BTLS Brochure

BTLS
Does data remain confidential?

All responses are protected by Public Law 107-279,
the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002, Title I,
Part E, Section 183. Your answers may be used for
statistical purposes only and may not be disclosed,
or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose
except as provided by law. The information you
provide will be combined with the information
provided by others in statistical summaries.

Where do I get more information?
To see our publications and to obtain additional
information, go to http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/btls

How was I selected?

Participants in this study were selected from among
those who provided data about their first year of
teaching in the most recent Schools and Staffing
Survey. The sample for this new study was selected
to be representative of the entire population of
public school teachers who began teaching in 2007
or 2008.

What kinds of questions are
asked?

You will be asked questions about your employment
status (e.g., if you are currently teaching, working
in a nonteaching position, or not working);
characteristics of your current teaching or
nonteaching position; your opinions of your current
position, including the reasons for any change in
your position that may have occurred; as well as
background information.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
is the primary federal entity for collecting and analyzing
data related to education in the United States and other
nations.

National Center for Education Statistics
Institute of Education Sciences
U.S. Department of Education
1990 K Street NW
Washington, DC 20006
E-mail: [email protected]

http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/btls
NCES 2009-343
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

BEGINNING
TEACHER
LONGITUDINAL
STUDY

2007

What is the
Beginning
Teacher
Longitudinal
Study?

The Beginning Teacher Longitudinal

who began teaching in 2007 or 2008. The

will permit a better understanding of
the impact that different life events have
on teachers’ careers and how teachers
respond to transitions in their lives.
These transitions might include moving
to a different school or grade or subject,
becoming a mentor, exiting teaching to
enter the nonteaching workforce, starting
a family, and so forth.

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2010

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attitudes about the teaching profession and job
satisfaction;

•

characteristics of those who stay in the teaching
profession, move from one school to another, leave
the profession temporarily, or leave permanently;

•

the percentage of your cohort that leaves the
profession—and the percentage that later re-enters it;

•

career patterns of those who remain in teaching and, in
contrast, the career patterns of former teachers after
they leave the profession; and

•

personal educational activities and plans for the future.

in this study as a representative of this

Over time, the information gathered

2009

•

“story.” You have been selected to be
cohort.

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This study will contribute to policymakers’ understanding
of the lives and careers of teachers over the course of
time—even of those who leave the profession. More
specifically, the BTLS will gather information regarding

study will follow this cohort of teachers
for a decade to create an unfolding

2008

Why is the BTLS important?

Study (BTLS) is an important new study
of a group of public school teachers

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The BTLS is a major, national long-term study of people
who began teaching in 2007 or 2008. It will provide an
excellent way for the voices of teachers to be heard.

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2012

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2013

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2014

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2015

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2016

Why should I participate?

Policymakers and education researchers want to learn
about your impressions of your experiences as a teacher.
They want to know about, for example, whether you
believe you receive adequate support from your school,
your training and educational background, and your
impressions of your current job situation.
Even if you have left teaching, your continuing participation is very important because the decisions you make and
the path you follow can help researchers and planners gain
deeper insight into what influences a person’s decision to
leave the teaching profession.
Your participation is crucial to making sure that the survey
results will provide a true picture of teachers—and former
teachers—across the country. By contributing information
about your individual experience, you will be contributing
to the future of the teaching profession as a whole.

How are the data collected?

You will receive e-mails containing a username, password,
and link to the web-based questionnaire. Your responses
to the survey are stored on a secure server, much like
using PayPal™.