2019-20 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:20) Online Pretesting Round 2

National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)

Attachment I

Student Opinion Survey Using Crowdsourcing Platform Recruitment and Survey Items

2019-20 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:20) Online Pretesting Round 2

OMB# 1850-0803 v. 247

February 2019

This attachment provides the platform advertisement, a list of the items to be included in the 2019-20 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:20) student opinion survey, and survey item specifications.

Table 1 provides a summary of the content in the student opinion survey. Each item is listed by section name, form name, and form label.

Platform advertisement

Survey description: This survey collects information about emergency financial aid and food and living situations.

Time allotted: 10 minutes

Expires: 5/30/2019

Qualifications required: Resides in U.S. and enrolled in postsecondary education

Figure 1. Example advertisement from a previous study

Table 1. List of all student opinion survey forms

Section name	Form name	Label
Introduction	INFO	Study information
Eligibility	N20AINTROMTurk	Survey introduction form
Eligibility	ELIGHS	Attending high school in 2018-19 academic year
Eligibility	ELIGCOL	Attending college, university, or trade school in 2018-19 academic year
Eligibility	ELIGAGE	Age ranges
Eligibility	TERMIN	Survey termination for ineligible respondents
NPSAS Survey Items	N20SVYINTRO	Introduction to NPSAS:20 survey items
NPSAS Survey Items	N20ASX	Sex assigned at birth
NPSAS Survey Items	N20AMARR	Marital status
NPSAS Survey Items	N20EINCOM	Income for prior calendar year from all sources
NPSAS Survey Items	N20DANYJOB	Worked for pay at any time in the 2018-19 academic year
NPSAS Survey Items	N20ANPSAS	Name of NPSAS institution
NPSAS Survey Items	N20ACURENR	Current attendance at NPSAS institution
NPSAS Survey Items	N20ADEGREE	Degree program at NPSAS institution
NPSAS Survey Items	N20ADIPL	Type of high school completion
NPSAS Survey Items	N20APRDG	Earned prior degree or certificate
NPSAS Survey Items	N20ANFST	NPSAS institution was first postsecondary institution attended after high school
NPSAS Survey Items	N20CAIDGATE	Financial aid gate for the 2018-19 academic year
NPSAS Survey Items	N20CFEDLN	Took out any federal student loans in the 2018-19 academic year
NPSAS Survey Items	N20CPRVLN	Took out any private student loans in the 2018-19 academic year
Emergency Financial Aid	N20CEAIDAWARE	Aware of emergency financial aid options available at NPSAS
Emergency Financial Aid	N20CEAIDAWARDB2	Emergency financial aid – debriefing
Emergency Financial Aid	N20CEAIDAPPLY	Applied for emergency financial aid at NPSAS
Emergency Financial Aid	N20CEAIDRCV	Received emergency financial aid at NPSAS
Emergency Financial Aid	N20CEAIDAMT	Amount of emergency aid received
Food Security	N20FMEALPLN1	Meal plan in 2018-19 academic year
Food Security	N20FMEALPLN2	Meal plan covers 11 or more meals a week
Food Security	N20F2USDAHH	Food bought didn't last and couldn't afford to eat balanced meals: last 30 days
Food Security	N20F2USDAAD1	Ever cut the size of meals or skip meals: last 30 days
Food Security	N20F2USDAAD1A	Frequency of cutting the size or skipping meals: last 30 days
Food Security	N20F2USDAAD2	Ever eat less than you felt you should: last 30 days
Food Security	N20F2USDAAD3	Ever hungry but didn't eat: last 30 days
Food Security	N20FUSDAHH	Food bought didn't last and couldn't afford to eat balanced meals: 2018-19 academic year
Food Security	N20FUSDAAD1	Ever cut the size of meals or skip meals: 2018-19 academic year
Food Security	N20FUSDAAD1A	Frequency of cutting the size or skipping meals: 2018-19 academic year
Food Security	N20FUSDAAD2	Ever eat less than you felt you should: 2018-19 academic year
Food Security	N20FUSDAAD3	Ever hungry but didn't eat: 2018-19 academic year
Food Security	N20FFOODDB	Food security - debriefing
Housing Security	N20FHMLESS2	Homeless in the last 30 days
Housing Security	N20FEVRHOML2	Places slept in the last 30 days
Housing Security	N20FHMLESS	Homeless in the 2018-19 academic year
Housing Security	N20FEVRHOML	Places slept in the 2018-19 academic year
Housing Security	N20FHMLESSDB	Homeless - debriefing
Housing Security	N20FHOMELDB	Housing security - debriefing
End	N20ENDB	Additional comments about survey experience
End	END	End form

