Appendix A - Communication Materials

School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS)
2016 and 2018
OMB #1850-0761 v.8

Appendix A – Communication Materials

National Center for Education Statistics
Institute of Education Sciences
U.S. Department of Education

September 17, 2015

1

Contents
Special District Contact Call Script .................................................................................................................................... 3
District Administration Form ............................................................................................................................................. 5
Special District Generic Cover Letter ................................................................................................................................. 6
Special District Generic Research Application .................................................................................................................. 7
SSOCS Brochure .................................................................................................................................................................. 15
Letter to Superintendents.................................................................................................................................................... 17
Letter to Chief State School Officers..................................................................................................................................18
Advance E-mail to Principals ..............................................................................................................................................19
Advance Letter to Principals ............................................................................................................................................. 20
Advance Letter to Principals in Special Permission Districts ......................................................................................... 21
Postcard for Schools in Special Permission Districts ....................................................................................................... 22
Cover Letter to Principals .................................................................................................................................................. 23
Letter to Principals - Remail Request............................................................................................................................... 24
Reminder Letter to Nonresponding Principals............................................................................................................... 25
Reminder E-mails to Respondents.................................................................................................................................... 26
Voice-mail Left by Interviewers........................................................................................................................................ 32
Special District Approval Thank You Letter.................................................................................................................... 33
Thank You Letter to Schools..............................................................................................................................................34

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Special District Contact Call Script

Special District Contact Call Script
2015-16 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS)
Label Information

Contact Name:

A. Special District Research Application - Contact Person’s Information
Contact Title:

Contact Phone Number:

Contact E-mail:
Notes

A.

INTRODUCTION and CONTACT INFORMATION

A1. Hello, this is _____ from the U.S. Census Bureau. Have I reached (district name)?
_ Yes  GO TO item A2.
_ Different district name  Probe for district name if necessary and correct the district name in the address
area above. If the difference is significant, record the change in the Notes section. Try to confirm the name
change (e.g., respondent says, “We used to be Jefferson District but are now Washington District.”). GO
TO item A2.
_ No  Verify that you dialed correctly.
_ Correct number dialed  Probe for the respondent’s name, location, and whether the person or
organization reached is related to the district in any way. Record information in the Notes section.
Thank respondent and end call.
_ Wrong number dialed  Dial correct number. GO TO item A1 above.
_ District closed  Probe for the respondent’s name, former position, the closing date, and any other
information to confirm that it is a closure rather than change in status. Record information in the Notes
section. Thank respondent and end call.
_ District merged  Probe for the name of the merged districts, location and the date of the merge. Record
information in the Notes section. GO TO item A2. Refer case to supervisor following the call.
A2. This call may be monitored to evaluate my performance and should only take a few minutes.
During this school year we will be conducting the School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS)
for the National Center for Education Statistics (or NCES) which is part of the U.S.
Department of Education.
SSOCS is an important national study that collects information about crime and safety in public
schools from school principals.

3

Special District Contact Call Script

NCES is authorized to conduct this survey by the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (ESRA; 20
U.S. Code §9543). The Office of Management and Budget approval number for this study is 1850-0761.
The data provided by the school and staff may be used only for statistical purposes and may not be
disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law (20 U.S.C.,
§9573).
A3. I would like to verify your mailing address for the purposes of delivering a research application. Is the
following address correct?
Read address information from research. Make any necessary corrections if needed. Then GO TO item A4.
A4. Can you tell me the name of the person most appropriate to receive this request (for research
approval)?
_ Yes  Record contact name and title in the appropriate spaces of the Contact Information section on the
cover page. Probe for the contact person’s direct phone line and email address and record it in the Contact
Information section. GO TO item A5.
_ No  Try to probe for a contact name, or ask for the department name that will review the package If no
information is given, suggest the Superintendent as the point of contact. GO TO item A5.
A5. Are there any other documents your district requires for the research application process
that we should include in the package?
_ Yes  Record information in the Notes section. GO TO item A6.
_ No  GO TO item A6.
A6. Can you tell me about how long the district spends reviewing research applications?
_ Yes  Record information in the Notes section. Thank respondent and end call.
_ No  Thank respondent and end call.

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District Administration Form

2015-16 School Survey on Crime and Safety
District Administration Form

Please mark one of the boxes below to let us know your district’s decision to allow sampled
school(s) to participate in this important national survey.

□ The U.S. Department

of Education has permission to administer the 2015-16 School
Survey on Crime and Safety to one or more schools in the .

□ The U.S. Department

of Education does not have permission to administer the 2015-16
School Survey on Crime and Safety Survey to any school in the .

Printed
Name:

___________________________

Date: ________________________

Signature:

___________________________

Title: ________________________

Address:

___________________________

Phone: _______________________

___________________________
Email:

___________________________

Please return this form to Marie Zayas by email to
[email protected], or by mail to:
U.S. Census Bureau
Marie Zayas, 6H030B
4600 Silver Hill Road, Stop 8400
Washington, DC 20233

Last Revised: 9/10/15

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Special District Generic Cover Letter

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION SCIENCES
NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS

{DATE}
Dear {DISTRICT CONTACT NAME},
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) of the U.S. Department
of Education is requesting approval for the administration of the 2015-16
School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS) to # sampled schools within
the {DISTRICT NAME} School District. SSOCS is administered to a sample
of U.S. public schools on a recurring basis. The survey only entails the
completion of a brief questionnaire that is estimated to take 52 minutes to
complete. No student, faculty, or classroom time is involved.
SSOCS is one of the nation’s few sources of national information on school
crime and safety, as reported by principals, in U.S. public schools. By
participating, information from schools in your district allow for comparisons
among different types of schools across the nation that are valuable to
governing agencies, policy makers, educators and the general public. Further
information about SSOCS is available on the NCES website
at http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/ssocs/.
The Generic Research Application for SSOCS, a copy of the advance letter
that will be sent to sampled school principals, and a copy of the
questionnaire are enclosed.
We appreciate your review of our Generic Research Application for this
important survey. If you have any questions, please contact Teresa Thomas,
the SSOCS Communications Director at the U.S. Census Bureau, by e-mail
at [email protected] or by telephone at 1-800-221-1204.
Sincerely,

Rachel Hansen
Project Director
National Center for Education Statistics

WASHINGTON, DC 20208–5652

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Special District Generic Research Application

2015–16 SSOCS Generic Research Application
Contact
Applicant:
Title:
Affiliation:

Address:
E-mail:

Rachel Hansen
Project Director
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
Institute of Education Sciences (IES)
United States Department of Education
1990 K Street NW, Suite #9034
Washington, DC 20006
[email protected]

U.S. Census Bureau Contact:
Teresa Thomas, Communications Director
4600 Silver Hill Road, Stop ADDP-0080
Washington, DC 20233-8400
1-800-221-1204
[email protected]
Date:

March 31, 2015

Title of Study:

2015–16 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS:2016)

Anticipated Start Date:
Anticipated End Date:

