OECD Teaching and Learning
International Survey
(TALIS 2013 Field Trial and Main Study)
Supporting Statement Part D
National Center for Education Statistics
Institute Of Education Sciences
U.S. Department Of Education
Washington, D.C.
August 1, 2011
State TALIS letter—Field
Trial
[Date]
[Title] [Name First] [Name Last]
[Title/Department]
[State]
[Address 1]
[Address 2]
[City], [State] [Zip code]
Dear [Title] [Name Last]:
The United States will participate for the first time in TALIS (the Teaching and Learning International Survey), an international survey of principals and teachers at grades 7, 8, and 9. TALIS provides comparative information about teaching and the teaching profession around the world. TALIS is coordinated by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and 32 countries have already committed to participate. [Insert #] schools in your state have been randomly selected to participate in a field trial study in the spring of 2012 (the main study will occur in 2013). I am writing to ask your agency to support the participation of schools in your state in the TALIS field trial.
The field trial is a vital part of the overall study, as it allows the United States to confirm that the survey questions are appropriate for the U.S. context and accurately and reliably describe teaching and the teaching profession in the United States. Schools selected for the field trial will not be asked to participate again in the main study.
TALIS and the associated process for participating schools are described in more detail in materials enclosed with this letter. The study is sponsored in the United States by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in the U.S. Department of Education and will be conducted by [insert name of contractor]. The U.S. Office of Management and Budget has approved the data collection under OMB # 1850-XXXX. While participation in this study is entirely voluntary, we ask your agency to support the participation of schools in your state in the field trial so that the United States has a representative sample of schools from across the country.
NCES is authorized to conduct this study under the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (20 U.S. Code, Section 9543). The data provided by schools and staff 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). Reports of the findings from the study will not identify participating districts, schools, or individual staff. Individual responses will be combined with those from other participants to produce summary statistics and reports.
Within the next few weeks, a representative of [insert name of contractor] will contact sampled school districts and schools to discuss conducting the field test data collection. In the meantime, if you have questions about the study, please do not hesitate to call [insert name of contractor] at [insert phone number] or send an email to [insert study-specific email address]. You may also get more information about the study by contacting Erin Roth at NCES (202-502-7415 or [email protected]) or visiting the TALIS website at: http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/talis.
Thank you for your time and support. TALIS is a crucial element in an ongoing effort to understand how the U.S. education system compares to those of other countries.
Sincerely,
Jack Buckley
Commissioner
cc: [State CCSSO member]
Enclosures
[
Public School district TALIS
letter—Field Trial
[Title] [Name First] [Name Last], [Title/Department]
[School District]
[Address 1]
[City], [State] [Zip code]
Dear [Title] [Name Last]:
The United States will participate for the first time in TALIS (the Teaching and Learning International Survey), an international survey of principals and teachers at grades 7, 8, and 9. TALIS provides comparative information about teaching and the teaching profession around the world. TALIS is coordinated by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and 32 countries have already committed to participate. [Insert #] schools in your district have been randomly selected to participate in a field trial study in the spring of 2012 (the main study will occur in 2013). I am writing to ask your agency to support the participation of schools in your district in the TALIS field trial.
The field trial is a vital part of the overall study, as it allows the United States to confirm that the survey questions are appropriate for the U.S. context and accurately and reliably describe teaching and the teaching profession in the United States. Schools selected for the field trial will not be asked to participate again in the main study.
The support of your agency is vital to the successful participation of schools in your district in the TALIS field trial. Schools that participate in TALIS will be compensated for their assistance: participating schools will receive [insert amount], their school-level coordinator will receive [insert amount], and each teacher who completes the questionnaire will receive [insert amount].
Materials enclosed with this letter describe TALIS and the process for participating schools in more detail. TALIS is sponsored by the National Center for Education Statistics in the U.S. Department of Education and will be conducted by [insert name of contractor]. The U.S. Office of Management and Budget has approved this data collection under OMB #1850-XXXX. While participation in this study is entirely voluntary, we ask your agency to support the participation of schools and teachers in your district in the field trial so that the United States has a representative sample of schools and teachers from across the country.
