Part C Item Justification

The household screener, to be used to identify eligible households for participation in one of the topical surveys.
The Early Childhood Program Participation Survey (ECPP), to be administered to a parent or guardian knowledgeable about the care of children from birth through age 5 and not yet in kindergarten.
The Parent and Family Involvement in Education Survey (PFI), to be administered to a parent or guardian knowledgeable about the education of children who are either enrolled in school in grades K-12 or homeschooled at these grade levels. This is the first year that the PFI for enrolled and homeschooled children are combined in a single measure; previous administrations used separate versions for homeschooled and enrolled children.

The topics addressed in these two questionnaires have been covered in previous administrations, most recently in 2016.

C.1 Screener

Mailing a paper version or a link to the household screener is the initial step in distributing the NHES survey to potential participants. The screener is used to confirm that the sampled address is residential, and to assess whether eligible children reside in the household. It contains items that inquire about all required sampling information.

The screener assesses whether there are eligible children in the household and is designed to “screen out” households without any children age 20 or younger and thus ineligible to participate. Households with children age 20 or younger are asked to enumerate children living in the household (up to a total of five children) and provide basic demographic information about each child. The screener format in the paper version lists all questions about household children on a single, landscape-oriented page. This reduces the space needed for listing household members and decreases potential errors, including omitting a household member. There is room for up to five children to be listed on the screener.

The back of the screener includes commonly asked questions and responses intended to pre-emptively address questions that many respondents may have. The purpose of this section is to inform respondents fully and assure them of the sponsorship, legitimacy, and privacy protections of the study.

An experimental, paper version of the screener will be tested in NHES:2019. Called the “opt-out” screener, the experimental screener will allow households to indicate on the cover of the survey that there are no children in the household. About two thirds of sampled households will not have children in the household, but we need responses from these households in order to generate nationally representative estimates of children and their characteristics. Therefore, we want to make response from households without children as easy as possible. We hypothesize that the opt-out screener can help us achieve greater response from households without children without harming response rates for households with children.

In addition to the paper screener, NHES:2019 will also be offered by web. The web version of the NHES:2019 web survey will utilize pre-programmed skip patterns to provide respondents with a more user-friendly experience. Verification questions are also added to the NHES:2019 web survey instrument to ensure that important data, when left blank by the respondent or when clarification is needed, are collected. The verification questions help funnel the respondent into the correct skip patterns and/or to clarify the accuracy of the NHES data. Exhibit 1 lists item-by-item descriptions of the NHES screener.

Exhibit 1. Screener Items

Question #	Item Stem	Purpose
1	Are there any children or youth age 20 or younger living in this household?	Determine Eligibility
2	How many children or youth age 20 or younger live in this household?	Sampling
3	What is his or her first name, initials, or nickname?	Sampling
4	What is this child/youth’s month and year of birth?	Sampling
5	What is this child/youth’s sex?	Sampling
6	Is this child/youth currently in…?	Sampling
7	What is this child/youth’s current grade or equivalent?	Sampling

NHES:2019 Screener Additions

There were no substantive additions made to the NHES:2019 screener from NHES:2016.

NHES:2019 Screener Deletions

The NHES:2016 screener asked for all people in the household to be enumerated, up to 10 possible individuals. NHES:2016 fielded the Adult Training and Education Survey (ATES), which made a full household enumeration necessary for determining eligibility for the ATES. The NHES:2019 asks only for children/youth to be enumerated, and allows space for up to 5 children/youth to be reported. The NHES:2019 web survey will allow the respondent to report up to 10 children but will only sample from the first 5 children in order to be consistent with the paper version of the screener. Data collection items for adults have been deleted from NHES:2019 in paper and web.

NHES:2019 Screener Revisions

There were no substantive revisions made to the NHES:2019 screener instrument from NHES:2016. Non-substantive changes that were made to the structure or item wording served to fulfill three goals:

Utilize the NHES:2012 version of the screener, because it was structured to ask about children in the household only, and not also about adults.

For example, the NHES:2019 screener begins with the item:

Are there any children or youth age 20 or younger living in this household?

Include small children, foster children, babies and those living in college housing (if they have no other permanent home).

Leverage additional web survey functionality, making the survey easier for respondents.

For example, the NHES:2019 screener asks respondents who left birth month or birth year blank one additional question. The additional question allows NHES to collect age for the child, which is critical to determining eligibility for the ECPP or PFI.

How old is [this child/youth] in years?

In another example, the following prompt, adapted from the NHES:2007 Computer-Assisted Telephone Interview (CATI) script, is used in the NHES:2019 web survey to attempt to gain greater accuracy in the enumeration of all household children.

Other than the children or youth listed below, does ANYONE ELSE live in this household?

For example, anyone who usually lives here who is temporarily away from home or living in a dorm at school, any babies or small children, or foster children.

The final example shows that in the web survey, words that were underlined in the paper screeners are presented in all capitals in order to make it clear to the respondent that the word should be emphasized but is not a live link.¹

Is [this child/ youth] currently in…

1 = Homeschool INSTEAD of attending a public or private school for some or all classes

2 = Public or private school, or preschool

3 = College, university or vocational school

4 = Not in school

In the web version of the survey, we leveraged the lessons learned from the NHES:2017 split panel experiment, which tested a version of the screener that asks all information about one person before moving to the next person (2016 version) against a version of the screener that asks for name across all people, then birth date information across all people, then sex across all people, etc. (2017 version). In the split panel, no statistically significant differences were found between the two versions on response rates or response demographics. However, the 2017 version yielded, on average, a slightly higher number of people reported per household and reported as eligible for the ECPP and PFI surveys than the 2016 version. Consequently, the NHES:2019 web survey utilizes the structure of the 2017 version of the screener for question order.

C.2 Early Childhood Program Participation (ECPP) Survey

The following topics are covered in the NHES:2019 ECPP questionnaire:

Participation in relative care, nonrelative care, center-based programs, and Early Head Start/Head Start
Care/program characteristics such as location, days and hours per week, and cost
Care provider characteristics such as language
Difficulty in finding care and child care selection criteria
Family education activities such as visiting a library and reading to the child
Emerging literacy and numeracy
Children’s health and disability
Parent characteristics
Household characteristics

Below, the questionnaire items are reviewed further. Each subsection is presented in the order of appearance in the questionnaire.

Instructions

The first page of the questionnaire identifies the focus child selected based on the screener and provides the respondent with instructions for completing the questionnaire. A toll-free number is listed for participants to call in case of confusion about the selected child, or if the household has no child fitting the description given. Respondents are presented with visual examples of the images used to direct respondent to other questions, and respondents are instructed that these images help to route them through the survey.

Section 1. Early Childhood Care and Programs

This section addresses three different types of non-parental care and education: care by relatives, care by nonrelatives, and center-based programs. These three subsections within the first section collect information to describe the different types of non-parental care and education that children may receive. These items provide detailed information on the extent of current participation in the different types of care arrangements and programs, location, amount of time children spend in current arrangements or programs, and the financial cost of current care arrangements or programs to the child’s household. This information can then be related to children’s personal, family, and household characteristics. The following information is collected in each of these sets of items:

The number of current arrangements or care programs of each type
The location and distance from the child’s household of the arrangement or program
The number of days and hours per week the child receives care or attends a program on a weekly basis, and the length of time in attendance at the arrangement or program
The language(s) used by the care provider
Whether the care provider will care for the child when the child is sick
The cost to the household of the arrangement or program, and any applicable assistance in paying for the arrangement or program

Care Your Child Receives from Relatives (Questions 1-19). This subsection asks respondents about care provided by relatives other than the child’s parents. Care is specified to be on a regular basis. Items gather information on where the child is cared for relative to the child’s own home, any applicable costs, and the amount of time spent in care for the primary relative care arrangement.

