Recruiting Materials and Protocol

APPENDIX D
STUDY SUMMARY
ED COVER LETTER
FILE UPLOAD INSTRUCTIONS
MOU TEMPLATE
CONSENT FORM

National Longitudinal Transition Study
(NLTS-2012)
Why Are We Studying
“Transition”?

More than two million children receive federally funded special education services. For
youth with disabilities, the transition to adulthood is often marked by challenges that can
impede their education, employment, and ability to live independently. This study will help
educators and policymakers identify and address the barriers to successful transition.
NLTS-2012 is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education and is part of the
congressionally mandated National Assessment of the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA).

Focus of the Study

The study will compare a national sample of youth with disabilities to those without
disabilities, examining:
• Youth characteristics
• Services and accommodations received in school, and courses of study
• Transition experiences and outcomes as youth leave school, including the extent to
which they enter postsecondary education, secure jobs, and live independently
To examine changes in youth experiences and outcomes over time, the study will also
compare the current cohort of youth with disabilities to two cohorts studied previously.

Sources of Information

The Study Team

Data collection will occur in spring 2012 and spring 2014 and include a sample of 15,000
students in approximately 300 school districts. The nationally representative sample will
be randomly selected from among all public school students ages 13 to 21 as of December
2011. In addition to collecting students’ school records, the study team will conduct surveys
with youth and their parents, teachers, and principals.
The study is being conducted by Mathematica Policy Research (www.mathematica-mpr.
com), the Institute on Community Integration at the University of Minnesota (http://ici.
umn.edu), and Decision Information Resources (www.dir-online.com).
If you have questions, please contact Mathematica’s project director, John Burghardt, by
phone at (609) 275-2395 or by email at [email protected].

Confidentiality

Responses to all data collection activities will be kept confidential and be used only for
research purposes. The reports prepared for the study will summarize findings across large
groups of participants and will not associate responses with a specific district, school, or
individual.

[ED LETTERHEAD]
DATE
Superintendent [or Other Title]
District
Street Address
City, ST ZIP
Dear Dr./Mr./Ms. LASTNAME:
I am writing to tell you about an important new U.S. Department of Education-sponsored study of youth and
their transitions beyond high school, the National Longitudinal Transition Study (NLTS-2012). NLTS-2012 is part
of the congressionally-mandated national assessment of the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA). [DISTRICT
NAME] has been selected to help represent the nation in developing a profile of the services received and outcomes
achieved by students with and without disabilities.
The transition to adulthood is a difficult time, but even more so for youth with disabilities. As you know, in
addition to the host of issues facing all transition-age youth, students receiving special education services face
distinct barriers related to health, social isolation, service needs, and access to supports. Over 2 million children
receive special education services funded under Part B of IDEA. Many more require some accommodation (under
section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973). NLTS-2012 will help identify the barriers to more
effective transitions and, by examining the relationship between services and outcomes, give policy makers
information to develop strategies to overcome these barriers and lead to improved academic and employment
outcomes, reduced risk of dependency, and averting a lifetime of poverty.
[DISTRICT NAME], along with 300 other school districts, will help provide this crucial look at the transition
of youth with disabilities. I realize that the competing demands and limited resources currently faced by school
districts represent a serious challenge to active participation in research studies. I want to assure you that this
concern played an important role in designing this study to be as least burdensome as possible on school and district
staff. The Department of Education has contracted a highly professional study team led by Mathematica Policy
Research, along with their partners, the Institute on Community Integration (ICI) and Decision Information
Resources, Inc. (DIR), to work closely with districts and conduct the study the study in an agreeable and efficient
manner that will not distract from your primary mission.
The study will include a nationally representative sample of youth, with a particular focus on youth between
the ages of 13 and 21 who receive special education services or accommodation. There is no available substitute for
this information that is relied on by policymakers and educators. The primary information being sought will come
from confidential, easy to respond to surveys of selected principals, teachers, students, and their parents. Each
individual will be free to decide if they want to participate and will receive a small payment as gratitude for their
effort if they choose to do so. The district’s assistance is being sought initially to provide the information necessary
to select no more 50 students as potential study participants.
A member of the research team will contact you in the next few days to discuss how to best proceed. I have
enclosed some additional information about the study. If you have any questions about the study, please feel free to
contact me at xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. Please accept my appreciation in advance for assisting this important research
effort.
Sincerely,

Federal Project Officer
According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB
control number. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 61 hours per response, including time for reviewing instructions,
searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. The obligation to respond
to this collection is voluntary. Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for
reducing this burden, to Amanda DeGraff at 555 New Jersey Ave NW, Washington DC, 20208 or email [email protected] and reference
the OMB Control Number XXXX-XXXX. Note: Please do not return the completed data file application to this address.”