Within the next few days, a representative of [insert name of contractor] will contact the following school or schools in your district that have been selected for the field trial in spring 2012: [LIST SAMPLED SCHOOLS HERE…]
NCES is authorized to conduct this study under the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (20 U.S. Code, Section 9543). The data provided by schools and staff 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). We disclose the names of schools only to the governing district for each school, and we ask that each district maintain the confidentiality of the sampled schools in TALIS. Reports of the findings from TALIS will not identify participating districts, schools, or individual staff. Individual responses will be combined with those from other participants to produce summary statistics and reports.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call [insert name of contractor] at [insert study specific phone number] or send an email to [insert study specific email address]. You may also obtain more information about TALIS by contacting Erin Roth at NCES (202-502-7415 or [email protected]) or visiting the TALIS website at: http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/talis.
Thank you for your time and support. TALIS is a crucial element in an ongoing effort to understand how the U.S. education system compares to those of other countries.
Sincerely,
Jack Buckley
Commissioner
Enclosures
[
Diocese TALIS letter—Field
Trial
[Title] [Name First] [Name Last], [Title/Department]
[School District]
[Address 1]
[City], [State] [Zip code]
Dear [Title] [Name Last]:
The United States will participate for the first time in TALIS (the Teaching and Learning International Survey), an international survey of principals and teachers at grades 7, 8, and 9. TALIS provides comparative information about teaching and the teaching profession around the world. TALIS is coordinated by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and 32 countries have already committed to participate. [Insert #] schools in your diocese have been randomly selected to participate in a field trial study in the spring of 2012 (the main study will occur in 2013). I am writing to ask your diocese to support the participation of schools in the TALIS field trial.
The field trial is a vital part of the overall study, as it allows the United States to confirm that the survey questions are appropriate for the U.S. context and accurately and reliably describe teaching and the teaching profession in the United States. Schools selected for the field trial will not be asked to participate again in the main study.
The support of your agency is vital to the successful participation of schools in your diocese in the TALIS field trial. Schools that participate in TALIS will be compensated for their assistance: participating schools will receive [insert amount], their school-level coordinator will receive [insert amount], and each teacher who completes the questionnaire will receive [insert amount].
Materials enclosed with this letter describe TALIS and the process for participating schools in more detail. TALIS is sponsored by the National Center for Education Statistics in the U.S. Department of Education and will be conducted by [insert name of contractor]. The U.S. Office of Management and Budget has approved this data collection under OMB #1850-XXXX. While participation in this study is entirely voluntary, we ask your diocese to support the participation of schools and teachers in the field trial so that the United States has a representative sample of public and private schools and teachers from across the country.
Within the next few days, a representative of [insert name of contractor] will contact the following school or schools in your diocese that have been selected for the field trial in spring 2012: [LIST SAMPLED SCHOOLS HERE…]
NCES is authorized to conduct this study under the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (20 U.S. Code, Section 9543). The data provided by schools and staff 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). We disclose the names of schools only to the governing district for each school, and we ask that each district maintain the confidentiality of the sampled schools in TALIS. Reports of the findings from TALIS will not identify participating districts, schools, or individual staff. Individual responses will be combined with those from other participants to produce summary statistics and reports.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call [insert name of contractor] at [insert study specific phone number] or send an email to [insert study specific email address]. You may also obtain more information about TALIS by contacting Erin Roth at NCES (202-502-7415 or [email protected]) or visiting the TALIS website at: http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/talis.
Thank you for your time and support. TALIS is a crucial element in an ongoing effort to understand how the U.S. education system compares to those of other countries.
Sincerely,
Jack Buckley
Commissioner
Enclosures
[Date]
School TALIS letter—Field
Trial
[Title] [Name First] [Name Last], [Title/Department]
[School District]
[Address 1]
[City], [State] [Zip code]
Dear [Title] [Name Last]:
The United States will participate for the first time in TALIS (the Teaching and Learning International Survey), an international survey of principals and teachers at grades 7, 8, and 9. TALIS provides comparative information about teaching and the teaching profession around the world. TALIS is coordinated by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and 32 countries have already committed to participate. Your school has been randomly selected to participate in a field trial study in the spring of 2012 (the main study will occur in 2013). I am writing to strongly encourage your school to take part in this important study.
