Appendix_A_PISA_2012_Validation_Study-Initial_Contact_and_Address_Update_Materials

In fall 2012, you participated in the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), an international study of 15-year-olds’ mathematics, science, and reading skills implemented by the U.S. Department of Education. You have been chosen to participate in a follow-up study—the PISA Young Adult Follow-up Study—to be conducted in 2015. In 2015, we will be asking you to take a survey that will collect information about your education and work experiences and your skills as a young adult. Each participant that takes part in the study will receive $50 upon completion. Now, we ask your help in updating your contact information, so we can send you more detailed information about this study.

The PISA Young Adult Follow-up Study is sponsored by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) of the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences. Your participation is voluntary, but is very important as you are a unique source of information about how high school experiences and skills are related to experiences and skills in young adulthood, including readiness for college and career and skills needed in daily life.

To complete the address update, please <<if email: fill out your update address form, using your individualized ID and password at the top of this email, here >>. <<if letter: go to surveys.nces.ed.gov/<insert> website and fill out the update address form, using your individualized ID and password at the top of this letter. If you prefer to send an update of address via a post card, please use the pre-paid postcard in this letter.>>

Data collected are used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law (ESRA 2002, 20 U.S.C., § 9573). If you have additional questions, you may also call the study’s toll-free number (1-xxx-xxx-xxxx), or visit the study’s website at http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/xxxxx.

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

Sincerely,

Jack Buckley, Commissioner

National Center for Education Statistics

Institute of Education Sciences

U.S. Department of Education

<<Enclosure: ADDRESS UPDATE POSTCARD>>

NCES is authorized to conduct this study under the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (ESRA 2002, 20 U.S.C., § 9543). According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number of this information collection is 1850-XXXX, and the study is completely voluntary. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 5 minutes per response, including the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collection. If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate, suggestions for improving the interview, or any comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission for this survey, please write to: Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), National Center for Education Statistics, 1990 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20006.

Student: Brochure and Study Information Contact Letter

[DATE]

<TEENAGER NAME> Web Address: surveys.nces.ed.gov/<insert>

<ADDR1> Personal ID: <XXXXXXX>

<ADDR2> Password: <XXXXXXXX><PW_ind>

Dear <Teenager Name>:

We are writing today to introduce you to the PISA Young Adult Follow-up Study. But first, we want to thank you for the address update that you sent following our letter on <Date>. As a participant in this study, it is crucially important that we keep in touch through the actual data collection in 2015. In 2015 we will be asking you to take a survey that will collect information about your education and work experiences and your skills as a young adult.

The PISA Young Adult Follow-up Study is sponsored by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) of the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences. Attached is information about the PISA Young Adult Follow-up Study. Your participation in this study is voluntary, but is vital because you are a unique source for this important information that will help researchers understand how high school experiences and skills are related to experiences and skills in young adulthood.

If you have additional questions, you may also call the study’s toll-free number (1-xxx-xxx-xxxx), or visit the study’s website at http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/xxxxx.

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

Sincerely,

Jack Buckley, Commissioner

National Center for Education Statistics

Institute of Education Sciences

U.S. Department of Education

Enclosure: PISA Young Adult Follow-up Study brochure

NCES is authorized to conduct this study under the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (ESRA 2002, 20 U.S.C., § 9543). Participation is voluntary. Data collected are used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law (ESRA 2002, 20 U.S.C., § 9573). Individual responses will be combined with those from other participants to produce summary statistics and reports. The U.S. Office of Management and Budget approved this data collection under OMB # 1850-XXXX.

Student: Subsequent Requests for Address Updates

[DATE]

<TEENAGER NAME> Web Address: surveys.nces.ed.gov/<insert>

<ADDR1> Personal ID: <XXXXXXX>

<ADDR2> Password: <XXXXXXXX><PW_ind>

Dear <Teenager Name>:

<<TO BE INSERTED: STATEMENTS A-E ON THE NEXT PAGE AS NEEDED>>

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

Sincerely,

Jack Buckley, Commissioner

National Center for Education Statistics

Institute of Education Sciences

U.S. Department of Education

<<Enclosure: ADDRESS UPDATE POSTCARD>>

Student: Statements in Subsequent Contact Letters

Statement A:

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) would like to thank you for your continued participation in the PISA Young Adult Follow-up Study. In 2015 we will be asking you to take a survey that will collect information about your skills as you transition to further education, employment, and other paths in life. Each participant that takes part in the study will receive $50 upon completion. Now, we ask your help in updating your contact information.

The PISA Young Adult Follow-up Study is sponsored by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) of the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences. Your participation is voluntary, but is very important as the study will help researchers understand the different paths that teenagers take into higher education, the workforce, or the military.

Statement B:

We, at the PISA Young Adult Follow-up Study, hope you are <having a good summer/had a good summer/had a good winter break/etc.>. We would like to ask you to update your address. Your participation in this study and completion of the survey in 2015 will earn you $50. The information you provide will help inform educators, researchers, and policymakers about the paths teenagers take and the skills teenagers have beyond high school. Your assistance in this address update so that we can keep in touch is very much appreciated!