February 2016
June 2016

Purpose of Study:
The School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS) is conducted by the National Center for
Education Statistics (NCES), part of the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), within the United
States Department of Education, in order to collect extensive data on issues of crime and safety
in U.S. public primary, middle, high, and combined schools. The survey asks school principals
about topics such as incidents of crime and violence; disciplinary actions; discipline problems;
use of security measures; school policies and practices related to school crime and violence;
violence prevention programs and activities; the presence and role of school security staff; parent
and community involvement; staff training, availability of mental health services; as well as
other school characteristics. NCES is authorized to conduct this survey by the Education
Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (ESRA; 20 U.S. Code §9543).
SSOCS is one of the nation’s few sources of national information on school crime and safety, as
reported by principals in U.S. public schools. SSOCS was first conducted during the 1999–2000
school year and was conducted again during the 2003–04, 2005–06, 2007–08, and 2009–10
school years. A questionnaire was developed for the 2011–12 school year, but due to funding
issues was never fielded. Many topics in the prior administrations are repeated in the 2015–16
questionnaire to enable comparisons between the six survey periods. As data are collected on a
recurring basis, we can assess whether our nation’s schools are becoming safer for students and

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Special District Generic Research Application

educators. By participating, information from schools in your district allow for comparisons
among different types of schools across the nation that are valuable to governing agencies, policy
makers, educators and the general public.
Hypotheses and Measurement:
The SSOCS questionnaire is divided into 10 broad research objectives, each with a series of
measurement items addressing a specific research question. Each research objective is briefly
stated below in terms of the crime and safety issues in need of measurement, as well as the
research questions we are seeking to answer. These measurement items and corresponding
research questions are presented below:
I.

II.

III.

IV.

V.

Frequency of Crime and Violence at School: frequency and nature of crime at
public schools
a. What is the number of incidents, by type of crime?
b. What are the characteristics of those incidents?
i. How many incidents were reported to police?
c. What is the number of hate-crime incidents?
i. What biases motivated these incidents?
d. How many arrests were made at school?
e. How many schools report violent deaths?
f. How many schools report school shootings?
g. How many schools report disruptions for violent threats?
Number of Incidents: frequency and nature of discipline problems and disorder at
public schools
a. What types of discipline problems and disorder occur at public schools?
b. How serious are the problems?
Disciplinary Problems and Actions: disciplinary actions used by public schools
a. What types of disciplinary actions were available to principals?
b. How many disciplinary actions were taken, by type of action and offense?
School Practices and Policies: practices to prevent/reduce crime and violence at
public schools
a. How do schools monitor student behavior?
b. How do schools control student behavior?
c. How do schools monitor and secure the physical grounds?
d. How do schools limit access to the school?
e. How do schools plan and practice procedures for emergencies?
School Security Staff: involvement of law enforcement at public schools
a. Do schools have sworn law enforcement officers present on a regular basis?
i. How often are they available and at what times?
ii. What activities do they participate in?

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Special District Generic Research Application

iii. How many are present at the school?
iv. How are sworn law enforcement officers armed?
b. Is there written documentation outlining the roles and responsibilities of law
enforcement in schools?
c. Do schools have security guards or personnel other than law enforcement?
VI. School Mental Health Services: availability and access to student mental health
services at public schools
a. Are mental health services, such as diagnostic assessment and treatment, available
to students?
i. Where are those services available?
ii. Are services provided by school or district employees?
b. What factors limit a school’s efforts to provide mental health services to students?
VII. School Programs: formal programs designed to prevent/reduce crime and violence
at public schools
a. Which programs target students, teachers, parents, and other community
members?
b. What are the characteristics of the programs?
c. Do schools have threat assessment teams?
i. How often do they formally meet?
d. What student groups promote acceptance of student diversity?
e. What training is provided to staff?
VIII. Parent and Community Involvement at School: efforts used by public schools to
prevent/reduce crime and violence involving various stakeholders (e.g., law
enforcement, parents, juvenile justice agencies, mental health agencies, social
services, and the business community)
a. In what activities are stakeholders involved?
b. How much are stakeholders involved?
IX. Limitations on Crime Prevention: the problems principals encounter in
preventing/reducing crime and violence in public schools
X. School Characteristics school characteristics which are related to the research
questions above
a. What are the demographic characteristics of schools?
b. What are the characteristics of the student population?
c. What is the average student/teacher ratio?
d. What are the general measures of school climate, such as truancy or student
mobility?

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Special District Generic Research Application

Content Design:
In the 2015-16 administration, SSOCS will retain many of the topics covered in previous SSOCS
administrations, maintaining the capability for trend analysis. At the same time, new items
developed for SSOCS will collect information specifically on mental health services available
for students.
Significance of the Study:
SSOCS is the only recurring federal survey that collects detailed information on the incidence,
frequency, seriousness, and nature of violence affecting students and school personnel, as well as
other indices of school safety from the schools’ perspective. As such, it fills an important gap in
data collected by NCES and other agencies. With the help of survey participants, NCES is able
to produce national estimates of school crime, discipline, disorder, programs, and policies. The
ability of NCES to provide this beneficial service is contingent upon the voluntary participation
of schools whose inclusion is dependent upon their districts’ approval. SSOCS provides
respondents with the opportunity to participate in a unique national survey and thereby to
contribute to data that are used by researchers interested in improving the education system in
the United States.
The [District Name] benefits from being a sampled district by representing itself and other
districts like it. Consequently, your district’s participation will improve the estimates, which will
result in higher quality data. By choosing to participate, the policies, experiences, and
characteristics of the [District Name] will be reflected in SSOCS:2016. The important
information provided by your district’s schools will better inform and shape future education
policies.
Questionnaire:
We have enclosed a copy of the 2015–16 SSOCS questionnaire.
Methodology and Sampling:
The U.S. Census Bureau is the collection agent for SSOCS data on behalf of NCES of the U.S.
Department of Education. SSOCS is a self-administered survey that is mailed to sampled
participants. Sampled principals, or the staff most knowledgeable about school crime and
policies for a safe environment, are requested to record their answers either on the printed
questionnaire and return the questionnaire as directed (by mail to the U.S. Census Bureau).
School districts and state educational agencies are not involved in the data collection in any way.
Depending on the school’s data collection system, some principals may seek input from other
school staff, such as school resource officers or guidance counselors. The survey does not require
the participation of either students or faculty.
SSOCS provides aggregate estimates for public schools across the nation. A stratified sample
design was used to select approximately 3,230 U.S. public schools for SSOCS:2016. The sample
is designed to provide national estimates of primary, middle, high, and combined schools taking
into account the level of instruction, type of location, and size of the student enrollment.