U.S. participation in TALIS provides its school leaders and teachers the opportunity to contribute to an international dialogue on the conditions of teaching in our country relative to conditions elsewhere. The field trial is a vital part of the overall study, as it allows the United States to confirm that the survey questions are appropriate for the U.S. context and accurately and reliably describe teaching and the teaching profession in the United States. Schools that participate in the TALIS field trial will be compensated in part for their time and effort; participating schools will receive [insert amount], the school-level coordinator will receive [insert amount], and each teacher who completes the questionnaire will receive [insert amount]. Schools selected for the field trial will not be asked to participate again in the main study.
Materials enclosed with this letter describe TALIS and the process for participating schools in more detail. TALIS is sponsored by the National Center for Education Statistics in the U.S. Department of Education and will be conducted by [insert name of contractor]. The U.S. Office of Management and Budget has approved this data collection under OMB #1850-XXXX. While participation in this study is entirely voluntary, we hope you will participate so that the United States has a representative sample of public and private schools and teachers from across the country.
NCES is authorized to conduct this study under the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (20 U.S. Code, Section 9543). The data provided by schools and staff 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). We only disclose the names of schools to the governing district for each school, and we have asked that each district maintain the confidentiality of the sampled schools in TALIS. Reports of the findings from TALIS will not identify participating districts, schools, or individual staff. Individual responses will be combined with those from other participants to produce summary statistics and reports.
Within the next few days, a representative of [insert name of contractor] will call you to discuss your participation in the study. In the meantime, if you have any questions about TALIS or your school’s participation, please feel free to call [insert study-specific phone number] or send an email to [insert study-specific email address]. You may also obtain more information about TALIS by contacting Erin Roth at NCES (202-502-7415 or [email protected]) or visiting the TALIS website at: http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/talis.
Thank you for your time and support. TALIS is a crucial element in an ongoing effort to understand how the U.S. education system compares to those of other countries.
Sincerely,
Jack Buckley
Commissioner
Enclosures
F
TALIS FAQ—Field Trial
What is TALIS?
TALIS (Teaching and Learning International Survey) is an international survey of the teaching workforce, teaching as a profession, and the learning environments of schools based on questionnaire responses from individual teachers and their school principals. TALIS’ main objective is to provide accurate and relevant international indicators on teachers and teaching towards the goal of helping countries review current conditions and develop informed education policy. TALIS offers an opportunity for teachers and school principals to provide their perspectives on the state of education in their own countries, allowing for a global view of teachers and the education systems in which they work.
TALIS is being conducted in grades 7, 8, and 9 in the United States.
Why was my school selected for participation?
Schools with varying demographics and in different locales were randomly selected so that the overall U.S. sample is representative of the overall school population, both public and private. The random selection process is important for ensuring that a country’s sample accurately reflects its schools and therefore can fairly be compared with samples of schools from other countries.
Will all teachers in the school be asked to participate?
It depends on the number of teachers in the school. The study requires a random sample of 20 teachers who teach at least one class/course to 7th, 8th, or 9th graders in each school, regardless of subject matter. In schools with less than 20 eligible teachers, all teachers who teach at those grades will be asked to participate. In schools with a large faculty, 20 teachers who teach at those grades will be sampled to participate.
Who conducts the study?
The study will be undertaken by trained staff from [insert name of contractor] under contract to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in the U.S. Department of Education. NCES conducts this study under authorization in the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (20 U.S. Code, Section 9543). The U.S. Office of Management and Budget has approved the data collection under OMB # 1850-XXXX.
What are schools and teachers asked to do?
TALIS is composed of two questionnaires: one for the school principal and another for teachers. Both teacher and principal questionnaires include questions about the following core components:
teacher and principal background and characteristics;
teacher and principal professional development;
school leadership and management;
teacher appraisal and feedback;
teachers’ instructional approaches and pedagogical practices;
teacher efficacy and job satisfaction; and
school climate and ethos.
When will the study be conducted?
