NCES Response to Public Comments

Public Comments Received for ECLS-K:2011 Spring 3rd-Grade National Data Collection, 4th-Grade Recruitment, & 5th-Grade Tracking During the 30-day Comment Period (OMB# 1850-0750 v.15)

and NCES Responses

Docket: ED-2013-ICCD-0096
Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 (ECLS-K:2011) Spring Third-Grade National Collection, Fourth-Grade Recruitment, and Fifth-Grade Tracking

Comments On: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0006
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval;

Comments related to Privacy Concerns/Voluntary Nature of the Study/Collection and Use of Information (All comments)

Received: September 24, 2013

Category: Individual

Tracking No. 1jx-87sf-izwl

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0009

Submitter Information: Anonymous

The Tenth Amendment states that “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” Based on the Tenth Amendment, education is not a power delegated to the federal government. It is a power delegated to the states and the people.

Under the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution, it can be argued that the federal government does not have the right to obtain a student’s data and conduct research based on that data. Additionally under the General Educational Provisions Act the federal government is expressly prohibited from controlling, supervising or directing school systems.

Parents and their children do not want their data mined and tracked by the government.

Received: September 24, 2013

Category: Academic/Think Tank

Tracking No. 1jx-87sf-ui0s

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0010

Submitter Information: Anonymous

I cannot see any possible reason that the government needs to track anything about any child. It is frankly none of their business and I am tired of the education system not focusing on EDUCATION instead of worrying about how to become a communist country. Stay out of our lives.

This Common Core education is a JOKE. My child is in 6th grade learning 4th grade stuff now. How on earth do you think this is going to work? Go FLORIDA for taking a stand!

Received: September 24, 2013

Category: Parent/Relative

Tracking No. 1jx-87sf-wk3x

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0011

Submitter Information: Tonia Broussard

I do not want my information shared nor the information of my children. It is our constitutional right as American Citizens that our privacy not be infringed.

Received: September 24, 2013

Category: Parent/Relative

Tracking No. 1jx-87sf-iibs

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0012

Submitter Information: Michael Lewis

I have seen the data collection information that is happening and going to be happening and I am appalled. I knew nothing about Common Core until recently and have been documenting my children's homework and gathering a bit of my own data to see what they are learning. Again, I am appalled! I am 100% against Common Core and will stand up against it every opportunity I get. I am speaking out and sharing my information with everyone I know. Data Mining is Illegal. I do not consent to my children's nor my information being used and I suggest this be terminated immediately. I do not need my children's information data mined and ultimately tracked by the government for government's use. I do not give permission for my student's information to be gathered and disseminated and I have no need, desire, nor grant permission to the government to track my children. Cease and desist.

Received: September 24, 2013

Category: Individual

Tracking No. 1jx-87sg-jr4t

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0013

Submitter Information: Erin Raasch

The federal government does not have the constitutional or ethical right to track, research or collect student data. As defined by the constitution, student data is a person's "papers" which are not to be searched by the federal government. Student data is the property of the state or local school district and participation in federal education programs should not be tied to these local entities sharing private student data. Parents should be notified by the "owner" of student data of any potential for data sharing with any federal government agency and have the right to opt-out of any and all federal government student data tracking and research.

Received: September 24, 2013

Category: Parent/Relative

Tracking No. 1jx-87sg-jzew

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0014

Submitter Information: Anonymous

I am not ok with my child's private information being collected by anyone. Any private information their school was given, was done so with the understanding it would not leave the school. Requesting data from other sources would be unconstitutional as most parents would be unknowing of the government doing so. Thank you

Received: September 24, 2013

Category: Child advocate

Tracking No. 1jx-87sg-119s

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0015

Submitter Information: Anonymous

I do not want school children’s information data mined and ultimately tracked by the government for government’s use. I do not give permission for my student’s information to be gathered and disseminated and have no need, desire or grant permission to the government to track my child.

Received: September 24, 2013

Category: Individual

Tracking No. 1jx-87sg-rci8

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0016

Submitter Information: Anonymous

I do not give permission for my child's information data mined and ultimately tracked by the government for government's use. I also do not grant permission to the government to track my child.

