Appendix 3 Summary Report

Appendix 3
Summary Report of Extant Survey Research for NHES
Topics

NHES:2012
Summary Report
of Extant Survey Research
for NHES Topics
February 2009
Chris Chapman
Project Officer
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
U.S. Department of Education

Prepared by
Julie Keith
Akemi Kinukawa
Lina Guzman
Child Trends

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAM PARTICIPATION (ECPP) ............................................................... 1
The Cost, Quality, and Child Outcomes in Child Care Centers Study .................................................... 3
Current Population Survey, October School Enrollment Supplement ..................................................... 5
Early Childhood Longitudinal Study- Birth Cohort ................................................................................ 7
The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study—Kindergarten Cohort........................................................... 9
The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study—Kindergarten Cohort of 2010-11 (ECLS-K:11) ............... 11
The Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study.................................................................................. 13
Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey ................................................................................. 15
National Child Care Survey 1990: Parent Study ................................................................................... 18
National Evaluation of Welfare-to-Work Strategies (NEWWS) – Child Outcomes Study .................. 20
The National Household Education Surveys Program, Early Childhood Program Participation
Survey 2005 ........................................................................................................................................... 22
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth
Development .......................................................................................................................................... 24
The National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (Canada) .................................................... 26
National Study of Child Care of Low-Income Families – Community Survey..................................... 28
The National Survey of America’s Families ......................................................................................... 30
The National Survey of Children’s Health ............................................................................................ 32
National Survey of Families and Households........................................................................................ 34
Panel Survey of Income Dynamics, Child Development Supplement .................................................. 37
Partnership Impact Research Project ..................................................................................................... 39
Survey of Income and Program Participation– Child Care Topical Component ................................... 41
Survey of Program Dynamics (SPD) ..................................................................................................... 43
Women’s Employment Study ................................................................................................................ 45

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PARENT AND FAMILY INVOLVEMENT IN EDUCATION (PFI) ...................................................... 47
National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 ....................................................................................... 49
National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 Cohort ........................................................................... 52
The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study—Kindergarten Cohort......................................................... 54
The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study—Kindergarten Cohort of 2010-11 ...................................... 56
Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002 ............................................................................................... 58
Family Involvement in Education: A National Portrait ......................................................................... 60
Hand in Hand National Parent Survey ................................................................................................... 62
Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey ................................................................................. 64
National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 ................................................................................... 67
The National Household Education Surveys Program, Parent and Family Involvement in
Education Survey ................................................................................................................................... 69
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth
Development .......................................................................................................................................... 71
The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health........................................................................ 73
The National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (Canada) .................................................... 75
The National Survey of America’s Families ......................................................................................... 77
The National Survey of Parents of Public School Students ................................................................... 79
Panel Study of Income Dynamics, Child Development Supplement .................................................... 81
Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) ......................................................................... 83
Prospects: The Congressionally Mandated Study of Educational Growth and Opportunity ................. 85
Survey of Family and School Partnerships in Public Schools, K-8 ....................................................... 87
Survey of Adults and Youth .................................................................................................................. 89
Survey of Program Dynamics (SPD) ..................................................................................................... 91
Women’s Employment Study ................................................................................................................ 93

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EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAM PARTICIPATION (ECPP)

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TITLE
The Cost, Quality, and Child Outcomes in Child Care Centers Study
PURPOSE
The study was designed to examine the influence of center-based child care on children’s
development during the preschool years and as they move into elementary school.
SPONSORSHIP
This research project was funded by grants from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the
William T. Grant Foundation, the JFM Foundation, the A.L. Mailman Family Foundation,
the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the Pew Charitable Trusts, the USWEST
Foundation, the Smith Richardson Foundation, and the Educational Research and
Development Centers Programs as administered by the Office of Educational Research and
Improvement (now the Institute of Education Sciences).
DESIGN
This longitudinal study included a stratified random sample of children and families from
401 randomly selected child care centers, half for-profit and half non-profit, in four states
(California, Colorado, Connecticut, and North Carolina). The sample included a total of 826
children, with an average age of 4.3 years old and in their next to last year of preschool child
care. These children were followed for 4 years (until average age of 8 years old). Data were
collected to examine the relations between child care quality and children’s development.
Data were collected through (1) classroom observations, (2) individual child assessments,
(3) teacher ratings of children, and (4) parent reports of child and family characteristics.
PERIODICITY
The longitudinal study began in 1993 and continued for 4 years, until 1997. Data was
collected during children's last two years in child care, during kindergarten, first and second
grade years. There are no plans for another study at this time.
CONTENT
The study investigated the relationship between child care quality, including cost, and
children’s patterns of development from preschool through the second grade. The study
assessed the influence of center-based child care in America on children in areas such as
cognitive and social skills, children’s relationships with their teachers, and the long-term
affects of child care quality on children. Children’s background characteristics were also
accounted for to determine if differences between children of different backgrounds emerged.
This study measured two dimensions of child care quality: classroom practices and teacherchild relationships. Classroom practices were examined with a variety of observational
instruments that measured the quality of the child care environment, teacher sensitivity and
responsiveness, and teaching style. The key research question guiding this study was: "Do
early child care experiences have long-term consequences for children's development over
the time period from the preschool years into the early elementary years?” In addition,
parents provided information on their child bearing beliefs and practices annually through a

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self-administered version of the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment
scale.
LIMITATIONS RELATIVE TO THE GOALS OF NHES
The Cost, Quality, and Child Outcomes study sample was limited to 401 center-based care
programs in four states, and focused on the association between program quality and child
development. The advantage of this study compared to the ECPP is that it is a longitudinal
survey and therefore it can be used to examine the association between child care quality
and child development. However, the Cost, Quality, and Child Outcomes study is not a
national survey and cannot provide national estimates over time, nor can it provide
information on other types of care (e.g., relative and non-relative care). It particularly
focuses on center-care quality and child development and its content is not as
comprehensive as the ECPP. Another difference between the two surveys is the quality
measure: the Cost, Quality, and Child Outcomes study measures quality based on
classroom observations and teachers' reporting on their beliefs and practices while the
ECPP has measured quality through parent report (i.e., Emlen scale).
AVAILABILITY
For more information on the Cost, Quality, and Child Outcomes Study contact:
Dick Clifford Ph.D., Co-director
FPG Child Development Center
CB #8040, UNC-CH Campus
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-8040
Phone: (919) 962-4737
Fax: (919) 962-7328
Email: [email protected]
Donna M. Bryant, Ph.D., Co-director
FPG Child Development Center
CB #8180, UNC-CH Campus
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-8180
Phone: (919) 966-4295
Fax: (919) 966-7532
Email: [email protected]
More detailed information can be found online at:
http://www.childcareresearch.org/location/ccrca341
http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~NCEDL/PDFs/CQO-es.pdf

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TITLE
Current Population Survey, October School Enrollment Supplement
PURPOSE
The purpose of the Current Population Survey (CPS) is to provide estimates of employment,
unemployment, and other characteristics of the labor force for the population at large and
various subgroups of the population. The October School Enrollment Supplement provides
specific information on the educational status of individuals in the population by
demographic and socioeconomic characteristics.
SPONSORSHIP
The Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Bureau of the Census have jointly sponsored the CPS,
with data collection conducted by the Census Bureau. The Department of Education
sponsors additional questions on educational issues that change from year to year.
DESIGN
The Current Population Survey is designed to be representative of the civilian, noninstitutionalized population of the United States, including Armed Forces personnel living
off base or on base with their families. The CPS uses a probability sample based on a
multistage stratified sampling scheme. In general, the sample is selected by (a) grouping
counties or groups of counties into primary sampling units (PSUs) that are assembled into
homogeneous strata within each state; (b) selecting one PSU to represent each strata; and (c)
selecting addresses within each PSU for membership in the sample. These steps result in
2,007 CPS PSUs in the United States from which to draw the sample. There is no
oversampling of minority or low-income areas.
Each month, data is collected from approximately 60,000 sample households across the
country. Households are in a rotating sample so that they are interviewed each month for 4
months, followed by an 8-month “rest period,” and then interviewed for the next 4 months.
Interviews are conducted in person during the first and fifth month that households are in the
sample; otherwise interviews are conducted by telephone (by a field interviewer or from a
centralized telephone interviewing facility). The household respondent must be a
knowledgeable household member aged 16 years or older from the civilian; this respondent
provides information for each household member. The questions in the school enrollment
supplement are asked about all persons aged 3 or older in the household. The sample size
for children in each 1-year age group is approximately 2,000.
PERIODICITY
The supplement has been conducted each October since 1946. Plans include retaining this
supplement in the future.

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CONTENT
Each year the basic school enrollment supplement contains questions on highest grade
completed, enrollment status, and if enrolled, the grade or level of school, type of school
(public or private), and whether the child attends center-based care, Head start, or prekindergarten. Additional questions on educational topics are also included, but the topics
change each year. Topics from the October supplements of CPS related to the ECPP include
information on child care and educational experiences (October 1992); whether a child
receives any schooling at home (October 1994); proficiency in English and disability status
(October 2004); and the use of the Internet (October 2007).

LIMITATIONS RELATIVE TO THE GOALS OF NHES
Given that the CPS October Education supplement is in fact a supplement to another major
survey, it cannot provide information on the breadth of education-related topics that have
been covered by the ECPP, nor the depth of questions on certain subjects.
AVAILABILITY
The Census Bureau usually releases reports on supplement data approximately 3 to 6 months
after data collection, and final reports within 12 to 18 months. Published tabulations on
school enrollment are available in the Current Population Reports, Series P-20.
Public use microdata files are available from the Bureau of the Census for months in which
there is a supplement; these files are usually made available within 6 months to 1 year after
data collection.
For further information on the October supplement to the CPS, contact
Hyon Shin
Education and Social Stratification Branch
Population Division
U.S. Bureau of the Census
Washington, D.C. 20233-8800
(301) 763-6169
Email: [email protected]
Data are also available through their web site
http://www.bls.census.gov/cps

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TITLE
Early Childhood Longitudinal Study- Birth Cohort
PURPOSE
The purpose of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study- Birth Cohort (ECLS-B) is to
provide valuable detailed information on the early years of children’s lives, from birth
through kindergarten entry including topics such as health care, nonparental care, and
education. Specifically, the study is interested in gaining insight into how children’s
neighborhoods, families, health care, and early childhood program participation influence
variations in developmental outcomes.
SPONSORSHIP
The study is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education, National Center for
Education Statistics (NCES), in collaboration with the National Center for Health Statistics
(NCHS), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the
National Institutes for Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), and the
Administration for Children, Youth, and Families (ACYF).
DESIGN
The ECLS-B is a longitudinal study consisting of a nationally representative sample of
approximately 14,000 children born in the year 2001. Children were sampled from
registered births in the National Center for Health Statistics vital statistics system. Births
were selected within primary sampling units and, in some cases, secondary sampling units.
This sampling approach was chosen because of its cost effectiveness and because it
provided better sample coverage compared to other methods such as sampling hospitals or
birth certificates. Researchers followed sampled children through kindergarten entry. The
sample was representative of diverse racial/ethnic groups and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Data collection took place when children were 9 months old, two years old, four years old
and in kindergarten. Data were collected using a mixed-mode design including in-person
interviews with the child’s primary caregiver (usually the mother), a self-administered
questionnaire for the child’s father, a child assessment of developmental skills, and
telephone interviews with child care providers and kindergarten teachers.
PERIODICITY
The ECLS-B is a longitudinal study following the same children from birth through
kindergarten entry. Full-scale collection for 9 month old children occurred in 2001 and
2002, with the first follow-up of 2-year old children occurring in 2003 and 2004, and the
second follow-up of 4-year-old children occurring in 2005 and 2006. In the third followup during the fall of 2006, data were collected from all participating sample children,
approximately 75 percent of whom were in kindergarten or higher. In the fall of 2007, data
were collected from the remaining 25 percent of participating sample children who had not
yet entered kindergarten or higher in the previous collection, as well as children who were
repeating kindergarten in the 2007-08 school year. The collection of data for children in
kindergarten occurred over a two-year period because of the age requirements for school
entry. NCES has released data for subsequent waves approximately one year after data

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collection ends. Data collection beyond the kindergarten year has not been scheduled at
this time.
CONTENT
The ECLS-B was designed to describe the earliest experiences and relationships in
children's lives. The study provides descriptive data on 1) children's health status at birth
and at regular intervals during early childhood; 2) children's growth and development in
critical domains; 3) children's transitions to child care and early childhood education
programs and kindergarten; 4) father involvement; and 5) school readiness. The
longitudinal nature of the study enables researchers to study children's physical,
cognitive, language, social and emotional development and to relate children's growth
and development to their early learning environment, while the sample design will allow
researchers to examine differences among the children by race/ethnicity, economics, and
family composition.
LIMITATIONS RELATIVE TO THE GOALS OF NHES
The ECPP survey provide data on a nationally representative sample of children from birth
to those age 6 who have not yet entered kindergarten. In contrast, ECLS-B focuses only
on one cohort of children born in 2001. Further, ECLS-B does not meet the NHES goal of
measuring change over time with cross-sectional samples of the population of interest.
AVAILABILITY
The first three waves of data collection have been released. The restricted-use CD-ROM
contains an electronic codebook, a restricted-use datafile, and survey documentation for
the first three waves of data collection. The CD-ROM and instructions for obtaining a
restricted-use data license are available on the ECLS-B web page.
For more information on the ECLS-B, contact the ECLS-B staff at:
[email protected]
The web site for ECLS-B is:
http://nces.ed.gov/ecls/Birth.asp
For information on this survey, contact
Gail Mulligan
National Center for Education Statistics
1990 K Street, NW
Room 9086
Washington, DC 20006
(202) 502-7491
Email: [email protected]
TITLE

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The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study—Kindergarten Cohort
PURPOSE
The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study—Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS-K) has two
purposes: descriptive and analytic. It provides descriptive data on a national basis of
children’s status at entry into school, their transition into school, and their progression
through eighth grade. This data set enables researchers to study how a wide range of
family, school, community, and individual variables affect early success in school.
SPONSORSHIP
ECLS-K is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
DESIGN
A nationally representative sample of approximately 22,000 children enrolled in about
1,000 kindergarten programs during the 1998-99 school year was selected for participation
in the study. ECLS-K used a multi-stage sampling method. The primary sampling units
were geographic areas (i.e., a group of counties) and the second-stage units were schools
that were selected based on the 1995-96 CCD Public School Universe File. The sample is
designed to allow users to produce separate national estimates of public and private school
kindergartners; black, Hispanic, white, and Asian children; and children by socioeconomic
status. Data were collected from the individual child, the child’s parents/guardians,
teachers, and school using mixed-modes. Measures of a child’s cognitive skills are
obtained through a one-on-one assessment of the child, conducted at the child’s school.
Additional information was collected from telephone interviews conducted with the parent
each time children were assessed. If a parent did not have a telephone, an in-person
interview was conducted. Teachers completed self-administered questionnaires each time
children were assessed (with the exception of the fall of first grade). School administrators,
principals, and headmasters were asked to complete self-administered questionnaires
during each of the spring data collections.
PERIODICITY
Data on the kindergarten cohort were collected twice during the base year of the study-once during the beginning and once near the end of the school year. In the fall of the 19992000 school year, when most of the cohort moved to the first grade, data were collected
from a 30 percent subsample of the cohort. In the spring of first grade, data were once
again collected from the entire sample of children as well as their parents, teachers, and
school administrators. In 2002 (third grade year), 2004 (fifth grade year), and 2007 (eighth
grade year) child assessments were conducted and parent, teacher and school
administrators completed interviews in the spring.
CONTENT
The child assessment largely focuses on the child’s physical and psychomotor
development, social and emotional development, and cognitive development in reading,
arithmetic, and general knowledge. Data on the characteristic of the children, their
families, their schools, kindergarten programs, and classrooms are also collected to

