring, students in
your child’s school and other schools across the nation will be administered an assessment
designed to measure skills and knowledge in reading, mathematics, and science. The
assessments will be administered individually to each child by trained assessors. In some of
these schools, a small group of children will be asked to complete a questionnaire about
themselves instead of participating in the direct assessments. Most children find these
activities enjoyable. The information we collect from your child will help researchers create
new and better assessments for use with other students in future data collections for the
ECLS-K:2011.
Participation in this study is voluntary; however, I encourage your participation in the
ECLS-K:2011. The participation of each of the children selected for this brief data
collection is crucial for the development of valid assessments that will accurately measure
students’ knowledge and skills in the national ECLS-K:2011 study.
Information from multiple individuals will be combined to produce statistical reports; no
information that identifies you or your child (for example, name or address) will be included
in any reports. All information collected will be protected from disclosure to the fullest
extent allowable by law (20 U.S.C., § 9573). Your child’s school will not receive any
information about you or your child as a part of this study.
A consent form for your child to participate in the ECLS-K:2011 assessment tasks is
enclosed. If you will allow your child to participate in the study, you do not need to return
this form. If you do not want your child to take part in this study, please fill out the form
and return it in the enclosed envelope to your child’s school.
If you have questions about the ECLS-K:2011 or your child’s participation in this
development phase of the study, please feel free to call Westat toll free at 1-888-204-4864 or
send an email to [email protected]. Also, more information about ECLS-K:2011
is available at the NCES website at http://nces.ed.gov/ecls/myECLSK2011.
Thank you for your time and consideration of the study.
Sincerely,

Jack Buckley, Ph.D.
Commissioner
The collection of information in this survey is authorized by 20 U.S. Code, Section 9541. Participation is voluntary. Responses are protected from disclosure by federal statute
(20 U.S. Code, Section 9573). All responses that relate to or describe identifiable characteristics of individuals may be used only for statistical purposes and may not be
disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1850-0803. Approval
expires 9/30/2013.

National Center for Education Statistics
Institute of Education Sciences

Enclosures

The collection of information in this survey is authorized by 20 U.S. Code, Section 9541. Participation is voluntary. Responses are protected from disclosure by federal statute
(20 U.S. Code, Section 9573). All responses that relate to or describe identifiable characteristics of individuals may be used only for statistical purposes and may not be
disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1850-0803. Approval
expires 9/30/2013.

Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-11
(ECLS-K:2011)
Parent Refusal for Child Participation

Your child is being asked to take part in a design phase of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study,
Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 (ECLS-K:2011), which is taking place from mid-April to mid-June 2013. The
ECLS-K:2011 is sponsored by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) of the U.S. Department of
Education’s Institute of Education Sciences and is being conducted on behalf of NCES by Westat. The ECLSK:2011 is an ongoing study that measures children’s skills and knowledge in reading, mathematics, and
science. Study staff are currently developing the assessments for future ECLS-K:2011 data collections.
We have selected your child to participate in the current phase of the study in which we are developing
assessments that measure children’s knowledge and skills in reading, mathematics, and science, as
well as a questionnaire for children to report on themselves. The information collected during this phase
of the ECLS-K:2011 will be used to guide the development of the direct child assessments and a child
questionnaire for the national ECLS-K:2011 study.
The collection of information in this study is authorized by 20 U.S. Code, Section 9541. The valid OMB control
number for this information collection is 1850-0803 (expires 9/30/2013). Participation in the ECLS-K:2011 is
voluntary. Children may skip questions they do not wish to answer; however, we hope that they will answer as
many questions and participate as fully as they can. Children's responses are protected from disclosure by
federal statute (20 U.S. Code, Section 9573). All responses that relate to or describe identifiable characteristics
of individuals 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. Data from multiple individuals will be combined to produce
statistical reports. No individual data that link names, addresses, telephone numbers, or identification numbers
with responses will be included in the statistical reports.
If you have any questions or concerns about the protection of the information you provide or your rights in this
research study, contact Gail Mulligan at the National Center for Education Statistics at 1-202-502-7491 or
[email protected].
PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT
By signing below, I indicate that I have read the information provided.


I DO NOT consent to my child’s participation in the ECLS-K:2011 study activities.

Please complete, sign, and return this form in the enclosed envelope to your child’s school only if you
do not want your child to participate. If you will allow your child to participate, you do not need to do
anything. Your child may be assessed when study staff visit your child’s school.