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Special District Generic Research Application

The sampling frame for SSOCS was derived from the Common Core of Data (CCD), the
universe of public schools supplied annually by state educational agencies to NCES. Only
public schools in the 50 states and the District of Columbia were included in the SSOCS
sampling frame. Certain types of schools are excluded, including special education schools,
vocational schools, alternative schools (e.g., adult continuing education schools and remedial
schools), newly closed schools, home schools, ungraded schools, schools with high grades of
kindergarten or lower, schools sponsored by the Bureau of Indian Education. Regular
schools, charter schools, and schools that have partial or total magnet programs are included
in the frame. For sample allocation purposes, strata were defined by instructional level, type
of locale, and enrollment size. Both percent minority enrollment and region were used as
sorting variables in the sample selection process to induce implicit stratification.
Data Collection:
The 2015–16 SSOCS data collection will begin in February of 2016. The U.S. Census Bureau,
acting as a contractor for NCES, will handle the data collection. Schools that have been selected
for participation will receive a letter notifying them of the survey in February. Principals of
selected schools will be mailed the SSOCS questionnaire on or around February 22, 2016 and
will be asked to return the questionnaire within two weeks. If the surveys are not returned or
items are left incomplete, the school may receive follow-up telephone calls and emails. All
follow-up data collection activities will end in June 2016. Again, school districts and state
education agencies are not involved in the data collection in any way, nor does the survey require
the participation of students or faculty. Completed questionnaires are mailed back to the NCES
contractor, directly.
SSOCS:2016 TIMETABLE
Questionnaires mailed to principals
Questionnaires due from principals
Phone and email follow-up with non-responders begins
All data collection efforts end

February 2016
March 2016
March 2016
June 2016

Response Burden:
SSOCS relies on the voluntary participation of schools. The quality of national estimates is
limited by the level of respondent participation. The data provided by individual schools are
combined with the information provided by others in statistical reports to present estimates of
school crime, discipline, disorder, programs, and policies for schools nationwide. Every
effort is made to create questionnaires that collect in-depth data without putting an undue
burden on the respondent. The response burden for the survey is estimated to be 52 minutes
per school. # schools from your district were chosen to participate in SSOCS.
SSOCS does not require the participation of either students or faculty. As is clearly stated on
recruitment materials and in the questionnaires, SSOCS:2016 is a voluntary survey. The
materials will also state that the data will only be reported in statistical summaries that preclude
the identification of any individual principal or school participating in the survey.

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Special District Generic Research Application

SSOCS has achieved a high response rate in previous administrations. Weighted response
rates for the 2007–08 and 2009–10 SSOCS administrations are presented in Table 2 below.
Table 1. Sample size and weighted response rate for 2007–08 and 2009–10 SSOCS
administrations
SSOCS administration
2007–08
2009–10

Sample size
3,484
3,476

Weighted response rate (%)
77.2
80.8

Confidentiality:
NCES, the American Institutes for Research (a contractor to NCES), and the Census Bureau
have developed a plan for protecting individual data from disclosure. Under this plan,
SSOCS:2016 will conform to all applicable federal legislation and guidelines—specifically,
Section 183 of the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (ESRA 2002) Public Law 107-279,
Section 183, the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a); the Privacy Act Regulations (34 CFR Part
5b); Sections 444 and 445 of the General Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. Sections 1232g
and 1232h); the Federal Information Security Management Act of 2002; and the NCES
Statistical Standards handbook.
From the initial contact with the participants in this survey through all of the follow-up efforts,
potential survey respondents will be informed that the information they provide will be
protected. The following language will be included recruitment materials, as appropriate, and on
the survey instrument:
Your answers may be used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in
identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law [Education Sciences Reform Act of
2002 (ESRA 2002) 20 U.S.C., § 9573]. Reports of the findings from the survey will not identify
participating districts, schools, or staff. Individual responses will be combined with those from other
participants to produce summary statistics and reports.
According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a
collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control
number for this voluntary information collection is 1850-0761. The time required to complete this
information collection is estimated to average 52 minutes per response, including the time to review
instructions, search existing data resources, gather the data needed, and complete and review the
information collection. If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate,
suggestions for improving this collection, or comments or concerns about the contents or the status of
your individual submission of this questionnaire, please write directly to: School Survey on Crime
and Safety (SSOCS), National Center for Education Statistics, 1990 K Street, N.W., #9034,
Washington, DC 20006.

A violation of the confidentiality restrictions is a felony, punishable by imprisonment of up to 5
years and/or a fine of up to $250,000.

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Special District Generic Research Application

All government or contracted staff working on the SSOCS project and having access to the data
are required to sign the NCES Affidavit of Nondisclosure and have received public-trust security
clearance.
Analysis and release of information:
The information collected in the 2015–16 SSOCS will be released in several ways. Many of the
estimates will be included in statistical analysis reports published by NCES. In addition, the
major findings will be included on the NCES website.
NCES allows researchers to access the data through restricted-use licensing for other analyses.
Only users who have official clearance from NCES may have access to the restricted-use data
files. The data will be made available to the public as soon as possible after data collection. A
dataset will be made available to the public on the Department of Education web site, and on a
CD-ROM. In compliance with NCES confidentiality procedures, the dataset will not contain any
information that can be used to identify an individual school or the state or district in which the
school is located.
Benefit to your school district:
The U.S. Department of Education recognizes that safe schools are essential for learning:
without a safe and secure environment, teachers cannot teach and students cannot learn.
Effective data collection and analysis provides educators with a powerful set of tools for
achieving the goal of school safety. Schools in your district also benefit from being sampled by
representing not only themselves but other schools with similar characteristics across the nation.
Information from participating schools allows comparability across the United States that is
valuable to governing agencies, policy makers, educators and the general public.
List of schools:
We would prefer not to share the names of schools sampled in your district, as principals may
feel that they can respond more truthfully if they are given assurances that the district does not
know they are in the sample. The methodology of this survey requires the principal to send the
questionnaire directly to the U.S. Census Bureau. If your district’s approval process requires a
list of sampled schools, please contact Teresa Thomas, the 2015–-16 SSOCS Communications
Director, at 1-800-221-1204 or at [email protected].
EXEMPTIONS
IRB or Human Subjects Review:
Title 34, Part 97, Subpart A, Section 97.101 of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (Federal
Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects) states that, “Research involving the collection or
study of existing data, documents, records, pathological specimens, or diagnostic specimens, if
these sources are publicly available or if the information is recorded by the investigator in such a
manner that subjects cannot be identified, directly or through identifiers linked to the subjects” is
exempt from federal policy pertaining to human subjects. SSOCS is exempt from IRB review

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Special District Generic Research Application

because it utilizes survey procedures and is conducted in established or commonly accepted
educational settings, involving normal educational practices. There is no potential for harm to
human subjects.
(For more information, please see http://www2.ed.gov/policy/fund/reg/humansub/part97-2.html.)
Informed Consent:
The nature of this self-administered, cross-sectional survey is not considered intrusive and has
been ruled to be exempt under the protection of human subjects’ provisions in federal research.
There is no individual student data (such as test scores or Social Security numbers) associated
with any of the data acquired in this data collection. Since no data is collected about individual
students, it is not necessary to obtain active, informed consent from students’ parents/guardians.
Participation in SSOCS is completely voluntary, and individual survey items can be left blank, at
the discretion of each respondent. Furthermore, only principals are asked to participate.
Therefore, a principal gives implied consent through the act of completing the SSOCS
questionnaire.