Received: September 24, 2013

Category: Parent/Relative

Tracking No. 1jx-87sg-8kxj

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0017

Submitter Information: Anonymous

There is no pedagogical justification for tracking my child's personal information in a government database.

Received: September 24, 2013

Category: Parent/Relative

Tracking No. 1jx-87sg-djph

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0018

Submitter Information: Tonya Long

I have a child in the Kindergarten class of 2010-2011 and WILL NOT allow any government agency to access my child's personal information in any way, shape or form. Shame on the department of education for not insisting parents be contacted and asked whether they give their approval to collect information on their children. This is invasive and goes against the founding documents of this great republic which ensures the individual's right to life, liberty (the right to choose) and the pursuit of happiness. We have a right to choose who we give our personal information to so having individual parental permission is a must.

Received: September 24, 2013

Category: Parent/Relative

Tracking No. 1jx-87sg-c9s7

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0019

Submitter Information: Gloria Witt

the Federal Government it does not have my permission to data mine and disseminate my student's information.

Received: September 24, 2013

Category: Individual

Tracking No. 1jx-87sg-casm

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0020

Submitter Information: Rebecca Blankenship

I do not need my child’s information data mined and ultimately tracked by the government for government’s use. I do not give permission for my student’s information to be gathered and disseminated and I have no need, desire or grant permission to the government to track my child.

Received: September 24, 2013

Category: Civil Rights

Tracking No. 1jx-87sg-47oa

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0021

Submitter Information: Anonymous

You do not have my permission to track my children in any way.

Received: September 24, 2013

Category: Individual

Tracking No. 1jx-87sh-64da

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0022

Submitter Information: Melissa McNealy

I do need my childs information data mined. Then ultimately tracked by gov't. I do not give persmission forcmy students information to be gathered and dissemenated. I have no desire for the gov't to track or use my students information. I do not grant permissionto the government to track my child. You do not have my permission to gather ant information through this data system.

Received: September 24, 2013

Category: Child advocate

Tracking No. 1jx-87sj-htli

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0023

Submitter Information: Robyn Jensen

No to student tracking. The gov't has shown that it is a poor custodian and constantly shows poor judgment in policy making.

Received: September 24, 2013

Category: Teacher

Tracking No. 1jx-87sj-2san

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0024

Submitter Information: Anonymous

No, no, and no. I do not want my child or any children's data collected in a database to be later mined. From the list submitted, it sounds like every piece of data that a school district holds for students will now be used by the federal government and probably as unconstitutionally as the Common Core Standards are. Why do I say that? Well, the feds claim that CC are constitutional because they didn't come from the USDOE but other groups, but the feds are forcing states to implement them or go without funding. Now, these other organizations created the CC but the feds are the repository for the data? Sounds unconstitutional to me.

Received: September 24, 2013

Category: Parent/Relative

Tracking No. 1jx-87sk-o5lc

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0025

Submitter Information: Deborah Clark

This study does not seem to be a wise use of federal funds. The information being collected is personal, intimate, and invasive; even if the parents are volunteering to participate in the study, their children are not able to consent. For example, I cannot imagine how these answers could be necessary to the proper functions of the Department of Education: (child) do you have a lot of friends? (parent) how often would you say you're depressed? What can this information possibly be used for, regardless if it is in a timely fashion? I don't believe most of this information is of any utility to the Department, and I think it violates the privacy of the children and their families.

Received: September 24, 2013

Category: Parent/Relative

Tracking No. 1jx-87sk-ovvv

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0026

Submitter Information: Anonymous

I have not given or been asked for my permission to collect, use or share my child's personal information.....Who is tracking and for what purpose? Who stores the information and who is it shared with? There are more questions than answers, and of course we can't ask our Dept. of Education because there will be no answers! Who is recruiting 4th graders for what??? Where is the local control over education and private information? Something is very wrong with this picture.