CHILD’S NAME:
First and last name
Sign your name:
Signature of parent/guardian

Date

Print your name:
First

Middle

Last

Study Summary Sheet
Kindergarten Class of 2010-11

About the study
The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study,
Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 (ECLS-K:2011) is a
study of how children develop and learn. It is
sponsored by the National Center for Education
Statistics (NCES) within the Institute of Education
Sciences of the U.S. Department of Education and
is conducted by Westat. The study follows the same
students from kindergarten through fifth grade,
collecting information that helps researchers,
policymakers, educators, and parents better
understand how student, home, classroom, school,
and community factors at various points in
students’ lives relate to their educational, social,
emotional, and physical development.
During the 2010-11 school year, approximately
18,300 kindergartners in 970 public and private
schools across the nation participated in the first
year of the study. Since then, the ECLS-K:2011 has
continued to gather information from multiple
sources to provide valuable information about
these students’ early school experiences. Each year
the study asks:

• students to participate in assessments designed

to measure important reading, math, and
science skills and knowledge, as well as their
memory and ability to follow directions. Students
also have their height and weight measured at
all rounds of data collection, and a subset of
students had their hearing measured in the fall
of 2012. Beginning in the 2013-14 school year,
students will also be asked to complete a
questionnaire about themselves.

• parents to participate in telephone interviews to
provide background information about their
child, their family, and themselves.

• students’ teachers to complete questionnaires

that ask for information about their own
backgrounds, teaching practices, and
experience. They are also asked to provide
information on the classroom experiences for the
students they teach and to evaluate each study
student on a number of critical cognitive and
noncognitive dimensions.

• students’ school administrators/principals to

complete questionnaires about their
backgrounds, the physical and organizational
characteristics of their schools, and programs at
their schools.

In the first year of the study, the student’s beforeand after-school care providers also participated
by completing questionnaires about themselves
and the care they provided to the study students.

Why is the ECLS-K:2011 so important?
Because many factors influence children’s school
experiences and outcomes, it is important to
understand the different environments in which
children live and learn. No other study in the United
States provides information about the nation’s
elementary school students that will allow
researchers and policymakers to answer the
following types of questions:

• What do children know and what skills do they
possess when they start school?

• How do children's knowledge, skills, and

behavior change over time? How do their
school experiences change over time?

• How do children’s summer experiences relate to
their retention of knowledge from the spring of
one school year to the fall of the next school
year?

How can I participate in the study?
During spring 2013, approximately 2,900 students in
third, fourth, fifth, and sixth grades from about 60
schools across the United States will be invited to
participate to help us refine the assessments that will
be used in the national study during the next few
years. During this phase of the study, we will ask:

• students to participate in assessments designed

to measure important reading, math, and
science skills and knowledge. These assessments
will be individually administered by trained
assessors and take approximately 60 minutes. In
some schools, some third- and fourth-grade
students will instead be asked to complete a
questionnaire about themselves. This
questionnaire takes approximately 15 minutes.

• school staff to provide selected information (for

example, grade level, gender, date of birth, and
race/ethnicity) for each student as well as space
to conduct the assessments. We will be in each
school for about 4 days.

• parents for permission for their children to
participate in the study.

What has the ECLS-K:2011
found so far?
The information we have collected from ECLS-K:2011
students, families, and schools across the country is
already being used to gain a better understanding
of today’s students and their experiences. No other
study provides this information at a national level!
The first report using this information was published
last summer by the National Center for Education
Statistics.

You can find the report, First-time Kindergartners in
2010-11, online at http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/
pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2012049. Here are a few of the
report's findings about the students who were
first-time kindergartners during the 2010-11 school
year:

• Eighty-four percent lived in a home where
English was the primary language.

• Seventy-six percent started kindergarten living in
a two-parent household.

• Thirty-eight percent had parents whose highest
level of education was a bachelor’s degree or
higher.

• For both reading and math, assessment scores
increased with parental education level.

• Students living in poverty made up 25 percent of
these first-time kindergartners.

Although the information released to date is brief,
researchers, policymakers, and school staff will be
using the ECLS-K:2011 information for years to come.
To learn more about how data from previous ECLS
studies have been used, please see http://nces.ed.
gov/ecls/myeclsk2011/.
The National Center for Education Statistics is
authorized to conduct the ECLS-K:2011 under 20
U.S. Code, Section 9541. Under that law, the data
provided 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 (20 U.S. Code, Section 9573). Information
collected from multiple individuals will be combined
to produce reports of findings from the ECLS-K:2011.
The reports will not identify participating districts,
schools, children and their parents, or individual staff.

Thank You!
Your participation is vitally important to the success of the ECLS-K:2011!
If you have any questions about the study, please call (888) 204-4864
or send an e-mail to [email protected].

36995.1112.60292023

The valid OMB control number for this information
collection is 1850-0803. Approval expires 9/30/2013.