14

Resources
«« For helpful tips on emergency planning:
http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oese/
oshs/news.html
«« For more information on the prevention of
bullying: http://www.stopbullying.gov
Do individual school

«« More school safety resources:
http://www.cdc.gov/features/safeschools

Your answers may be used only for statistical
purposes and may not be disclosed or used in
identifiable form for any other purpose except as
required by law (20 U.S. Code, Section 9573). Your
answers will be combined with those from others
to produce summary statistics and reports. No
individual data such as names or addresses will be
reported. Any attempt on the part of a data user to
identify a school or a specific respondent is prohibited
by law and punishable with a fine of up to $250,000
and/or a prison term up to 5 years.

more
information
SSOCS?
Where can I find

about the

To see reports, publications, and other information
on the SSOCS, please visit the SSOCS website at
http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/SSOCS.

The School
Survey on

Crime
Safety

and

data remain
confidential?

«« For important school safety resources:
http://nij.gov/topics/crime/school-crime

(

s

s

o

c

National Center for Education Statistics
Institute of Education Sciences
1990 K Street NW
Washington, DC 20006-5651
nces.ed.gov
202-502-7300

www.ed.gov

ies.ed.gov

15

NCES 2015-045
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

s

)

Why is the

SSOCS
important?
To address school crime, parents, school staff,
and policymakers must understand the extent
and nature of the problem. SSOCS is designed to
provide measures of crime and safety in the nation’s
public schools. Some findings from the most recent
collection done in the 2009–10 school year:
«« During the 2009–10 school year, the rate
of violent incidents per 1,000 students was
higher in middle schools (40 incidents) than
in primary schools or high schools (21
incidents each).

What is

School Survey
on Crime and
Safety?
the

The School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS)
is a national survey of elementary and secondary
public school principals that collects information
on school safety, including the frequency of school
crime and violence, disciplinary actions, and school
practices related to the prevention and reduction of
crime. SSOCS is one of the nation’s primary sources
of school-level data on crime and safety. Sponsored
by the U.S. Department of Education, Institute of
Education Sciences, National Center for Education
Statistics (NCES), it has been administered five times
since 1999 to nationally representative samples of
schools and will be conducted again in the spring of
the 2015–16 school year. Your school has been selected
to participate in this new wave of data collection.

«« Some 25 percent of schools reported at least
one incident of the distribution, possession, or
use of illegal drugs, a higher percentage than
that of the distribution, possession, or use of
alcohol (14 percent of schools) or prescription
drugs (12 percent of schools).
«« A higher percentage of middle schools reported
that student bullying occurred at school daily
or at least once a week (39 percent) than did
high schools or primary schools (20 percent
each).

topics are
covered in the

What

questionnaire?
«« School policies and programs concerning crime
and safety;
«« Student and teacher involvement in efforts to
prevent or reduce school violence;
«« Frequency and types of disciplinary actions
such as expulsions, transfers, and suspensions
for selected offenses;
«« Frequency and types of crimes at school,
including rape, sexual battery, physical attack,
robbery, theft, and vandalism;
«« Student access to mental health services; and
«« Responsibilities of sworn law enforcement
officers and SROs.

my school
selected?

Why was

16

There are more than 80,000 public schools in the
United States and only a small proportion are
surveyed at one time. Your school was selected to
represent schools similar to yours from across the
nation. Your participation is important so that the
results represent the diversity of America’s public
schools.

T OF ED
EN
U
M

TION
CA

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION SCIENCES

IT

RI

UN

CA

DEPA
RT

Letter to Superintendents

ED

ST

ATES OF A

M

E

NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS

SSOCS-10(L)
(12-2015)

Dear Superintendent:
The U.S. Census Bureau is collecting data on behalf of the National
Center for Education Statistics (NCES), of the U.S. Department of
Education, for an important national study that collects information about
crime and safety in public schools from school principals. The School
Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS) was previously conducted in the
1999–2000, 2003–04, 2005–06, 2007–08, and 2009–10 school years.
SSOCS is endorsed by:
• American Association of School
Administrators
• American Federation of Teachers
• American School Counselors
Association
• Association of American Educators
• Center for the Prevention of
School Violence
• Council of Chief State School
Officers
• Criminal Justice Institute,
Safe Schools Initiative Division
• National Association of Elementary
School Principals
• National Association of School
Resource Officers
• National Association of School
Safety and Law Enforcement
Officers
• National Association of Secondary
School Principals
• National Association of State
Boards of Education
• National Education Association
• National Middle School Association
• National PTA
• National School Boards Association
• National School Safety Center
• Northwest Regional Educational
Laboratory
• Police Executive Research Forum
• School Safety Advocacy Council

At least one school in your district has been selected to
participate in SSOCS. For your information, we are enclosing the
materials that are being sent to the school(s), including the letter asking them
to participate, the questionnaire, and a brochure describing the survey. Please
do not provide this questionnaire to any school or complete it with district
information. This questionnaire is only for your reference; you do not need
to take any action regarding this survey.
We recognize that some schools may not want to share information related
to crime for fear of receiving negative attention. Please be assured that by
federal mandate we are required to protect the identity of all schools included
in our survey from public disclosure. NCES is authorized to conduct this
survey by the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (ESRA; 20 U.S.C.,
§ 9543). Information provided as part of this study may be used only for
statistical purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form
for any other purpose except as required by law (20 U.S.C., § 9573).
Reports of the findings from the survey will not identify participating districts,
schools, or staff. Individual responses will be combined with those from other
participants to produce summary statistics and reports.
Though participation in the survey is voluntary, the success of any survey
depends on the willingness of those selected to participate. The greater
the level of participation, the better our survey data can provide a current
picture of the full diversity of situations found across the nation’s schools.
We hope that you will encourage the selected schools in your
district to participate.
Thank you for your assistance. If you have any general questions about the
study, please contact the U.S. Census Bureau at 1–800–221–1204. Someone
will be available to take your call Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m.
and 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time). The U.S. Census Bureau is also available to
answer your questions via e-mail at [email protected].