The field trial study will be conducted in March and April 2012. Both the principal and selected teachers will receive instructions on how to complete the questionnaires. To make responding easier, the questionnaires will be available online, although a paper-based version will also be available.
How long do the questionnaires take to complete?
The principal questionnaire is designed to be completed within 45 minutes and the teacher questionnaires is designed to be completed within 60 minutes, including the time it may take to gather needed information. The online version of the questionnaires will allow respondents to complete the survey questions at a single or multiple sessions.
What will happen with the collected data?
The data from the questionnaires will be used to document the conditions of teaching and schooling and how these conditions vary across countries. The data will be used to develop internationally comparative education indicators geared toward informing policy discussions about teachers and teaching. The data provided by schools and staff 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). Reports of the findings from TALIS will not identify participating districts, schools, or individual staff. Individual responses will be combined with those from other participants to produce summary statistics and reports.
Is participation required by federal law?
No. School and teacher participation is voluntary. However, we hope you will participate in this study so that teachers like those in your school are accurately and fairly represented.
How will the study be coordinated in my school?
Schools are asked to designate a School Coordinator to assist [insert contractor name] staff members with materials distribution and gathering information. The School Coordinator will be the main contact at the school through whom [insert contractor name] will communicate. There is no need for contractor staff to visit the school. The School Coordinator is asked to complete a sampling form listing eligible teachers of 7th, 8th, or 9th graders, distribute information materials to the selected teachers, provide the principal and teachers with the questionnaires, and to encourage the completion of the surveys by the agreed upon deadline.
The School Coordinator can be a teacher or any school staff member (e.g., office administrator).
[insert TALIS logo]
[insert IES/NCES logo]
OMB # 1850-XXXX
S
TALIS Summary of
Activities—Field Trial
What will be asked of the School Coordinator?
Upon the school’s agreement to participate, [name of contractor] staff will work with the School Coordinator to:
Provide a list of eligible teachers at grades 7, 8, and/or 9 (depending on the grades included in the school). The school coordinator will receive instructions for preparing and submitting the teacher listing form. The teacher listing form will be used to randomly select teachers for participation in the study.
Distribute informational materials to the school principal and selected teachers, encouraging their participation in the study.
Distribute the School and Teacher questionnaires. The school coordinator will be mailed the School and Teacher Questionnaires and asked to distribute them to the school principal and selected teachers. Since the questionnaires will also be made available online, [name of contractor] will work with the School Coordinator to determine the need for paper-based versions of the survey instruments.
Encourage the participation of the school principal and selected teachers in the study.
In consideration of their time and effort, the School Coordinator will be compensated [insert amount] upon successful completion of the study in the school.
Please feel free to contact the TALIS U.S. Home Office with any questions
via e-mail at [study specific email address]
or by calling [study specific phone number]
[insert TALIS logo]
[insert IES/NCES logo]
OMB # 1850-XXXX
State TALIS letter—Main
Study
[Date]
[Title] [Name First] [Name Last]
[Title/Department]
[State]
[Address 1]
[Address 2]
[City], [State] [Zip code]
Dear [Title] [Name Last]:
The United States will participate for the first time in TALIS (the Teaching and Learning International Survey), an international survey of principals and teachers at grades 7, 8, and 9. TALIS provides comparative information about teaching and the teaching profession around the world. TALIS is coordinated by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and 32 countries have already committed to participate. [Insert #] schools in your state have been randomly selected to participate, and I am writing to ask your agency to support the participation of these schools in TALIS.
TALIS and the associated process for participating schools are described in more detail in materials enclosed with this letter. The study is sponsored in the United States by the National Center for Education Statistics in the U.S. Department of Education and will be conducted by [insert name of contractor]. The U.S. Office of Management and Budget has approved the data collection under OMB # 1850-XXXX. While participation in this study is entirely voluntary, we ask your agency to support the participation of schools in your state in the study so that the United States has a representative sample of schools from across the country.
NCES is authorized to conduct this study under the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (20 U.S. Code, Section 9543). The data provided by schools and staff 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). Reports of the findings from the study will not identify participating districts, schools, or individual staff. Individual responses will be combined with those from other participants to produce summary statistics and reports.