D.5

D.6

National Longitudinal Transition Study (NLTS-2012)
Data File Upload Instructions

Please provide a file of
with the following
fields for all district
students with a date of
birth between
December 2, 1989 and
December 1, 1998.
VARIABLE LIST:
• Gender

HOW TO PASSWORD PROTECT FILES SENT BY EMAIL

OPTION 1: WEB (Preferred)

* RECORD your password and note if it is case-sensitive

1. GO TO: https://www.[placeholder].org
2. LOGIN (case sensitive):

Microsoft Office 2007 Users

Username: [Username]
Password: [Password]
3. CLICK: “UPLOAD”
4. CLICK: “CHECK IN”
5. CLOSE BROWSER WHEN DONE CALL:
[Recruiter] at [Phone] if file is password-protected
to let us know password. Do not email password.

• IEP status
• 504 status
• Federal disability
category (if
applicable)
• Free/Reduced-price
lunch status
• Student ID, or an
identifier that can
be linked back to
full student record

2. CLICK: Microsoft Office Button

while file is open

3. POINT TO: “Prepare,” CLICK: “Encrypt Document”
4. TYPE/ENTER: A password, CLICK: “OK”
5. RETYPE/REENTER: The password, CLICK: “OK”

7. TEST PASSWORD: Close and reopen workbook

• Date of birth

• Grade level

1. OPEN: document

6. SAVE: file

• Race/Ethnicity

• School

EXCEL or WORD document protection

OPTION 2: EMAIL

All Microsoft Office 2003 and Earlier Users

1. PASSWORD-PROTECT DATA FILE:

1. RIGHT CLICK in the folder space where you will save the
Winzip file

DATA should not be sent in body of email.

2. CALL: [Name] at [Phone] and provide
password. Do not email password.
EMAIL: Password-protected file
attachment to Mathematica at
[email protected]. Include your
name, phone number, and name of
district in message.
3. SAVE: Password for your records
4. If possible, zip file using WinZip, PKZIP or
Stuffit. If larger than 20MB, use secure
website: https://www.[placeholder].org

2. POINT to New, and POINT and CLICK on Winzip file.
3. TYPE the name of the Winzip file and PRESS enter.
How to
Password
Protect
Files

4. OPEN the Winzip file.
5. CLICK Add, NAVIGATE to file, and CLICK Add. REPEAT fo
each file to be added.
6. CLICK on Encrypt and CLICK OK.
7. Under Encryption Method, SELECT 256-Bit AES
Encryption (stronger).
8. CONFIRM the box is checked next to Mask Password.
9. TYPE and then RE-TYPE your encryption password.
10.  CLICK OK and CLOSE Winzip.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact [Name] at [Email] or [Phone]
D.7 

P.O. Box 2393
Princeton, NJ 08543-2393
Telephone (609) 799-3535
Fax (609) 799-0005
www.mathematica-mpr.com
609 936-2784

Eric Zeidman
Liaison to [District]

NLTS-2012 - XX
May 1, 2011
Dear:
Thank you for your cooperation in the National Longitudinal Transition Study (NLTS-2012).
The purpose of this letter is to summarize our communication thus far and to clearly describe how
we expect the study to proceed. In our experience working with school districts on many
successful studies, we have found it is to the benefit of everyone involved to review the steps that
will take place in advance to ensure we share the same expectations and goals for the study. If you
feel that any aspect of the plan described in this letter is incomplete or inconsistent with your
understanding, please contact me at [insert phone and email] and we can explore possible
revisions. We will be continually focused on conducting the study in a manner that is agreeable
and respectful to the district and all participants. We will always welcome your input to do this to
the best of our abilities. The study is not intended to be a time-intensive commitment by any
individuals.
Study Background. The U.S. Department of Education (ED) has commissioned Mathematica
Policy Research (Mathematica) to conduct a longitudinal study focused on the educational and
transitional experiences of youth between the ages of 13 and 21. The study team consists of
Mathematica, Institute on Community Integration (ICI), Decision Information Resources (DIR),
and ED). The study will be used to understand the current needs and gauge the nation’s progress in
addressing the needs of youth with disabilities. Information will be collected on topics such as the
characteristics of youth with disabilities, the services and accommodations received, and their
transition experiences as the youth leave school. The study will include youth who have been
identified as needing special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education
Act (IDEA), youth who have a condition requiring some accommodation under section 504 of the
Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and youth with no identified disabilities to provided
context for the information collected for the other two groups..
Compensation. Mathematica will provide compensation of $[INSERT] to the district for time
spent processing data files. This amount will be provided in two equal installments, the first
following the receipt by Mathematica of complete student lists required for sample selection of
potential study participants, the second following the receipt of school records at the conclusion of
the study.
Data Collection. Data collection activities will occur at set points throughout the study.
Specifically, the study will collect:

D.9

LETTER TO:
FROM:
Eric Zeidman
DATE:
May 1, 2011
PAGE:
• Data used to select a random sample of students for the study. The district will
provide Mathematica with a list of all district students aged 13 to 21, including key data
variables specified in Appendix A.
• Contact information for selected students. Following the sample selection of
approximately 50 to 60 students, available contact information will be provided to
Mathematica in order to contact parents and attempt to gain consent for their children to
participate in the study. If consent is not obtained from individual students’ families, no
further contact will be made by the study team and contact information will be
destroyed. The study design requires approximately 40 students respondents from each
district so a supplemental sample will be selected to account for potential nonresponse.
Students in the supplemental sample will not be contacted until all efforts have been
expended to convert nonrespondents from the primary sample.
• Parent/youth surveys. Parents and youth will be interviewed two times by telephone -in the baseline year of the study about youth and family characteristics, and experiences
and supports in school; and in the follow-up year about school experiences and
outcomes. Youth will only be interviewed if their parent judges them able to do so.
• Principal surveys. Principals of sampled students’ schools will be interviewed in the
baseline year of the study by either web or phone about school policies and
environment.
• General education teacher surveys. Math or language arts teachers of mainstream
classes taken by sampled students with a disability will be interviewed in the baseline
year of the study by web or phone.
• Special education teacher surveys. The special education staff with the best
knowledge of each sampled student’s program, services, and performance will be
interviewed in both the baseline and follow-up years of the study by web or phone.
• School records. The district will provide Mathematica with data on sampled students’
attendance, courses taken, and grades.
Data files should be sent to Mathematica in electronic format, if possible. Prior to construction
of these files, Mathematica staff will contact the appropriate person at the district to discuss the
best means of formatting and transmitting the data (See Appendix A for an example of requested
data variables.)
Confidentiality. Any student-level data provided to Mathematica by the district in support of
this study will be kept strictly confidential, except as may be required by law or regulation, and
will be used only for research purposes. Any identifying information on students will be replaced
with randomly generated, anonymous identifiers prior to analysis. Access to individual level data
will be restricted to the study team and researchers directly authorized by ED. Data related to
individual students, their parents, schools, their staff member, or districts will only be publicly
reported at an aggregated level and not identified in study findings. A restricted-use data file will

D.10

LETTER TO:
FROM:
Eric Zeidman
DATE:
May 1, 2011
PAGE:

be created for ED for potential further analysis. This file will contain individual level data, but no
names or identifiers that would allow data to be attributed to a specific student, school, or district.
Timeline. Study participation will run from the Fall of 2011 through the Summer of 2014, or
whenever school records for the 2013-2014 school year become available. The timeline on the
following page provides general dates of study activities. Specific dates will be determined by
Mathematica and the District once we coordinate calendars.
Research Approval. Mathematica will comply with the district’s requirements for
participation in research. All necessary information will be provided and approvals secured before
any data are collected for the study.
Communication. I will be your representative on the study team. Please contact me by
telephone or by email with any questions or concerns about study activities.
Eric Zeidman
Liaison to [District]
Mathematica Policy Research, Inc.
P.O. Box 2393
600 Alexander Park
Princeton, NJ 08543-2393
Telephone: (609) 936-2784
[email protected]
STUDY ACTIVITIES TIMELINE
Time Period

Activity

Spring and Summer
2011
Fall 2011

Mathematica works with district to agree to terms of study participation and sign study work
plan
District provides student lists to Mathematica
District provides contact information for sampled students and facilitates consent process

Spring 2012
Fall 2013

Surveys conducted with principals, general education and special education teachers, and
parents and youth
District provides any available updated contact information for sampled youth to Mathematica

Spring 2014
Summer 2014

Surveys conducted with special education teachers, and parents and youth
District provides Mathematica with student-level school records

D.11

LETTER TO:
FROM:
Eric Zeidman
DATE:
May 1, 2011
PAGE:

The district has named the following person as the district-level contact for discussions related
to the study:
[Name]
[Title/Department]
[District]
[Address]
Telephone: [Phone]
[email]
Agreement to Proceed. If the plan described in this letter is acceptable to you and consistent
with your understanding of our plan, please sign at the bottom, keep one copy of the letter for your
files, and send one copy of the letter to me in the enclosed Federal Express envelope. We
appreciate your assistance with this important study, and we look forward to working with you.
Sincerely,

Signed:
The plan described in this letter accurately describes our understanding of the plan for including
[district] in the NLTS-2012 study.