Care Your Child Receives from Non-Relatives (Questions 20-40). This subsection asks respondents about care provided by non-relatives in a private home. Care is specified to be on a regular basis. Items gather information on where the child is cared for relative to the child’s own home, any applicable costs, and the amount of time spent in care for the primary non-relative care arrangement. The amount of time spent in other non-relative care arrangements is collected to provide a full accounting of time spent in care.

Day Care Centers and Preschool Programs Your Child Attends (Questions 41-60). This subsection asks respondents about programs provided for groups of children in day care centers, preschools, and pre-kindergartens. This can include daycare centers, preschools, pre-kindergartens, or center-based Head Start or Early Head Start programs. Key indicators (e.g., location relative to child’s home, time spent in care, and cost) are collected for the primary center-based program arrangement, and the amount of time spent in other center-based care arrangements are collected to provide a full accounting of time spent in care.

Section 2. Finding and Choosing Care for Your Child (Questions 61-69)

This section includes questions about access to early childhood care and education programs, whether parents and guardians feel as though there are quality options for care available to them, whether parents and guardians found the type of care they wanted, and how much difficulty they believe they had in finding it.

Section 3. Family Activities (Questions 70-76)

This section asks about developmentally rewarding family activities, such as the amount of time spent reading to the child. Parents and guardians are also asked about teaching letters and numbers, telling stories, and visiting bookstores, libraries, or cultural events. These items are designed to assess the degree of educational engagement by the child’s parents or guardians and in the child’s home environment.

Section 4. Your Child’s Early Learning (Questions 77-83)

This section asks about developmental milestones that serve as markers for school readiness, such as knowledge of the alphabet and ability to count. These items can help to inform policy efforts focused on tracking literacy and numeracy and examine these as they relate to early childhood programs and educational family activities.

Section 5. Child’s Health (Questions 84-92)

This section asks about the child’s overall health, as well as specific medical conditions and disabilities. Items also include questions about disability services that the child may receive, and the referral process. Medical conditions and disabilities are developmental risks, and these relate to early and later childhood educational experiences and overall development.

Section 6. Child’s Background (Questions 93-102)

This section asks about the child’s date of birth, country of origin, race and ethnicity, and language spoken at home in order to examine how participation in care programs vary by and relate to these characteristics.

Section 7. Household Members (Questions 103-106)

This section asks about the total number of people living in the household, how these individuals are related to the focus child, how the survey respondent is related to the focus child, and the language(s) spoken at home by adults in the household.

Section 8. Child’s Family (Questions 107-141)

This section includes questions about the child’s parents or guardians living in the household. Items include age at first becoming a parent or guardian, native language, country of origin, marital status, educational attainment, and employment status. These items on parent characteristics measure factors that may be associated with participation in early care and education and may also indicate risk factors, such as low parent education, that could be associated with participation in care, child development, and preparation for school.

Section 9. Your Household (Questions 142-148)

This section asks about other persons residing in the household. Items include questions on the relationship of people in the household to the child, receipt of public assistance, and household income. Household composition is an indicator of resources for care and opportunity for interaction within the household. Receipt of public assistance and household income are used to classify families according to the economic resources available to them, and to examine the relationship of the family’s economic status to early childhood program participation. These variables, taken along with parent characteristics, can be used to identify children who may be at risk in terms of development and education preparation.

The items in the Early Childhood Program Participation Survey (ECPP) assess the following research questions:

1. To what extent do preschool children (birth to age 6 and not yet in kindergarten) participate in non-parental care and early childhood programs?

a. In what different types of non-parental care arrangements/programs do children participate?

b. How many children participate in multiple care arrangements/programs?

c. Where are care arrangements/programs located?

d. How much time do children spend in non-parental care arrangements/programs?

e. What is the relationship of relative care providers to the children for whom they are caring?

f. What is the cost and what payment arrangements are made for the cost of care arrangements/programs?

g. How are child and family characteristics related to the care or early childhood education children receive?

h. What resources do parents use to find child care?

i. Is (emergent) literacy and numeracy related to the type of child care, amount of time in child care, or stability of child care?

j. What is the availability of sick child care?

k. How does parents’ employment status influence their choice of arrangements?

l. Do parents report difficulty in finding child care?

m. What factors do parents consider important when selecting child care arrangements?

n. How well does the child care fit the parents’ needs?

o. How many other children are sharing the care provided?

2. How has the participation of preschool children in non-parental care arrangements/programs changed from 1991 to the present?

a. Have the subpopulations of children participating in various types of care arrangements/programs changed?

b. Has the amount of time children spend in care arrangements/programs changed?

3. Do at-risk children have the same access to non-parental care arrangements/programs as other children?

a. Are at-risk children more or less likely to participate in non-parental care arrangements/programs than other children?

b. Do at-risk children participate in different numbers and/or types of care arrangements/programs than those children not classified as at-risk?

4. What type of child care subsidies/benefits have parents received from government agencies or from their employers?

5. What is the extent of families’ involvement in family-child education activities?

a. To what extent do families participate in selected education activities at home with their child?

b. Is participation in education activities related to preschoolers’ emerging literacy and numeracy?

6. How is children’s health/disability status related to their participation in non-parental care and education?

Exhibit 2 provides item descriptions of each question in the Early Childhood Program Participation Survey, as well as the research question addressed by each item.