Statement C:

The PISA Young Adult Follow-up Study provides a unique opportunity for researchers and policymakers to understand how the United States can create a competitive workforce to meet the challenges of the 21st century. The information you provide in 2015 will shape the policies of the future. To express our gratitude for your participation in this very important research, we will provide you with $50 when you complete the survey. At this time, we need you to update your address information so that we can provide you with the survey in the future.

Statement D:

The PISA Young Adult Follow-up Study would like to ask you to complete an address update form. When the data collection gets under way in 2015, your unique educational, workforce, and life experiences will influence decisions made by educators, researchers, and policymakers to improve education and training in the United States. Upon your completion of the study in 2015, we will provide you with $50 as a token of appreciation for your time and effort.

Statement E:

You have been chosen to represent many teenagers like you in the country. By participating in the PISA Young Adult Follow-up Study, you ensure that your voice and your peers’ voices are heard! The study will help to understand the impact of schooling on the future learning, education, and career choices that young adults like you take. When you complete the study in 2015, we ask you to accept a gift of $50 as a token of our gratitude.

Student: Postcard Reminder

PISA Logo

PISA Young Adult Follow-Up Study

GREETINGS FROM PISA AND THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS!

This is a friendly reminder to please complete your address update form. It will take just 5 minutes for you to provide valuable information that will be used to ask you about your education and work experiences and skills in 2015.

To complete the update online, please log-in to our secure website, https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/<insert>, using the information below:

Personal ID = «userid»

Password = «password»<PW_ind>

If you have any questions or problems completing your update of address form, please contact the PISA Young Adult Follow-up Study help desk at 1-XXX-XXX-XXXX. Westat is conducting this study for the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) of the U.S. Department of Education.

Thank you!

The PISA Young Adult Follow-up Study Team

Student: Address Update Webpage/Postcard

Personal ID: «caseid»

1. Please review your current address displayed on the left side of the address box below. If your address is not correct or is not current, please update it in the space provided on the right side of the box. To update your locating information online, visit our secure website at //surveys.nces.ed.gov/<insert> and refer to your Personal ID «caseid».

«fname» «mname» «lname» «suffix» «addr1» «addr2» «city», «state» «zip»«zip4» «sarea1» «sphone1» Check here if all information pre-printed above is correct………………….……….……	Name:
	Address:

	Cell phone:	( )
	Home phone:	( )
	Work phone:	( )

2. We will send an e-mail to let you know about important dates and information (ex. when the 2015 data collection begins). Please provide an e-mail address that we can use to contact you.

Primary e-mail address:	@
Alternative e-mail address:	@

3. Would you like us to send you a text message on your cell phone with infrequent updates on the study? Please check one…………………………………………………Yes No

If yes, what cell number should we use?__(______)_-________-_________________________

Thank you for your assistance.

Please return this postcard in the enclosed postage paid envelope.

Student: Birthday Card

Dear <name>,

Wishing you a very happy birthday!

PISA Young Adult Follow-up Study Team

Draft Study Brochure

What is PISA?

PISA is the largest international education study in the world and is conducted every three years. More than 60 countries, including the United States, participate in PISA. Knowing how U.S. students perform on PISA provides us with valuable information on how our education system compares with the education systems of the other countries with whom we collaborate and compete in the world economy. PISA assesses 15-year-old students' performance in mathematics, reading, and science. PISA is unique because it focuses on how well students can apply their knowledge and skills in these areas and it uses problems set in real-life contexts. PISA results have been used by researchers and policymakers in the United States and around the world to chart national progress against international standards and to identify strengths and weaknesses in countries' education systems.

What is the PISA Young Adult Follow-up Study and Why is it Important?

The PISA Young Adult Follow-up Study will help researchers and policymakers understand how students’ skills and experiences by age 15, measured by PISA, relate to education and work experiences and key skills in young adulthood. Specifically, this study looks at young adults’ (age 18) reading and math skills, as well as how they use computers and the Internet in their daily lives to locate information and solve problems. This study also collects information from participants about their background, work and educational experiences, and well-being and health. Together, this information will help researchers and policymakers better understand U.S. results on the PISA assessment and how well prepared U.S. students are for the global economy. It will inform discussions about college and career-readiness and successful transitions from high school to college and the workforce.

Study participants will complete an online survey of adult skills in the fall of 2015. The survey will take approximately two hours to complete. Participants who complete the survey will receive $50 for their time and effort.

How was I Chosen?

In the fall of 2012 you participated in PISA. Only students who participated in PISA in 2012 and supplied contact information are being contacted to participate in the PISA Young Adult Follow-up Study. Participation in the study is voluntary, but you are a unique source of this important information so it is essential that you participate.

What Do I Need to Do?

The PISA Young Adult Follow-up Study will be conducted in fall 2015. At that time, you will be asked to logon to a secure website and complete the survey. Between now and fall 2015, NCES and its data collection contractor, Westat, will contact you periodically to make sure we have your most up-to-date contact information. After you complete the survey in fall 2015, you will receive $50.

How Can I Get More Information?

For questions about the PISA Young Adult Follow-up Study, call the study’s toll-free number (1-XXX-xxx-xxxx), or visit the study website at http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/xxxxx. You can also send an email to [email protected].

<U.S. Department of Education logo>

File Type	application/msword
File Title	September 7, 2011
Author	ssiddiqui
Last Modified By	Kubzdela, Kashka
File Modified	2013-07-11
File Created	2013-06-17