Received: September 24, 2013

Category: Academic/Think Tank

Tracking No. 1jx-87sl-fxg5

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0027

Submitter Information: jean public

i do not believe this agency has to do this nonessential study. it has previous studies, like ten of them to draw conclusions from. no need to gouge taxpayers for this one. they go on for eternity and achieve nothing new for american kids. this federal fat cat buraeucracy in washington is doing nothing good for our money. we would achieve more for our kids by putting them all in the classrooms all over this country and having them give individualized attention. instead they hide in their cubicles making up arfcane language to justify their existence. we need smaller govt. this crappy agency isworthless.

Received: September 24, 2013

Category: Individual

Tracking No. 1jx-87sm-v2sf

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0028

Submitter Information: Anonymous

Absolutely NOT!!!! How DARE this federal government collect ANY data...over 400 data points..on ANY MINOR CHILD!!!

All for the Bill Gates, Pearson et al to profit off of?!!!

We are a large group of parents, teachers, administrators, grandparents, and citizens who will not back down where our kids are concerned!

Received: September 24, 2013

Category: Individual

Tracking No. 1jx-87sm-4usg

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0029

Submitter Information: Anonymous Brown

I have 4 children and 3 attend public school in New York State. I would like you to know that you do NOT have my permission to take my children's personal information to use however you see fit. It also my understanding that you cannot guarantee that once you steal my children's information that you are capable of keeping it safe. DO NOT take my children's information.

Received: September 24, 2013

Category: State Legislature

Tracking No. 1jx-87sm-stzz

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0030

Submitter Information: Amy Edmonds

Is data collection necessary for running the US Dept. of Education? No it is not necessary and if data is needed to properly run this Department that infringes on the privacy of children, parents and families, then the functions of the Dept. should be changed, scaled back or eliminated. Stop overreaching.

Former State Legislator Amy Edmonds, Wyoming

Received: September 24, 2013

Category: Parent/Relative

Tracking No. 1jx-87so-9z8o

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0031

Submitter Information: Anonymous

I do not approve of Federal Government collecting data and tracking information about children. I do not give permission for my student's information to be gathered and disseminated. I have no need, desire or grant permission to the government to track my children. As a parent I am do not support Common Core.

Received: September 24, 2013

Category: Parent/Relative

Tracking No. 1jx-87sr-yjk3

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0032

Submitter Information: Anonymous

I do not give permission to the federal government to track my child. I have no desire or need for the tracking or gathering of information on my child.

Received: September 25, 2013

Category: Child advocate

Tracking No. 1jx-87sz-g07e

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0033

Submitter Information: Anonymous

I stand in absolute oposition of this data collection regarding our children. This data belongs to the an to them alone. We should be protecting it regardless of the perceived "good intentions" of gathering it.

Condider this, would a adult surrender to this sort of data collection. I certainly would not.

Additionally, these decisions must be made at the local level.

Received: September 25, 2013

Category: Parent/Relative

Tracking No. 1jx-87sz-uyta

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0034

Submitter Information: Chris Simo-Kinzer

As a parent with 3 children in the public school system, I do not agree with any of the Common Core State Standards and especially not with any of the data collection via high stakes testing and any quaternaries / surveys. As parent and legal guardian I do not consent to any personal information being collected nor will any performance evaluations and/or standardized tests be taken. Any information that is attained and without my consent will be considered a violation of my child's individual rights and mine as parent of said child and these rights are protected by the 14th amendment of the US Constitution and SCOTUS as sited in a such cases as; Pierce v. Society of Sisters, 268 U.S. 510, 535, Prince v. Massachusetts, 321 U.S. 158, 166, and Meyer v. Nebraska, 262 U.S. 390, 402.

Received: September 25, 2013

Category: Other

Tracking No. 1jx-87sz-snyq

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0035

Submitter Information: Kimberly Wood

The Federal Government does not need my child's information data mined and ultimately tracked by the government for government's use. I do not give permission for my student's information to be gathered and disseminated and I have no need or desire to grant permission to the government to track my child. This is an HUGE invasion of privacy. No one needs data on my family for anything. I want the Federal Government out of my family's life!