Exhibit 2. Item Descriptions of the Early Childhood Program Participation Survey

Question #	Item Stem for ECPP	Research Question or Purpose
Section 1: Childhood Care and Programs, Questions 1-60
1	Child receiving relative care from someone other than a parent or guardian	Household/family composition; Research Question 1a
2	Arrangements regularly scheduled at least once a week	Research Question 1d
3	Relative care provider’s relationship to the child	Research Question 1e
4	Age of relative care provider	Research Question 1e
5	Place care is provided	Research Question 1c
6	Time to travel from own home to relative’s home	Research Question 1c, 1n
7	Number of days each week child receives care	Research Question 1d
8	Number of hours each week child receives care	Research Question 1d
9	How well arrangement covers hours needed for work	Research Question 1n
10	Age of child when this particular care began	Research Question 1d
11	Language relative speaks while giving care	Research Question 1g
12	Relative care for child when sick	Research Question 1j
13	Number of other children cared for by provider at same time	Research Question 1o
14	Fee charged for care	Research Question 1f
15	People/programs/organizations that help pay childcare expenses	Research Question 1f, 4
16	Total amount paid for relative childcare	Research Question 1f
17	Number of children amount covers, including sampled child	Research Question 1f
18	Any other relative care arrangements on a regular basis	Research Question 1a
19	Total hours each week spent in those other relative care arrangements	Research Question 1d
20	Child receiving non-relative home-based care on a regular basis	Household composition; Research Question 1a
21	Arrangements regularly scheduled at least once a week	Research Question 1d
22	Does care provider live in household	Research Question 1c
19	Care provided in home or in another home	Research Question 1c
23	Care provider lives in household	Research Question 1c
24	Time to travel from own home to provider’s home	Research Question 1c, 1n
25	Number of days each week child receives care	Research Question 1d
26	Number of hours each week child receives care	Research Question 1d
27	How well arrangement covers hours needed for work	Research Question 1n
28	Age of child when this particular care arrangement began	Research Question 1d
29	Was the care provider someone the respondent knew	Research Question 1h
30	Provider aged 18 or over	Research Question 1e
31	Language non-relative speaks while giving care	Research Question 1g
32	Non-relative care for child when sick	Research Question 1j
33	Number of other children cared for by provider at same time	Research Question 1o
34	Would you recommend this care provider to another parent	Research Question 1h
35	Fee charged for care that is paid by respondent or another person/agency	Research Question 1f
36	People/programs/organizations that help pay childcare expenses	Research Question 1f, 4
37	Total amount paid for nonrelative childcare	Research Question 1f
38	Number of children amount covers, including sampled child	Research Question 1f
39	Any other non-relative home-based care arrangements on a regular basis	Research Question 1a
40	Total hours each week spent in those other non-relative home-based care arrangements	Research Question 1d
41	Is child now in any center-based/preschool/prekindergarten care arrangements	Research Question 1a
42	Does child go to a center-based care/preschool/prekindergarten at least once a week	Research Question 1d
43	Location of center-based care arrangement	Research Question 1a, 3b
44	Religious content taught	Research Question 1c, 1g
45	Care provided at parents’ workplace	Research Question 1c
46	Is this program a Head Start or Early Head Start program	Research Question 1a, 3b
47	Number of days each week child receives care	Research Question 1d
48	Number of hours each week child receives care	Research Question 1d
49	How well program covers hours needed for work	Research Question 1n
50	Age of child when this particular care arrangement began	Research Question 1d
51	Language main care provider speaks while giving care	Research Question 1g
52	Time to travel from own home to provider	Research Question 1c, 1n
53	Would you recommend this program to another parent	Research Question 1h
54	Program provides services to the child/family	Research Question 1g
55	Fee charged for care	Research Question 1f
56	People/programs/organizations that help pay childcare expenses	Research Question 1f, 4
57	Total amount paid for this program	Research Question 1f
58	Number of children amount covers, including sampled child	Research Question 1f
59	Does this child have any other center-based care arrangements on a regular basis	Research Question 1a
60	Total hours each week spent in those other center-based care arrangements	Research Question 1d
Section 2: Finding and Choosing Care (61-69)
61	Has child ever attended Head Start	Research Question 1g, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4
62	Main reason for wanting childcare	Research Question 1m, 11
63	Good choices for childcare	Research Question 1m, 11
64	Ever searched for care for child	Research Question 1a
65	Difficulty finding care	Research Question 1m, 11
66	Main reason for difficulty finding care	Research Question 1m, 1n, 11
67	Did child have a care arrangement in past year	Research Question 1a
68	Main reason household chose this care arrangement	Research Question 1m, 1n, 11
69	Importance of factors considered when choosing childcare arrangement	Research Question 1m, 11
Section 3: Family Activities (70-76)
70	Number of books this child owns	Research Question 1i
71	Number of times child was read to in the past week	Research Question 1i, 5a
72	During those times, how many minutes are spent reading to the child	Research Question 1i, 5a
73	Activities done in the past week	Research Question 1i, 5a
74	Number of family meals together in the past week	Research Question 1i
75	Visited the library in the past month	Research Question 1i, 5a
76	Visited a bookstore in the past month	Research Question 1i, 5a
Section 4: Things your Child may be Learning (77-83)
77	Child 2 years of age or younger/older	Verification item
78	Child can recognize letters of the alphabet	Research Question 1i, 5b
79	Can child write his/her name even if letters are backwards	Research Question 1i, 5b
80	Can child recognize beginning sounds of a word	Research Question 1i, 5b
81	Can child explain things well enough to get a good idea	Research Question 1i, 5b
82	How high can this child count	Research Question 1i, 5b
83	Can this child identify basic shapes	Research Question 1i, 5b
Section 5: This Childs Health (84-92)
84	Describe child’s health	Research Question 1g, 3a, 3b
85	Child's diagnosed conditions	Research Question 1g, 3a, 3b
86	If child under 3, has professional said child is “at-risk” for developmental delay	Research Question 1g, 3a, 3b
87	Yes response to question 85 or 86	Research Question 1g, 3a, 3b
88	Does child receive services for condition by an IFSP or IEP	Research Question 1g, 3a, 3b
89	Overall satisfaction/dissatisfaction with child’s IFSP or IEP	Research Question 1g, 3a, 3b
90	Child currently enrolled in special education classes/services	Research Question 1g, 3a, 3b
91	Child’s condition affect his/her ability to do the following things	Research Question 1g, 3a, 3b
92	Does child’s condition interfere with ability to attend care	Research Question 1g, 3a, 3b
Section 6: Child’s Background (93-102)
93	In what month and year was this child born	Research Question 1g, 2a, 3a, 3b
94	Where was this child born	Research Question 1g, 2a, 3a, 3b
95	Age of child when first moved to the US/ District of Columbia	Research Question 1g, 2a, 3a, 3b
96	Is this child of Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino origin	Research Question 1g, 2a, 3a, 3b
97	Child’s race	Research Question 1g, 2a, 3a, 3b
98	Child’s sex	Research Question 1g, 2a, 3a, 3b
99	Does child live at this address and another address	Research Question 1g, 2a, 3a, 3b
100	Time spent at joint addresses	Research Question 1g, 2a, 3a, 3b
101	Language child speaks at home	Research Question 1g, 2a, 3a, 3b
102	Child currently enrolled in English as a second language, bilingual education, or an English immersion program	Demographic/ background characteristics
Section 7: Household Members (103-106)
103	Number of people in household	Household Demographics
104	How many of the following live in the household with this child	Household Demographics
105	How is respondent related to child	Household Demographics
106	Languages spoken by adults in household	Household Demographics
Section 8: Child’s Family (103-xx)
Parent 1	Parent/Guardian section
107	Parent/guardian relationship to child	Research Question 1g
108	Is this person male or female	Research Question 1g
109	Marital status of this parent or guardian	Research Question 1g
110	Is parent or guardian living with partner in household	Research Question 1g
111	First language parent or guardian learned to speak
112	What language does this parent or guardian speak most at home now	Research Question 1g
113	Where was this parent or guardian born	Research Question 1g
114	How old was this parent or guardian when he/ she first moved to the US/ District of Columbia	Research Question 1g
115	Is this parent or guardian of Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino origin	Research Question 1g
116	What is this parent or guardian’s race	Research Question 1g
117	Parent/guardian’s highest level of education completed	Research Question 1g
118	Is parent or guardian currently attending or enrolled in a school/vocational education/job training	Research Question 1g
119	Parent/guardian employment status	Research Question 1g
120	Number of hours worked per week for pay, if employed/self-employed	Research Question 1g, 1k
121	Looking for work in the past 4 weeks, if unemployed	Research Question 1g, 1k
122	Worked for pay or income in the past 12 months	Research Question 1g, 1k
123	Age of parent/guardian	Research Question 1g
Parent 2	Parent/Guardian section
124	Parent/guardian # 2 present in the household	Research Question 1g
125	Parent/ guardian relationship to child	Research Question 1g
126	Is this parent or guardian male or female	Research Question 1g
127	Marital status of this parent or guardian	Research Question 1g
128	Is parent or guardian living with partner in household
129	First language parent or guardian learned to speak	Research Question 1g
130	What language does this parent or guardian speak most at home now	Research Question 1g
131	Where was this parent or guardian born	Research Question 1g
132	How old was this parent or guardian when he/she first moved to the US/District of Columbia	Research Question 1g
133	Is this parent or guardian of Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino origin	Research Question 1g
134	What is this parent or guardian’s race	Research Question 1g
135	Parent/guardian highest level of education completed	Research Question 1g
136	Is parent or guardian currently attending or enrolled in a school/vocational education/job training	Research Question 1g
137	Parent/guardian employment status	Research Question 1g
138	Number of hours worked per week, if employed/self-employed	Research Question 1g, 1k
139	Looking for work in the past 4 weeks, if unemployed	Research Question 1g, 1k
140	Worked for pay or income in the past 12 months	Research Question 1g, 1k
141	Age of parent/guardian	Research Question 1g
Section 9: Your Household (xx-xx)
142	Benefits received in the past 12 months	Household Demographics
143	Total household income	Variables used for weighting; Research Question 1g, 2a.
144	Is home or apartment owned or rented	Household Demographics
145	Internet access on cell phone	Household Demographics
146	Internet access at home	Household Demographics
147	How frequently child uses Internet for learning activities	Household Demographics
148	Type of device used	Household Demographics