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examine the status of children at entry into kindergarten, the expectations of schools about
what skills, behaviors and attributes are necessary, and how children fare in the new
environment. The study also examines the roles that parents and families play in preparing
for and supporting their children’s education and how families, schools, and communities
interact to support children’s education. In particular, the Parental Involvement section
includes a series of questions about the types of school activities parents attend, and barriers
to participating in such activities as well as school choice.
LIMITATIONS RELATIVE TO THE GOALS OF NHES
The ECLS-K contains many items from prior NHES parent interviews that will likely be a
part of the upcoming ECPP. Both studies are interested in examining the role of the home
environment and parent involvement in children’s outcomes. The sample for the ECLS-K
consists of a single cohort of children in kindergarten through the fifth grade, whereas the
ECPP survey focuses on younger children, those from birth to age 6 who have not yet
entered kindergarten. The ECPP will also provide information on the home environment
of children who are home-schooled (ECLS-K obtains information about home-schooled
children only if they were in a study school at the time of initial data collection).
AVAILABILITY
Data and documentation for the kindergarten, first grade, third grade, and fifth grade years,
as well as three longitudinal data files (kindergarten through first grade, kindergarten through
third grade, and kindergarten through fifth grade) are available via CD-ROM from the
National Center for Education Statistics.
The web site for ECLS-K is:
http://nces.ed.gov/ecls/Kindergarten.asp
For more information on this survey, contact
Chris Chapman
National Center for Education Statistics
1990 K Street, NW
Room 9042
Washington, DC 20006
(202) 502-7414
Email: [email protected]

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TITLE
The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study—Kindergarten Cohort of 2010-11 (ECLS-K:11)
PURPOSE
The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study—Kindergarten Cohort of 2011-11 (ECLS-K:11)
will provide data on a national basis of children’s status at entry into school, their transition
into school, and their progression through fifth grade. This data set will enable researchers
to study how a wide range of family, school, community, and individual variables affect
early success in school.
SPONSORSHIP
ECLS-K:11 is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
DESIGN
The ECLS-K:11 will survey a nationally representative sample of children attending both
full-day and part-day kindergarten in either public or private schools in 2010-2011.
Children's parents, teachers, schools and providers will also provide information on
children's cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development.
Trained field staff will conduct direct assessment of children in their schools and telephone
interviews with their parents. Teachers and school administrators will be contacted and
asked to complete questionnaires. Before- and after-school care providers will also be
interviewed.
PERIODICITY
Data collections are currently planned to occur in the fall and the spring of kindergarten
(2010-2011), the spring of 1st grade (2012), the spring of 2nd grade (2013), the spring of
3rd grade (2014), the spring of 4th grade (2015), and the spring of 5th grade (2016). Prior
to the base year collection of the ECLS-K:11, a field test will be conducted with children
and their teachers for the development of new survey items.
CONTENT
In addition to data on children's cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development,
the study will also include information on children's home environment, home educational
activities, school environment, classroom environment, classroom curriculum, teacher
qualifications, and before- and after-school care.
The ECLS-K:11 will differ from the previous ECLS studies in that it provides data
relevant to emerging policy-related issues such as No Child Left Behind legislation,
increasing school choice, and a rise in English language learners. ECLS-K:11 together
with the original ECLS-K will allow comparisons between two cohorts experiencing
different political, educational, social and demographic environments.

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LIMITATIONS RELATIVE TO THE GOALS OF NHES
The ECLS-K:11 Parent Interview will contain some items on child care that will likely be
a part of the ECPP interview. The studies share an interest in children’s developmental
status at school entry and early school experiences and their home activities with parents.
In particular, the field testing of newly developed questions that can provide information
on more recent educational issues such as school choice may provide useful information
for the NHES:11.
However, while the ECPP survey will provide trend data for nationally representative
samples of children from birth to age 6 who have not yet entered kindergarten, the ECLSK:11 is limited to a single cohort of children who will be kindergartners in 2010-2011.
AVAILABILITY
Data and reports are not yet available..
The web site for ECLS-K:11 is:
http://nces.ed.gov/ecls/kindergarten2010.asphttp://nces.ed.gov/ecls/Kindergarten.asp
For general information on this survey, contact
Chris Chapman
National Center for Education Statistics
1990 K Street, NW
Room 9042
Washington, DC 20006
(202) 502-7414
Email: [email protected]
Or,
Gail M. Mulligan
Project Officer, ECLS-K:11
National Center for Education Statistics
1990 K Street, NW
Room 9086
Washington, DC 20006

(202) 502-7491
Email: [email protected]

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TITLE
The Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study
PURPOSE
The Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study addresses three areas: nonmarital
childbearing, welfare reform and the role of fathers. The purpose of the study is to offer
information on these areas to policy makers and community leaders.
SPONSORSHIP
Funding for the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study come from the National Institute
of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and from a consortium of national and
local foundations. The study is conducted by the Center for Research on Child Wellbeing,
Princeton University.
DESIGN
The data are being collected in 20 U.S. cities, including among others, Austin, Pittsburgh,
Boston, Baltimore, Chicago and San Jose. The cities were selected using a stratified random
sample of all U.S. cities with a population of 200,000 or more. Total sample size is 4,700
families, including 3,600 unmarried couples and 1,100 married couples. Data is
representative of nonmarital births in each of the 20 cities, and also representative of all
nonmarital births in U.S. cities with populations over 200,000. Three follow-up interviews
were conducted with both parents at the time the child was one, three and five years old.
Data on child health and development was collected from the parents during each of the
follow-up interviews, and in-home assessments of child wellbeing were carried out at 30
and 48 months. Child wellbeing measures overlap with those used in other national studies,
including the Infant Health and Development Program, the Early Head Start Evaluation,
the Teenage Parent Demonstration Project, and the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Birth Cohort Study 2000 (ECLS-B). This study collected its data using a mixed-mode
approach, as detailed below.
PERIODICITY
Baseline interviews were conducted in-person between February, 1998 and September, 2000
and consisted of 4,898 completed mother interviews and 3,830 completed father interviews.
One-year telephone follow-up interviews were conducted between June, 1999 and March,
2002 with 4,365 completed mother interviews and 3,367 completed father interviews. Threeyear telephone follow-up interviews were conducted between April 2001 and December
2003. Five-year telephone follow-up interviews were conducted between July 2003 and
February 2006. A nine-year telephone follow-up interview is being conducted from 2007 to
2009.
CONTENT
The baseline questionnaires for mothers and fathers include sections on prenatal care,
mother-father relationships, expectations about fathers' rights and responsibilities, attitudes
toward marriage, parents' health, social support and extended kin, knowledge about local
policies and community resources, and education, employment, and income. Follow-up

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interviews gather additional information on access to and use of healthcare and child care
services, experiences with local welfare and child support agencies, and parental conflict
and domestic violence.
LIMITATIONS RELATIVE TO THE GOALS OF NHES
The survey is designed to target unmarried parents, a much narrower scope than the ECPP
sample. Although the survey does include some questions relative to child care, it was not
directly designed to measure this study topic.
AVAILABILITY
The first four waves of data are available from the website below.
For more information on the Fragile Families and Child wellbeing study, contact:
Sara McLanahan, Ph.D.
Center for Research on Child Wellbeing
Princeton University
265 Wallace Hall
Princeton, NJ 08544
(609) 258-4875
Email: [email protected]
A summary including detailed information on the survey can be viewed at:
http://www.fragilefamilies.princeton.edu/

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TITLE
Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey
PURPOSE
Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES) is a national longitudinal study
of the cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development of Head Start children; the
characteristics, well-being, and accomplishments of families; the observed quality of Head
Start classrooms; and the characteristics, needs and opinions of Head Start teachers.
SPONSORSHIP
The FACES study is currently conducted by Mathematica Policy Research for the
Commissioner’s Office of Research and Evaluation in the Administration on Children,
Youth, and Families, DHHS.
DESIGN
The original cohort of FACES (1997) had six phases of data collection using personal
interviews and in-person child assessments. FACES uses a multistage sample selection of
(1) programs, (2) centers, (3) classrooms, and (4) children. The sampling frame of Head
Start programs was created based on the Head Start Program Information Report (PIR).
The first phase involved a spring 1997 field test in which approximately 2,400 children and
parents were studied in a nationally stratified random sample of 40 Head Start programs.
The second and third phases of FACES occurred in fall 1997 (Wave One) and spring 1998
(Wave Two) when data were collected on a sample of 3,200 children and families in the
same 40 Head Start programs. Spring 1998 data collection included assessments of both
Head Start children completing the program and Head Start graduates completing
kindergarten (kindergarten field test), as well as interviews with their parents and ratings
by their kindergarten teachers. The fourth phase occurred in spring 1999 with data
collection in the 40 Head Start programs, plus a kindergarten follow-up for children who
completed Head Start in spring 1998. The fifth phase in spring 2000 completed the
kindergarten follow-up for the children completing Head Start in spring 1999 and first
graders who completed Head Start in 1998. The sixth phase in spring 2001 completed the
first grade follow-up for the children who completed Head Start in spring 1999. An
additional feature of FACES 1997 was the validation sub-study or embedded case study of
a longitudinal sample of 120 randomly selected families from the larger FACES sample
(three families from each of the 40 FACES sites were selected).
Four cohorts of FACES have been fielded to date – FACES 1997, 2000, 2003 and 2006.
Each cohort has included a nationally representative sample of Head Start children and
their families. The subsequent cohorts have followed a similar study design.
PERIODICITY
The study was launched in 1997, as described above. A new national cohort of FACES
was launched in fall 2000, with a sample of 2,800 children entering Head Start and their
families in 43 new Head Start programs. The 2000 study involved data collection in the
fall and spring of the Head Start year, spring of the second Head Start year (for children
who spent two years in Head Start), and spring of children’s kindergarten year. The data

15

also includes information on their kindergarten enrollment in Spring 2002 and Spring 2003.
The third FACES cohort was launched in Fall 2003 with a sample of 2,400 children
entering Head Start and their families in 63 new Head Start programs. The 2003 study
involved data collection in the fall and spring of the Head Start year, spring of the second
Head Start year (for children who spent two years in Head Start), and spring of children’s
kindergarten year. The fourth FACES cohort was launched in Fall 2006 with a nationally
representative sample of children entering Head Start and their families in 60 new Head
Start programs. The 2006 study is ongoing, and involves four rounds of data collection—
fall and spring of children’s first Head Start year, spring of the second Head Start year for
children who were 3 years old at the time the sample was selected, and spring of children’s
kindergarten year.
CONTENT
The study’s main data components consist of three chronological parent interviews: the
Head Start parent interview, the Kindergarten parent interview, and the first grade parent
interview. Each interview collects information on the family’s demographics, including
employment and income, and home and neighborhood characteristics. The interviews also
collect information regarding the child’s behavior and activities, caregiver, and disabilities.
Other topics include: parent’s feelings and satisfaction level with Head Start, home safety,
family health care, and community services. The first grade parent interview was excluded
from the FACES 2000 and FACES 2003 surveys.
LIMITATIONS RELATIVE TO THE GOALS OF NHES
The FACES population includes cohorts of preschool children enrolled in Head Start
programs. It collects limited data on whether the child attended center-based care prior to
enrolling in Head Start, but does not ask about relative or non-relative care.
AVAILABILITY
For more information on the FACES study, contact:
Maria Woolverton
Office of Planning Research and Evaluation
Administration for Children and Families
Division of Child and Family Development
370 L’Enfant Promenade SW
7th Floor West
Aerospace Building
Washington, DC 20201
(202) 205-4039
Email: [email protected]
The FACES datasets and reports are archived by Research Connections, a web-based
clearinghouse that offers a collection of more than 10,000 resources from the many
disciplines related to child care and early education.
Its website is http://www.researchconnections.org.

16

The FACES instruments can be obtained from:
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hs/faces/index.html

17

TITLE
National Child Care Survey 1990: Parent Study
PURPOSE
The National Child Care Survey was designed to provide a nationally representative
portrait of all aspects of child care, including who provides care, how parents select
nonparental care and how much they pay for it, how parents feel about their options for
child care, and what child care arrangements were previously used by the parents.
SPONSORSHIP
The National Child Care Survey was a public-private partnership, jointly sponsored by
the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the Head
Start Bureau of the Administration for Children, Youth and Families (ACYF), Office of
Human Development Services, Department of Health and Human Services.
DESIGN
The National Child Care Survey is a nationally representative study of 4,392 parents with
one or more children under the age of 13. Households with children under the age of 13
were recruited by random-digit-dial computer-aided telephone interviewing.
PERIODICITY
The National Child Care Survey: Parent Study was conducted once in late 1989 and early
1990.
CONTENT
The National Child Care Survey Parent Study focused on the use of child care
arrangements, how child care affects parental employment patterns, how parents make
decisions about child care, and the characteristics of the settings in which child care is
provided. The survey included a schedule of when the respondent and his or her spouse or
partner was at work and a schedule of when each child was at each care arrangement in
order to provide a detailed picture of the correspondence between child care arrangements
and work. Extensive data on employment history were also gathered, including the
relationship between work and child care in the past.
LIMITATIONS RELATIVE TO THE GOALS OF NHES
This study is directly related to the goals of the ECPP because it includes questions to
parents about difficulty in finding child care, whether the availability of child care affected
their ability to work, and detailed information about where the child was cared for while
his or her parent(s) were at work. However, since it was administered once, it cannot
produce estimates to track change over time.

18

AVAILABILITY
The dataset as well as supporting documents are available from:
American Family Data Archive
Sociometrics Corporation
170 State Street, Suite 260
Los Altos, California 94022-2812
(415) 949-3282

19

TITLE
National Evaluation of Welfare-to-Work Strategies (NEWWS) – Child Outcomes Study
PURPOSE
The NEWWS evaluation is a study of the effectiveness of seven mandatory welfare-towork programs in the states of Georgia, Ohio, Michigan, Oklahoma, Oregon and
California. Sample members were followed for five years. A broad range of data was
collected through surveys including data on educational attainment, family composition,
housing status, wage progression, employment, child care, depression, and total family
income. In addition, effects on the well-being of the children of the mothers in the study
was evaluated. Four types of child outcomes were measured: cognitive development and
academic achievement; safety and health; problem behavior and emotional well-being; and
social development. The Child Outcomes Study was launched as a special substudy to
assess whether and how the development of preschool-age children was affected over time
when their mothers were assigned to a JOBS program.
SPONSORSHIP
The NEWWS evaluation was sponsored by the Department of Health and Human Services
and the Child Outcomes Study was carried out by Child Trends under subcontract to
Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation.
DESIGN
NEWWS used a random-assignment experiment, where at each evaluation site, individuals
required to participate in the program were assigned to either a program group (with access
to employment and training services) or a control group (who received no services but
could seek them out on their own).
In three of the sites (Georgia, Michigan, and California), a Child Outcomes Study was
embedded within the larger evaluation so that families in the Child Outcomes Study
completed the full evaluation. To be eligible for the Child Outcomes Study, a family had
to have a child between the ages of three and five years at the time of enrollment, and single
fathers were excluded. There were 5,905 families eligible for the Child Outcomes Study,
however 3,194 completed the two-year follow-up. The two-year follow-up was conducted
via in-person interviews at the family’s home, with families either being contacted on the
telephone or having an interviewer go directly to the house.
PERIODICITY
The NEWWS evaluation was conducted in a two-year period at each study site, between
the years 1991 and 1994.
CONTENT
The Child Outcomes Study includes measures on the history of child care arrangements
for the focal child, what types of nonparental care the focal child has attended, whether the
child has attended child care since the time the parent was enrolled in the evaluation, the
number of teachers/providers the child has had in the program they attended, the age at

20

which the child first started attending nonparental care, and the number of house per week
that the child attended nonparental care.
LIMITATIONS RELATIVE TO THE GOALS OF NHES
The primary purpose of NHES and the ECPP is to conduct repeated measurements of the
same phenomena at different points in time, this survey tracks nonparental care usage at
one point in time. Additionally, the sample design is not nationally representative as is
NHES and the ECPP.
AVAILABILITY
Information about the NEWSS study, including reports, datafiles, and codebooks are
available from:
http://aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/NEWWS/
To obtain a printed copy of a report, contact the following:
Human Services Policy, Room 404E
Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
200 Independence Ave, SW
Washington, DC 20201
Fax: (202) 690-6562