Appendix E:
Recruitment Scripts

Online SAQ Pilot Test Recruitment Scripts
These scripts will be used during the recruitment call for the 3rd through 5th grade child assessment pilot test.
Once school administrators agree to participate in that pilot, the school recruiter will use this script to gain
cooperation for the online SAQ pilot test. The script used will depend on the treatment group to which the
school administrator has been pre-assigned.
For recruitment of school administrators not participating in the child assessment pilot test, the scripts will be
altered slightly; that is, words in brackets (“{ }”) will be omitted.
Recruitment Script for “Returning” School Administrators
{Now,} I’d like to talk to you about a {separate} study development activity that we are conducting with
school administrators. Currently, school administrators who participate in our national study complete a
paper questionnaire about their school and themselves. The study is considering moving to an online survey
for school administrators which we think will make the completion of these questions easier for them. An
online format would allow us to pre-fill data that school administrators previously gave us that doesn’t change
much from year to year. Then, each year when we collect information from the participating school
administrators, the administrators will need to only review that pre-filled information, updating it as
necessary, before moving to questions about topics for which the responses might change from year-to-year.
However, before we make this change, we want to test this approach to help determine whether it is easier or
more complicated for school administrators, and whether this new online approach reduces the time needed
to complete the questionnaire.
We would like to send you the paper version of the School Administrator Questionnaire for you to complete
and return it to us in a postage-paid FedEx envelope. Then, a couple weeks later, you will receive an email
with a link to the online version of the questionnaire. For some questions, your responses from your
completed paper questionnaire will be pre-filled in those online questions to mirror the approach we hope to
take in the national study. We would ask you to review those pre-filled questions, changing some answers
either to correct any errors you may have made in the paper questionnaire, or simply changing them to
incorrect responses so you’ll be able to give us feedback about how easy or difficult it is to edit entries within
the online system. You will also complete all questions that do not have pre-filled responses. We’re
interested in hearing about your experiences with all aspects the online questionnaire, so it includes some
questions that ask for your feedback at the end of the survey. We are very interested in understanding how
your experience of completing the paper questionnaire compares to the online survey. That will help us
understand whether having some responses pre-filled makes completing the online survey easier.
As a thank you for your time and effort, we will send you a check for $40. We expect it will take about an
hour to complete each survey. The questions soliciting your feedback at the end of the online survey should
take about 15 minutes more. We may also contact you by phone to ask you some additional questions about
the online system; for example, if we need clarification on any of your responses.
Do you have any questions about the study or what we’re asking you to do?

[RESPOND TO ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS TO OBTAIN COOPERATION. IF
ADMINISTRATOR AGREES TO PARTICIPATE, ASK THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS.]
What is the best number at which to reach you in case we do not receive your questionnaire or to ask you
some follow-up questions?
Is there an email address other than the one at your school through which you would rather receive the
invitation and link to complete the online questionnaire?

Recruitment Script for “New” School Administrators
{Now,} I’d like to talk to you about a {separate} study development activity that we are conducting with
school administrators. Currently, school administrators who participate in our national study complete a
paper questionnaire about their school and themselves. The study is considering moving to an online survey
for school administrators which we think will make the completion of these questions easier for them. An
online format would allow us to pre-fill data that school administrators previously gave us that doesn’t change
much from year to year. Then, each year when we collect information from the participating school
administrators, the administrators will need to only review that pre-filled information, updating it as
necessary, before moving to questions about topics for which the responses might change from year-to-year.
However, before we make this change, we want to test this approach to help determine whether it is easier or
more complicated for school administrators, and whether this new online approach reduces the time needed
to complete the questionnaire.
In a couple weeks we will send you an email with a link to the online version of the school administrator
questionnaire. We’re interested in hearing about your experiences with all aspects the online questionnaire, so
it includes some questions that ask for your feedback at the end of the survey. We are very interested in
understanding your experiences with the online format.
As a thank you for your time and effort, we will send you a check for $25. We expect it will take about an
hour to complete the survey. The questions soliciting your feedback at the end of the online survey should
take about 15 minutes more. We may also contact you by phone to ask you some additional questions about
the online system; for example, if we need clarification on any of your responses.
Do you have any questions about the study or what we’re asking you to do?
[RESPOND TO ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS TO OBTAIN COOPERATION. IF
ADMINISTRATOR AGREES TO PARTICIPATE, ASK THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS.]
What is the best number at which to reach you in case we do not receive your questionnaire or to ask you
some follow-up questions?
Is there an email address other than the one at your school through which you would rather receive the
invitation and link to complete the online questionnaire?