NHES:2019 ECPP Additions

Several items were added to NHES:2019 to collect more detail about the care arrangements that parents are choosing (Section 1. Early Childhood Care and Programs):

On average, how long does it take to go from your home to this [ECPP_RCTYPE_ALT/relative]’s home?

1=Less than 10 minutes

2=About 10 to 20 minutes

3=About 20 to 30 minutes

4=About 30 minutes to 1 hour

5=More than 1 hour

How well does this relative care arrangement cover the hours needed for work?

1=Not well

2=Somewhat well

3=Well

4=Very well

5=Not applicable

How many other children does this [ECPP_RCTYPE_ALT/relative] care for while caring for [this child]?

1=None

2=1-2

3=3-5

4=6 or more

These items were tested in cognitive tests. The first two items were developed for NHES:2019. The last item was from a previous NHES administration which used Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviews (CATI). The items above are shown from the section that asks the respondent about a relative care arrangement; however, the same new questions have also been added to the nonrelative care arrangement section and the center-based care arrangement section with the same wording. Some reordering of items in the nonrelative care section was also implemented to avoid asking parents whose children were in a nonrelative care section in the child’s own home how long it takes to get to the care arrangement.

For parents whose children are in a center-based care arrangement, the following item was added for NHES:2019:

Does this [program] teach religious content to the children?

1=Yes

2=No

The religious content item was added to help data users research how care arrangement choices and the religiosity of the arrangement relate. In prior years of data collection, one would have to assume that an arrangement “located in a church, synagogue, or other place of worship” and/or “run by a church, synagogue, or other religious group” teaches religious content, which may not be true. This item was developed for NHES:2019 and tested in cognitive tests.

The Finding and Choosing Care section of the NHES:2019 ECPP was restructured and some new questions were added:

Have you ever searched for care for [this child]?

1=Yes

2=No

What was the main reason your household chose the care arrangement(s) that you chose for [this child]?

[open-ended item]

The revamping of the Finding and Choosing Care section evolved from attempts to add a number of new items to this section which failed in cognitive testing. It became clear in testing that this section, though it starts with all respondents, needs to quickly filter out parents who have not searched for care for the sampled child. It also became clear that new forced-choice questions could not adequately be developed for NHES:2019. So an open-ended item was developed at the conclusion of the testing period.

In the section “Things Your Child May Be Learning,” a few additions were tested and incorporated into NHES:2019 following advice from the technical review panel about aspects of school readiness on emerging literacy and numeracy that recent research emphasizes over other aspects. The first item comes from a CATI-based version of a previous NHES administration. The second and third items come from the National Survey of Children’s Health. The following items were added:

Can this child recognize the beginning sound of a word? For example, can [this child] tell you that the word “ball” starts with the “buh” sound?

1=Yes

2=No

How often can [this child] explain things he or she has seen or done so that you get a very good idea of what happened?

1=Always

2=Usually

3=About half the time

4= Sometimes

5=Never

Can [this child] identify basic shapes such as a triangle, rectangle, circle, or square?

1= No

2= Yes, some of them

3= Yes, most of them

4= Yes, all of them

One item was added to the Child’s Health section of the ECPP because of a recommendation from the Technical Review Panel to collect data about whether or not a child’s disability prevents the child from attending a care arrangement. The item was developed for NHES and was tested in cognitive tests. The final item wording is:

If your child goes to a care arrangement outside of your home, does this child’s condition interfere with his or her ability to attend child care?

1=Yes

2=No

3=This child is not in care outside of the home

In addition to the substantive additions to NHES content discussed above, the web version of the NHES:2019 ECPP also optimizes web functionality to help us collect better data. Leveraging the functionality of the web requires us to ask additional questions that are not asked on paper, though not about new constructs. As an example, an item at the beginning of the ECPP verifies eligibility of the sample member in situations when the sampled child is ages 5 or 6 and enrollment was left blank on the screener:

For these next set of questions, we will ask about [SAMPLED CHILD].

To confirm, [CHILD] has…

1 = Started kindergarten

2 = Not yet started kindergarten

NHES:2019 ECPP Deletions

In the section “Things Your Child May Be Learning,” four additions were tested and incorporated into NHES:2019 following advice from the technical review panel about aspects of school readiness that recent research on emerging literacy and numeracy emphasizes over other aspects. In order to make room for those new items, the following items were dropped:

Can this child identify the colors red, yellow, blue, and green by name?

No
Yes, some of them
Yes, all of them

Does this child ever read or pretend to read storybooks on his/her own?

Does this child actually read the words written in the book, or does he/she look at the book and pretend to read?

Pretends to read
Actually reads the written words
Does both

When this child pretends to read a book, does it sound like a connected story, or does he/she tell what is in each picture without much connection between them?

Sounds like connected story
Tells what’s in each picture
Does both
Does neither

NHES:2019 ECPP Revisions

Throughout testing, some revisions were identified for NHES:2019 from the NHES:2016 items. These are listed in detail in Exhibit 3 below. Differences between 2016 and 2019 item wording are highlighted in yellow.