21

TITLE
The National Household Education Surveys Program, Early Childhood Program
Participation Survey 2005
PURPOSE
The National Household Education Surveys Program (NHES) is a data collection system
that is designed to address a wide range of education-related issues. It provides descriptive
data on the educational activities of the U.S. population and offers policymakers,
researchers, and educators a variety of statistics on the condition of education in the U.S.
The ECPP component focused on children's participation in formal and informal
nonparental care and education programs as well as characteristics of care arrangements
for children from birth to age 6 who have not yet entered kindergarten.
SPONSORSHIP
The National Center for Education Statistics sponsors the project, which is conducted by
Westat.
DESIGN
NHES is a program of telephone surveys of the non-institutionalized civilian population of
the United States. Households are selected for the survey using random digit dialing (RDD)
methods. Each collection of NHES begins with a screening of a representative sample of
households. In 2005, 7,209 interviews were conducted for the ECPP Survey. Data are
collected using computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) procedures.
One of the goals of NHES is to produce reliable estimates of the characteristics of children's
and adults' educational experiences for the total targeted population and for domains
defined by race and ethnicity. Estimates by race and ethnicity are of great interest,
especially for monitoring educational trends over time. Therefore, the NHES sample design
over-samples minorities in order to increase the reliability of estimates for these groups.
PERIODICITY
NHES has been conducted in the springs of 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2001, 2003,
2005 and 2007. The ECPP survey was initially conducted in 1991, and has been repeated
in 1995, 2001, and 2005. A subset of questions was also asked in 1999. NHES will be
conducted again in 2011 and periodically thereafter.
CONTENT
In the 2005 ECPP survey, parents of children from birth to age 6 who had not enrolled in
kindergarten completed interviews about whether the child attended or was enrolled in nonparental care such as relative care, nonrelative care, child care centers, and Head Start or
Early Head Start. The interviews also included questions about how parents selected care,
whether they had difficulty finding care, home activities with family members, and
emerging literacy and numeracy.
LIMITATIONS RELATIVE TO THE GOALS OF NHES

22

The primary purpose of NHES is to conduct repeated measurements of the same
phenomena at different points in time, and as such, additional administrations of the ECPP
are needed to track changes over time.
AVAILABILITY
NHES data sets are available online at http://nces.ed.gov/nhes/dataproducts.asp as well as
on CD-ROM from:
Christopher Chapman
NCES
Room 9086
1990 K Street, NW
Washington, DC 20206-5456
(202) 502-7414
Additional information on the NHES Program is available at:
http://nces.ed.gov/nhes
For more information on NHES, contact the NHES staff at:
[email protected]

23

TITLE
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth
Development
PURPOSE
The purpose of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (SECC) is to examine how variations
in child care relate to children’s development. The study also seeks to determine how
differences in child care and family environment relate to children’s social, emotional,
intellectual, and language development, and to their physical growth and health.
SPONSORSHIP
The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development sponsors the study.
DESIGN
The Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development is a longitudinal research project
involving 10 study sites across the United States. The study focuses on the experiences of
1,364 children, recruited at birth in 1991 from hospitals at the 10 data collection sites. The
study was conducted in four phases. Phase I followed children from birth until age 3; Phase
II followed 1,095 4 ½ year olds into the first grade; Phase III followed 1,073 children
through the fifth and sixth grades and Phase IV followed the children through the seventh,
eighth, and ninth grades (the exact number is still being determined).
The study employed a mixed mode data collection approach. Phase 1 data collection
included videotaped behavioral observations of the sampled children at their homes, child
care settings, visits to project research laboratories and child care center directors'
telephone interviews/mailed questionnaire. In-person interviews were also obtained from
parents and caregiver to gain additional information about the children. As the children
moved into school age, data from Phases II and III were also gathered from teachers and
visits by researchers to the classroom. Children’s physical activity was monitored directly
at third, fifth and sixth grades.
PERIODICITY
The longitudinal study began in 1991 and the first phase was completed in 1994. The
second phase began in 1995, just before most of the children began kindergarten, and was
completed in 1999 when all the children finished the first grade. The third phase began in
2000 when the children were in second grade and ended in 2006 when all the children
finished sixth grade. The fourth phase began in 2005 when the children were in seventh
grade and was completed in 2007 when the children finished ninth grade.
CONTENT
The primary domains of child development that the SECC is studying include social,
emotional, intellectual, behavioral, and physical development. Although the study
primarily focuses on early child care, the influence of the family on children's development

24

is also an important component of the study. Family characteristics measured in the study
included the family’s economic situation, family structure (single parent vs. partnered
parent), the mother’s education, her child rearing attitudes, the quality of mother-child
interaction, and the extent to which the home environment contributed to the optimal
development of children. These family characteristics were used to examine the role of the
family in the child’s entry into child care, the quality of that care, and the number of care
arrangements. A second area of the study delves into the association between child care
and the mother-child relationship. A third component looks at the characteristics of child
care and how it relates to the children’s cognitive and language development, as well as
their behavior and self-control in the first 3 years. Later phases of the study allowed
researchers to examine whether any of the effects of preschool child care continue into
middle childhood. The third phase of the study allowed researchers to examine the effect
of family characteristics and the home environment on children's outcomes in middle
childhood and the fourth phase of the study allowed researchers to examine those effects
on children’s outcomes in early adolescence.
LIMITATIONS RELATIVE TO THE GOALS OF NHES
The study is directly related to the goals of the ECPP component and contains related items.
However, the sample for the study is based on ten study sites, and therefore, it does not
provide a nationally representative sample of U. S. children, as does NHES. Issues
regarding disabled children, which are covered in NHES, are not explored in the SECC.
AVAILABILITY
For information on the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development,
contact:
James A. Griffin, Ph.D. Deputy Branch Chief
NICHD Child Development and Behavior Branch
6100 Executive Blvd., Room 4B05D
Rockville, MD 20852
(301) 435-2307
Email: [email protected]
Study results, publications, and applications for the data from Phases I through III are
available at the following website:
https://secc.rti.org/home.cfm
http://www.nichd.nih.gov/research/supported/seccyd.cfm

25

TITLE
The National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (Canada)
PURPOSE
The Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (NLSCY) is a long-term study conducted
to monitor the development and well being of Canada’s children as they grow from infancy
to adulthood. This study collects information about factors influencing a child’s social,
emotional and behavioral development and to monitor the impact of these factors on a
child’s development over time. The survey covers topics on the health of children, their
physical development, learning and behavior and data on their social environment (family,
friends, schools and community). The survey provides data for use in research on
children’s development and their adjustment to school in Canada.
SPONSORSHIP
Human Resources and Social Development Canada and Statistics Canada conducted the
survey in partnership.
DESIGN
The survey follows a representative sample of Canadian children, aged newborn to 11
years, into adulthood, with data collection occurring at 2-year intervals. The initial sample
was approximately 22,500 children, which was drawn from the Canadian Labor Force
Survey’s sample of respondent households. The data are collected from several sources
including parents, teachers, principals, and the children themselves. Most interviews are
conducted by an interviewer using computer-assisted interviewing (CAI).
The NLSCY consists of longitudinal samples and cross-sectional samples.
PERIODICITY
This is a longitudinal study consisting of several longitudinal and cross-sectional samples.
Cross-sectional weights are provided when an age cohort can be considered to be
representative of a cross-sectional population. The study began 1994 and is ongoing at 2year intervals. There have been seven cycles of data collection, in 1994-95, 1996-97, 199899, 2000-01, 2002-03, 2004-05, and 2006-07.
CONTENT
The survey assesses the child, and family and community environment in which the child
is living. Specific topics include family structure/demographics, family and custodial
history, parent’s education, parenting styles, importance of good grades, school
involvement, and expectations for the child. Child care and child care arrangements are
also topics covered by the NLSCY.
LIMITATIONS RELATIVE TO THE GOALS OF NHES
The survey measures a child’s attendance at child care, as well as other topics planned for
the 2011 ECPP survey such as emerging literacy and numeracy, home activities, and

26

health. However, the survey is conducted on children of all ages, and is conducted in
Canada and therefore is not representative of people living in the United States.
AVAILABILITY
Information about the survey, including instruments and data files, can be found at the
following web site:
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/cgibin/imdb/p2SV.pl?Function=getSurvey&SDDS=4450&lang=en&db=imdb&adm=
8&dis=2
For further information about the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth
contact:
Statistics Canada
100 Tunney's Pasture Driveway
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0T6

27

TITLE
National Study of Child Care of Low-Income Families – Community Survey
PURPOSE
The National Study of Child Care of Low-Income Families – Community Survey was the
second of three components of the National Study of Child Care of Low-Income Families.
The Community Survey was a one-time random-digit-dial telephone survey of poor and
near-poor families with working parents in 25 communities in 17 states.
SPONSORSHIP
The study was conducted by Abt Associates and the National Center for Children in
Poverty at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health in New York City for
the Administration for Children and Families in the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services.
DESIGN
Starting with the sample of 100 counties/county groupings used by the 1990 National Child
Care Survey, 80 were identified with a 1993 poverty rate for children greater than 13.8
percent. When properly weighted, these 80 counties/county groups represent more than 90
percent of poor children in the United States. The sample of 25 counties, selected randomly
with probability of selection proportional to size, is a representative sample of the 80
counties/county groupings.
For the community survey, families in each of the 25 communities were selected by a
random-digit dial (RDD) telephone survey. A total of 2,500 families (100 in each
community) with children under the age of 13 in a nonparental care arrangement
participated in an in-person interview.
PERIODICITY
The community survey was conducted over a 12-month period, beginning in August 2000
and ending in July 2001.
CONTENT
The in-person interviews addressed questions relating to the type and number of
nonparental care arrangements that low-income families use, what influences the choices
that low-income families make about child care, the perception about availability of
different kinds of child care, the proportion of family income spent on nonparental child
care, and how the presence or absence of a child care subsidy affects parents’ child care
decisions.
LIMITATIONS RELATIVE TO THE GOALS OF NHES
This study is directly related to the goals of the ECPP because it includes questions to
parents about barriers to child care, whether the availability of child care affected their

28

ability to work, and detailed information about the history of child care arrangements for
the focal child. However, the survey is not nationally representative, and is limited to lowincome populations.
AVAILABILITY
Information about the survey, including instruments and reports, can be found at the
following web site:
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/cc/nsc_low_income/index.html
For further information about the National Study of Child Care of Low-Income Families,
contact:
Seth Chamberlain
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Administration for Children and Families
370 L’Enfant Promenade
7th Floor West
Washington, DC 20447
(202) 260-2242
Email: [email protected]

29

TITLE
The National Survey of America’s Families
PURPOSE
The National Survey of America’s Families (NSAF) is a survey of the economic, health, and
social characteristics of children, adults under the age of 65, and their families. The survey
pays particular attention to low-income families, reporting on important aspects about their
lives and how they differ from the lives of children and adults in families with higher
incomes.
SPONSORSHIP
The study was conducted by the Urban Institute and Child Trends, and sponsored by a
number of private foundations. Westat conducted sampling and data collection for the study.
DESIGN
Sampling was done in a dual-frame design, with the main frame consisting of a random-digitdial telephone survey, and the supplemental frame of nontelephone households. The survey
was conducted in three rounds. In round 1, in 1997, interviews were conducted with 75,437
adults and about 34,439 children in 44,461 households. In round 2, in 1999, interviews were
obtained for over 73,000 adults and almost 36,000 children in more than 42,000 households.
In round three, in 2002, interviews were conducted for over 70,577 adults and 34,332
children in over 43,000 households. Oversize samples were drawn in 13 states. The sample
was representative of the civilian, noninstitutionalized population under age 65. A short
screener interview was used to identify and sample households on the basis of age
composition and household income. After the screener interview, telephone interviews were
conducted using computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI). Interviews with
respondents in nontelephone households were conducted using a cellular phone that was
provided to them by the survey administrator to minimize the potential for mode effects,
PERIODICITY
Cross-sectional data were obtained in three rounds: February to November 1997, February
to October 1999 and from February to October, 2002.
CONTENT
The survey contained several well-being measures having to do with economic security,
health and health care, child’s education and cognitive and social development, child’s
behavioral problems, and family and community environment. The survey was divided into
the following topic areas: student status, parent/child/family interaction and education,
household roster, child care, nonresidential parent/father, employment and earning, family
income, welfare program participation, education and training, housing and economic
hardship, and race and ethnicity.

LIMITATIONS RELATIVE TO THE GOALS OF NHES

30

Although the 2002 survey does include new questions related to child care, it was not directly
designed to measure this study topic. No future cycles are planned, so NSAF does not meet
the NHES goal of measuring change over time.
AVAILABILITY
Current data are available and can be downloaded online:
http://www.urban.org/center/anf/nsaf.cfm
For more information, contact:
Tim Triplett
Survey Associate
Assessing the New Federalism
National Survey of America's Families
The Urban Institute
2100 M Street
Washington, DC 20037
202-261-5579
Email: [email protected]

31

TITLE
The National Survey of Children’s Health
PURPOSE
The National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) is a national telephone survey conducted
every 4 years. It asks parents about a broad range of questions on children’s health and wellbeing, and is designed to allow for cross-state comparisons as well as national comparisons.
It was first administered in 2003-2004 and the second administration was in 2007.
SPONSORSHIP
The study is funded by the Maternal Child Health Bureau of the U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services. Sampling and telephone interviews were conducted by the National
Center for Health Statistics.
DESIGN
The NSCH is a random-digit-dial telephone survey. Telephone numbers are randomly called
to identify households which had children under the age of 18. A screener is administered
and a child is selected at random among eligible children to be the focal child. A total of
102,353 surveys were completed for children ages 0 to 17 in 2003-04; each of the 50 states
had between 1,483 and 2,241 completed surveys. Final sample size for 2007 has not yet been
released, however it is expected that the sample size will be slightly lower than that of the
2003 survey.
PERIODICITY
The survey is scheduled to be repeated every four years.
CONTENT
The survey contains measures on children’s physical and mental health, health insurance
status and type of coverage, access and use of health care, whether the child has a personal
doctor or “medical home”, attendance at various types of nonparental care, hours per week
spent in nonparental care (2003 only), parental reports on child development, difficulty
finding child care, family health and activities, and child and family demographics.
LIMITATIONS RELATIVE TO THE GOALS OF NHES
The survey is a nationally representative sample of children and includes questions related to
the ECPP. It is also scheduled to repeat every four years so there is the ability to monitor
change over time. However, the NSCH does not collect detail on child care arrangements,
parental choice in child care, parental employment, or data on emerging literacy and
numeracy as is collected in the ECPP.