Contents

INFO…….. 6

N20AINTROMTurk 6

ELIGHS………. 6

ELIGCOL……… 6

ELIGAGE…….. 6

TERMIN…….. 6

N20SVYINTRO 7

N20ASX……… 7

N20AMARR 7

N20EINCOM 7

N20DANYJOB 7

N20ANPSAS 7

N20ACURENR 8

N20ADEGREE 8

N20ADIPL… 8

N20APRDG 8

N20ANFST 8

N20ASCHSTR 9

N20CAIDGATE 9

N20CFEDLN 9

N20CPRVLN 9

N20CEAIDAWARE 10

N20CEAIDAWARDB2 10

N20CEAIDAPPLY 10

N20CEAIDRCV 10

N20CEAIDAMT 10

N20FMEALPLN1 10

N20FMEALPLN2 10

N20F2USDAHH 10

N20F2USDAAD1 11

N20F2USDAAD1A 11

N20F2USDAAD2 11

N20F2USDAAD3 11

N20FUSDAHH 11

N20FUSDAAD1 11

N20FUSDAAD1A 11

N20FUSDAAD2 12

N20FUSDAAD3 12

N20FFOODDB 12

N20FHMLESS2 12

N20FEVRHOML2 12

N20FHMLESS 13

N20FEVRHOML 13

N20FHMLESSDB 13

N20FHOMELDB 14

N20ENDB……… 14

END………. 14

Student Opinion Survey Item Specifications

INFO

This survey is conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) within the U.S. Department of Education. The survey will take approximately 10 minutes to complete. Your participation is voluntary, and you have the right to stop at any time.

This survey is being administered by RTI International under OMB No. 1850-0803 and resides on a server outside of the NCES domain. NCES cannot guarantee the protection of survey responses and advises against the inclusion of sensitive personal information in any response. By proceeding, you give your consent to participate in this survey.

Only eligible respondents who complete this survey will be compensated. Please take your time as you answer these questions. The information you provide will contribute to valuable research at NCES.

N20AINTROMTurk

Thank you for your interest in this survey. Eligible respondents will help us improve future NCES survey topics.

To begin, we have a few questions that will help us determine your eligibility for this study.

ELIGHS

Were you attending high school or completing any high school requirements at any time between July 1, 2018 and today?

1 = Yes (Ineligible)

0 = No

ELIGCOL

Have you attended a college, university, or trade school at any time between July 1, 2018 and today?

1 = Yes

0 = No (Ineligible)

ELIGAGE

What is your age?

1 = Under 18 (Ineligible)

2 = 18-24

3 = 25-29

4 = 30-34

5 = 35-39

6 = 40-49

7 = 50-59

8 = 60 or older

TERMIN

Thank you for your expressed interest. Based on the requirements of this study, we are not able to include you in the study at this time.

N20SVYINTRO

Now, to better understand the backgrounds of those completing this survey, we have a few questions about you and your education experiences.

N20ASX

What sex were you assigned at birth (what the doctor put on your birth certificate)?

1 = Male

2 = Female

N20AMARR

What is your current marital status?

1 = Single, never married

2 = Married

3 = Separated

4 = Divorced

5 = Widowed

6 = Living with a partner in a marriage-like relationship

N20EINCOM

What was your income for calendar year 2018, prior to taxes and deductions?

(Calendar year 2018 includes January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018. Include all income you paid taxes on, including work, investment income, or alimony. Do not include income from a spouse. Do not include any grants or loans you may have used to pay for school, or any money given to you by your family.)

No income

Less than $5,000

$5,000 - $9,999

$10,000 - $14,999

$15,000 - $19,999

$20,000 - $29,999

$30,000 - $39,999

$40,000 - $49,999

$50,000 - $74,999

$75,000 or more

N20DANYJOB

Have you worked for pay at any time between July 1, 2018 and today?

1 = Yes

0 = No

N20ANPSAS

What is the name of the college, university, or trade school that you have attended at any time between July 1, 2018 and today?

(If you have attended more than one college, university, or trade school, please provide the name of the school you consider to be your primary school.)

N20ACURENR

Are you currently attending [NPSAS institution]?

1 = Yes

0 = No

N20ADEGREE

What degree or certificate were you working on during your most recent term of enrollment at [NPSAS institution] in the 2018-2019 academic year (July 1, 2018 - June 30, 2019)?

Associate’s degree (usually a 2-year degree)

Bachelor’s degree (usually a 4-year degree)

Master’s degree

Doctoral degree--research/scholarship (for example, PhD, EdD, etc.)