Exhibit 3. ECPP Revisions for NHES:2019

NHES: 2016 paper item	NHES:2019 web item	Reason for change			Tested?		Source
Care Your Child Receives from Relatives
12. Do any of the following people, programs, or organizations help pay for this relative to care for this child? A relative of this child outside your household who provides money specifically for that care, not including general child support Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or TANF Another social service, welfare, or child care agency An employer, not including a tax-free spending account for child care Someone else	Do any of the following people, programs, or organizations help pay for this [ECPP_RCTYPE_ALT/relative] to care for [this child]? Please select one response for EACH item below. A relative of [this child] outside your household who provides money SPECIFICALLY for that care, not including general child support, (1=Yes, 2=No), Your state welfare or family assistance program (this may be called Temporary Assistance for Needy Families [TANF] or something else), (1=Yes, 2=No), Another social service, welfare, child care, or other kind of agency, , (1=Yes, 2=No), An employer, not including a tax-free spending account for child care, (1=Yes, 2=No), Someone else, (1=Yes, 2=No),		To update and clarify the reference to Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)			Yes		NHES
13. How much does your household pay for this relative to care for this child, not counting any money that may be received from others to help pay for care? Write ’0’ if your household does not pay this relative for care. $-- -- -- -- --.00 Is that amount per… Hour Day Week Month Year Every 2 weeks Other-specify: 14. How many children from your household is this amount for, including this child? This child only 2 children 3 children 4 children 5 or more children	What is the easiest way for you to tell us the amount your household pays this [ECPP_RCTYPE_ALT/relative] to care for [this child]? Do not include any money that you may receive from others to help pay for care. 1= Hourly 2= Daily 3= Weekly 4=Every 2 weeks 5= Monthly 6= Yearly 7 = Other – Specify: How many children from your household is the [ECPP_RCUNIT] fee for, INCLUDING [this child]? 1= [This child] only 2= [This child] and 1 other child 3= [This child] and 2 other children 4= [This child] and 3 other children 5= [This child] and 4 or more other children How much does YOUR HOUSEHOLD pay for care from this [ECPP_RCTYPE_ALT/relative] [RCUNIT] NOT COUNTING any money that may be received from others to help pay for care? Enter '0' if your household does not typically pay for this care. [Display unit reported in item above.]		The web version ONLY of the NHES:2019 ECPP uses a modification to the item wording used in the paper version of the NHES:2016 and NHES:2019 ECPP. This modification was recommended by expert reviewers at the Census Bureau’s Center for Survey Measurement and was tested in the 2017 NHES Web Test.			Yes		NHES
Care Your Child Receives from Non-relatives Same revision to TANF item and cost of care sequence in Relative Care section made to Nonrelative Care section.
Day Care Centers and Preschool Programs Your Child Attends Same revision to TANF item and cost of care sequence in Relative Care section made to Center-Based Care section.
47. Does this program provide any of the following services to this child or your family? Mark X ONE box for each item below. Hearing, speech, or vision testing…No, Yes Physical examinations…No Yes Dental examinations…No Yes Formal testing for developmental or learning problems… No Yes Sick child care when this child is sick but does not have a fever…No Yes Sick child care when this child is sick and has a fever…No Yes	Has this [program] provided any of the following services to [this child]? Please select one response for EACH item below. Hearing, speech, or vision testing, (1=Yes, 2=No, 3= Don’t know), Physical examinations, (1=Yes, 2=No, 3= Don’t know), Dental examinations, , (1=Yes, 2=No, 3= Don’t know), Formal testing for developmental or learning problems, (1=Yes, 2=No, 3= Don’t know), Medication administration, (1=Yes, 2=No, 3= Don’t know), Sick child care when this child is sick but does not have a fever, (1=Yes, 2=No, 3= Don’t know), Sick child care when this child is sick and has a fever, (1=Yes, 2=No, 3= Don’t know),	Cognitive testing results revealed that respondents were unsure whether to mark yes if the child EVER received the services. In many cases, respondents wanted a “don’t know” response option, which supported technical review panel comments that centers may not inform parents of all of these services. Medication administration was added because subject matter experts at the technical review panel suggested that medication administration is an important service for center-based care arrangements to provide.			Yes		NHES
Finding and Choosing Care for Your Child
55. What is the main reason your household wanted a care program for this child in the past year? Mark XONE only. To provide care when a parent or guardian was at work or school To prepare [this child] for school To provide cultural or language learning To make time for running errands or free time Some other reason Did not have care in the past year	What is the MAIN reason your household wanted a care arrangement for [this child] in the past year? 1 = Did not have care in the past year 2=To provide care when a parent or guardian was at work or school 3=To prepare [this child] for school 4=To provide cultural or language learning 5= To make time for running errands or free time 6= Some other reason	Cognitive testing results indicated that respondents without a care arrangement for their child in the past year were trying to choose a response option other than “Did not have care in the past year” because they did not notice it.			Yes		NHES
57. How much difficulty did you have finding the type of child care or early childhood program you wanted for this child? Have not tried to find care No difficulty A little difficulty Some difficulty A lot of difficulty Did not find the type of child care program you wanted	How much difficulty did you have finding the type of child care or early childhood program you wanted for [this child]? 1= No difficulty 2= A little difficulty 3= Some difficulty 4= A lot of difficulty 5= Did not find the type of child care program I wanted	Cognitive testing for NHES:2019 revealed that respondents were conflating whether or not they “searched” for care and the level of difficulty in this item. The wording change for response 5 was made to be consistent with pronoun usage in the remainder of the survey.			Yes		NHES
58. What was the primary reason for the difficulty finding care? Cost Location Quality Lack of open slots for new children Needed a program for children with special needs Other – Specify:	What was the MAIN reason for the difficulty finding child care or early childhood programs? 1 = Cost 2 = Location 3 = Quality 4 = Lack of open slots for new children 5 = Needed a program for children with special needs 6 = Other – Specify:	Simplified primary to “main” and “care” specified as “child care or early childhood programs” to be inclusive of all care types.			Yes		NHES
59. How important was each of these reasons when you chose the child care arrangement or program where this child spends the most time? h.Ratings on a website? Not at all important A little important Somewhat important Very important i. Recommendations from friends and family? Not at all important A little important Somewhat important Very important j. The religious orientation of the program? Not at all important A little important Somewhat important Very important	How important was each of these reasons when you chose the childcare arrangement or program where [this child] spends the most time? Please select one response for EACH item below. – g. ... Ratings on a website, (1= Not at all important, 2= A little important, 3= Somewhat important, 4= Very important 5= Website ratings were not available), Recommendations from friends and family, (1= Not at all important, 2= A little important, 3= Somewhat important, 4= Very important 5= Family and friends did not provide recommendations), … Whether or not the program teaches religious content, , (1= Not at all important, 2= A little important, 3= Somewhat important, 4= Very important),	Cognitive interview results suggested that: a not applicable response would provide better data for the ratings and recommendations items. parents who selected an arrangement because it did not teach religious content were unsure about how to answer the 2016 version.			Yes		NHES
Family Activities No revisions.
Things Your Child May Be Learning
69. Can this child recognize the letters of the alphabet? No Yes, some of them Yes, most of them Yes, all of them	Can [this child] correctly recognize the letters of the alphabet? 1= No, none of them 2= Yes, some of them 3 = Yes, most of them 4= Yes, all of them			For this item, “correctly” was added to address expert review concerns of parent over-report. The response option “no” was revised to “No, none of them” for clarity.		Yes		Previous NHES

C.3 Parent and Family Involvement in Education (PFI) Survey

The NHES:2019 PFI questionnaire is a significant modification from those used in 2016, as both the PFI-Enrolled and PFI-Homeschooled measures are combined into a single questionnaire, the PFI. The following topics are covered in the PFI questionnaire:

School characteristics such as control (public/private) and school choice
Student experiences in school, academic grades, and grade repetition
Parent and family involvement/participation in school
School practices to involve and support families
Family involvement in children’s schoolwork
Homeschooling
Family activities such as arts and crafts, visiting a library, or attending a play or concert
Children’s backgrounds
Children’s health and disability
Parent characteristics
Household characteristics

Whether a child is enrolled or homeschooled and his or her current grade level is collected for all household children in the screener and displayed at the beginning of the self-administered topical questionnaire. Parents of children enrolled in elementary or secondary school are asked about their children’s experiences in school, feedback that they receive from teachers on their child’s school performance, their involvement in school activities, school practices to involve families, and their involvement in homework. Parents of homeschooled students are asked about their reasons for homeschooling and sources of instruction used in their children’s homeschooling. All parents are asked questions on their home activities and family involvement in activities outside of school, such as visiting a library. Parents are also asked questions on their children’s health, disabilities, and demographic characteristics, the characteristics of parents/guardians residing in the household, and household characteristics.

Questionnaire items are reviewed further below. Each subsection is presented in the order of appearance in the questionnaire.