Received: September 25, 2013

Category: Individual

Tracking No. 1jx-87t1-eq96

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0036

Submitter Information: Jeff Hymas

I am against any and all data collection of students. The education system exists for the parents, by the parents, and of the parents. It does not exist by the government, for the government and of the government. The fourth amendment to the Constitution is very clear that we have a God-given right to privacy and the only time such privacy should be violated is when there is probable cause that someone is invading or infringing on someone else's rights. Data collection is doing the very thing that the fourth amendment was established to prevent.

Received: September 25, 2013

Category: Parent/Relative

Tracking No. 1jx-87t6-5iyv

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0037

Submitter Information: Callay Danford

The federal government does not have a right to collect private information on my children. Any information I have given on my children to the school was under the understanding that information would not leave the school. Data collection and sharing directly violates the fourth amendment to the Constitution which clearly states, "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."

Received: September 25, 2013

Category: Parent/Relative

Tracking No. 1jx-87t6-mwak

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0038

Submitter Information: Anonymous

Why does the Department of Education need this information? Last I knew, the information my child(ren) school collects is for their use only unless I give permission for them to share it. The collection, tracking and mining of data infringes on privacy of information that does not belong to the Federal Government for third party benefit. I have never given nor will I ever give permission for my child(ren) information to be used by the Federal Government. Why are parents not given the option or notified what information is being used, who is using and why?????

Received: September 25, 2013

Category: Parent/Relative

Tracking No. 1jx-87t9-h5wu

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0039

Submitter Information: Maria Neuhaus

I do not need my child’s information data mined and ultimately tracked by the government for government’s use. I do not give permission for my student’s information to be gathered and disseminated and I have no need, desire or grant permission to the government to track my child.

Received: September 26, 2013

Category: Parent/Relative

Tracking No. 1jx-87tl-qwau

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0040

Submitter Information: Anonymous

I oppose the Federal Government collecting data and tracking information about children. I do not support Common Core.

Received: September 27, 2013

Category: Parent/Relative

Tracking No. 1jx-87ue-kxw8

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0041

Submitter Information: D Walsh

New York State, the Federal Government, inBloom and all of those 3rd party vendors DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT, have my permission to data mine my minor children. I am vehemently opposed to all aspects of Common Core! Bill Gates, et al - you should be EMBARRASSED AND ASHAMED of yourselves! You have NO business making a business out of our children's education. You do not know our children - you do not have a clue what is best for the children of this country. You are making examples of poor performing school districts and dragging all of the great ones down to a dumber level to try to make those few look better - OH YEAH - and also to line your pockets with the profits! Get out of our schools!! Just because you have the money to buy the political power DOES NOT give you the right to infringe on our RIGHTS AS AMERICANS by forcing your narrow minded, selfish views on the rest of us!! NO, you may NOT know anything about my children or my family!!

Received: September 27, 2013

Category: Parent/Relative

Tracking No. 1jx-87uh-q5tj

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0042

Submitter Information: Gary Ferrin

Why is this information necessary to the Department of Education? (In particular the questions dealing with childhood relationships with their peers) What legal right does the Department of Education have to collect data on children with or without parental approval? Who will the information be shared with? Can the student choose not to participate? How will the information be safeguarded? These and other questions are of particular concern to myself and others. Does anyone there have satisfactory answers for me? Please stop this study now. Thank you.

Received: October 03, 2013

Category: Parent/Relative

Tracking No. 1jx-87yf-8l5e

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0043

Submitter Information: Eva Hill

I, parent and legal guardian, DO NOT, I Repeat, I DO NOT give permission to Data Mine, Collect Biometrics, or any/all private information to be gathered on my children's (student) records.

Illinois State, inbloom, and any/all of those 3rd party vendors and any/all Government Officials.

I have no need, desire, or grant permission to the Government, Saratoga Community Consolidated School District 60C and/or Board of Education, etc; to track my children stated above in any manner that has been implemented by the President and all Government Officials and any/all private organizations involved.