Sincerely,
Data collected by:

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Economics and Statistics Administration
U.S. CENSUS BUREAU

Study conducted by:

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION
STATISTICS

Peggy G. Carr
Acting Commissioner
National Center for Education Statistics

Enclosures
WASHINGTON, DC 20006

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Letter to Chief State School Officers

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NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS

SSOCS-11(L)
(12-2015)

Dear [NAME]:
The U.S. Census Bureau is collecting data on behalf of the National
Center for Education Statistics (NCES), of the U.S. Department of
Education, for an important national study that collects information
about crime and safety in public schools from school principals. The
School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS) was previously
conducted in the 1999–2000, 2003–04, 2005–06, 2007–08, and 2009–
10 school years.
SSOCS is endorsed by:
• American Association of School
Administrators
• American Federation of Teachers
• American School Counselors
Association
• Association of American Educators
• Center for the Prevention of
School Violence
• Council of Chief State School
Officers
• Criminal Justice Institute,
Safe Schools Initiative Division
• National Association of Elementary
School Principals
• National Association of School
Resource Officers
• National Association of School
Safety and Law Enforcement
Officers
• National Association of Secondary
School Principals
• National Association of State
Boards of Education
• National Education Association
• National Middle School Association
• National PTA
• National School Boards Association
• National School Safety Center
• Northwest Regional Educational
Laboratory
• Police Executive Research Forum
• School Safety Advocacy Council

Data collected by:

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Economics and Statistics Administration
U.S. CENSUS BUREAU

At least one school in your state has been selected to
participate in SSOCS. For your information, we are enclosing the
materials that are being sent to the school(s), including the letter asking
them to participate, the questionnaire, and a brochure describing the survey.
This questionnaire is only for your reference; you do not need to take any
action regarding this survey.
We recognize that some schools may not want to share information related
to crime for fear of receiving negative attention. Please be assured that by
federal mandate we are required to protect the identity of all schools
included in our survey from public disclosure. NCES is authorized to
conduct this survey by the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002
(ESRA; 20 U.S.C., § 9543). Information provided as part of this study may
be used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in
identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law (20 U.S.C.,
§ 9573). Reports of the findings from the survey will not identify
participating districts, schools, or staff. Individual responses will be
combined with those from other participants to produce summary statistics
and reports.

Though participation in the survey is voluntary, the success of any survey
depends on the willingness of those selected to participate. The greater
the level of participation, the better our survey data can provide a current
picture of the full diversity of situations found across the nation’s schools.
We hope that you will encourage the schools in your state to
participate.
Thank you for your assistance. If you have any general questions about the
study, please contact the U.S. Census Bureau at 1–800–221–1204. Someone
will be available to take your call Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m.
and 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time). The U.S. Census Bureau is also available to
answer your questions via e-mail at [email protected].

Sincerely,

Study conducted by:

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION
STATISTICS

Peggy G. Carr
Acting Commissioner
National Center for Education Statistics

Enclosures
WASHINGTON, DC 20006

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Advance E-mail to Principal
Advance email – February 2016
Subject line: The School Survey on Crime and Safety will arrive soon!
Dear (name):
I am writing to invite you to participate in the 2016 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS)
by providing information about your school in a brief questionnaire. Data collection for this
survey is being carried out by the U.S. Census Bureau on behalf of the National Center for
Education Statistics of the U.S. Department of Education. SSOCS is a recurring survey that
focuses on the frequency of crime and violence in public schools and the programs and practices
schools have developed to provide a safe school environment. It provides a unique opportunity to
collect national data on crime and safety from the school’s perspective. SSOCS is the only
survey of its kind!
Please expect to receive the SSOCS questionnaire within the next week. If you have any
general questions about the study, please contact the U.S. Census Bureau at 1–888–595–1332.
Staff will be available to take your call Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.
(Eastern Time). The U.S. Census Bureau is also available to answer your questions via e-mail at
[email protected].
Thank you in advance for your participation in this important survey!
Sincerely,

Rachel Hansen
Project Director
National Center for Education Statistics
U.S. Department of Education
1990 K Street, NW, Room 9034
Washington, DC 20006
Email: [email protected]

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Advance Letter to Principals

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NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS

SSOCS-12(L)
(12-2015)

Dear [NAME]:

SSOCS is endorsed by:
• American Association of School
Administrators
• American Federation of Teachers
• American School Counselors
Association
• Association of American Educators
• Center for the Prevention of
School Violence
• Council of Chief State School
Officers
• Criminal Justice Institute,
Safe Schools Initiative Division
• National Association of Elementary
School Principals
• National Association of School
Resource Officers
• National Association of School
Safety and Law Enforcement
Officers
• National Association of Secondary
School Principals
• National Association of State
Boards of Education
• National Education Association
• National Middle School Association
• National PTA
• National School Boards Association
• National School Safety Center
• Northwest Regional Educational
Laboratory
• Police Executive Research Forum
• School Safety Advocacy Council

I am writing to invite you to participate in the 2016 School Survey on
Crime and Safety (SSOCS). Data collection for this survey is being
carried out by the U.S. Census Bureau on behalf of the National Center
for Education Statistics of the U.S. Department of Education. SSOCS is a
recurring survey that focuses on the frequency of crime and violence in
public schools and the programs and practices schools have developed to
provide a safe school environment. It provides a unique opportunity to
collect national data on crime and safety from the school’s perspective.
SSOCS is the only survey of its kind.

Your response is critical to the success of this study because your
school is one of only a small number invited to participate in SSOCS.
Your school represents hundreds of similar schools nationwide. Your
involvement will only require the completion of a questionnaire. The
person most knowledgeable about school crime and school policies to
provide a safe environment should complete this survey.
NCES is authorized to conduct this survey by the Education Sciences
Reform Act of 2002 (ESRA; 20 U.S.C., § 9543). Your answers may be used
only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in
identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law (20
U.S.C., § 9573). Reports of the findings from the survey will not identify
participating districts, schools, or staff. Individual responses will be
combined with those from other participants to produce summary statistics
and reports.
The U.S. Census Bureau will be sending the SSOCS
questionnaire to your school next week. If you have any general
questions about the study, please contact the U.S. Census Bureau at 1–888–
595–1332. Someone will be available to take your call Monday through Friday,
between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. (Eastern Time). The U.S. Census Bureau is
also available to answer your questions via e-mail at
[email protected].

Thank you for giving this matter your attention. We look forward to your
school’s participation in this important data collection effort.
Sincerely,

Data collected by:
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Economics and Statistics Administration
U.S. CENSUS BUREAU
Study conducted by:

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION
STATISTICS

Peggy G. Carr
Acting Commissioner
National Center for Education Statistics

Enclosures

WASHINGTON, DC 20006

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Advance Letter to Principals in Special Permission Districts
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NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS

SSOCS-12(L)S
(12-2015)

Dear [NAME]:

SSOCS is endorsed by:
• American Association of School
Administrators
• American Federation of Teachers
• American School Counselors
Association
• Association of American Educators
• Center for the Prevention of
School Violence
• Council of Chief State School
Officers
• Criminal Justice Institute,
Safe Schools Initiative Division
• National Association of Elementary
School Principals
• National Association of School
Resource Officers
• National Association of School
Safety and Law Enforcement
Officers
• National Association of Secondary
School Principals
• National Association of State
Boards of Education
• National Education Association
• National Middle School Association
• National PTA
• National School Boards Association
• National School Safety Center
• Northwest Regional Educational
Laboratory
• Police Executive Research Forum
• School Safety Advocacy Council

I am writing to invite you to participate in the 2016 School Survey on Crime and
Safety (SSOCS). Data collection for this survey is being carried out by the
U.S. Census Bureau on behalf of the National Center for Education Statistics
(NCES) of the U.S. Department of Education. SSOCS is a recurring survey that
focuses on the frequency of crime and violence in public schools and the
programs and practices schools have developed to provide a safe school
environment. It provides a unique opportunity to collect national data on crime
and safety from the school’s perspective. SSOCS is the only survey of its
kind.
Your response is critical to the success of this study because your
school is one of only a small number invited to participate in SSOCS. Your
school represents hundreds of similar schools nationwide. Your involvement will
only require the completion of a questionnaire. The person most
knowledgeable about school crime and school policies to provide a safe
environment should complete this survey.