Instructions

The first page of the questionnaire identifies the selected child based on the screener and provides the respondent with instructions for completing the questionnaire. The 2019 version includes visual examples of the images used to direct respondent to other questions, and respondents are instructed that these images help to route them through the survey. A toll-free number is provided in case there is confusion about the selected child, or if the household has no child fitting the description given.

Section 1. Child’s Schooling (Questions 1-3)

This section is a novel addition to the PFI and functions as a navigational router for respondents based on the type of schooling in which the focus child is enrolled. This section serves to direct respondents to either the Child’s Homeschooling or Child’s School section.

Section 2. Child’s Homeschooling (Questions 4-29)

This section is intended for respondents completing the survey for a child who is homeschooled on a full or part-time basis. Respondents are asked whether the focus child is homeschooled for some or all of his or her classes, who mainly provides the home instruction, whether the child attends a co-op, the subject areas taught to the child for his or her home instruction, and why the respondents chose to homeschool this child. Respondents are also asked whether the focus child is enrolled in any online or virtual courses, as well as how many online courses the child takes. Respondents are also asked about the different reasons the focus child is enrolled in online courses, the most important reason for being enrolled in these, and the total cost of tuition and fees for the child’s online courses.

Section 3. Child’s School (Questions 30-58)

This section is intended for respondents completing the survey for a child who attends a brick and mortar school on at least a part-time basis. This section asks about whether the school is public or private, a charter school, a magnet school, or includes a magnet program that the child attends; whether respondents were able to elect an alternate school in place of the district-assigned school; whether respondents looked at other schools for the child; and the degree of importance placed on different school factors, such as location, safety, the quality of staff, the curriculum focus, academic performance, and cost, among other factors. Respondents are asked how they found out about the child’s school, whether it was their first choice school for the focus child, and how many hours each week their child attends a school. Respondents are also asked about the school’s communication with the child’s household, the child’s performance in school, and the amount of days the child has been absent this school year.

In addition, respondents are asked whether the focus child is enrolled in any online or virtual courses, as well as how many online courses the child takes. Respondents are also asked about the different reasons that the focus child is enrolled in online or virtual courses, the most important reason for being enrolled in these, and the total cost of tuition and fees for the child’s online courses.

Section 4. Families and School (Questions 59-64)

This section asks respondents about whether and how parents or guardians are involved in school activities, such as volunteering at the child’s school, serving on school committees, participating in fundraising, and other contact with faculty and staff. Respondents are also asked about whether the school communicates with parents or guardians, and the form in which communication is made. Respondents are also asked about how well the school provides information about different aspects of the child’s school functioning and academic performance, as well as how satisfied they are with the child’s school.

Section 5. Homework (Questions 65-71)

This section asks respondents about the amount of homework the focus child is assigned, the space available for the child to perform his or her homework, and how much assistance the family members provide with the child’s homework. These questions address the engagement and involvement of parents or guardians in the focus child’s education.

Section 6. Family Activities (Questions 72-74)

This section asks about developmentally rewarding family activities, such as working on a project together, playing sports or games together, discussing time management, or doing arts and craft together. Respondents are also asked about the number of days spent eating the family meal together, as well as whether the respondent and child have visited bookstores, libraries, or cultural events. These items are designed to assess the degree of educational engagement by the child’s parents or guardians.

Section 7. Child’s Health (Questions 75-81)

This section asks about the child’s overall health, as well as specific medical conditions and disabilities. Items also include questions about disability services that the child may receive, and the referral process. Medical conditions and disabilities can be education outcome risks. These also relate to children’s educational experiences and may impact parents’ educational choices for the child.

Section 8. Child’s Background (Questions 82-91)

Section 9. Household Members (Questions 92-95)

Section 10. Child’s Family (Questions 96-136)

Section 11. Your Household (Questions 137-144)

Section 12. School Identification (Questions 145 and 146)

These two questions ask respondents to identify the child’s school. Identifying the school allows the linkage of existing school data collected by NCES, including the Common Core of Data (CCD) and Private School Universe Survey (PSS). By linking the identified school to the school data, researchers may investigate how child and family variables relate to school level variables, including location/urbanicity, school type, standardized test scores, and other school demographics.

The items in the Parent and Family Involvement in Education survey assess the following research questions:

1. In what ways and to what extent are parents and families involved in their children’s schooling?

To what extent are parents and families involved in choosing their children’s schools?
What are the reasons for parents’ school choices and what types of information do parents obtain to make these choices?
In what ways are parents and families involved directly with their children’s schools (e.g., meetings, volunteering, etc.)?
What is the relationship between parents’ characteristics and the extent of parents’ and families’ involvement in school choice and children’s schooling?
What is the relationship between parent and family involvement in school and student experiences and performance (e.g., grades, retention)?
What is the relationship between parent and family involvement in school and student characteristics?

2. What are parents’ perceptions of communication by teachers or other school personnel with parents or families?

What is the type and purpose of school communication reported by parents including school contact to discuss both problems and how well the child is doing in school?
What frequency and modes of school contact with families do parents report?
What are the differences in parent perceptions of the purpose and frequency of communication by school characteristics?
How are parent perceptions of school/family communication related to their involvement with the school, in homework, and in learning activities outside of school?

3. What types of school practices to involve and support families are reported by parents?

What are the school practices that parents report?
What is the relationship between school practices and different types and levels of involvement with the school, in homework, and in learning activities outside of school?
What are the differences in reports of school practices based on school characteristics?
What is the relationship of parent-reported school practices to levels of involvement by socioeconomic status?
What is the relationship between family involvement with the school and parent assessments of the school environment concerning parent and family involvement?

4. What are the barriers to school involvement by families?

What are the language barriers that language minority families face and how do they relate to the type and extent of their involvement with the school?
Do parent perceptions of the efficacy of their involvement relate to the type and extent of family involvement?

5. In what ways and to what extent are parents and other household members involved in their children’s homework?

How does the involvement of household members in homework relate to student experiences and performance?
How often do household members help children with homework?
How does the environment that families create for homework completion relate to student experiences and performance?
How do parents’ characteristics relate to the extent of parents’ involvement in children’s homework?

6. In what ways are parents and family members involved in non-school activities with children at home?

What is the type and extent of family involvement in daily activities and other learning activities of children and how does this relate to student experiences and performance?

7. How is children’s health/disability status related to family involvement and student behavior, experiences and performance?

How is children’s health related to the level of parent and family involvement in their education?
What is the extent of parent reporting of children’s disabilities?
How are children’s health and disabilities related to the extent of parent and family involvement, school practices, and student experiences and performance?
To what extent do children receive services for disabilities and from what sources?
What is the extent of children’s participation in Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) or enrollment in special education classes?
What is the extent of parents’ and families’ involvement with the school in developing their children’s IEPs?
Are parents satisfied with their children’s IEPs or special education classes or services, including the school’s communication with the family, the special needs teacher or therapist, and the school’s ability to accommodate the child’s special needs?

8. What is the extent of homeschooling of children during their school years?

To what extent do homeschooled students also attend schools to receive some of their instruction?
To what extent do parents use homeschool communities or resources such as distance learning/Internet to obtain materials or develop curricula?
Of the total school-going years, how many years are children homeschooled?
What are the reasons for homeschooling by parents?
What is the role of the Internet and the use of other technology or media for homeschooling instruction and curriculum development?
What types of instruction (by teacher, subject) do homeschooled children receive?
To what extent are homeschool families involved in homeschool communities and groups?