Doctoral degree--professional practice (including: chiropractic, dentistry, law, medicine, optometry, pharmacy, podiatry, or veterinary medicine)

Doctoral degree—other

Undergraduate certificate or diploma (usually less than 2 years), including those leading to a certification or license (example: cosmetology)

Post-baccalaureate certificate

Post-master's certificate

Undergraduate level classes

Graduate level classes

N20ADIPL

Which of the following best describes your high school completion?

1 = Received a high school diploma in the United States

2 = Received a GED (General Educational Development) certificate or other equivalent credential (such as HiSET or TASC)

3 = Received a high school completion certificate

4 = Attended a foreign high school

6 = Home schooled

5 = Did not complete high school or a high school equivalent

N20APRDG

Have you earned any degrees or certificates since you completed your high school requirements?

(Only include degrees or certificates earned through a college, university, or trade school.)

1 = Yes

0 = No

-1 = Don’t know

N20ANFST

Was [NPSAS institution] the first college, university, or trade school you attended after completing your high school requirements?

1 = Yes

0 = No

N20ASCHSTR

In which month and year did you first attend [NPSAS institution] after completing your high school requirements?

Month:

January – December

Year:

Before 1983 - 2019

N20CAIDGATE

Next, we have some questions about how you paid for your education.

Please indicate whether or not you received or used any of the following to pay for your education in the 2018-2019 academic year. Check all that apply.

Loans (from any source)

Grants or scholarships from the government or [N20ANPSAS]

Earnings from employment (other than sources listed here)

Work-study (i.e., federal, state, or institution work-study)

Financial assistance from your [{if N20AMARR = 2} spouse,] parents or guardians, friends, or family

Assistantship(s)

Financial assistance from your employer or from your parents’ or guardians’ employers

Scholarship(s) from a private organization

Veterans education benefits

Fellowship(s)

Internship, clinical residency

Traineeship

Foreign (non-U.S.) support

Other source

1 = Yes

0 = No

N20CFEDLN

Thinking only about the 2018-2019 academic year, did you take out any federal student loans?

(Here federal student loans include subsidized and unsubsidized Direct Loans [also known as Stafford Loans], Perkins Loans, and graduate student PLUS Loans, but do not include parent PLUS Loans.)

1 = Yes

0 = No

N20CPRVLN

Thinking only about the 2018-2019 academic year, did you take out any private loans borrowed from a private lender?

(Private loans are borrowed from a private lender such as a bank or sometimes a state, usually require a co-signer, and have market interest rates based on credit history. Click here for examples of private loans.)

1 = Yes

0 = No

N20CEAIDAWARE

Are you aware of emergency financial aid options available to you at [NPSAS institution]?

1= Yes

0 = No

N20CEAIDAWARDB2

In your own words, what does “emergency financial aid” mean?

N20CEAIDAPPLY

Between July 1, 2018 and today, have you applied for emergency financial aid at [NPSAS institution]?

1= Yes

0 = No

N20CEAIDRCV

Between July 1, 2018 and today, have you received emergency financial aid at [NPSAS institution]?

1 = Yes

0 = No

2 = Applied, but have not yet received aid yet

N20CEAIDAMT

What was the amount of emergency financial aid you received from the following sources?

Grants: $_____

Loans: $_____

Other source: $_____

N20FMEALPLN1

Next, we have a few questions about your food situation.

Did you purchase a school meal plan for the 2018-2019 academic year?

1 = Yes

0 = No

N20FMEALPLN2

Did your school meal plan for the 2018-2019 academic year cover 11 or more meals a week?

1 = Yes

0 = No

N20F2USDAHH

For these statements, please tell us whether the statement was often true, sometimes true, or never true for you in the last 30 days.

"The food I bought just didn't last, and I didn't have money to get more."

“I couldn't afford to eat balanced meals."

1 = Often true

2 = Sometimes true

3 = Never true

N20F2USDAAD1

In the last 30 days, have you ever cut the size of your meals or skip meals because there wasn't enough money for food?

1 = Yes

0 = No

N20F2USDAAD1A

In the last 30 days, how many days did this happen?

| days

N20F2USDAAD2

In the last 30 days, did you ever eat less than you felt you should because there wasn't enough money for food?

1 = Yes

0 = No

N20F2USDAAD3

In the last 30 days, were you ever hungry but didn't eat because there wasn't enough money for food?

1 = Yes

0 = No

N20FUSDAHH

For these statements, please tell us whether the statement was often true, sometimes true, or never true for you since July 1, 2018.