Within the next few weeks, a representative of [insert name of contractor] will contact sampled school districts and schools to discuss conducting the data collection in spring 2013. In the meantime, if you have questions about the study, please do not hesitate to call [insert name of contractor] at [insert phone number] or send an email to [insert study-specific email address]. You may also obtain more information about the study by contacting Erin Roth at NCES (202-502-7415 or [email protected]) or visiting the TALIS website at: http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/talis.
Thank you for your time and support. TALIS is a crucial element in an ongoing effort to understand how the U.S. education system compares to those of other countries.
Sincerely,
Jack Buckley
Commissioner
cc: [State CCSSO member]
Enclosures
Public School district TALIS
letter—Main Study
[Date]
[Title] [Name First] [Name Last], [Title/Department]
[School District]
[Address 1]
[City], [State] [Zip code]
Dear [Title] [Name Last]:
The United States will participate for the first time in TALIS (the Teaching and Learning International Survey), an international survey of principals and teachers at grades 7, 8, and 9. TALIS provides comparative information about teaching and the teaching profession around the world. TALIS is coordinated by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and 32 countries have already committed to participate. [Insert #] schools in your district have been randomly selected to participate, and I am writing to ask your agency to support the participation of schools in your district in TALIS.
The support of your agency is vital to the successful participation of schools in your district in TALIS. Schools that participate in TALIS will be compensated for their assistance; participating schools will receive [insert amount], their school-level coordinator will receive [insert amount], and each teacher who completes the questionnaire will receive [insert amount].
Materials enclosed with this letter describe TALIS and the process for participating schools in more detail. TALIS is sponsored by the National Center for Education Statistics in the U.S. Department of Education and will be conducted by [insert name of contractor]. The U.S. Office of Management and Budget has approved this data collection under OMB #1850-XXXX. While participation in this study is entirely voluntary, we ask your agency to support the participation of schools and teachers in your district in the study so that the United States has a representative sample of schools and teachers from across the country.
Within the next few days, a representative of [insert name of contractor] will contact the following school or schools in your district that have been selected for the study in spring 2013: [LIST SAMPLED SCHOOLS HERE…]
NCES is authorized to conduct this study under the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (20 U.S. Code, Section 9543). The data provided by schools and staff 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). We disclose the names of schools only to the governing district for each school, and we ask that each district maintain the confidentiality of the sampled schools in TALIS. Reports of the findings from TALIS will not identify participating districts, schools, or individual staff. Individual responses will be combined with those from other participants to produce summary statistics and reports.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call [insert name of contractor] at [insert study specific phone number] or send an email to [insert study specific email address]. You may also obtain more information about TALIS by contacting Erin Roth at NCES (202-502-7415 or [email protected]) or visiting the TALIS website at: http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/talis.
Thank you for your time and support. TALIS is an important element in an ongoing effort to understand how the U.S. education system compares to those of other countries.
Sincerely,
Jack Buckley
Commissioner
Enclosures
Diocese TALIS letter—Main
Study
[Date]
[Title] [Name First] [Name Last], [Title/Department]
[School District]
[Address 1]
[City], [State] [Zip code]
Dear [Title] [Name Last]:
The United States will participate for the first time in TALIS (the Teaching and Learning International Survey), an international survey of principals and teachers at grades 7, 8, and 9. TALIS provides comparative information about teaching and the teaching profession around the world. TALIS is coordinated by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and 32 countries have already committed to participate. [Insert #] schools in your diocese have been randomly selected to participate, and I am writing to ask your diocese to support the participation of schools in TALIS.
The support of your diocese is vital to the successful participation of schools in TALIS. Schools that participate in TALIS will be compensated for their assistance; participating schools will receive [insert amount], their school-level coordinator will receive [insert amount], and each teacher who completes the questionnaire will receive [insert amount].
Materials enclosed with this letter describe TALIS and the process for participating schools in more detail. TALIS is sponsored by the National Center for Education Statistics in the U.S. Department of Education and will be conducted by [insert name of contractor]. The U.S. Office of Management and Budget has approved this data collection under OMB #1850-XXXX. While participation in this study is entirely voluntary, we ask your diocese to support the participation of schools and teachers in the study so that the United States has a representative sample of public and private schools and teachers from across the country.