Received: October 10, 2013

Category: Parent/Relative

Tracking No. 1jx-8835-w3ci

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0044

Submitter Information: Kristy Hazel

Are there not Federal Laws prohibitting such collection of information to a national data base?! I do believe there are! And this information IS going to a National Data Base. You can call it the State Logitudinal Database System, so people will believe it to be state led, but when every state has the same data base and they are linked and available to the Federal Government...It is a National Data Base!!! . There is no reason the department of education needs to collect and track this information, especially WITHOUT PARENTAL PERMISSION! I demand, as a citizen of this country and state, I demand that this be stopped! Thank you,

Received: October 10, 2013

Category: Four-Year Public Institution of Higher Education

Tracking No. 1jx-883a-os9r

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0045

Submitter Information: Stephen Coffin

Rather than intrude on the privacy of public school children, the federal government should make sure all states submit accurate data by grade and student demographics by year for grade retention and special education. Policy makers could use these data to make education policies that are more informed and thereby perhaps better address these conditions.

Received: October 10, 2013

Category: Child advocate

Tracking No. 1jx-883a-ywa8

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0046

Submitter Information: Anonymous

Don't data mine our school students.

Received: October 10, 2013

Category: Individual

Tracking No. 1jx-883a-zltu

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0047

Submitter Information: Linda Hall

Keep your hands off our kids. This is a scheme to siphon taxpayer money to the edudiletanttes who create a crisis so they can profit. Will you be mining for data from Sidwell friends, the Lakeside school...the children of Obama and Gates or is this scam only being forced on the lowly middle class and the poor?

Special education students have rights and their records are their medical records protected by HIPAA.

Tell Murdoch, Klein, Duncan, Gates and Obama to leave our kids alone. Your stimulus plan masquerading as reform is a hoax and the public is catching on. Shame on all of you.

You will NEVER get my kids DATA because we are OPTING OUT and encouraging all parents to do the same.

Received: October 10, 2013

Category: Parent/Relative

Tracking No. 1jx-883d-la3f

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0048

Submitter Information: Anonymous

Wake up. Parents do not what their children's school records tracked. You do not have my permission to follow my children in any way, shape or form. Their school performance is NONE OF THE GOVERNMENT'S BUSINESS. What is my business is how all these changes in public education seem to have occurred OVERNIGHT!!! What pay offs are people in the governemnt getting for looking the other way? UNCONSTITUTIONAL..............IMPEACHMENT.................

Perhaps YOU can share your records with all of us......... SHAME ON YOU. The founding fathers are doing tumbles in their graves....but the children are not-too busy taking TESTS. DO NOT DESTROY PUBLIC EDUCATION.

Received: October 11, 2013

Category: Parent/Relative

Tracking No. 1jx-883l-bl52

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0049

Submitter Information: John Makowiec

Students deserve their privacy. Their test and other information about them should not be shared.

Received: October 11, 2013

Category: Individual

Tracking No. 1jx-883y-z92v

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0050

Submitter Information: Anonymous

Please do not allow the collection and tracking of student data that is associated with the Common Core Standards.

This data can be sold to outside vendors. Moreover, the sensitive information contained in the data is stored in the cloud and therefore subjected to possible security breaches.

Thank you.

Received: October 11, 2013

Category: Individual

Tracking No. 1jx-8840-5jfv

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0051

Submitter Information: Tiffany Rios

I thought it necessary to lend my voice to the US Department of Education, since they are asking for public comments on a proposal to track massive amounts of data on a set of children who were kindergarteners in the 2010-11 school year.

Our children have rights and we must protect them, until they are old enough to protect those rights themselves.

Do not allow our children's information to be farmed out like sheep.

Let the parents (who protect the children) judge what's in the best interest of the children.

This is a matter of our children's' civil rights.

Received: October 16, 2013

Category: Child advocate

Tracking No. 1jx-886s-vh73

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0052

Submitter Information: Anonymous

First, constitutionally the federal government should not be involved with our children's education! It is illegal! The education of our children should be up to state and local government because that keeps the power where it should be, IN THE PARENTS HANDS!

Second, as we have learned recently of the many ways data is being collected and stored and used as in the NSA and IRS I do not trust the federal government with private data. I especially do not trust the federal government with data on my children. And it is not only the federal government but anyone should know that the internet is not safe. Our children's data should not be on the internet and be shared. We know that information can be hacked and misused. It is a terrible idea to put our children's safety at risk like this!

Third, this is a breach of the 4th Amendment to the Constitution and our right to privacy.