"The food I bought just didn't last, and I didn't have money to get more."

1 = Often true

2 = Sometimes true

3 = Never true

“I couldn't afford to eat balanced meals."

1 = Often true

2 = Sometimes true

3 = Never true

N20FUSDAAD1

Since July 1, 2018, have you ever cut the size of your meals or skip meals because there wasn't enough money for food?

1 = Yes

0 = No

N20FUSDAAD1A

How often did this happen -- almost every month, some months but not every month, or in only 1 or 2 months?

1 = Almost every month

2 = Some months but not every month

3 = Only 1 or 2 months

N20FUSDAAD2

Since July 1, 2018, did you ever eat less than you felt you should because there wasn't enough money for food?

1 = Yes

0 = No

N20FUSDAAD3

Since July 1, 2018, were you ever hungry but didn't eat because there wasn't enough money for food?

1 = Yes

0 = No

N20FFOODDB

You were just asked several questions about your food situation during the [{if series 1} 2018-2019 academic year {else} last 30 days]. We would like to know how confident you are about reporting your food situation during this specific time frame.

On a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 being “not at all confident” and 4 being “very confident,” how confident are you that you reported about your food situation only [{if series 1} since July 1, 2018 {else} in the last 30 days]?

1 = 1 (Not at all confident)

2 = 2 (Slightly confident)

3 = 3 (Moderately confident)

4 = 4 (Very confident)

Please provide any additional comments about providing information about your food situation within this time frame:

N20FHMLESS2

Finally, we have a few questions about your living situation.

In the last 30 days, have you ever been homeless, that is, lacking fixed, regular and adequate housing?

You may be homeless if you are living in shelters, parks, motels, hotels, public spaces, camping grounds, cars, abandoned buildings, or temporarily living with other people because you have nowhere else to go.

1 = Yes

0 = No

N20FEVRHOML2

In the last 30 days, have you slept in any of the following places:

At a shelter

In a camper

Temporarily staying with a relative, friend, or couch surfing until I find other housing

Temporarily at a hotel or motel without a permanent home to return to (not on vacation or business travel)

In transitional housing or independent living program

Outdoor location such as street, sidewalk, or alley, bus, or train stop, campground or woods, park, beach, or riverbed, under bridge or overpass

In a closed area/space with a roof not mean for human habitation such as abandoned building, car or truck, van, RV or camper, encampment or tent, or unconverted garage, attic, or basement

1 = Yes

0 = No

N20FHMLESS

Finally, we have a few questions about your living situation.

Since July 1, 2018, have you ever been homeless, that is, lacking fixed, regular and adequate housing?

You may be homeless if you are living in shelters, parks, motels, hotels, public spaces, camping grounds, cars, abandoned buildings, or temporarily living with other people because you have nowhere else to go.

1 = Yes

0 = No

N20FEVRHOML

Since July 1, 2018, have you slept in any of the following places:

At a shelter

In a camper

Temporarily staying with a relative, friend, or couch surfing until I find other housing

Temporarily at a hotel or motel without a permanent home to return to (not on vacation or business travel)

In transitional housing or independent living program

Outdoor location such as street, sidewalk, or alley, bus, or train stop, campground or woods, park, beach, or riverbed, under bridge or overpass

In a closed area/space with a roof not mean for human habitation such as abandoned building, car or truck, van, RV or camper, encampment or tent, or unconverted garage, attic, or basement

1 = Yes

0 = No

N20FHMLESSDB

You were just asked about whether you have experienced homelessness [{if series 1} since July 1, 2018 {else} in the last 30 days].

On a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 being “not at all comfortable” and 4 being “very comfortable,” how comfortable are you reporting this information?

1 = 1 (Not at all comfortable)

2 = 2 (Slightly comfortable)

3 = 3 (Moderately comfortable)

4 = 4 (Very comfortable)

N20FHOMELDB

You were just asked about your living situation during the [{if series 1} 2018-2019 academic year {else} last 30 days]. We would like to know how confident you are about reporting your living situation during this specific time frame.

On a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 being “not at all confident” and 4 being “very confident,” how confident are you that you reported about your living situation only [{if series 1} since July 1, 2018 {else} in the last 30 days]?

1 = 1 (Not at all confident)

2 = 2 (Slightly confident)

3 = 3 (Moderately confident)

4 = 4 (Very confident)

Please provide any additional comments about providing information about your living situation within this time frame:

N20ENDB

If you have any additional comments about your overall experience participating in this survey, please provide them now.

END

Thank you for your time and cooperation. We greatly appreciate your assistance.