Within the next few days, a representative of [insert name of contractor] will contact the following school or schools in your diocese that have been selected for the study in spring 2013: [LIST SAMPLED SCHOOLS HERE…]
NCES is authorized to conduct this study under the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (20 U.S. Code, Section 9543). The data provided by schools and staff 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). We disclose the names of schools only to the governing district for each school, and we ask that each district maintain the confidentiality of the sampled schools in TALIS. Reports of the findings from TALIS will not identify participating districts, schools, or individual staff. Individual responses will be combined with those from other participants to produce summary statistics and reports.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call [insert name of contractor] at [insert study specific phone number] or send an email to [insert study specific email address]. You may also obtain more information about TALIS by contacting Erin Roth at NCES (202-502-7415 or [email protected]) or visiting the TALIS website at: http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/talis.
Thank you for your time and support. TALIS is an important element in an ongoing effort to understand how the U.S. education system compares to those of other countries.
Sincerely,
Jack Buckley
Commissioner
Enclosures
[Date]
School TALIS letter—Main
Study
[Title] [Name First] [Name Last], [Title/Department]
[School District]
[Address 1]
[City], [State] [Zip code]
Dear [Title] [Name Last]:
The United States will participate for the first time in TALIS (the Teaching and Learning International Survey), an international survey of principals and teachers at grades 7, 8, and 9. TALIS provides comparative information about teaching and the teaching profession around the world. TALIS is coordinated by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and 32 countries have already committed to participate. Your school has been randomly selected to participate, and I am writing to strongly encourage your school to take part.
U.S. participation in TALIS provides its school leaders and teachers with the opportunity to contribute to an international dialogue on the conditions of teaching in our country relative to conditions elsewhere. Schools that participate in TALIS will be compensated in part for their time and effort; participating schools will receive [insert amount], the school-level coordinator will receive [insert amount], and each teacher who completes the questionnaire will receive [insert amount].
Materials enclosed with this letter describe TALIS and the process for participating schools in more detail. TALIS is sponsored by the National Center for Education Statistics in the U.S. Department of Education and will be conducted by [insert name of contractor]. The U.S. Office of Management and Budget has approved this data collection under OMB #1850-XXXX. While participation in this study is entirely voluntary, we hope you will participate so that the United States has a representative sample of public and private schools and teachers from across the country.
NCES is authorized to conduct this study under the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (20 U.S. Code, Section 9543). The data provided by schools and staff 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). We only disclose the names of schools to the governing district for each school, and we have asked that each district maintain the confidentiality of the sampled schools in TALIS. Reports of the findings from TALIS will not identify participating districts, schools, or individual staff. Individual responses will be combined with those from other participants to produce summary statistics and reports.
Within the next few days, a representative of [insert name of contractor] will call you to discuss your participation in the study. In the meantime, if you have any questions about TALIS or your school’s participation, please feel free to call [insert study-specific phone number] or send an email to [insert study-specific email address]. You may also obtain more information about TALIS by contacting Erin Roth at NCES (202-502-7415 or [email protected]) or visiting the TALIS website at: http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/talis.
Thank you for your time and support. TALIS is a crucial element in an ongoing effort to understand how the U.S. education system compares to those of other countries.
Sincerely,
Jack Buckley
Commissioner
Enclosures
F
TALIS FAQ—Main Study
What is TALIS?
TALIS (Teaching and Learning International Survey) is an international survey of the teaching workforce, teaching as a profession, and the learning environments of schools based on questionnaire responses from nationally representative samples of teachers and their school principals. TALIS’ main objective is to provide accurate and relevant international indicators on teachers and teaching towards the goal of helping countries review current conditions and develop informed education policy. TALIS offers an opportunity for teachers and school principals to provide their perspectives on the state of education in their own countries, allowing for a global view of teachers and the education systems in which they work.
TALIS is being conducted in grades 7, 8, and 9 in the United States.
Why was my school selected for participation?
Schools with varying demographics and in different locales were randomly selected so that the overall U.S. sample is representative of the overall U.S. school population, both public and private. The random selection process is important for ensuring that a country’s sample accurately reflects its schools and therefore can fairly be compared with samples of schools from other countries.