FERPA does not protect information anymore. There is no repercussions for breaches of data! And there should be reporting of breaches of data also. There are many reasons this is not a good idea. Please listen to the people and do not do this to our children.

Received: October 19, 2013

Category: Parent/Relative

Tracking No. 1jx-8893-be72

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0053

Submitter Information: Andria Cook

I do not want my child tracked in any education based government study requiring the collection of personal data & I will not permit that for my child now or in the future. It is not necessary or justified.

Received: October 20, 2013

Category: Parent/Relative

Tracking No. 1jx-889t-4rrt

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0054

Submitter Information: Anonymous

Data collection on students is unconstitutional. There should be no national data base. Where do our privacy laws kick in, Stop this nonsense now.

Received: October 25, 2013

Category: Charter School or Charter School Organization

Tracking No. 1jx-88cu-pamt

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0055

Submitter Information: LINDA CARTER

It is INSANE that the government has this issue being discussed ! I am deeply disturbed and i do not think tracking children is a good idea! I just dont see the logic ,its a lame excuse that is being used , I DO NOT AND WILL NOT HAVE MY CHILD TRACKED ! if anyone should be tracked, lets start with all the politicians ,that live off WE THE PEOPLE "S buck! lets track where that money is going ?Because our country is not in debt because us taxpayers! GO TRACK YOURSELVES!

Received: September 26, 2013

Category: Individual

Tracking No. 1jx-87tp-oade

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0056

Submitter Information: Rachel Snow

This information should not be collected on our children. It is not the responsibility of the Federal government to collect and use this data of students for study. It is the responsibility of the state to bear the education decision of the citizens of their state. I do not like the ever increasing role of federal government and the continued growth of the Department of Education in our state affairs. The changes to FERPA in 2008 and 2011 do not allow any protections for our children in regard to their privacy. This citizen does not want data collected on Illinois school children. It is neither the role or responsibility of the Department of Education.

Received: September 26, 2013

Category: Individual

Tracking No. 1jx-87tx-3y8o

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0057

Submitter Information: Susan Pearce

I oppose both the tracking of student data and Common Core State Standards.

Received: September 26, 2013

Category: Parent/Relative

Tracking No. 1jx-87u1-th79

Document: ED-2013-ICCD-0096-0058

Submitter Information: Amy Skalicky

I do not need my child's and my family's private information data mined and ultimately tracked by the government for government's use. I DO NOT give permission for my child's information ever to be gathered and disseminated. I have no need, desire or grant permission to the government to track your child in any way shape or form for any purpose. You do not have permission to question my minor child, me, my friends and neighbors, family members or acquaintences or anyone else who may or may not have any relationship with my child in any capacity.

NCES RESPONSE

Dear Commenters,

Thank you for your comments submitted during the 30-day public review process, responding to a request for comments on the request for approval for the third-grade data collection, fourth-grade recruitment, and fifth-grade tracking for the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 (ECLS-K:2011), which was published by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in the Federal Register. The Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) provides an opportunity for an open and public comment period where comments on collections can be made. 

Who is being surveyed?

This ECLS-K:2011 request is for approval to conduct an additional data collection in an on-going longitudinal study that began in the 2010-11 school year. The children in the study were selected during the 2010-11 school year. Participation in the study is completely voluntary; all participants were informed of their selection and all children from or about whom data have been collected have parents who signed a written consent form, provided verbal consent over the phone, or did not opt-out of the study. Though respondents may choose to participate by completing an assessment, interview, or questionnaire, they have the right to refuse to answer any question asked of them and/or withdraw completely from the study at any point.

This is not a request for clearance to compile a database of all students in the United States, and information is not being collected from or about members of the public who are not part of the study. Members of the public (parents and children) who were not originally selected for the study, including those who were in kindergarten in the 2010-11 school year, are not being sought for participation now. This data collection is for parents and children who have participated in the study in the past (approximately 18,300 children and their parents or guardians).