NCES is authorized to conduct this survey by the Education Sciences Reform
Act of 2002 (ESRA; 20 U.S.C., § 9543).Your answers may be used only for
statistical purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for
any other purpose except as required by law (20 U.S.C., § 9573). Reports of the
findings from the survey will not identify participating districts, schools, or staff.
Individual responses will be combined with those from other participants to
produce summary statistics and reports.
We know that your school district requires researchers to obtain approval to
conduct research in your district. The NCES is in the process of
obtaining permission to conduct SSOCS in your district. If you
have any questions about this process, please contact your district or the U.S.
Census Bureau at 1-800-221-1204. Someone will be available to take your call
Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time). You
may also e-mail questions to [email protected].
The U.S. Census Bureau will be sending the SSOCS questionnaire
to your school next week. If you have any general questions about the
survey, please contact the U.S. Census Bureau at the phone number or e-mail
address provided above.

Thank you for giving this matter your attention. We look forward to your school’s
participation in this important data collection effort.
Data collected by:
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Economics and Statistics Administration
U.S. CENSUS BUREAU

Sincerely,

Study conducted by:

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION
STATISTICS

Peggy G. Carr
Acting Commissioner
National Center for Education Statistics

Enclosures
WASHINGTON, DC 20006

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Postcard for Schools in Special Permission Districts
Data collected by:
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Economics and Statistics Administration
U.S. CENSUS BUREAU
Study conducted by:
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS

YOUR DISTRICT HAS
APPROVED SSOCS

Dear School Principal:
We know that your school district requires researchers
to obtain approval to conduct surveys in your district.
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) of
the U.S. Department of Education completed the
application process and has received permission to
conduct the School Survey on Crime and Safety
(SSOCS) in your district. If you have any questions
about this application process, please contact your
district or the U.S. Census Bureau at 1–800–221–1204
or [email protected].

I would like to thank you in advance for your help in
completing this survey.
Sincerely,

Rachel Hansen
Project Director
National Center for Education Statistics

SSOCS-13(I) (12-2015)

SSOCS-13(I) (12-2015)

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Cover Letter to Principals

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NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS

SSOCS-13(L)
(12-2015)

Dear [NAME]:
Last week, I wrote to request your participation in the School Survey on Crime
and Safety (SSOCS), an important national study that collects information about
crime and safety in public schools. Data collection for this survey is being
carried out by the U.S. Census Bureau on behalf of the National Center for
Education Statistics (NCES) of the U.S. Department of Education.
SSOCS is endorsed by:
• American Association of School
Administrators
• American Federation of Teachers
• American School Counselors
Association
• Association of American Educators
• Center for the Prevention of
School Violence
• Council of Chief State School
Officers
• Criminal Justice Institute,
Safe Schools Initiative Division
• National Association of Elementary
School Principals
• National Association of School
Resource Officers
• National Association of School
Safety and Law Enforcement
Officers
• National Association of Secondary
School Principals
• National Association of State
Boards of Education
• National Education Association
• National Middle School Association
• National PTA
• National School Boards Association
• National School Safety Center
• Northwest Regional Educational
Laboratory
• Police Executive Research Forum
• School Safety Advocacy Council

As we mentioned in our previous letter, SSOCS provides a unique opportunity
to collect national data on crime and safety from the school’s perspective. We
are confident that, with your participation, we can provide data to state and
federal agencies about various types of crime and discipline that exist in
schools today. Although SSOCS may ask some questions that appear similar
to those on other surveys, this survey is not connected to any other state or
federal data collection system. SSOCS is unique in that it provides
national estimates of school crime and safety using common
definitions across all states.

NCES is authorized to conduct this survey by the Education Sciences
Reform Act of 2002 (ESRA; 20 U.S.C., § 9543). We realize that data on
school crime are highly sensitive, so we want to remind you that information
provided as part of this study may be used only for statistical purposes and
may not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose
except as required by law (20 U.S.C., § 9573). Reports of the findings from
the survey will not identify participating districts, schools, or staff. Individual
responses will be combined with those from other participants to produce
summary statistics and reports.
While your participation in this survey is voluntary and your decision will
not affect any benefits or funding you receive from the U.S. Department of
Education, we do hope that you will participate in this important national survey.
We would appreciate the return of the questionnaire within
two weeks. A postage-paid return envelope has been enclosed for your
convenience. If you have any general questions about the study, please
contact the U.S. Census Bureau at 1–888–595–1332. Someone will be
available to take your call Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and
8:00 p.m. (Eastern Time). The U.S. Census Bureau is also available to answer
your questions via e-mail at [email protected].

Sincerely,

Data collected by:

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Economics and Statistics Administration
U.S. CENSUS BUREAU

Study conducted by:

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION
STATISTICS

Peggy G. Carr
Acting Commissioner
National Center for Education Statistics

Enclosures

WASHINGTON, DC 20006

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Letter to Principals - Remail Request

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NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS

SSOCS-14(L)
(12-2015)

Dear [NAME]:
Recently, someone from the U.S. Census Bureau spoke with you regarding the
School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS), an important national study that
collects information about crime and safety in public schools. Data collection for
this survey is being carried out by the U.S. Census Bureau on behalf of the
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) of the U.S. Department of
Education. Enclosed is the replacement questionnaire that you
requested.
SSOCS is endorsed by:
• American Association of School
Administrators
• American Federation of Teachers
• American School Counselors
Association
• Association of American Educators
• Center for the Prevention of
School Violence
• Council of Chief State School
Officers
• Criminal Justice Institute,
Safe Schools Initiative Division
• National Association of Elementary
School Principals
• National Association of School
Resource Officers
• National Association of School
Safety and Law Enforcement
Officers
• National Association of Secondary
School Principals
• National Association of State
Boards of Education
• National Education Association
• National Middle School Association
• National PTA
• National School Boards Association
• National School Safety Center
• Northwest Regional Educational
Laboratory
• Police Executive Research Forum
• School Safety Advocacy Council

Data collected by:

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Economics and Statistics Administration
U.S. CENSUS BUREAU

We realize that data on school crime are highly sensitive, so we want to remind
you that information provided as part of this study may be used only for
statistical purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for
any other purpose except as required by law (20 U.S.C., § 9573). Reports of
the findings from the survey will not identify participating districts, schools, or
staff. Individual responses will be combined with those from other participants
to produce summary statistics and reports.