9. What is the extent of participation in online or virtual classes?

a. To what extent are homeschooled students engaged in virtual classes?

b. To what extent are enrolled students engaged in virtual classes?

c. What are the reasons for enrollment in online classes?

d. Who provides instruction for online classes?

e. What is the cost of online learning?

Exhibit 4 provides item descriptions of each question in the Parent and Family Involvement in Education Survey, as well as the research question addressed by each item.

Exhibit 4. Item Descriptions of the Parent and Family Involvement in Education Survey

Question #	Item Stem for PFI	Research Question/Purpose
Section 1: Childs Schooling (1-3)
1	Confirmation of child’s grade	Verification question
2	Type of schooling this child receives	Verification, Research Question 8a
3	Did respondent mark yes to Homeschool	Navigational router
Section 2. Child’s Homeschooling (Questions 4-29)
4	Is child homeschooled for at least some classes	Verification question
5	Amount of homeschool classes	Research Question 8a
6	Is any instruction provided by homeschool group or co-op	Research Question 8b, 8g
7	Who mainly provides the home instruction	Research Question 8b, 8f
8	Is any home instruction provided by a tutor or teacher	Research Question 8f
9	Is child enrolled in any online or virtual courses	Research Question 8e, 9a
10	Reasons for enrollment in online courses	Research Question 9c
11	Most important reason for enrollment in online courses	Research Question 9c
12	Who provides instruction for online courses	Research Question 8f, 9d
13	Number of online or virtual courses	Research Question 8e, 9a
14	Tuition and fees for online instruction	Research Question 9e
15	Hours spent in online courses	Research Question 8e
16	What is the homeschool teaching style	Research Question 8b, 8f
17	Child’s participation in activities with other homeschool children	Research Question 8b, 8g
18	Online or virtual resources used for home instruction	Research Question 8b
19	Physical resources used for home instruction	Research Question 8b
20	Has a family member taken course in home instruction	Research Question 8b
21	Grades child was homeschooled	Research Question 8c
22	Reasons for homeschooling child	Research Question 8d
23	Most important reason for homeschooling child	Research Question 8d
24	Subject areas taught in home instruction	Research Question 8f
25	Does family participate in local homeschooling group	Research Question 8g
26	Number of times participating in local group	Research Question 8g
27	Does family belong to a national homeschooling group	Research Question 8g
28	Is child in a military family	Household demographics
29	Is homeschooled child also enrolled in a school	Research Question 8a
Section 3: Child’s School (30-58)
30	Type of school in which child is enrolled for most hours	Navigational router, verification question
31	Is this the child’s district-assigned school	Research Question 1a
32	Is school a charter school	Research Question 1a
33	Is school a magnet school or child in a magnet program	Research Question 1a
34	Did family move so that this child could attend his/her current school	Research Question 1a, 1d
35	Felt had choice in school child attends	Research Question 1b, 1d
36	Does school district allow family to choose school	Research Question 1a
37	Consider other schools for this child	Research Question 1a, 1d
38	Importance of different reasons in choosing school	Research Question 1a, 1b
39	How found child’s school	Research Question 1a, 1b
40	Is school this child attends your first choice	Research Question 1a, 1d
41	Has child been in the same school since the beginning of this school year	Verification question
42	How many hours child attends school each week	Verification question
43	Is child enrolled in any online or virtual courses	Research Question 9b
44	Reasons for enrollment in online courses	Research Question 9c
45	Most important reason for enrollment in online courses	Research Question 9c
46	Who provides instruction for online courses	Research Question 9d
47	Number of online or virtual courses	Research Question 9b
48	Tuition and fees for online instruction	Research Question 9e
49	Hours spent in online courses	Research Question 9b
50	Child enjoys school	Research Question 1e
51	Grades the child gets	Research Question 1e
52	Child currently enrolled in advanced placement classes	Research Question 1e
53	Number of times this child’s school contacted your household	Research Question 2b
54	Number of days child has been absent	Research Question 1e
55	Has child repeated any grades	Research Question 1e
56	Grade or child repeated	Research Question 1e
57	School suspensions or expulsion	Research Question 1e
58	How to describe child’s work at school	Research Question 1e
59	Type of school	Verification question
Section 4: Families and School (59-64)
60	Type of activities adult in the household has done at this child’s school	Research Question 1c, 3a, 3d, 3e
61	Number of school activities household has participated in	Research Question 1c, 3a, 3d, 3e
62	Communication received from school	Research Question 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d
63	How well has this child’s school done the following things	Research Question 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d
64	Overall satisfaction/dissatisfaction	Research Question 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d
Section 5: Homework (65-71)
65	How often does child do homework	Research Question 5
66	Hours spent on homework	Research Question 5
67	Feelings towards the amount of homework (respondent)	Research Question 5
68	Feelings towards the amount of homework (child)	Research Question 5
69	Place set aside in home for child to complete homework	Research Question 5c
70	Adult in household checks homework	Research Question 5b, 5d
71	Number of days, per week, an adult in household helps child with homework	Research Question 5b, 5d
Section 6: Family Activities (72-74)
72	In the past week, has anyone in your family done the following things with this child… (home activities)	Research Question 6a
73	Number of days family has eaten the evening meal together in the past week	Research Question 6a
74	In the past month, has anyone in your family done the following things with this child… (cultural activities)	Research Question 6a
Section 7: Childs Health (75-81)
75	Describe child’s health generally	Research Question 7a
76	Child’s diagnosed conditions	Research Question 7a, 7b, 7c
77	Did you mark yes to any condition	Research Question 7a, 7b, 7c
78	Child receiving services through IEP or service plan	Research Question 7d, 7e
79	Overall satisfaction/dissatisfaction with child’s IEP	Research Question 7g
80	Child currently enrolled in special education classes	Research Question 7d
81	Child’s conditions affect his/her ability to do the following things…	Research Question 7c
Section 8: Child’s Background (82-91)
82	In what month and year was this child born?	Demographic/ background characteristics
83	Where was this child born	Research Question 1f
84	Age when first moved to the US/ District of Columbia	Research Question 1f
85	Is this child of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin	Research Question 1f
86	Child’s race	Research Question 1f
87	Child’s sex	Research Question 1f
88	Child’s address joint custody	Research Question 1f
89	Address where child spends most time	Verification question
90	Language child speaks at home	Research Question 1f
91	Child currently enrolled in English as a second language, bilingual education, or an English immersion program	Research question 1f
Section 9: Household Members (92-95)
92	Including child, how many people live in household	Household Demographics
93	Who lives in household with this child	Household Demographics
94	How is respondent related to this child	Household Demographics
95	Language spoken by adults in household	Household Demographics
Section 10: Child’s Family (96-136)
Parent 1	Parent/Guardian section
96	Parent or guardian relationship to child	Research Question 1d
97	Is this person male or female	Research Question 1d
98	Marital status of this parent or guardian	Research Question 1d
99	Is parent or guardian living with partner in household	Household Demographics
100	First language parent or guardian learned to speak	Research Question 1d
101	What language does parent or guardian speak most at home now	Research Question 1d
102	How difficult for parent to be involved at school because of language barriers	Research Question 1d, 4a
103	Does school have interpreters for parent	Research Question 1d, 4a
104	Does school have translated materials	Research Question 1d, 4a
105	Where was this parent or guardian born	Research Question 1d
106	How old was parent or guardian when he or she first moved to the US or District of Columbia	Research Question 1d
107	Is parent or guardian of Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino origin?	Research Question 1d
108	What is parent or guardian’s race	Research Question 1d
109	Parent/guardian highest level of education completed	Research Question 1d
110	Is parent or guardian currently attending or enrolled in a school/job training	Demographic/ background characteristics
111	Parent or guardian employment status	Research Question 1d
112	Number of hours parent or guardian works per week	Research Question 1d
113	Looking for work in the past 4 weeks	Research Question 1d
114	Months parent or guardian worked for pay or income in the past 12 months	Research Question 1d
115	Age of parent or guardian	Research Question 1d
Parent 2	Parent/Guardian section
116	Is there a second parent or guardian in household	Household Demographics
117	Parent or guardian relationship to child	Research Question 1d
118	Is this person male or female	Research Question 1d
119	Marital status of this parent or guardian	Research Question 1d
120	Is parent or guardian living with partner in household	Household Demographics
121	First language parent or guardian learned to speak	Research Question 1d
122	What language does parent or guardian speak most at home now	Research Question 1d
123	How difficult for parent to be involved at school because of language barriers	Research Question 1d, 4a
124	Does school have interpreters for parent	Research Question 1d, 4a
125	Does school have translated materials	Research Question 1d, 4a
126	Where was this parent or guardian born	Research Question 1d
127	How old was parent or guardian when he or she first moved to the US or District of Columbia	Research Question 1d
128	Is parent or guardian of Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino origin?	Research Question 1d
129	What is parent or guardian’s race	Research Question 1d
130	Parent/guardian highest level of education completed	Research Question 1d
131	Is parent or guardian currently attending or enrolled in a school/job training	Demographic/ background characteristics
132	Parent or guardian employment status	Research Question 1d
133	Number of hours parent or guardian works per week	Research Question 1d
134	Looking for work in the past 4 weeks	Research Question 1d
135	Months parent or guardian worked for pay or income in the past 12 months	Research Question 1d
136	Age of parent or guardian	Research Question 1d
Section 11: Your Household (137-144)
137	Benefits received in the past 12 months	Household Demographics
138	Total household income	Household Demographics
139	Home ownership	Household Demographics
140	Internet access on cell phone	Household Demographics
141	Internet access at home	Household Demographics
142	How frequently child uses Internet for learning activities	Household Demographics
143	Type of device used	Household Demographics
144	How far do you expect child to go in education	Research Question 1e
Section 12: School Identification (145-146)
145	Identify child's school	Household Demographics
146	School Information	Household Demographics

