The ED School Climate Surveys (EDSCLS) are a suite of survey instruments being developed for schools, districts, and states by the U.S. Department of Educationâs (ED) National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). This national effort extends current activities that measure school climate, including the state-level efforts of the Safe and Supportive Schools (S3) grantees, which were awarded funds in 2010 by the EDâs Office of Safe and Healthy Students (OSHS) to improve school climate. Through the EDSCLS, schools nationwide will have access to survey instruments and a survey platform that will allow for the collection and reporting of school climate data across stakeholders at the local level. The surveys can be used to produce school-, district-, and state-level scores on various indicators of school climate from the perspectives of students, teachers, noninstructional school staff and principals, and parents and guardians. The 2017 national EDSCLS benchmark study data collection from a nationally representative sample of schools across the United States to create a national comparison point for users of EDSCLS was last approved in April 2016 (OMB# 1850-0923 v.3). Data will be collected from a nationally representative sample of 500 schools serving students in grades 5-12 has to produce national school climate scores on the various topics covered by EDSCLS, which will be released in the updated EDSCLS platform and provide a basis for comparison between data collected by schools and school systems and the national school climate. This submission requests adjustments to the study plan to allow schools participating in the EDSCLS benchmark data collection the option to survey a sample rather than all students and staff so that participating schools have greater control over the amount of burden posed on EDSCLS respondents, and to conduct a nonresponse follow-up study with a subsample of schools selected for the originally planned EDSCLS 2016.
US Code:
20 USC 9543
Name of Law: Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002
Since the last approval in May 2016 (OMB# 1850-0923 v.4), NCES decided to expand follow up recruitment efforts to all 1,000 schools instead of the primary batch of 714 or so schools to offset low school response rates experienced to-date. The number of corresponding special handling districts has also been updated. This results in a slight increase.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
EDSCLS Benchmark 2017 Recruitment Change Memo.docx
EDSCLS Benchmark 2017 Recruitment Change Sheet.pdf
EDSCLS Benchmarking Study 2016 Items Update 83C Memo.doc
ED School Climate Surveys (EDSCLS) Benchmark Study 2017 Update