Will all teachers in the school be asked to participate?
It depends on the number of teachers in the school. The study requires a random sample of 20 teachers who teach at least one class/course to 7th, 8th, or 9th graders in each school, regardless of subject matter. In schools with less than 20 eligible teachers, all teachers who teach at those grades will be asked to participate. In schools with a large faculty, 20 teachers who teach at those grades will be sampled to participate.
Who conducts the study?
The study will be undertaken by trained staff from [insert name of contractor] under contract to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in the U.S. Department of Education. NCES conducts this study under authorization in the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (20 U.S. Code, Section 9543). The U.S. Office of Management and Budget has approved the data collection under OMB # 1850-XXXX.
What are schools and teachers asked to do?
TALIS is composed of two questionnaires: one for the school principal and another for teachers. Both teacher and principal questionnaires include questions about the following core components:
teacher and principal background and characteristics;
teacher and principal professional development;
school leadership and management;
teacher appraisal and feedback;
teachers’ instructional approaches and pedagogical practices;
teacher efficacy and job satisfaction; and
school climate and ethos.
When will the study be conducted?
The study will be conducted in March and April 2013. Both the principal and selected teachers will receive instructions on how to complete the questionnaires. To make responding easier, the questionnaires will be available online, although a paper-based version will also be available.
How long do the questionnaires take to complete?
The principal questionnaire is designed to be completed within 45 minutes and the teacher questionnaire is designed to be completed within 60 minutes, not counting the time it may take to gather needed information. The online version of the questionnaires will allow respondents to complete the survey questions at a single or multiple sessions.
What will happen with the collected data?
The data from the questionnaires will be used to document the conditions of teaching and schooling that may be related to student learning and to develop comparative education indicators geared toward informing policy discussions about teachers and teaching. The data provided by schools and staff 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). Reports of the findings from TALIS will not identify participating districts, schools, or individual staff. Individual responses will be combined with those from other participants to produce summary statistics and reports.
Is participation required by federal law?
No. School and teacher participation is voluntary. However, we hope you will participate in this study so that teachers like those in your school are accurately and fairly represented.
How will the study be coordinated in my school?
Schools are asked to designate a School Coordinator to assist [insert contractor name] staff members with distributing materials and gathering information. The School Coordinator will be the main contact at the school through whom [insert contractor name] will communicate. There is no need for contractor staff to visit the school. The School Coordinator is asked to complete a sampling form listing eligible teachers of 7th, 8th, or 9th graders, distribute information materials to the selected teachers, provide the principal and teachers with the questionnaires, and to encourage the completion of the surveys by the agreed upon deadline.
The School Coordinator can be a teacher or any school staff member (e.g., office administrator).
[insert TALIS logo]
[insert IES/NCES logo]
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TALIS Summary of
Activities—Main Study
What will be asked of the School Coordinator?
Upon the school’s agreement to participate, [name of contractor] staff will work with the School Coordinator to:
Provide a list of eligible teachers at grades 7, 8, and/or 9 (depending on the grades included in the school). The school coordinator will receive instructions for preparing and submitting the teacher listing form. The teacher listing form will be used to randomly select teachers for participation in the study.
Distribute informational materials to the school principal and selected teachers, encouraging their participation in the study.
Distribute the School and Teacher questionnaires. The school coordinator will be mailed the School and Teacher Questionnaires and asked to distribute them to the school principal and selected teachers. Since the questionnaires will also be made available online, [name of contractor] will work with the School Coordinator to determine the need for paper-based versions of the survey instruments.
Encourage the participation of the school principal and selected teachers in the study.
In consideration of his/her time and effort, the School Coordinator will be compensated [insert amount] upon successful completion of the study in the school.
Please feel free to contact the TALIS U.S. Home Office with any questions
via e-mail at [study specific email address]
or by calling [study specific phone number]
[insert TALIS logo]
[insert IES/NCES logo]
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TALIS brochure—Field
Trial and Main Study
What is TALIS?