While your decision to participate is voluntary and will not affect any benefits or
funding you receive from the U.S. Department of Education, we do hope that
you will participate in this important national survey. The data you provide are
combined with the information provided by others in statistical reports to present
estimates of school crime, discipline, disorder, programs, and policies for
schools nationwide.

We would appreciate the return of the questionnaire within two weeks. A
postage-paid return envelope has been enclosed for your convenience. If you
have any general questions about the survey, please contact the U.S. Census
Bureau at 1–888–595–1332. Someone will be available to take your call Monday
through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. (Eastern Time). The U.S.
Census Bureau is also available to answer your questions via e-mail at
[email protected].

Sincerely,

Peggy G. Carr
Acting Commissioner
National Center for Education Statistics

Enclosures

Study conducted by:

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION
STATISTICS

WASHINGTON, DC 20006

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Reminder Letter to Nonresponding Principals

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NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS

SSOCS-15(L)
(12-2015)

Submission Deadline Extended
Dear [NAME]:

SSOCS is endorsed by:
• American Association of School
Administrators
• American Federation of Teachers
• American School Counselors
Association
• Association of American Educators
• Center for the Prevention of
School Violence
• Council of Chief State School
Officers
• Criminal Justice Institute,
Safe Schools Initiative Division
• National Association of Elementary
School Principals
• National Association of School
Resource Officers
• National Association of School
Safety and Law Enforcement
Officers
• National Association of Secondary
School Principals
• National Association of State
Boards of Education
• National Education Association
• National Middle School Association
• National PTA
• National School Boards Association
• National School Safety Center
• Northwest Regional Educational
Laboratory
• Police Executive Research Forum
• School Safety Advocacy Council

As of today, we have not received your completed School Survey on Crime and
Safety (SSOCS) questionnaire. If you have recently returned the questionnaire,
thank you for your participation. If you have not yet completed the questionnaire,
I encourage you to do so. We have extended the deadline to []
SSOCS is an important national study that collects information about crime and
safety in public schools. Data collection for this survey is being carried out by
the U.S. Census Bureau on behalf of the National Center for Education
Statistics (NCES) of the U.S. Department of Education.
We appreciate that you are very busy and that you receive many survey
requests. However, we urge you to take the time to respond. Principals who
participated in past iterations of SSOCS reported that they benefited from
filling out our survey because it encouraged them to set aside time to focus on
crime and safety issues at their schools.

Information provided as part of this study may be used only for statistical
purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any
other purpose except as required by law (20 U.S.C., § 9573). Reports of the
findings from the survey will not identify participating districts, schools, or
staff. Individual responses will be combined with those from other participants
to produce summary statistics and reports.
While your decision to participate is voluntary and will not affect any benefits or
funding you receive from the U.S. Department of Education, we do hope that
you will participate in this important national survey. The data you provide are
combined with the information provided by others in statistical reports to present
estimates of school crime, discipline, disorder, programs, and policies for
schools nationwide.
A postage-paid return envelope is enclosed for your convenience. If you have
any questions about the study, please do not hesitate to contact the
U.S. Census Bureau at 1–888–595–1332. Someone will be available to take
your call Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. (Eastern
Time). The U.S. Census Bureau is also available to answer your questions via
e-mail at [email protected].

Sincerely,

Data collected by:

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Economics and Statistics Administration
U.S. CENSUS BUREAU

Study conducted by:

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION
STATISTICS

Peggy G Carr
Acting Commissioner
National Center for Education Statistics

Enclosures

WASHINGTON, DC 20006

25

Reminder E-mails to Respondents
Follow-up email – March 2016
Subject line: Friendly Reminder – School Survey on Crime and Safety
Dear (name):
Recently, we sent you the 2016 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS) questionnaire. If
you have already completed SSOCS, thank you!
If not, please complete and return your questionnaire as soon as possible. We will contact
you shortly to determine the status of your questionnaire. If you have not received the
questionnaire, please contact the U.S. Census Bureau to request a replacement copy by sending
an e-mail to [email protected] or by calling 1–888–595–1332 between the
hours of 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. (Eastern Time).
Your participation is critical to the success of our survey because your school was selected to
represent hundreds of similar schools and cannot be replaced. Schools will not be identified by
name in any reports. Please contact me if there is anything I can do to help you complete the
questionnaire. We appreciate your participation in this valuable survey!
Sincerely,

Rachel Hansen
Project Director
National Center for Education Statistics
U.S. Department of Education
1990 K Street, NW, Room 9034
Washington, DC 20006
Email: [email protected]

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Reminder E-mails to Respondents
First email reminder – March 2016, approximately two weeks after follow-up email
Subject line: School Survey on Crime and Safety
Dear (name):
Did you know that during the 2009-10 school year, the rate of violent incidents (rape, sexual
battery other than rape, physical attack or fight with or without a weapon, threat of physical attack
with or without a weapon, and robbery with or without a weapon) per 1,000 students was higher
in middle schools than in primary schools or high schools?
We need your help to gather statistics on the frequency of both violent and nonviolent incidents
that occur in schools today, along with the policies and practices educators have instituted to
provide a safer environment for students.
The School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS) collects these valuable data. If you have
already completed and returned your questionnaire, thank you very much for your participation.
If not, I encourage you to take the time to do so. Your participation is critical to the success of
our survey because your school was selected to represent hundreds of similar schools. Please
note that schools will not be identified by name in any reports.
Please contact me if there is anything I can do to help you complete the questionnaire.
Sincerely,

Rachel Hansen
Project Director
National Center for Education Statistics
U.S. Department of Education
1990 K Street, NW, Room 9034
Washington, DC 20006
Email: [email protected]

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Reminder E-mails to Respondents
Second email reminder – April 2016, approximately two weeks after first reminder email
Subject line: School Survey on Crime and Safety – We Need Your Help!
Dear (name):
We know that you are very busy, but we need your help!
The School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS) collects valuable information on the frequency
of crime and violence in public schools and the programs and practices schools have developed to
provide a safe school environment.
The greater the level of participation, the better our survey data can provide a current picture of
our nation’s schools. The data you provide are combined with the information provided by others
in statistical reports to present estimates of school crime, discipline, disorder, programs, and
policies for schools nationwide. Schools will not be identified by name in any reports.
If you have already completed and returned your questionnaire, thank you! If not, please
complete and return your questionnaire as soon as possible.
If you have any general questions about the study, please contact the U.S. Census Bureau at
1–888–595–1332. Staff will be available to take your call Monday through Friday, between 8:00
a.m. and 8:00 p.m. (Eastern Time). The U.S. Census Bureau is also available to answer your
questions via e-mail at [email protected].
Sincerely,

Rachel Hansen
Project Director
National Center for Education Statistics
U.S. Department of Education
1990 K Street, NW, Room 9034
Washington, DC 20006
Email: [email protected]

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Reminder E-mails to Respondents
Third email reminder – April 2016, approximately two weeks after second reminder email
Subject line: Selected findings from the 2009-10 SSOCS!
Dear (name):
The School Survey on Crime and Safety produces valuable data on crime and safety in public
schools. Findings from the 2009-10 survey included:


A greater percentage of schools reported at least one student threat of physical attack
without a weapon than with a weapon.