AVAILABILITY

32

Current data are available and can be downloaded online:
http://www.nschdata.org
For more information, contact:
CAHMI – the Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative
Oregon Health & Science University
Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine
707 SW Gaines Road, Mail Code CDRCP
Portland, OR 97239-2998
(503) 494-1930
Email: [email protected]

33

TITLE
National Survey of Families and Households
PURPOSE
The National Survey of Families and Households (NSFH) investigated the causes and
consequences of the major changes in U.S. patterns of fertility, marriage, mortality,
migration, family composition, and household structure that have occurred over the past
several decades.
SPONSORSHIP
The Social and Behavioral Sciences Branch, Center for Population Research, of the National
Institute of Child Health and Human Development funded this survey. Staff at the Center
for Demography and Ecology of the University of Wisconsin-Madison designed the survey
and analyzed the information. Data were collected by The Institute for Survey Research at
Temple University and the University of Wisconsin Survey Center.
DESIGN
The NSFH was conducted in three waves. A baseline wave (Wave 1) was conducted in
1987-88, a follow-up (Wave 2) was conducted in 1992-94 and another follow-up (Wave 3)
was conducted from 2001-2003. The target population consisted of people age 19 and older,
who were living in households, and who could be interviewed in either English or Spanish
at the time of the baseline interview. The main sample was a national probability sample of
17,000 households from 100 sampling areas in the United States.
The sample size for Wave 1 was approximately 13,000 households. The overall sample
included a core cross-section of households plus an oversampling of blacks, Puerto Ricans,
Mexican Americans, single-parent families, families with stepchildren, cohabiting couples,
and recently married couples. One adult per household was randomly selected as the primary
respondent. Data were collected through personal interviews and self-administered forms.
Spouses and cohabiting partners of primary respondents were given shorter self-administered
questionnaires.
In Wave 1, some information was obtained about each of the children in the household, and
additional information was obtained about a selected "focal child." The focal child was
chosen by listing the first names of all children in the household, and selecting the child
whose name came first alphabetically.
For Wave 2, about 10,000 surviving members of the original sample were interviewed in
person. The following other interview components were also included for Wave 2: a personal
interview with the current spouse or cohabiting partner of the primary respondent; a personal
interview with the original spouse or partner of the primary respondent in cases where the
relationship has ended; a telephone interview with the “focal children” who were age 13-18
in Wave 1 and age 18-23 for Wave 2; a short telephone interview with “focal children” who
were age 5-12 in Wave 1 and age 10-17 in Wave 2; short proxy interviews with a surviving
spouse or other relative in cases where the original respondent had died or was too ill to
interview; and a telephone interview with a randomly selected parent of a main respondent.

34

During Wave 3, 10,069 telephone interviews were conducted with a subset of Wave 1
respondents. The instrument included the following components: a mid-to-later life sample
of main respondents 45 and older with no “focal” children and a parent sample of young adult
focal children and Wave 1 spouses or partners were interviewed. Proxy interviews were
given to the spouse or partner if the main respondent was too ill to be interviewed.
PERIODICITY
Data collection took place in three waves. The first wave was from 1987-88, the second
wave was from 1992-94 and the third wave was from 2001-2003.
CONTENT
The questions included on this survey cover a very broad range of family-related topics.
Those of relevance to NHES in Wave 1 included questions about children’s school
attendance; grade repetition, behavior problems requiring a meeting, school suspension or
expulsion; and emotional problems. Questions about children age 4 and younger included
nursery and preschool participation, hours spent at programs, and how frequently the parent
reads to the child. If the respondent was employed, there were questions about child care
arrangements during working hours. For children age 5 through 11, parents were asked to
assess their children's class ranking relative to other classmates and to state educational
expectations for their children.
In Wave 2, primary respondents were asked several questions about their children. For
children age 5 to 17, respondents were asked about their children repeating grades in school,
children’s behavior problems, educational expectations, and activities with their children,
and involvement in the child’s school. For children under age 5, respondents were asked
about long-lasting physical conditions, mental or emotional problems, readiness for
kindergarten, behavior problems, television watching, and preschool participation. There
were also questions regarding nonresident parents’ contact with children.
In Wave 2, youth age 10 to 17 were also interviewed about several topics including having
been a victim of stealing or having been threatened; fighting; grades in school; participation
in school and community activities; expected educational attainment; cigarette, alcohol, and
marijuana use; and contact with absent parents. Young adults age 18 to 23 were also
interviewed about some educational issues, including receipt of high school diploma,
expected educational attainment, postsecondary education, and degrees and certificates
earned.
In Wave 3 the content of the main respondent/spouse interview was similar to Wave 2. In
Wave 3, the focal children ranged in age from 18 to 34.
LIMITATIONS RELATIVE TO THE GOALS OF NHES
Because this survey is based on a cohort of respondents in 1987-1988, the data are not
appropriate for monitoring changes in educational issues over time among cross-sections
of U.S. children and adults. Also, the substantive focus is not early childhood. Thus, the
range of data available in ECPP is not fully represented in the NSFH.
AVAILABILITY

35

The public use data tapes and associated documentation for all three waves are available.
These can be accessed by FTP and the World Wide Web for no charge. Assistance with
the data may be obtained by contacting:
National Survey of Families and Households
Center for Demography
University of Wisconsin
1180 Observation Drive, Room 4412
Madison, WI 53706-1393
Phone: (608) 262-1537
Fax: (608) 262-8400
Email: [email protected]
For additional information about the survey online:
http://www.ssc.wisc.edu/nsfh/home.htm

36

TITLE
Panel Survey of Income Dynamics, Child Development Supplement
PURPOSE
The purpose of the Panel Survey of Income Dynamics (PSID) is to gather data on a broad
variety on the dynamic aspects of economic and demographic behavior and social issues. The
Child Development Supplement is meant to provide researchers with a comprehensive,
nationally representative, and longitudinal data base of children and their families.
SPONSORSHIP
Major funding for the Panel Study of Income Dynamics comes from the National Science
Foundation. Additional support comes from the Office of the Assistant Secretary for
Planning and Evaluation, Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of
Labor, the National Institute on Aging, the Office of Economic Opportunity, and the National
Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Funding for the Child Development
Supplement is primarily from the National Institute of Child Health and Human
Development (NICHD) and its additional funds are provided by the William T. Grant
Foundation, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the
U.S. Department of Education.
DESIGN
The original Panel Study of Income Dynamics sample consisted of two independent samples.
The first an equal probability cross-sectional national sample of 3,000 drawn by the
University of Michigan’s Survey Research Center, and the second is a sample of 2,000 lowincome families drawn from the Survey of Economic Opportunity conducted by the Census
Bureau. I think we need to state when this began.
This longitudinal study re-interviews the same individuals each year, following them through
their life cycle. The study includes new family members as the individuals marry and have
children. The survey collects data on all household members, but focuses primarily on the
heads of household. The sample has grown to include information on 50,000 individuals
spanning as much as 28 years of their lives. In 1997, the Child Development Supplement
collected data on 0-12 year old children from a variety of sources, including parents, teachers,
and the children themselves. There are approximately 2,500 families who participated in the
research, and participants who are selected have been involved in at least one panel of Income
Dynamics study. In 2002-2003, families were re-contacted if they had participated in the
first Child Development Supplement and were in a PSID panel in 2001. The PSID was
originally collected in face-to-face interviews using paper questionnaires. It then moved to
computer assisted telephone interviewing in 1993.
PERIODICITY
The Panel Study of Income Dynamics has been conducted every year, since 1968. The first
wave of the Child Development Supplement was fielded in 1997, the second wave occurred
in 2002 and 2003, and a third wave occurred in 2007.

37

CONTENT
The focus of the Panel Study of Income Dynamics is on economic and demographic
information, including items such as income sources and amounts, employment, family
composition changes, and demographic events. The Child Development Supplement serves
to enhance the PSID by obtaining detailed data on items not generally included in the main
database. The data supports studies of ways in which time, money, parenting and teaching
styles, divorce, unemployment, etc. influence and affect children’s development cognitively,
emotionally, and physically, and how this is buffered by family, school, and community.
LIMITATIONS RELATIVE TO THE GOALS OF NHES
Although there have been 31 data collections for the main database since 1968, the Child
Development Supplement was first conducted in 1997. A second wave occurred between
2002 and 2003, and a third wave was conducted in 2007.
The substantive focus of the supplement is on school age children’s academic achievement
and cognitive ability, social and emotional well being, and health. Thus, the study cannot
provide information on topics covered by the ECPP, nor does it provide information on
educational activities in the home.
AVAILABILITY
Current data is available and can be downloaded from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics
web site at:
http://www.isr.umich.edu/src/psid
For information and inquires about the study, contact
PSID Staff
The Panel Study of Income Dynamics
Institute for Social Research
PO Box 1248
Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1248
Phone: (734) 763-5166
Fax: (734) 647-4575
Email: [email protected]

38

TITLE
Partnership Impact Research Project
PURPOSE
The Partnership Impact Research Project was a three-year study designed to assess the nature
of early education partnerships among Head Start, pre-kindergarten (pre-k), child care, and
early care and education programs and their influence on child care quality and access to
services. During the longitudinal study, original data collection was used to learn about
the accessibility of services for parents whose children attended a child care center.
SPONSORSHIP
Funding for the Partnership Impact Research Project was provided by the Child Care Bureau
of the Administration for Children and Families of the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services. The study was conducted by the Education Development Center.
DESIGN
Year one of the study focused on a qualitative analysis to explain partnership approaches
at the state and local levels and involved two case studies, one at the state level and one at
the provider level. In years two and three of the study, parents whose children attended the
child care centers being studied were interviewed about their opinions regarding the quality
of care their child received. A total of 1,691 parents responded to the survey. The sample
was derived from a convenience sample selected to ensure a broad range of perspectives and
to ensure methodological soundness. It used a mixed-mode approach combining mail
questionnaires, telephone interviews, and face-to-face interviews.
PERIODICITY
The Partnership Impact Research Project was conducted once between 2001 to 2004.
CONTENT
The parent survey of the Partnership Impact Research Project included measures on
parents’ views of the child care center their child attended. It provides information about
the population being served through child care centers, including home/school connection,
how a parent views the classroom and the care being provided by the center, and the
services available to both the child and parent through the center.
LIMITATIONS RELATIVE TO THE GOALS OF NHES
While the Partnership Impact Research Project includes measures relevant to the content of
the ECPP, it is not nationally representative and does not include multiple data collection
periods so that change over time can be measured.

AVAILABILITY

39

Current data is available and can be downloaded from the Inter-University Consortium for
Political and Social Research:
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/04298.xml
For information and inquires about the study, contact
Diane Schilder
Senior Research Associate
Center for Children and Families
55 Chapel St.
Newton, MA 02458
Phone: (617) 969-7100

40

TITLE
Survey of Income and Program Participation– Child Care Topical Component
PURPOSE
The Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) is a multipanel longitudinal survey
of adults, measuring their economic and demographic characteristics over a period of 2 1/2
years. The Child Care Topical Module of SIPP is designed to establish an ongoing database
of child care statistics at the national level.
SPONSORSHIP
The topical module is funded and conducted by the U.S. Bureau of the Census. An Advisory
Panel with representatives from selected Federal agencies oversees the questionnaire design
and decides the frequency of interviewing.
DESIGN
The SIPP survey is based on a multistage stratified sample of the non-institutional resident
population of the U.S. The survey universe includes persons living in households plus those
persons living in group quarters such as dormitories and rooming houses. The first stage of
sampling involves the definition of primary sampling units (PSUs), which are counties or
groups of counties. Those with similar key socioeconomic characteristics are grouped
together into strata and one sample PSU is selected from each stratum. The PSUs used for
SIPP are a subsample of those used in the Current Population Survey (CPS). The second
stage of sampling is the selection of households. To arrive at this sample, geographic units
called "enumeration districts" (EDs), with an average of 350 housing units, are sampled from
each PSU. Within each selected ED, two or four living quarters or “ultimate sampling units,”
are systematically selected.
The topical module on child care is asked of respondents who are the designated parents or
guardians of children under 15 who are living in the sampled household. In the first
administration of the module (1984 panel, wave 5), the respondents (usually mothers) had to
be employed outside the home. In subsequent panels, the respondents were either working
or enrolled in school. Computer-assisted interviewing is used to collect the data. The
questions asked of respondents in each panel pertain only to the three youngest children
living in the household under 15 years of age. Child care data concerning approximately
5,400 children have been collected at each time of administration.
PERIODICITY
The first SIPP panel began in 1984 and a new panel has been introduced in February of each
year. For each panel, the child care module has been administered in at least one wave of the
survey. Each wave of interviewing is consecutive and lasts 4 months: Wave 1 begins in
February and ends in May; Wave 2 begins in June and ends in September, etc. Each
household in a panel is interviewed once each wave, so that each household is interviewed
once every 4 months over a period of 3 years. The child care module was administered for
each panel as follows: 1984 panel, wave 5; 1985 panel, wave 6; 1986 panel, waves 3 and 6;
1987 panel, waves 3 and 6; 1988 panel, waves 3 and 6; 1989 panel, wave 3; 1990 panel, wave
3; 1991 panel, wave 3; 1992 panel, waves 6 and 9; 1993 panel, waves 3 and 6; 1996 panel

41

wave 4; 2001 panel, wave 4; and 2004 panel waves 4 and 8. The child care module is
currently being designed for a future administration of SIPP.
CONTENT
The SIPP child care module obtains basic information on child care arrangements for
children during the time when respondents are working or are in school. Questions
specifically concern the month prior to the interview. For each of the three youngest children,
the respondent is asked about the main type of arrangement used (that is, the one where the
child was cared for during most of the hours that the respondent worked or was in class),
when the child was usually cared for under the arrangement, and the number of hours per
week the child usually spent in the arrangement. Information about the type and location of
the second major type of arrangement is also gathered. Respondents are then asked about
the total cost of child care arrangements in a typical week, and whether they have made any
noncash payments. They are also asked if either they or their spouses have lost time from
work because the person responsible for taking care of their children was not available.
LIMITATIONS RELATIVE TO THE GOALS OF NHES
Up to 1996, the SIPP data regarding child care were not representative of all children. Until
that time, the SIPP child care module was administered only when the respondent (usually
the mother) was employed or in school. Also, arrangements made by families in which the
mother is at home are not considered in SIPP, and the care arrangements discussed are only
those that overlap the mother’s hours of employment or school, rather than any nonparental
care arrangements. Also, fathers are included among child care providers in the SIPP, so the
concept used is different than the nonparental child care concept in the ECCP. Further, while
SIPP includes information on child care, the survey does not collect information on any other
topics that are proposed for the ECPP survey.
AVAILABILITY
For substantive questions on the child care topical module, contact:
Lynda Laughlin
U.S. Bureau of the Census
4600 Silver Hill Road
Washington, DC 20233
301-763-2422
[email protected]
For information on the SIPP Child Care module and data access, visit the web site:
http://www.sipp.census.gov/sipp/sipphome.htm

42

TITLE
Survey of Program Dynamics (SPD)
PURPOSE
The Survey of Program Dynamics was created to assess how the Personal Responsibility
and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 impacted household that were
previously interviewed in the 1992 and 1993 Survey of Income and Program Participation
(SIPP) panels. The SPD will simultaneously describe the full range of state welfare
programs along with social, economic, demographic and family changes that will help or
limit the effectiveness of the reforms.
SPONSORSHIP
The SPD was ordered by Congress in 1996 and was been implemented by the U.S. Census
Bureau.
DESIGN
The SPD is based on the 1992 and 1993 SIPP panels, which was a multistage, stratified
sample of the U.S. noninstitutionalized, civilian population. In addition to core questions on
children’s school enrollment, participation in nonparental care, and enrichment activities, the
1999 SPD included a series of questions designed to measure child well-being. For the 1999
SPD, Census Bureau representatives conducted in-person interviews at 16,659 eligible
households.
PERIODICITY
The SPD was conducted yearly between 1997 and 2002, and was intended to create a 10year longitudinal database consisting of information collected in the 1992 administration of
SIPP through the 2002 administration of SPD. The 1999 survey had a series of questions on
child well-being.
CONTENT
The content of the SPD between 1997 and 2002 includes questions on the economic,
demographic, and social characteristics of those interviewed. Information about children
is also collected, including their school enrollment and enrichment activities, disability,
health care, child care arrangements, contact with an absent parent, and payment of child
support on their behalf. In 1999, the SPD included additional questions on children’s
extended measures of well-being, positive behavior/social competence, and conflict
between parents.
LIMITATIONS RELATIVE TO THE GOALS OF NHES
The SPD contains information directly related to the topics scheduled to be covered in the
ECPP. However, the data are relatively old and there are no current plans for future
administrations of the SPD.