The study includes questionnaires for children’s teachers and school administrators/principals. In each round of data collection, new teachers must be recruited for the study because children change teachers from year to year. When children change schools, their new schools are asked to participate in the study. The study recruits only school staff members who are associated with children already participating in the study. Teachers and school administrators who are part of the general public and not associated with a study child are not asked to participate in the study. As it is for parents and children, participation for school staff is completely voluntary, and any teacher or administrator/principal may refuse to participate or to answer any question he or she does not want to.

From whom is tracking information being collected?

The request to track students is not a request to track the general population of students. Tracking, as used in survey research, refers to the process of maintaining current contact information for participating respondents (in this case, students and their families) and updating their contact information when they move so that they can be reached at the time of the next data collection. For example, the ECLS-K:2011 data collector requests contact information from participating students’ parents.

How are survey data used?

Information collected as part of the ECLS-K:2011 is not being collected for the purpose of data mining by the Federal Government. The data are used by NCES to provide statistics on the condition of education in the United States, as is required by law. The ECLS-K:2011 is authorized by law under the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (20 U.S. Code Section 9543):

1. “The Statistics Center shall collect, report, analyze, and disseminate statistical data related to education in the United States and in other nations, including -- (7) conducting longitudinal and special data collections necessary to report on the condition and progress of education;”

The information is also used by researchers at academic institutions; policy organizations; other local, state, and federal government agencies; and other organizations that conduct research to better understand a range of important issues in education and child development. Parents and school staff were informed of the intended use of the collected data before the study began.

How is participant privacy maintained?

By law, all collected data may only be used for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law [Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (ESRA 2002), 20 U.S. Code, Section 9573]. Prior to release, the information collected from participants is compiled in data files that undergo a disclosure risk analysis and editing to protect against releasing information that allows for identification of any of the study’s participants. Direct identifiers such as participants’ names are not associated with data provided to anyone outside the contracted staff collecting the data. Employees of the National Center for Education Statistics are not provided with participants’ names. Assessment scores and other collected information are separated from student’s names and all other direct identifiers, and used only for statistical analyses. Additionally, children’s assessment scores are never provided to their parents or school staff, and children’s performance on the assessments has no consequence for the children or their schools. The assessments are designed solely to allow researchers to better understand the relationship between a variety of factors and student learning and growth. Strict laws protect the data collected, and strict security protocols are followed at all stages of data collection and use (see the clearance request documents that are part of this docket for details).

What is the purpose of ECLS-K:2011?

The ECLS-K:2011 is a study of children’s growth and development with a particular focus on educational experiences and outcomes. Children’s educational outcomes are affected by the children’s experiences in many contexts, both in and outside of school. Thus, the study collects information on a variety of topics and experiences in order to gain a more complete picture of how growth and development are affected by the variety of experiences in children’s lives. This is the reason the study collects information on topics that are not strictly educational. For example, the study collects information on children’s health and disability as these factors can affect children’s ability to learn and the services they receive in school. Information is collected about parents’ health, because parental health issues can have effects on children’s outcomes. Children’s peers (for example, their attitudes toward school and bullying behaviors) can also have a substantial effect on how children experience school, which in turn can affect learning and achievement. While the relationships between experiences and outcomes may have been investigated in other studies, the ECLS-K:2011 is unique in that it provides national level data, thereby allowing researchers to determine whether findings from other studies hold true at a national level. Also, because the study collects information about a variety of topics, the ECLS-K:2011 allows researchers to determine whether documented effects are directly related to a particular characteristic or experience, while controlling for other factors.

What is the study link to the Common Core Standards?

The study collects information about children’s experiences in school, including children’s daily experiences in the classroom and, more specifically, the instruction to which they are exposed. In order to collect adequate data about instruction, it was necessary to develop questions about instruction that are based on instructional topics emphasized by the Common Core because many schools have recently adopted the Common Core standards. Although the ECLS-K:2011 seeks to collect information relevant to current educational policies, as a statistical agency NCES is policy neutral. This is not a study about the Common Core standards, nor is it directly linked to the Common Core. Inclusion of items related to the Common Core is intended to facilitate, through research, an understanding of how Common Core is affecting children’s educational experiences and outcomes.

Sincerely yours,

Early Childhood Longitudinal Study staff at the National Center for Education Statistics

15