A higher percentage of middle schools reported that student bullying occurred at school
daily or at least once a week than did high schools or primary schools.



A higher percentage of suburban schools drilled students on a written plan describing
procedures to be performed during a shooting than did city schools or rural schools.

Your completed questionnaire will help us to produce statistics for the 2015-16 school year. If
you have already completed the survey, thank you for your assistance and please disregard this email. If you haven’t had the opportunity to complete and return the survey yet, we encourage you
to do so. You can also complete the survey over the phone by calling the U.S. Census Bureau at
1–888–595–1332 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. (Eastern Time). Please note that
schools will not be identified by name in any reports.
Sincerely,

Rachel Hansen
Project Director
National Center for Education Statistics
U.S. Department of Education
1990 K Street, NW, Room 9034
Washington, DC 20006
Email: [email protected]

29

Reminder E-mails to Respondents
Fourth email reminder – May 2016, approximately two weeks after third reminder email
Subject Line: Time is running out to participate in SSOCS!
Dear (name):
Time is running out for your school to participate in the School Survey on Crime and Safety
(SSOCS)!
If you have already completed and returned your questionnaire, thank you! If not, please
complete and return it as soon as possible. You may also complete the survey over the phone by
calling the U.S. Census Bureau at 1–888–595–1332. An interviewer will be available to assist
you between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. (Eastern Time). Please note that schools will
not be identified by name in any reports.
Sincerely,

Rachel Hansen
Project Director
National Center for Education Statistics
U.S. Department of Education
1990 K Street, NW, Room 9034
Washington, DC 20006
Email: [email protected]

30

Reminder E-mails to Respondents
Last Email reminder – June 2016, approximately two weeks after fourth reminder email
Subject line: Last chance to participate in SSOCS!
Dear (name):
We need your help! Data collection for the School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS) is
coming to a close. Don’t miss your opportunity to contribute to data that are used for making and
changing policies. If you have not already done so, please complete and return your SSOCS
questionnaire. Schools will not be identified by name in any reports. We appreciate your help in
this important data collection effort!
If you have any general questions about the study, please contact the U.S. Census Bureau at 1–
888–595–1332. Staff will be available to take your call Monday through Friday, between 8:00
a.m. and 8:00 p.m. (Eastern Time). The U.S. Census Bureau is also available to answer your
questions via e-mail at [email protected].
Sincerely,

Rachel Hansen
Project Director
National Center for Education Statistics
U.S. Department of Education
1990 K Street, NW, Room 9034
Washington, DC 20006
Email: [email protected]

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Voice-mail Left by Interviewers

Voice-mail Left by Interviewers

This is the United States Census Bureau’s Jeffersonville Contact Center. Please return our call at:
(toll-free number). Refer to case number: (case ID). Thank You.

32

Special District Approval Thank You Letter
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION SCIENCES
SSOCS-16(L)
(12-2015)

NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS

Dear [NAME]:
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) of the U.S. Department of
Education and the U.S. Census Bureau would like to thank you for making the
2015–16 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS) a success.

SSOCS is endorsed by:
• American Association of School
Administrators
• American Federation of Teachers
• American School Counselors
Association
• Association of American Educators
• Center for the Prevention of
School Violence
• Council of Chief State School
Officers
• Criminal Justice Institute,
Safe Schools Initiative Division
• National Association of Elementary
School Principals
• National Association of School
Resource Officers
• National Association of School
Safety and Law Enforcement
Officers
• National Association of Secondary
School Principals
• National Association of State
Boards of Education
• National Education Association
• National Middle School Association
• National PTA
• National School Boards Association
• National School Safety Center
• Northwest Regional Educational
Laboratory
• Police Executive Research Forum
• School Safety Advocacy Council

SSOCS is the only nationally representative survey that collects data on crime and
safety from a principal’s perspective, so we appreciate your approval of our
application to conduct research within your district. This school year, we were able
to gather data from over [TOTAL] schools. Your approval was crucial in helping us
achieve this success.
Please visit http://nces.ed.gov/newsflash and sign up to receive up-to-date alerts
about a number of education topics, including crime and safety in schools.
Tables based on data from the 2009-10 SSOCS and earlier SSOCS
administrations are available on the NCES website. In addition to these data
products, tables and reports based on the 2015-16 SSOCS will be posted to our
website at http://www.nces.ed.gov/surveys/ssocs upon release.
Again, thank you for your approval.
Sincerely,

Rachel Hansen
Project Director
National Center for Education Statistics

Data collected by:
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Economics and Statistics Administration
U.S. CENSUS BUREAU

Study conducted by:
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION
STATISTICS

WASHINGTON, DC 20006

33

Thank You Letter to Schools

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION SCIENCES
SSOCS-18(L)
(12-2015)

NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS

Dear [NAME]:
The National Center for Education Statistics of the U.S. Department of Education
and the U.S. Census Bureau would like to thank you for making the 2015–16
School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS) a success.

SSOCS is endorsed by:
• American Association of School
Administrators
• American Federation of Teachers
• American School Counselors
Association
• Association of American Educators
• Center for the Prevention of
School Violence
• Council of Chief State School
Officers
• Criminal Justice Institute,
Safe Schools Initiative Division
• National Association of Elementary
School Principals
• National Association of School
Resource Officers
• National Association of School
Safety and Law Enforcement
Officers
• National Association of Secondary
School Principals
• National Association of State
Boards of Education
• National Education Association
• National Middle School Association
• National PTA
• National School Boards Association
• National School Safety Center
• Northwest Regional Educational
Laboratory
• Police Executive Research Forum
• School Safety Advocacy Council

SSOCS is the only nationally representative survey that collects data on crime and
safety from a principal’s perspective, so we appreciate you taking time out of your
busy schedule to represent your school in this important effort. This school year,
we were able to gather data from over [TOTAL] schools. Your participation was
crucial in helping us achieve this success.
Please visit http://nces.ed.gov/newsflash and sign up to receive up-to-date
alerts about a number of education topics, including crime and safety in schools.
Tables based on data from the 2009-10 SSOCS and earlier SSOCS
administrations are available on the NCES website. In addition to these data
products, tables and reports based on the 2015-16 SSOCS will be posted to our
website at http://www.nces.ed.gov/surveys/ssocs upon release.
Again, thank you for your time and participation.
Sincerely,

Rachel Hansen
Project Director
National Center for Education Statistics

Data collected by:
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Economics and Statistics Administration
U.S. CENSUS BUREAU

Study conducted by:
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION
STATISTICS

WASHINGTON, DC 20006

34