43

AVAILABILITY
For more information on the SPD, including data files and publications, please visit:
http://www.census.gov/spd/
Email: [email protected]

44

TITLE
Women’s Employment Study
PURPOSE
The Women’s Employment Study was a five-wave panel study of mothers who were current
or former welfare recipients in an urban county in Michigan. The study examined barriers
to employment among welfare mothers. Its purpose was to identify the key factors that
enable welfare recipients to remain employed and enable social service providers to better
assess client needs and design targeted short-term and long-term service program
components
SPONSORSHIP
The Women’s Employment Study was funded by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, the
Joyce Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the National Institute
of Child Health and Development, and the National Institute of Mental health. It was carried
out by the University of Michigan’s Survey Research Center.
DESIGN
The Women’s Employment Study was a random sample of 753 single mothers on welfare
who lived in an urban Michigan area. To be eligible for the study, the women had to be U.S.
citizens, and white (non-Hispanic) or African-American. In-person interviews were
conducted on a comprehensive set of barriers to employment, such as schooling, work
experience, work readiness, job skills and credentials, experiences of employment
discrimination and harassment, physical and mental health status, alcohol and drug use,
family stresses including child well-being, experiences of domestic violence, and
experiences in welfare-to work services and training programs. Questions such as the
extent and prevalence of multiple barriers to work and co-morbidity among barriers, which
barriers or combinations reduce wage growth, how barriers change as work and welfare
status changes, and how barriers and welfare-to-work program participation are related,
were also examined.
PERIODICITY
The first wave of the study was conducted in 1997, and subsequent follow-ups were
conducted in 1998, 1999, 2001, and 2003.
CONTENT
The Women’s Employment Study analyzed the ways in which labor market, mental health,
physical health, and family problems affect a woman’s ability to obtain and retain
employment over time. Content related to child care included child care as a barrier to
employment, number of current child care arrangements, type of child care used, and
satisfaction with and concerns about care.

45

LIMITATIONS RELATIVE TO THE GOALS OF NHES
The Women’s Employment Study contains topics directly related to those covered in the
ECPP. However, the small sample size and limited sample population does not allow for the
estimates produced by the data to be generalized to the general population.
AVAILABILITY
For more information on the Women’s Employment Study, please contact:
Sheldon Danziger
University of Michigan
540 E. Liberty St.
Suite 202
Ann Arbor, MI 48502
Phone: (734) 998-8505
Email: [email protected]
http://www.fordschool.umich.edu/research/poverty/wes/
http://www.researchforum.org/project_general_100.html

46

PARENT AND FAMILY INVOLVEMENT IN EDUCATION (PFI)

47

This page is intentionally blank.

48

TITLE
National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 Children and Young Adults Survey
PURPOSE
The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 (NLSY79) is a multi-purpose panel
survey which began with a nationally representative sample of over 12,000 men and
women who were between the ages of 14 and 22 years of age on December 31, 1978. Its
main purpose is to follow labor force activities.
A separate survey, the NLSY79 Children and Young Adults, began in 1986 as an offshoot
of the NLSY79 to collect information on all children born to NLSY79 female respondents.
The purpose of the survey includes making assessments of each child's development and
obtaining other demographic information. This data includes information on child-parent
interaction, attitudes toward schooling and health and substance use. For children age 15
and older, data is collected on schooling, training, work experiences, health, and dating.
SPONSORSHIP
The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY) is sponsored by the Bureau of Labor
Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor
DESIGN
For the sampling of NLSY79, a group of housing units was selected based on a stratified
multistage area probability sampling method in order to accurately reflect different
characteristics of the population such as race, income, and region. Then screener surveys
used to select eligible interviewees were administered in person at sampled households.
Computer-assisted personal interviews (CAPI) are conducted in-person by an interviewer
except for self-administered surveys. Most of the female respondents were between the
ages of 43 to 51 in 2008.
For the NLSY79 Children and Young Adults survey, many of the assessments and much
of the supplemental information have been collected from the child's mother if children are
younger than 10. For children aged 10 and older, information has been collected from the
children.
PERIODICITY
Participants in the NLSY79 were interviewed annually from 1979 through 1994 and are
currently interviewed on a biennial basis.
The NLSY79 Children and Young Adults survey was initiated in 1986. For children aged
10 and older, information has been collected biennially from the children since 1988. Since
1994, children aged 15 and older information have completed more extensive interviews
biennially.
The main focus of NLSY79 is to collect information on labor force activities. It contains
detailed information on work history and job characteristics such as hours worked,
earnings, occupation, industry, and benefits. The strength of the data is that some

49

information such as work history, marital status, fertility and participation in government
assistance programs, are collected in an event history format reporting the beginning and
ending dates of different life events. The survey also includes questions on educational
attainment, training, income, health conditions, workplace injuries, alcohol and substance
abuse, and sexual activity.
For the NLSY79 Children and Young Adults survey, child demographics, family
background characteristics, and a health history and information on the child’s home
environment have been collected from the mother for children that were younger than 10
years old. Children aged 10 and older are assessed on child-parent interaction, and attitudes
on topics such as schooling, dating patterns, and health. For children aged 15 and older, a
child interview is conducted that includes attitudes towards schooling, training, work,
health and dating. A self-reported confidential supplement is also administered to gather
information regarding parent-child conflict, participation in delinquent or criminal
activities and use of controlled and uncontrolled substances.
LIMITATIONS RELATIVE TO THE GOALS OF NHES
Similar to the PFI, the NLSY79 Children and Young Adults survey covers a wide range of
topics related to child parent interaction and the child’s environment. However, it covers a
much broader range of topics not restricted to education, and less detail on educational
involvement than the PFI. The biennial sample of children is approximately half that
anticipated for the PFI. Furthermore, later rounds of the survey include a greater proportion
of older children in the sample since the mothers have been reaching the end of their
childbearing years. As a result, it is possible that the younger children are more likely to
belong to middle class families where women have children at later ages. Therefore,
comparisons of children of different ages need to be done cautiously. Since it is a
longitudinal survey, the NLSY does not provide trend data on parent and family
involvement like the PFI.
AVAILABILITY
For more information on Children of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth
concerning data and documentation, contact the following
NLS Users Services
Center for Human Resources Research (CHRR)
921 Chatham Lane, Suite 100
Columbus, OH 43221-2418 USA
Phone: (614) 442-7366
Fax: (614) 442 7329
Email: [email protected]
http://www.bls.gov/nls/nlsy79ch.htm
http://www.nlsinfo.org

50

Data from the Child and Young Adult survey are available as a free download online at
the following web site:
http://www.bls.gov/nls

51

TITLE
National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 Cohort
PURPOSE
The purpose of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 Cohort (NLSY97) is to
collect information on the processes of moving from school to work among youth in the
U.S. and to identify strengths and weaknesses in these processes. A particular goal is to
identify the causes of difficulties some youths have in making the school-to-work
transition. It collects extensive information about youths' labor market behavior and
educational experiences over time.
SPONSORSHIP
The NLSY97 is sponsored by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
DESIGN
The sample for the NLSY97 includes about 9,000 youth that were age 12 to 16 years old
as of December 31, 1996. These youth were representative of a national sample of U.S.
residents in 1997 who were born between 1980 and 1984. Over 75,000 households were
screened in 147 primary sampling units (i.e., a metropolitan area, nonmetropolitan area, a
single county or group of counties). In addition to the cross-sectional sample, oversamples
of black and Hispanic youth were included.
During Round 1 of the survey, which took place in 1997, both the eligible youth and one
of that youth's parents completed hour-long in-person interviews in the youth's home using
Computer-Assisted Personal Interview (CAPI) methods. Youth also completed a selfadministered survey that contained potentially sensitive questions. In addition, during the
screening process, an extensive two-part questionnaire was administered that listed and
gathered demographic information on members of the youth's household and on his or her
immediate family members living elsewhere.
PERIODICITY
The data collection for the NLSY97 started in 1997. Follow-up interviews with youths
have been conducted yearly.
CONTENT
The study collects information annually about youths' educational and employment
experiences. Data on employment include employment status, characteristics of their jobs,
work-related training, school-to-work program and their labor market behavior.
Educational data include youths' performance on standardized tests, course of study,
transcripts, and the timing and types of degrees although the transcript information has
missing data. Additionally, the NLSY97 contains information on many other topics such
as youths' relationships with parents, contact with absent parents, marital and fertility
histories, dating, sexual activity, onset of puberty, training, participation in government
assistance programs, expectations, time use, criminal behavior, and alcohol and drug use.

52

Certain areas of the survey that are potentially sensitive, such as sexual activity and
criminal behavior, comprise the self-administered portion of the interview.
The first round of the NLSY97 contains a parent questionnaire that generates information
about the youths' family background and history. Information in the parent questionnaire
includes: parents' marital and employment histories, relationship with spouse or partner,
ethnic and religious background, health (parents and child), household income and assets,
participation in government assistance programs, youths' early child-care arrangements,
custody arrangement for youth, child's school history and parent expectations about the
youth.
LIMITATIONS RELATIVE TO THE GOALS OF NHES
Although the survey includes factors that have been found to affect educational outcomes
such as the quality of parent-child relationships, family stability and structure, and parental
marital quality, the coverage of the topics directly related to the PFI is limited because of
its substantive focus on “school-to-work” issues. The age range of students included is
also limited relative to students included in NHES. Additionally, since it is a longitudinal
survey, the NLSY does not provide trend data on parent and family involvement like the
PFI.
AVAILABILITY
For more information on the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 concerning
data and documentation, contact:
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
National Longitudinal Survey Program
Employment Research and Program Development
Suite 4945
2 Massachusetts Ave., NE
Washington, DC 20212-0001
Telephone: (202) 691-7410
Fax: (202) 691-7425
Email: [email protected]
For general information on the NLSY online:
http://www.bls.gov/nls/nlsy97.htm

53

TITLE
The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study—Kindergarten Cohort
PURPOSE
The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study—Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS-K) has two
purposes: descriptive and analytic. It provides descriptive data on a national basis of
children’s status at entry into school, their transition into school, and their progression
through eighth grade. This data set enables researchers to study how a wide range of
family, school, community, and individual variables affect early success in school.
SPONSORSHIP
ECLS-K is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
DESIGN
A nationally representative sample of approximately 22,000 children enrolled in about
1,000 kindergarten programs during the 1998-99 school year was selected for participation
in the study. ECLS-K used a multi-stage sampling method. The primary sampling units
were geographic areas (i.e., a group of counties) and the second-stage units were schools
that were selected based on the 1995-96 CCD Public School Universe File. The sample is
designed to support separate estimates of public and private school kindergartners; black,
Hispanic, white, and Asian children; and children by socioeconomic status. Data were
collected from the individual child, the child’s parents/guardians, teachers, and school
using mixed modes. Measures of a child’s cognitive skills are obtained through a one-onone assessment of the child, conducted at the child’s school. Additional information was
collected from telephone interviews conducted with the parent each time children were
assessed. If a parent did not have a telephone, an in-person interview was conducted.
Teachers completed self-administered questionnaires each time children were assessed
(with the exception of the fall of first grade). School administrators, principals, and
headmasters were asked to complete self-administered questionnaires during each of the
spring data collections.
PERIODICITY
Data on the kindergarten cohort were collected twice during the base year of the study-once during the beginning and once near the end of the school year. In the fall of the 19992000 school year, when most of the cohort moved to the first grade, data were collected
from a 30 percent subsample of the cohort. In the spring of first grade, data were once
again collected from the entire sample, their parents, teachers, and school administrators.
In 2002 (third grade year), 2004 (fifth grade year), and 2007 (eighth grade year) child
assessments were conducted and parent, teacher and school administrators completed
interviews in the spring.
CONTENT
The main components of the child assessment focus on the child’s physical and
psychomotor development, social and emotional development, and cognitive development

54

in reading, arithmetic, and general knowledge. Characteristic of the children, their
families, their schools, kindergarten programs, and classrooms are collected to examine the
status of children at entry into kindergarten, the expectations of schools about what skills,
behaviors and attributes are necessary, and how children fare in the new environment.
Another set of issues looks at the family and community in which children live by focusing
on the resources of the family, the home environment, and the community within which
the schools must operate. The study also examines the roles that parents and families play
in preparing for and supporting their children’s education and how families, schools, and
communities interact to support children’s education. In particular, the Parental
Involvement section includes a series of questions about the types of school activities
parents attended, barriers to participating such activities as well as school choice.
LIMITATIONS RELATIVE TO THE GOALS OF NHES
The ECLS-K contains many items from prior NHES parent interviews that will likely be a
part of the upcoming PFI. Both studies are interested in examining the role of the home
environment and parent involvement in children’s outcomes. The sample for the ECLS-K
consists of a single cohort of children in kindergarten through the eighth grade, whereas
the PFI survey will include a much wider grade range. The PFI will allow for research to
be conducted on changes in levels of parent involvement from kindergarten to the 12th
grade. The PFI will also allow for information on the home environment to be collected
for children who are home-schooled (ECLS-K is limited to children enrolled in a school at
the time of the initial data collection. Those who were home-schooled at later rounds were
marked as 'inapplicable' for school related questions).
AVAILABILITY
Data and documentation for the kindergarten, first grade, third grade, and fifth grade years,
as well as three longitudinal data files (kindergarten through first grade, kindergarten through
third grade, and kindergarten through fifth grade) are available via CD-ROM from the
National Center for Education Statistics.
The web site for ECLS-K is:
http://nces.ed.gov/ecls/Kindergarten.asp
For more information on this survey, contact
Chris Chapman
National Center for Education Statistics
1990 K Street, NW
Room 9042
Washington, DC 20006
(202) 502-7414
Email: [email protected]

55

TITLE
The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study—Kindergarten Cohort of 2010-11
PURPOSE
The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study—Kindergarten Cohort of 2010-11 (ECLS-K:11)
will provide data on a national basis of children’s status at entry into school, their transition
into school, and their progression through fifth grade. This data set enables researchers to
study how a wide range of family, school, community, and individual variables affect early
success in school.
SPONSORSHIP
ECLS-K:11 is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
DESIGN
The ECLS-K:11 will survey a nationally representative sample of children attending both
full-day and part-day kindergarten in either public or private schools in 2010-2011.
Children's parents, teachers, schools and providers will also provide information on
children's cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development.
Trained field staff will conduct direct assessment of children in their schools and telephone
interviews with their parents. Teachers and school administrators will be contacted and
asked to complete questionnaires. Before- and after-school care providers will also be
interviewed.
PERIODICITY
Data collections are currently planned to occur in the fall and the spring of kindergarten
(2010-2011), the spring of 1st grade (2012), the spring of 2nd grade (2013), the spring of
3rd grade (2014), the spring of 4th grade (2015), and the spring of 5th grade (2016). Prior
to the base year collection of the ECLS-K:11, a field test will be conducted with children
and their teachers for the development of new survey items.
CONTENT
In addition to data on children's cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development,
the data will also include information on children's home environment, home educational
activities, school environment, classroom environment, classroom curriculum, teacher
qualifications, and before- and after-school care.
The ECLS-K:11 will differ from the previous ECLS studies in that it provides data
relevant to emerging policy-related issues such as No Child Left Behind legislation,
increasing school choice, and a rise in English language learners. ECLS-K:11 together
with the original ECLS-K will allow comparisons between two cohorts experiencing
different political, educational, social and demographic environments.