[District Designee]
[Title]
[School District Name]

John Burghardt
Project Director
Mathematica Policy Research, Inc.

Attachment: Appendix A

D.12

Appendix A
Student-Level Data for Sample
Selection
Student ID
Gender
Race/Ethnicity
Birth date
School
Grade level or indication of
ungraded status
IEP
504 plan
Federal disability classification
Student-Level Data for Selected
Students
Parent name
Student name
Eligibility for free or reduced
price lunch
English Language Learner (LEP)
Status
Eighth grade achievement test
scores
Language spoken at home
Mailing address
Telephone number(s)
Email address
Attendance
Courses
Course grades

Specific Information Requested
Student identification number used by district
Male or Female
Race and Hispanic/Latino designations
Month and year of birth
Name of school(s)
Grade at beginning of 2011 – 2012 school year
Does student have an Individual Education Plan (IEP)? (Yes or No)
Does student have a Section 504 plan? (Yes or No)
What is the IDEA classification of any disabilities for which the student needs
special education and related services?
Specific Information Requested
First name and last name
First name and last name
Is student eligible for free or
reduced-price lunch? (Yes or No)
Is the student designated as ELL or LEP? (Yes or No)
Available data on state administered assessments
What is the primary language to be used for contacting a student and/or parent?
Address used for official school mailings
Home, work, and cell phone numbers at which parents can be reached
Address used for any electronic communications
The number of days students were absent in the requested school year
A listing of the courses taken during the requested school year
Grades received in graded courses during the requested school year

D.13

SCHOOL DISTRICT CONSENT FOR CONTACT INFORMATION
TO BE PRINTED ON SCHOOL DISTRICT STATIONERY

READ THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS:
The CHILD’S SCHOOL DISTRICT is participating in a national study, the National Longitudinal Transition Study
(NLTS-2012), sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education. The study is being conducted by Mathematica Policy
Research, Inc. The study will learn about the experiences of students as they work towards completing high school and
attempt a successful transition into the workforce and/or further schooling in the coming years. We are pleased to be part
of a study that will find ways to improve the opportunities for the success for all students.
The study plans to interview students and parents to learn about their experiences and will provide each of you $25 as
thanks for participating in the interviews. The study will not affect your child’s school experience in any way. We would
like your permission to allow Mathematica to contact you about the study.By giving your consent to be contacted, you
are not committing to any study activities. You have the right to refuse to participate in any or all study activities
when you are contacted.
The study will also collect information directly from teachers. By signing this form, you are also allowing Mathematica to
contact one or two of your student’s teachers. Study information will be kept confidential and will only be reported in
statistics without the names of people or schools. This is being done in about 300 school districts across the country with
around 15,000 students participating. While you and your child will not receive any direct benefit from participating in this
study, the study will help to better understand students’ experiences in school and beyond and find ways to improve
those experiences for others. Participating in the study poses no risk to you or your child.

COMPLETE AND SIGN:
Print Your Child’s Name: ______________________________________________________
Parent/Guardian Signature: ____________________________________ Date: _________
Print Parent/Guardian Name: ___________________________________________________
Enter Your Telephone Number: (______) - ________ - __________

:

MARK (X) ONLY ONE BOX:

†
†

YES, I CAN be contacted as part of the National Longitudinal Transition Study
NO, I CANNOT be contacted as part of the National Longitudinal Transition Study

RETURN THIS FORM: Return using the attached postage-paid envelope or to your child’s teacher.
QUESTIONS: Please call our Mathematica Policy Research study staff, toll free, at (xxx) xxx-xxxx.
Per the policies and procedures required by the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002, Title I, Part E, Section 183, responses to this data
collection will be used only for statistical purposes. The reports prepared for this study will summarize findings across the sample and will not
associate responses with a specific district or individual. We will not provide information that identifies you or your district to anyone outside the study
team, except as required by law. Any willful disclosure of such information for nonstatistical purposes, without the informed consent of the
respondent, is a class E felony.

D.17