TALIS (Teaching and Learning International Survey) is an international survey about teachers, their teaching, and the environment for learning gathered from teachers and their school leaders. TALIS’ main objective is to provide accurate and relevant international indicators on teachers and teaching towards the goal of helping countries review current conditions and develop informed education policy. TALIS offers an opportunity for teachers and school principals to provide their perspectives on the state of education in their own countries, allowing for a global view of teachers and education systems in which they work.
TALIS is being conducted in grades 7, 8, and 9 in the United States.
TALIS is sponsored by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and managed in the United States by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), part of the U.S. Department of Education.
Why is TALIS important?
TALIS is designed to collect comparative information about teachers and the learning environment to enable informed policy discussions on improving schooling and student learning opportunities. TALIS complements what we learn from national surveys by learning from the experiences and successes in other countries.
TALIS comes at a time of increased focus on teachers and teaching. Like the United States, other countries are crafting education policies and monitoring the outcomes of these policies in an effort to improve student learning. Some of the same issues that are faced by the United States in supporting the teacher workforce are shared by other countries, such as:
Attracting and retaining high quality teachers
Assessing the effectiveness of teacher training programs
Providing high quality teacher feedback, appraisal, and professional development opportunities
Distributing limited resources in effective and efficient ways
Key findings from TALIS 2008
Teachers who receive more professional development tend to believe they work more effectively.
Teachers who hold stronger beliefs about teaching methods report, on average, more collaborative behavior with colleagues, more positive student-teacher relations, and feel they are more effective.
Teachers who receive recognition for good performance from the principal or colleagues tend to feel they are more effective.
Appraisal and feedback is associated positively with teachers’ job satisfaction and job security, but only a minority of teachers reported that appraisal and evaluation affects their professional development, career advancement, or pay.
SOURCE: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. (2009). Creating Effective Teaching and Learning Environments: First Results from TALIS. Paris: Author.
To read more about findings from TALIS 2008, go to http://www.oecd.org/talis.
Who is surveyed?
Schools and school teachers will be randomly selected to participate in TALIS. TALIS focuses on schools and teachers at the lower secondary level, which in the United States represents grades 7, 8, and 9. In each participating country, 200 schools and 20 teachers in each school will be sampled.
What are schools and teachers asked to do?
TALIS is composed of two questionnaires: one for the school principal and another for teachers. Both teacher and principal questionnaires include questions about the following core components:
Teacher and principal background and characteristics
Teacher and principal professional development
School leadership and management
Teacher appraisal and feedback
Teachers’ instructional approaches and pedagogical practices
Teacher efficacy and satisfaction
School climate and ethos
The principal questionnaire is designed to be completed within 45 minutes and the teacher questionnaire is designed to be completed within 60 minutes, not counting the time it may take to gather needed information. The online version of the questionnaires will allow respondents to complete the survey questions at a single or multiple sessions.
Participating Countries in TALIS 2013 (as of August 2011)
Australia
Belgium (Flanders)
Brazil
Bulgaria
Canada (Alberta)
Chile
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Iceland
Israel
Italy
Japan
Korea
Latvia
Malaysia
Mexico
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Serbia
Singapore
Spain
Sweden
United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi)
United Kingdom (England)
United States
What will happen with the collected data?
The data from the questionnaires will be used to describe the conditions of teaching and schooling across countries. The data will be used to develop comparative education indicators geared toward informing policy discussions about teachers and teaching. The data provided by schools and staff 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). Reports of the findings from TALIS will not identify participating districts, schools, or individual staff. Individual responses will be combined with those from other participants to produce summary statistics and reports.
For more information about TALIS, please visit
http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/talis
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For questions about TALIS,
contact the TALIS Information Hotline at
[study specific phone number] or email to
[study specific email address]
[insert TALIS logo here]
[insert IES/NCES logo here]
[insert ED logo here]
NCES is authorized to conduct TALIS under Section 9543, of U.S. Code 20. Information collected will help the U.S. Department of Education’s ongoing efforts to benchmark student achievement in the United States. Participation is voluntary. Data collected 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). Individual responses will be combined with those from other participants to produce summary statistics and reports.
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| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| Author | Erin Roth |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2021-01-30 |