56

LIMITATIONS RELATIVE TO THE GOALS OF NHES
The ECLS-K:11 Parent Interview will contain some items on family involvement that will
likely be a part of the PFI interview. The studies share an interest in children’s
developmental status at school entry and early school experiences and their home activities
with parents. In particular, the test fielding of the new questions updated to more recent
educational issues such as school choice would provide useful information for the PFI. The
PFI survey will provide data on a nationally representative sample of children enrolled in
kindergarten through 12th grade, in regular school or homeschool, whereas the ECLS-K is
limited to a single cohort of children who are going to be kindergartners in 2010-2011.
AVAILABILITY
Data and reports are not yet available.
The web site for ECLS-K is:
http://nces.ed.gov/ecls/Kindergarten2010.asp
For general information on this survey, contact
Chris Chapman
National Center for Education Statistics
1990 K Street, NW
Room 9042
Washington, DC 20006
(202) 502-7414
Email: [email protected]
Or,
Gail M. Mulligan
Project Officer, ECLS-K:11
National Center for Education Statistics
1990 K Street, NW
Room 9086
Washington, DC 20006

(202) 502-7491
Email: [email protected]

57

TITLE
Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002
PURPOSE
This study monitors the transition of a national sample of tenth graders as they move
through high school and on to postsecondary education or enter the work force.
SPONSORSHIP
The National Center for Education Statistics sponsors the project.
DESIGN
The Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002 is comprised of three waves of data collection.
A baseline survey (Wave 1) was conducted in the spring of 2002 and follow-up surveys
were conducted in 2004 (Wave 2) and 2006 (Wave 3). This longitudinal study reinterviews the same individuals each wave. Future waves of data collection are planned
for either 2010 or 2012.
In Wave 1, the sample size consisted of over 15,000 high school sophomore students and
their parents, approximately 10,000 teachers, 750 principals, librarians and survey
administrators. Sophomores completed cognitive tests in reading and math and one parent
was surveyed for each student. Questionnaires were also completed by English and math
teachers.
Schools were selected first, and then tenth-grade students were randomly selected within
each school. Oversampling occurred for some population groups, i.e. Asian Americans so
that comparisons would be valid between African Americans, Asians, Hispanics and
whites.
In Wave 2, most sampled students were seniors, however some students were in other
grades or had dropped out of school. The same 750 schools were sampled, with separate
follow-ups for dropouts and a sample of transfer students. High school transcripts and
school records for grades 9-12 were also examined.
In Wave 3, follow-up interviews were conducted using multiple modes such as web-based
self-administered interviews, CATI (computer-assisted) telephone or personal interviews.
Many cohort members were either receiving post-secondary education or employed.
PERIODICITY
A representative sample of sophomore high school students was surveyed in 2002. A
sample of the original respondents was reinterviewed through a follow-up in 2004 and
2006. One additional follow-up is scheduled for 2010.
CONTENT
The study focused on identifying school attributes that determine achievement, parent and
community involvement in student achievement and factors influencing students to

58

dropout of school. Cognitive growth is assessed along with the issue of access to
educational programs. The transition of students from high school to work or postsecondary education was also examined. The additional follow-up will provide students’
later outcomes such as attainment in higher education and their transition to employment.
LIMITATIONS RELATIVE TO THE GOALS OF NHES
Data from the Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002 focuses on a cohort of secondary
students, while the PFI measures changes in educational issues over time among crosssections of children from enrolled in kindergarten through 12th grade.
AVAILABILITY
Additional information summarizing the study and the survey instruments is available on
the following web site:
http://www.nces.ed.gov/surveys/els2002
For more information on this survey, contact
John G. Wirt
National Center for Education Statistics
1990 K Street, NW
Room 9028
Washington, DC 20006
(202) 502-7478
Email: [email protected]

59

TITLE
Family Involvement in Education: A National Portrait
PURPOSE
The purpose of the study was to examine how schools, parents, and employers work together
to improve education.
SPONSORSHIP
The study was sponsored by the Partnership for Family Involvement in Education, the GTE
Foundation, and the U.S. Department of Education.
DESIGN
Respondents were drawn from the General Social Survey (GSS 1996), a nationally
representative sample of households. The total GSS sample was 3,814; with 2,904 of these
cases interviewed. From this number, the National Portrait sample was drawn. Respondents
were selected if a child aged 5 –14 was in the household at the time of the interview, and if
the screener did not indicate an adult other than the respondent as the child’s primary
caretaker.
Data were collected in May and June 1997, through computer-assisted telephone
interviewing (CATI). The eligible sample totaled 523. Of this number, 376 parents actually
completed interviews, for a response rate of 71.5 percent.
PERIODICITY
Family Involvement in Education: A National Portrait was a one-time national study in
1997; there are no plans for future administrations.
CONTENT
The study focused on the following areas: how parents feel about their opportunities to be
involved in their children’s schooling, how schools encourage parental involvement in
students’ learning, what additional educational resources parents value, and how and what
schools communicate to parents about students’ learning. A portion of the study addressed
before- and after-school arrangements and parents’ views on program quality and desirable
program features.
LIMITATIONS RELATIVE TO THE GOALS OF NHES
This survey contained many items that are relevant to the purposes of the PFI. However,
the age range is not as wide as that planned for the PFI. In addition, the sample size for the
study was much smaller than that of the PFI.

60

AVAILABILITY
For information on the Family Involvement in Education study, contact:
Adriana de Kanter
Department of Education
Office of the Secretary
400 Maryland Avenue, SW.
Room Number 6W312
Washington, DC 20202
(202) 401-0272

61

TITLE
Hand in Hand National Parent Survey
PURPOSE
The survey was part of a larger initiative called "Hand in Hand: Parents, Schools,
Communities United for Kids," a national campaign to build and strengthen partnerships
to improve the education of all children. The larger initiative has four major elements: a
parents' survey to determine how parents perceive their roles and to examine parent
involvement; an effort to increase public awareness through a national media campaign;
work to encourage businesses to provide flex or paid leave policies so that employees can
visit schools during the day; and participation in the Partnership for Family Involvement,
a joint program of the U.S. Department of Education and the National Coalition for Parent
Involvement in Education (NCPIE). Hand in Hand was developed as a response to Goal 8
of the National Education Goals 2000. It was established to share information about
programs that expect, value, and nurture the family and community role in children's
learning.
SPONSORSHIP
Hand in Hand was funded by the Mattel Foundation and coordinated by the Institute for
Educational Leadership. The study was conducted by Marttila & Kiley, Inc., a national
research firm based in Boston, MA
DESIGN
The survey was conducted with 1,032 parents of primary-school children in grades K
through 6. Group discussions among parents of children in the same grade levels were also
conducted.
PERIODICITY
This was a one time survey conducted between June 25 and July 9, 1995.
CONTENT
The study included items about parents' opinions about the importance of their involvement
at home, at school, and with their children's schoolwork. Questions were also asked about
school meeting attendance, the frequency with which parents spoke to teachers,
involvement in homework, and barriers to involvement.
LIMITATIONS RELATIVE TO THE GOALS OF NHES
This survey has many items that are relevant to the purposes of the PFI. However, the age
range is not as wide as that planned for the PFI. In addition, the sample size for the study
was much smaller than that of the PFI. Also, as the study was conducted only once in
1995, it does not meet the NHES goal of measuring change over time.

62

AVAILABILITY
Information about the study is available at the web site:
http://www.mattel.com/about_us/Comm_Involvement/ci_mcf_hist1.asp

63

TITLE
Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey
PURPOSE
Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES) is a national longitudinal study
of the cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development of Head Start children; the
characteristics, well-being, and accomplishments of families; the observed quality of Head
Start classrooms; and the characteristics, needs and opinions of Head Start teachers.
SPONSORSHIP
The FACES study is currently conducted by Mathematica Policy Research for the
Commissioner’s Office of Research and Evaluation in the Administration on Children,
Youth, and Families, DHHS.
DESIGN
The original cohort of FACES (1997) had six phases of data collection using personal
interviews and in-person child assessments. FACES uses a multistage sample selection of
(1) programs, (2) centers, (3) classrooms, and (4) children. The sampling frame of Head
Start programs was created based on the Head Start Program Information Report (PIR).
The first phase involved a spring 1997 field test in which approximately 2,400 children and
parents were studied in a nationally stratified random sample of 40 Head Start programs.
The second and third phases of FACES occurred in fall 1997 (Wave One) and spring 1998
(Wave Two) when data were collected on a sample of 3,200 children and families in the
same 40 Head Start programs. Spring 1998 data collection included assessments of both
Head Start children completing the program and Head Start graduates completing
kindergarten (kindergarten field test), as well as interviews with their parents and ratings
by their kindergarten teachers. The fourth phase occurred in spring 1999 with data
collection in the 40 Head Start programs, plus a kindergarten follow-up for children who
completed Head Start in spring 1998. The fifth phase in spring 2000 completed the
kindergarten follow-up for the children completing Head Start in spring 1999 and first
graders who completed Head Start in 1998. The sixth phase in spring 2001 completed the
first grade follow-up for the children who completed Head Start in spring 1999. An
additional feature of FACES 1997 was the validation sub-study or embedded case study of
a longitudinal sample of 120 randomly selected families from the larger FACES sample
(three families from each of the 40 FACES sites were selected).
Four cohorts of FACES have been fielded to date – FACES 1997, 2000, 2003, and 2006.
Each cohort has included a nationally representative sample of Head Start children and
their families. The subsequent cohorts have followed a similar study design.
PERIODICITY
The study was launched in 1997, as described above. A new national cohort of FACES
was launched in fall 2000, with a sample of 2,800 children entering Head Start and their
families in 43 new Head Start programs. The 2000 study involved data collection in the
fall and spring of the Head Start year, spring of the second Head Start year (for children
who spent two years in Head Start), and spring of the children’s kindergarten year.. The

64

data also includes information on their kindergarten enrollment in spring 2002 and spring
2003. The third FACES cohort was launched in fall 2003 with a sample of 2,400 children
entering Head Start and their families in 63 new Head Start programs. The 2003 study
involved data collection in the fall and spring of the head Start year, spring of the second
Head Start year (for children who spent two years in Head Start), and spring of the
children’s kindergarten year. The fourth FACES cohort was launched in fall 2006 with a
nationally representative sample of children entering Head Start and their families in 60
new Head Start programs. The 2006 study is ongoing, and involves four rounds of data
collection – fall and spring of children’s first Head Start year, spring of the second head
Start year for children who were 3 years old at the time the sample was selected, and spring
of the children’s kindergarten year.
CONTENT
The study’s main data components consist of three chronological parent interviews: the
Head Start parent interview, the kindergarten parent interview, and the first grade parent
interview. Each interview collects information on the family’s demographics, including
employment and income, and home and neighborhood characteristics. The interviews also
collect information regarding the child’s behavior and activities, caregiver, and disabilities.
Other topics include: parent’s feelings and satisfaction level with Head Start, home safety,
family health care, and community services. The first grade parent interview was excluded
from the FACES 2000, 2003 and 2006 surveys.
LIMITATIONS RELATIVE TO THE GOALS OF NHES
The FACES questionnaires contain items about family involvement, many of which are
similar to the PFI. The FACES sample is, however, limited to cohorts of children in
preschool through the 1st grade and includes only those in Head Start programs.
AVAILABILITY
For more information on the FACES study, contact:
Maria Woolverton
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation
Administration for Children and Families
Division of Child and Family Development
370 L’Enfant Promenade SW
7th Floor West
Washington, DC 20201
(202) 205-4039
Email: [email protected]
The FACES datasets and reports are archived by Research Connections, a web-based
clearinghouse the offers a collection of more than 10,000 resources from the many disciplines
related to child care and early education.

65

Its website is:
http://www.researchconnections.org
The FACES instruments can be obtained from:
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hs/faces/index.html

66

TITLE
National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988
PURPOSE
The purpose of the National Educational Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS:88) is to provide
information about transition periods between middle school and high school and from high
school into postsecondary education or into the work force.
SPONSORSHIP
The National Center for Education Statistics sponsors the National Education Longitudinal
Study of 1988.
DESIGN
The NELS:88 was conducted in five waves. A baseline wave (Wave 1) was conducted in
spring of 1988, a follow-up (Wave 2) was conducted in 1990 and other follow-ups were
conducted in 1992 (Wave 3), 1994 (Wave 4) and in 2000 (Wave 5). Sampling for NELS 88
was done using a list of all schools with 8th-grade. Schools were stratified based on the
characteristics important to the survey's goals. A group of schools was selected from each
stratum and a certain number of students were selected from each school. Self-administered
surveys were conducted on school premises,
In Wave 1, the sample size consisted of approximately 24,600 eighth grade students in 1,052
public, private and parochial schools. A state supplemental sample of 4,000 students was
also added. Eighth graders completed questionnaires and cognitive test batteries in group
sessions. A self-administered questionnaire was completed by parents, teachers,
administrators and principals.
In Wave 2, follow-up data from 96 percent of the student cohort in 1988 was obtained. Early
dropouts (students leaving school before the end of tenth grade) and the transition of students
to high school was monitored.
In Wave 3, the student sample consisted of about 25,000 students, 15,000 parents and 1,500
school administrators. Wave 3 collected information regarding the transition to work or
postsecondary education.
In Wave 4, approximately 15,900 persons were sampled with an oversampling of Blacks,
Asians, American-Indians, low-SES Whites and drop-outs. Parents, teachers and school
administrators were not included in this follow-up. Information was collected through CATI
telephone interviews, in-person and cognitive interviews.
Wave 5 focuses on what the cohort had accomplished since the baseline wave of 1988. Many
of the students had completed their postsecondary education and were starting careers.
Public-use data are now available for all waves.

67

PERIODICITY
A nationally representative sample of eighth graders was surveyed in 1988. A sample of the
original respondents was resurveyed through four follow-ups in 1990, 1992, 1994 and 2000.
CONTENT
The student questionnaire included in this study covers a wide range of topics about
transitions and outcomes that students experienced as they left middle or junior high school,
passed through high school and entered post-secondary institutions or the work force.
Students were asked questions about their experiences at home, in school and at work. Topics
also included the process of dropping out of secondary school, how schools helped
disadvantaged students, and the academic performance of minority students. Data was also
gathered on neighborhood characteristics and the educational and occupational choices of
these students. Students self-reported use of smoking, alcohol and drug use. High school
and post-secondary transcripts provided information on course work and grades earned.
Parent interviews included question school contacts and involvement in school activities.
Parents were also asked about their child’s activities outside of school, their opinions about
their child’s school, educational expectations for their child and their financial plans for
child’s post secondary education.
During Waves 1, 2 and 3, achievement tests in reading, social studies, mathematics and
science were administered when most students were eighth graders, sophomores or seniors.
LIMITATIONS RELATIVE TO THE GOALS OF NHES
This study is based on a cohort of 8th grade respondents and their parents and teachers in
1988, and therefore parents of children younger than 8th grade are excluded from the survey.
NELS:88 suffered from a high rate of attrition and had a difficulty locating students after the
base year as most of them entered high school.
AVAILABILITY
A free copy of the NELS:88 public use data files and electronic codebook is available from
the individual listed below:
Jeffrey A. Owings
National Center for Education Statistics
1990 K St NW
Washington, DC 20006
(202) 502-7423
Email: [email protected]
To access information online:
http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/nels88/index.asp

68

TITLE
The National Household Education Surveys Program, Parent and Family Involvement in Education
Survey
PURPOSE
The National Household Education Surveys Program (NHES) is a data collection system
that is designed to address a wide range of education-related issues. It provides descriptive
data on the educational activities of the U.S. population and offers policymakers,
researchers, and educators a variety of statistics on the condition of education in the U.S.
The Parent and Family Involvement in Education (PFI) survey has addressed multiple
aspects of parent and family involvement, including family experiences with schools,
schoolwork outside of school, and non-school family activities.
SPONSORSHIP
The National Center for Education Statistics sponsors the project, which is conducted by
Westat.
DESIGN
NHES is a system of telephone surveys of the non-institutionalized civilian population of
the United States. Households are selected for the survey using random digit dialing
(RDD) methods. Each collection of NHES begins with a screening of a representative
sample of households. Data are collected using computer-assisted telephone interviewing
(CATI) procedures. In 1996, 20,792 interviews were completed for the Parent and
Family Involvement in Education and Civic Involvement Survey and in 2003, 12,426
interviews were conducted for the Parent and Family Involvement in Education Survey.
One of the goals of NHES is to produce reliable estimates of the characteristics of
children's and adults' educational experiences for the total targeted population and for
persons of different races and ethnicities. The NHES sample design over-samples
minorities in order to increase the reliability of estimates for these groups.
PERIODICITY
NHES has been conducted in the springs of 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2001 2003,
2005, and 2007. The PFI survey was initially conducted in 1996. Several parent
involvement items were included in 1999. The most recent PFI surveys were conducted in
2003 and 2007.
CONTENT
Parents and guardians answered questions about their children enrolled in kindergarten
through 12th grade, up to age 20. Questions addressed family involvement, including the
involvement of non-residential parents, in four areas: children's schooling, communication
with teachers or other school personnel, children's homework and behavior, and activities
with children outside of school. The survey also includes a few questions about school
choice asking parents whether their child goes to an assigned school or a school of their

69

choice and whether their school district provides such a choice. NHES is also one of the
few national surveys that collects home school information.
LIMITATIONS RELATIVE TO THE GOALS OF NHES
Because the primary purpose of NHES is to conduct repeated measurements of the same
phenomena at different points in time, additional surveys are needed to compare the results
over time.
AVAILABILITY
NHES data sets are available on CD-ROM from:
Christopher Chapman
NCES
Room 9086
1990 K Street NW
Washington, DC 20206-5456
(202) 502-7414
For more information on NHES, contact the NHES staff at:
[email protected]
To access NHES information online:
http://nces.ed.gov/nhes/

70

TITLE
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth
Development
PURPOSE
The purpose of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (SECC) is to examine how variations
in child care relate to children’s development. The study also seeks to determine how
differences in child care experiences relate to children’s social, emotional, intellectual, and
language development, and to their physical growth and health.
SPONSORSHIP
The study is sponsored by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
(NICHD).
DESIGN
The Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development is a longitudinal research project
involving 10 study sites across the United States. The study focuses on the experiences of
1,364 children, recruited at birth in 1991 from hospitals at the 10 data collection sites. The
study was conducted in four phases. Phase I followed children from birth until age 3; Phase
II followed 1,095 4 ½ year olds into the first grade; Phase III followed 1,073 children
through the fifth and sixth grades and Phase IV followed the children through the seventh,
eighth, and ninth grades (the exact number is still being determined).
Multiple methods were used to collect data. Phase 1 data collection included videotaped
behavioral observations of the sampled children at their homes, child care settings, visits
to project research laboratories and child care center directors' telephone interviews/mailed
questionnaire. In-person interviews were also obtained from parents and caregiver to gain
additional information about the children. As the children moved into school age, data
from Phases II and III have also been gathered from classroom visits by researchers.
Children’s physical activity was monitored directly at third, fifth and sixth grades.
PERIODICITY
The longitudinal study began in 1991 and the first phase which was made up of three month
updates was completed in 1994. The second phase began in 1995, just before most of the
children began kindergarten, and was completed in 1999 when all the children finished the
first grade. The third phase began in 2000 when the children were in second grade and
ended in 2006 when all the children finished sixth grade. The fourth phase began in 2005
when the children were in seventh grade and was completed in 2007 when the children
finished ninth grade.
CONTENT
Although the study primarily focuses on early child care, the influence of the family on
children's development is also an important component of the study. Family characteristics
measured in the study include the family’s economic situation, family structure (single

71

parent vs. partnered parent), the mother’s education, her child rearing attitudes, the quality
of mother-child interaction, and the extent to which the home environment contributed to
the optimal development of children. These family characteristics were used to examine
the role of the family in the child’s entry into child care, the quality of that care, and the
number of care arrangements. A second area of the study delves into the association
between child care and the mother-child relationship. A third component looks at the
characteristics of child care and how it relates to the children’s cognitive and language
development, as well as their behavior and self-control in the first 3 years. Later phases of
the study allowed researchers to examine whether any of the effects of preschool child care
continue into middle childhood. The third phase of the study also allowed researchers to
examine the effect of family characteristics and the home environment on children's
outcomes in middle childhood, and the fourth phase of the study allowed researchers to
examine those effects on children’s outcomes in early adolescence.
LIMITATIONS RELATIVE TO THE GOALS OF NHES
The study does not focus on parent involvement in education, although it contains a limited
number of items about on the topic. In addition, the sample for the study is based on ten
study sites, and therefore, it does not provide a nationally representative sample of U. S.
children as does the PFI. Also, the age range of the study is limited to early and middle
childhood (9th grade), whereas the PFI will cover children from enrolled in kindergarten
through the 12th grade.
AVAILABILITY
For information on the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development,
contact:
James A Griffin, Ph.D.
Deputy Branch Chief
NICHD Child Development and Behavior Branch
6100 Executive Blvd, Room 4B05D
Rockville, MD 20852
(301) 435-2307
Email: [email protected]
Study results, publications, and applications for the data from Phases I through III are
available at the following website:
http://secc.rti.org/home.cfm
http://www.nichd.nih.gov/research/supported/seccyd.cfm

72

TITLE
The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health
PURPOSE
The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) is a school-based
study of health-related behaviors of adolescents in grades 7-12. It was designed to explore
the causes of those behaviors, with an emphasis on the influence of social context.
SPONSORSHIP
The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and 17 other
federal agencies funded the Add Health study. Fieldwork was conducted by the National
Opinion Research Center of the University of Chicago.
DESIGN
The primary sampling frame was a database collected by Quality Education Data, Inc. A
sample of 80 pairs of eligible high schools and their corresponding junior high schools was
selected. The In-School Questionnaire, a self-administered questionnaire formatted for
optical scanning, was the primary instrument. It was administered to a nationally
representative sample of students in grades 7-12 in during the 1994-95 school year. In each
school, one 45- to 60-minute class period was devoted to completing the questionnaires.
Data were also collected from school administrators.
In addition to the school sample, an in-home sample was selected from the school rosters.
Students in each school were stratified by grade and sex and about 17 students were
randomly chosen from each stratum so that a total of approximately 200 adolescents were
selected from each of the 80 pairs of schools. A total core sample of 12,105 adolescents
was interviewed. Supplementary over-samples were drawn from certain ethnic groups.
All respondents in the in-home sample were given the same interview. The majority of
interviews was conducted in the respondents’ homes and took between one and two hours.
All data were recorded on laptop computers. Students were also given the Add Health
Picture Vocabulary Test, a computerized, abridged version of the Peabody Picture
Vocabulary Test. Over 17,000 parents were also surveyed by an interviewer using a paperand-pencil instrument but only for the first wave.
PERIODICITY
There have been four waves of data collection. Wave I was conducted from September
1994 through December 1995. Wave II was conducted from April 1996 through August
1996. Wave III was collected from August 2001 through April 2002 when respondents
were between 18 and 26 years old. Data collection for Wave IV was started in 2007, 6
years after the third wave, when respondents are between 24 and 32 years old. In Wave I,
data were collected from school administrators, adolescents at school and at home, and
parents. In Wave II, data were collected from school administrators and adolescents at
home. In Wave III, and IV, data were collected again from the adolescent cohort but not
collected from school administrators

73

CONTENT
The Add Health survey and interview focused on forces that influence adolescents’
behavior, in particular those residing in the various contexts of their lives: families,
friendships, romantic relationships, peer groups, schools, neighborhoods, and
communities. The questionnaire included topics such as the social and demographic
characteristics of respondents, the education and occupation of parents, household
structure, at risk behaviors, expectations for the future, self-esteem, health status,
friendships, and school-year extracurricular activities.
The Parent Survey during the Wave I included questions on their education and
employment, involvement in school activities, parent-adolescent communication and
interaction, and their familiarity with the adolescent's friends and friends' parents.
Wave III of the study examined the transition between adolescence and adulthood by
exploring choices that adolescents make (staying in school or dropping out, attending
college or getting a job, etc.) Wave IV follows the cohort into their young adulthood
allowing researchers to examine life trajectories of the cohort transitioning from adolescent
to adulthood. Survey questions include educational transitions, economic status, physical
and emotional health, behaviors and event history data on relationships and employment
status.
LIMITATIONS RELATIVE TO THE GOALS OF NHES
The Add Health Study targeted a population of adolescents currently enrolled in either
junior high or senior high school, thus the sample was not as broad as the PFI. Also,
although the Add Health parent survey contained some items about parent involvement
with adolescents that may be similar to those in the PFI, it does not directly measure
parent and family involvement in education to the same extent and it cannot provide trend
data on parental involvement over time, since it is a longitudinal cohort and the parent
survey was not conducted after Wave I.
AVAILABILITY
A full report summarizing the study can be viewed on the following web site:
http://www.cpc.unc.edu/projects/addhealth/
For more information or to obtain the public-use data, contact:
Sociometrics Corporation
170 State Street, Suite 260
Los Altos, California 94022-2812
Phone: (650) 949-3282
Fax: (650) 949-3299
Email: [email protected]

74

TITLE
The National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (Canada)
PURPOSE
The National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (NLSCY) is a long-term study
conducted to monitor the social, emotional and behavioral development and well being of
Canada’s children as they grow from infancy to adulthood. The survey provides data for
use in research on the impact factors in children’s development and their adjustment to
school in Canada.
SPONSORSHIP
Human Resources and Social Development Canada and Statistics Canada conducted the
survey in partnership.
DESIGN
The survey follows a representative sample of Canadian children, aged newborn to 11
years, into adulthood, with data collection occurring at 2-year intervals. The initial sample
was approximately 22,500 children, which was drawn from the Canadian Labor Force
Survey’s sample of respondent households. The data are collected from several sources
including parents, teachers, principals, and the children themselves. Most interviews are
conducted by an interviewer using computer-assisted interviewing (CAI).
PERIODICITY
This is a longitudinal study consisting of several longitudinal and cross-sectional samples.
Cross-sectional weights are provided when an age cohort can be considered to be
representative of a cross-sectional population. The study began 1994 and is ongoing with
data collection occurring at two-year intervals covering children and youth till they are 25
years of age. There have been seven cycles of data collection, in 1994-95, 1996-97, 199899, 2000-01, 2002-03, 2004-05, and 2006-07.
CONTENT
The survey assesses the child, the family and community environment in which the child
is living. Specific topics include family structure/demographics, family and custodial
history, parent’s education, parenting styles, importance of good grades, school
involvement, and expectations for the child. Child care and child care arrangements are
also topics covered by the NLSCY.
LIMITATIONS RELATIVE TO THE GOALS OF NHES
The survey is conducted in Canada and therefore is not representative of people living in
the United States. The study, unlike the PFI, is not directly designed to measure parent and
family involvement in children’s education but focuses on child development instead.

75

AVAILABILITY
Information about the survey, including instruments and data files, can be found at the
following website:
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/cgibin/imdb/p2SV.pl?Function=getSurvey&SDDS=4450&lang=en&db=imdb&adm=8&dis=
2
For further information about the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth
contact:
Statistics Canada
100 Tunney’s Pasture Driveway
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0T6

76

TITLE
The National Survey of America’s Families
PURPOSE
The National Survey of America’s Families (NSAF) is a survey of the economic, health, and
social characteristics of children, adults under the age of 65, and their families. The survey
pays particular attention to low-income families, reporting on important aspects about their
lives and how they differ from the lives of children and adults in families with higher
incomes.
SPONSORSHIP
The study was conducted by the Urban Institute and Child Trends, and sponsored by a
number of private foundations. Westat conducted sampling and data collection for the study.
DESIGN
Sampling was done in a dual-frame design, with the main frame consisting of a random-digitdial telephone survey, and the supplemental frame of nontelephone households. The survey
was conducted in three rounds. In round 1, in 1997, interviews were conducted with 75,437
adults and about 34,439 children in 44,461 households. In round 2, in 1999, interviews were
obtained for over 73,000 adults and almost 36,000 children in more than 42,000 households.
In round three, in 2002, interviews were conducted for over 70,577 adults and 34,332
children in over 43,000 households. Oversize samples were drawn in 13 states. The sample
was representative of the civilian, noninstitutionalized population under age 65. A short
screener interview was used to identify and sample households on the basis of age
composition and household income. After the screener interview, telephone interviews were
conducted using computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI). Interviews with
respondents in nontelephone households were conducted using a cellular phone that was
provided to them by the survey administrator to minimize the effects of different modes used
for interviews,
PERIODICITY
Cross-sectional data were obtained in three rounds: February to November 1997, February
to October 1999 and February to October, 2002.
CONTENT
The survey contained several well-being measures having to do with economic security,
health and health care, child’s education and cognitive and social development, child’s
behavioral problems, and family and community environment. The survey was divided into
the following topic areas: student status, parent/child/family interaction and education,
household roster, child care, nonresidential parent/father, employment and earning, family
income, welfare program participation, education and training, housing and economic
hardship, and race and ethnicity.
LIMITATIONS RELATIVE TO THE GOALS OF NHES

77

Although the survey included some questions similar to those in the PFI, (e.g., items about
child support, teen employment, the Children’s Health Insurance Program), it was not
directly designed to measure parent and family involvement in education. Thus the questions
about education and parent involvement are few and lack the depth of the PFI does.
AVAILABILITY
Current data are available and can be downloaded online:
http://newfederalism.urban.org/nsaf/

http://www.urban.org/center/anf/nsaf.cfm
http://newfederalism.urban.org/nsaf/

For more information, contact:
Tim Triplett
Survey Associate
Assessing the New Federalism
National Survey of America's Families
The Urban Institute
2100 M Street
Washington, DC 20037
(202) 261-5579
Email: [email protected]

78

TITLE
The National Survey of Parents of Public School Students
PURPOSE
The purpose of this survey was to collect information on the views of parents of public
school children regarding the importance of parental and federal involvement in education.
The survey also collected information about parents who may qualify for Title 1 services.
SPONSORSHIP
Bennett, Petts, and Blumenthal conducted the survey for the National PTA.
DESIGN
The study was conducted as a national telephone survey among 800 adults who had at least
one child in public school. Prior to interviewing, the sample was divided into two separate
categories. The first was a national random sample of 600 adults. The second was a
national random sample of 200 adults with a household income of $25,000 a year or less.
These two samples were then combined and weighted to reflect the actual distribution of
income for the nation’s population as a whole.
PERIODICITY
The study was conducted December 6-10, 1998. There are no plans at this time for further
data collection.
CONTENT
The survey focused on the parents’ opinions about the role of parental involvement in
education (level of importance, support of federal programs, being informed about school).
Questions were also asked about their views of the role of federal government in education
programs and the low-income families’ knowledge of Title 1 programs and services that
may have been available to their child.
LIMITATIONS RELATIVE TO THE GOALS OF NHES
The National Survey of Parents of Public School Students measures only the opinions of
the parents on the importance of involvement in education, not their levels of involvement
within their children’s schools. Also the sample is limited to only parents of public school
children, a narrower focus than the PFI. Because the survey was conducted only in 1995,
it does not meet the NHES goal of monitoring change over time.

79

AVAILABILITY
For more information, contact:
PTA Office of Programs and Public Policy
1400 L Street, NW
Suite 300
Washington, DC 20005-9998
Phone: (202) 289-6790
Fax: (202) 289-6791

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TITLE
Panel Study of Income Dynamics, Child Development Supplement
PURPOSE
The purpose of the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) is to gather data on a broad
variety of economic and demographic behavior and social issues. The Child Development
Supplement is meant to provide researchers with a comprehensive, nationally representative,
and longitudinal data base of children and their families.
SPONSORSHIP
Major funding for the Panel Study of Income Dynamics comes from the National Science
Foundation. Additional support comes from the Office of the Assistant Secretary for
Planning and Evaluation, Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of
Labor, the National Institute on Aging, the Office of Economic Opportunity, and the National
Institute of Child Health and Human Development.
Funding for the Child Development Supplement is primarily from the National Institute of
Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and its additional funds are provided by
the William T. Grant Foundation, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the U.S. Department of
Agriculture, and the U.S. Department of Education.
DESIGN
The original Panel Study of Income Dynamics sample consisted of two independent samples.
The first is an equal probability cross-sectional national sample of 3,000 drawn by the
University of Michigan’s Survey Research Center, and the second is a sample of 2,000 lowincome families drawn from the Survey of Economic Opportunity conducted by the Census
Bureau.
This longitudinal study re-interviews the same individuals each year, following them through
their life cycle. The study includes new family members as the individuals marry and have
children. The survey collects data on all household members, but focuses primarily on the
heads of household. The sample has grown to include information on 50,000 individuals
spanning as much as 28 years of their lives. In 1997, the Child Development Supplement
collected data on 0-12 year old children from a variety of sources, including parents, teachers,
and the children themselves. There are approximately 2,500 families who participated in the
research, and participants who are selected have been involved in at least one panel of Income
Dynamics study. In 2002-2003, families were re-contacted if they had participated in the
first Child Development Supplement and were in a PSID panel in 2001. The PSID was
originally collected in face-to-face interviews using paper questionnaires. It then moved to
computer assisted telephone interviewing in 1993.
PERIODICITY
The Panel Study of Income Dynamics has been conducted every year. The first wave of the
Child Development Supplement was conducted in 1997, and the second wave occurred in
2002 and 2003. The third wave occurred in 2007.

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CONTENT
The focus of the Panel Study of Income Dynamics is on economic and demographic
information, including items such as income sources and amounts, employment, family
composition changes, and demographic events. The Child Development Supplement serves
to enhance the PSID by obtaining detailed data on items not generally included in the main
database. The survey studies ways in which time, money, parenting and teaching styles,
divorce, unemployment, etc. influence and affect children’s development cognitively,
emotionally, and physically, and how this is buffered by family, school, and community.
LIMITATIONS RELATIVE TO THE GOALS OF NHES
The substantive focus of the supplement is on school age children’s academic achievement
and cognitive ability, social and emotional well being, and health. The study does not provide
direct information on the parental involvement topics planned for the PFI.
AVAILABILITY
Current data are available and can be downloaded from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics
online:
http://www.isr.umich.edu/src/psid
For information and inquires about the study, contact
PSID Staff
The Panel Study of Income Dynamics
Institute for Social Research
PO Box 1248
Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1248
Phone: (734) 763-5166
Fax: (734) 647-4575
Email: [email protected]

82

TITLE
Program for International Student Assessment (PISA)
PURPOSE
PISA is an internationally standardized school-based assessment given to students fifteen
years of age in reading, mathematics, science literacy and general learning competencies.
The purpose of the survey is to capture the yield of educational systems on everyday
learning for those about to leave secondary school. The survey is administered by the
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) every three years, the
most recent round took place in 2006 in 57 countries, including 5,611 students in the U.S.
SPONSORSHIP
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) at the U.S. Department of Education
provides funding to complete the study in the United States, and Westat was responsible
for U.S. data collection and analysis for PISA 2000 and PISA 2003. RTI was responsible
for conducting the U.S. administration and analysis of PISA 2006.
DESIGN
The sampling frame was a list of schools having 15-year-old students obtained by each
country. From this list, a minimum of 150 schools were selected in each country. Students
were the second-stage sampling units. In most cases, 35 students were randomly chosen
from a list of all 15-year-old students in each selected school. The total number of students
assessed by PISA in each country ranges between 4,500 and 10,000.
PERIODICITY
The survey is administered every three years. The first assessment took place in 43
countries in 2000, followed by the assessments in 2003 and 2006. Sixty-two countries are
expected to participate in the 4th assessment in 2009.
CONTENT
PISA assessment focuses on how much students who have almost completed compulsory
education have acquired knowledge and skills necessary for their full participation in
society rather than how much they have mastered school-based curricula. Students are
assessed in the subjects of reading, mathematics literacy, problem solving and science
literacy. Principals are also given a questionnaire on topics such as community, school,
and student characteristics and barriers to student learning. PISA does not include a parent
questionnaire.
LIMITATIONS RELATIVE TO THE GOALS OF NHES
In addition to demographic and educational information of their parents, the student
questionnaire asks students about their home environment for learning, values and attitudes
towards a particular subject, perception of teachers, and learning activities outside of

83

school. During the first year, students were also asked of family processes measures such
as family members' involvement in homework, and their activities and communication with
parents. Such measures have been found to be related to higher literacy internationally,
however these measures have been dropped from PISA. Although PISA does not include
parental surveys, the question items may be useful for developing family process measures
for parents in the PFI.
AVAILABILITY
Information about the survey, including instruments and data files, can be found at the
following website:
http://www.pisa.oecd.org/
http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/pisa/
For further information about PISA, contact:
Daniel McGrath, Program Director
International Activities Program-ECICSD
National Center for Education Statistics
1990 K Street, NW
Room 9010
Washington, DC 20006
(202) 502-7426
Email: [email protected]

84

TITLE
Prospects: The Congressionally Mandated Study of Educational Growth and Opportunity
PURPOSE
Prospects was initiated in 1988 under Congressional mandate as an assessment of Chapter
I (formerly Title 1) programs. It was a longitudinal study designed to assess the impacts
of Chapter I programs on school performance and compare students with "significant
participation" in Chapter I programs to comparable children who were not receiving
services. The study is nationally representative and was designed to inform policymakers.
SPONSORSHIP
Prospects was sponsored by the Planning and Evaluation Service of the U.S. Department
of Education.
DESIGN
Prospects was designed to provide six 1-year "snapshots" from the following perspectives:
economic disadvantage, as measured by sampling children in schools with very high
concentrations of poor children and evaluating the nature of the educational environment
of the schools that these children attend; characteristics of the children who received
compensatory services, including Chapter 1; and characteristics of limited-Englishproficient (LEP) students and the services that are available to them. The design is based
on a multi-stage sample with public school districts as the first stage, school buildings as
the second stage, and students as the third stage. The first stage sample was selected from
12 sampling strata defined by three levels of urbanization within each of the four Census
regions. To select a large enough number of Chapter I children, school districts serving
large numbers of Chapter 1 students were given a higher probability of selection. Districts
and schools were stratified according to economic disadvantage and concentration of LEP
students. The sample size allows for analyses by level of urbanization, by region as defined
by Census, and for the nation as a whole. The design yielded approximately 320 schools
in 150 districts and included samples of approximately 12,000 1st grade students, 12,000
3rd grade students, and 7,000 7th grade students.
PERIODICITY
The survey collected annual data for 6 years on three cohorts of public school children
beginning in grades 1, 3, and 7 in 1991.
CONTENT
A total of 15 forms or questionnaires were used to collect data from students, parents,
school records, teachers, and school and district officials. The parent questionnaire
collected demographic information about household members, information on the child's
previous enrollment in preschool, special services received, the child's self esteem, social
skills, and disabilities. The questionnaire included sections called Your Child at Home
(rules concerning schoolwork and household responsibilities, parent involvement with
homework, reading with the child, expectations for the child's educational achievement,
and educational family activities); Your Child at School (services received, parent

85

involvement in school, parent's assessment of services received, school absenteeism,
summer school attendance, grade repetition, and the parent's evaluation of the child's ability
and performance); Contacts with Your Child's School (frequency and reasons for the parent
contacting school, school response to parent contact, and types of in-school activities that
the parent had attended); About Your Child's School (parent evaluation of school
resources, practices and standards, and evaluation of parents' role in school); Your Child's
Future (expectations about the child's educational attainment and provisions for education
following high school); About Yourself and Your Family (household members, language
minority status, parents' educational and occupational attainment and status, race/ethnicity,
marital status of adults in household, total family income, and educational/media resources
in the home).
LIMITATIONS RELATIVE TO THE GOALS OF NHES
This study focuses only on children in Chapter I in public schools; it therefore does not
include a nationally representative sample of all children in kindergarten through 12 th
grade. Also, Prospects was completed in 1997, and future studies are not planned; thus, the
study does not provide an opportunity to monitor change over time.
AVAILABILITY
The data tapes and CD-ROM are available for all years.
For more information, contact:
Daphne Kaplan
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.
Room 6W201
Washington, D.C. 20202-8240
(202) 401-7949
Copies of the report are available from:
Planning and Evaluation Services
Office of the Under Secretary
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Ave., S.W., Room 4165
Washington, D.C. 20202-8240

86

TITLE
Survey of Family and School Partnerships in Public Schools, K-8
PURPOSE
The study was designed to provide information on the ways that schools are engaging
parents in their children’s education and the extent to which parents are responding to the
opportunities for involvement that schools provide. The study was also intended to provide
data that could be compared with data on the same topic collected from parents in other
studies.
SPONSORSHIP
The National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) sponsored the study with data
collection by Westat.
DESIGN
The survey was conducted through the NCES Fast Response Survey System (FRSS).
FRSS is a survey system designed to collect small amounts of issue-oriented data with
minimal burden on respondents and within a relatively short time frame. Short
questionnaires were sent to a nationally representative sample of 900 public schools
enrolling kindergarten through eighth grade students. Principals were asked to either
complete the survey or assign its completion to the person most knowledgeable about
parent involvement programs and activities at the school. Data have been weighted to
national estimates of all public schools serving grades K-8.
The sample for the FRSS survey was selected from the 1993-1994 NCES Common Core
of Data (CCD) Public School Universe File, resulting in a sample frame of 60,000 schools.
A stratified sample of 9000 schools was selected from the elementary school frame. To
select the sample, the frame of schools was stratified by poverty status, as determined by
the percent of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunches. Within these primary
strata, schools were also sorted by enrollment size class and then by metropolitan status.
The sample sizes were then allocated to the primary strata in rough proportion to the
aggregate square root of the enrollment of schools in the stratum.
PERIODICITY
The study was conducted during the spring of 1996. There are no plans for further data
collection at this time.
CONTENT
The survey addresses the following issues: the kinds of communication schools establish
to provide parents with information, the kinds of activities schools sponsor that are
designed to inform parents about their children’s school performance, the types of
volunteer activities schools make available to parents, and the extent to which parents are
included in decision making regarding school issues.

87

LIMITATIONS RELATIVE TO THE GOALS OF NHES
The Survey on Family and School Partnerships in Public Schools was not a parent survey.
Instead, it is targeted at collecting information directly from the school. Thus it represented
a different viewpoint than the PFI. Also, the sample was comprised exclusively of public
schools. The survey did not collect information on any private schools or any grades
beyond eighth in public or private schools.
AVAILABILITY
A full report summarizing the study and the survey itself are available online:
http://nces.ed.gov/pubs98/98032.pdf

88

TITLE
Survey of Adults and Youth
PURPOSE
The Survey of Adults and Youth (SAY) monitors youth access to parent and community
resources. The survey interviews adults, parents and youth with a time use portion which
covers after-school hours.
SPONSORSHIP
The Survey of Adults and Youth was designed by faculty from New York University,
Columbia University and Princeton University and was sponsored by the Robert Wood
Johnson Foundation and the MacArthur Foundation.
DESIGN
The survey was administered to a nationally representative sample and a representative
sample from five Urban Health Initiative (UHI) Cities: (Philadelphia, Baltimore, Detroit,
Oakland and Richmond). Chicago was added later.
Interviews were conducted by telephone and were random digit dialed. The first wave
sample for Round 1 consisted of 15,571 adults and 7,778 youth, with an adult response rate
of 89 percent and a child interview rate of 74 percent.
PERIODICITY
The first Survey of Adults and Youth was completed in 1998-1999 and a second survey
was conducted between 2001 and 2002. A third survey was completed between 2004 and
2005. Subsequent rounds will be repeated every five years.
CONTENT
The components of the survey include a parent survey that asks about conflicts between
work and family commitments. An adult survey concentrates on youth issues, trust in local
government and civic involvement. A youth survey provides information on parent-child
relationships, the extent of involvement in supervised youth activities, educational
expectations and achievement in school.
LIMITATIONS RELATIVE TO THE GOALS OF NHES
The Survey of Adults and Youth focuses on parent/child relationships, supervised afterschool activities, conflicts between work and family and educational expectations and
achievement. Also, this study is based on a regional sample and is not nationally
representative.

89

AVAILABILITY
For further information about SAY, contact:
Tod Mijanovich
New York University
Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
Center for Health and Public Service Research
295 Lafayette St.
New York, NY 10012-9604
Email: [email protected]

90

TITLE
Survey of Program Dynamics (SPD)
PURPOSE
The Survey of Program Dynamics was created to assess how the Personal Responsibility
and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 impacted household that were
previously interviewed in the 1992 and 1993 Survey of Income and Program Participation
(SIPP) panels. The SPD will simultaneously describe the full range of state welfare
programs along with social, economic, demographic and family changes that will help or
limit the effectiveness of the reforms.
SPONSORSHIP
The SPD was ordered by Congress in 1996 and has been implemented by the U.S. Census
Bureau.
DESIGN
The SPD is based on the 1992 and 1993 SIPP panels, which was a multistage, stratified
sample of the U.S. noninstitutionalized, civilian population. In addition to core questions on
children’s school enrollment, participation in nonparental care, and enrichment activities, the
1999 SPD included a series of questions designed to measure child well-being. For the 1999
SPD, Census Bureau representatives conducted in-person interviews at 16,659 eligible
households.
PERIODICITY
The SPD was conducted between 1997 and 2002, and was intended to create a 10-year
longitudinal database consisting of information collected in the 1992 administration of SIPP
through the 2002 administration of SPD.
CONTENT
The content of the SPD between 1998 and 2002 includes economic, demographic, and social
characteristics of the people interviewed. Information about children is also collected,
including their school enrollment and enrichment activities, disability, health care, child
care arrangements, contact with an absent parent, and payment of child support on their
behalf. In 1999, the SPD included additional questions on children’s extended measures
of well-being, positive behavior/social competence, and conflict between parents.
LIMITATIONS RELATIVE TO THE GOALS OF NHES
While the SPD contains information related to home activities and family involvement
outside of school, it does not contain topics related to the rest of the expected content of the
PFI survey. Also, while it was a longitudinal survey from 1992 to 2002, the fact that it has
not been administered since then means that more recent comparisons cannot be made using
the SPD.

91

AVAILABILITY
For more information on the SPD, including data files and publications, please visit:
http://www.census.gov/spd/
Email: [email protected]

92

TITLE
Women’s Employment Study
PURPOSE
The Women’s Employment Study was a five-wave panel study of mothers who were current
or former welfare recipients in an urban county in Michigan. The study examined barriers
to employment among welfare mothers. Its purpose was to identify the key factors that
enable welfare recipients to remain employed and enable social service providers to better
assess client needs and design targeted short term and long term service program
components
SPONSORSHIP
The Women’s Employment Study was funded by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, the
Joyce Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the National Institute
of Child Health and Development, and the National Institute of Mental Health. It was carried
out by the University of Michigan’s Survey Research Center.
DESIGN
The Women’s Employment Study was a random sample of 753 single mothers on welfare
who lived in an urban Michigan area. To be eligible for the study, the women had to be U.S.
citizens, and white (non-Hispanic) or African-American. In-person interviews were
conducted on a comprehensive set of barriers to employment, such as schooling, work
experience, work readiness, job skills and credentials, experiences of employment
discrimination and harassment, physical and mental health status, alcohol and drug use,
family stresses including child well-being, experiences of domestic violence, and
experiences in welfare-to work services and training programs. Questions such as the
extent and prevalence of multiple barriers to work and co-morbidity among barriers, which
barriers or combinations reduce wage growth, how barriers change as work and welfare
status changes, and how barriers and welfare-to-work program participation are related,
were also examined.
PERIODICITY
The first wave of the study was conducted in 1997, and subsequent followups were conducted
in 1998, 1999, 2001, and 2003.
CONTENT
The Women’s Employment Study analyzed the ways in which labor market, mental health,
physical health, and family problems affect a woman’s ability to obtain and retain
employment over time. Content related to parent and family involvement in education
include questions about number of books, magazines, and newspapers in the home, whether
anyone in the family uses a library card, how often household members read, whether
anyone in the family takes the focal child, whether anyone helps the focal child learn letters
and numbers, and whether anyone in the family has spoken to the child’s teacher for any
reason.

93

LIMITATIONS RELATIVE TO THE GOALS OF NHES
The Women’s Employment Study contains a few measures that are related to home activities
and family involvement outside of school, but it does not contain topics related to the rest of
the expected content of the PFI. Also, the small sample size and limited sample population
does not allow for the estimates produced by the data to be generalized to the general
population.
AVAILABILITY
For more information on the Women’s Employment Study, please contact:
Sheldon Danziger
University of Michigan
540 E. Liberty St.
Suite 202
Ann Arbor, MI 48502
Phone: (734) 998-8505
Email: [email protected]
http://www.fordschool.umich.edu/research/poverty/wes/
http://www.researchforum.org/project_general_100.html

94