The PFI survey was restructured for NHES:2019. In 2012 and 2016, there were two separate PFI topical instruments. The PFI-Enrolled questionnaire was sent to households where sampled children were indicated as enrolled in school on the screener instrument. The PFI-Homeschool questionnaire was sent to households where sampled children were indicated as homeschooled on the screener instrument. This structure resulted in some challenges:

Parents of students in part-time homeschool should have indicated on the screener that the child is homeschooled. However, this may not have been clear to respondents. It is unclear how parents of part-time homeschooled students answered the screener enrollment item and whether or not they received the appropriate topical instrument.
The term “homeschool” continues to be misinterpreted by some parents as meaning “help with homework.” When respondents misinterpreted the “homeschool” term in 2012 and 2016, the respondent received the PFI-Homeschool questionnaire, which means that we did not collect data about the physical schooling experiences of those students.
From focus group work, we have learned that some virtual school students’ parents consider themselves to be “homeschooling” their children and some do not consider themselves homeschoolers, meaning that the enrollment question on the NHES screener would not result in the same information being collected of all virtual school students’ parents.

To address these challenges, the NHES:2019 PFI instrument is structured around the philosophy that students are schooled in multiple environments, and there is only one PFI for all K-12 and K-12 equivalent students. The survey also adds content to measure the prevalence of student enrollment in part-time and full-time virtual schools.

NHES:2019 PFI Additions

Several items were added to NHES:2019. In the Child’s Schooling section, the item below was added to verify eligibility for parents who may have left the school type item blank or marked only that their child is in community college. These items will be tested in web usability testing. They are not included on the paper instruments.

Is [this CHILD] enrolled in any of grades kindergarten through 12?

1= Yes

2= No

In what type of school is [this child] enrolled?

A public school located in a physical building, including charter school, (1= Yes, 2= No)
A private Catholic school located in a physical building, (1= Yes, 2= No)
A private, religious but NOT Catholic school located in a physical building (1= Yes, 2= No)
A private, not religious school located in a physical building (1= Yes, 2= No)
Full-time online, virtual, or cyber school for grades kindergarten through 12 (1= Yes, 2= No)
Student is homeschooled (1= Yes, 2= No)

In the “Child’s Homeschooling” section, several items were added to measure the use of online instruction and virtual schooling among parents who consider themselves to be homeschooling the sampled child. These items were all developed specifically for the NHES and tested during cognitive interviews. Those marked with a footnote are also added to the “Child’s School” section verbatim. The Child’s School section collects data about a sampled student’s physical school or virtual school. Additions include:

Is [this child] enrolled in any online, virtual, or cyber courses?²

1= Yes, all the child’s courses are online, virtual, or cyber

2= Yes, about half or more than half of the child’s courses are online, virtual, or cyber

3= Yes, less than half of the child’s courses are online, virtual, or cyber

4= No, none of this child’s courses are online, virtual, or cyber

There are many different reasons that homeschooling parents may choose online, virtual, or cyber courses for their children. Is [this child] enrolled in online, virtual, or cyber courses because…

Please select one response for EACH item below.

[This child] needed advanced course(s) (e.g. Advanced Placement or college courses) (1=Yes, 2=No)
[This child] needed a specialized course(s) (e.g. foreign language) (1=Yes, 2=No)
[This child] needed extra help in a course or subject (1=Yes, 2=No)
[This child]’s learning style is well suited for online, virtual, or cyber learning (1=Yes, 2=No)
You prefer online, virtual, or cyber learning for [this child] (1=Yes, 2=No)
We began homeschooling so that we could enroll [this child] in online, virtual, or cyber school (1=Yes, 2=No)
Other (1=Yes, 2=No)

- Specify

Of the reasons that [this child] is enrolled in online, virtual, or cyber courses, which one would you say is the most important to you?

[The only responses below that will be shown to the web survey respondent are the ones for which she chose “yes” in the previous item. These may include any or all of the following:]

[This child] needed advanced course(s) (e.g. Advanced Placement or college courses)
[This child] needed a specialized course(s) (e.g. foreign language)
[This child] needed extra help in a course or subject
[This child]’s learning style is well suited for online, virtual, or cyber learning
You prefer online, virtual, or cyber learning for [this child]
We began homeschooling so that we could enroll [this child] in online, virtual, or cyber school
Other – Specify

Do the following types of schools or teachers provide the instruction for [this child]’s online, virtual, or cyber courses?³

Please select one response for EACH item below.

a. [This child]’s public school or school district (1= Yes, 2=No)

b. [This child]’s private school (1= Yes, 2=No)

c. A college, community college, or university (1= Yes, 2=No)

d. An online academy or virtual school or cyber school (1= Yes, 2=No)

e. A company that provides courses that I can purchase or access for [this child] (1= Yes, 2=No)

f. Another K-12 public or private school (1= Yes, 2=No)

g. An independent instructor not affiliated with a school (1= Yes, 2=No)

h. Someplace else –Specify: (1= Yes, 2=No)

How many online, virtual, or cyber courses does [this child] take?⁴

[open-ended]

What is the total amount of tuition and fees for all online, virtual, or cyber courses that [this child] takes?⁵

Enter ‘0’ if not applicable

$______.__

In a typical school week, about how many hours does [this child] spend on online, virtual, or cyber courses?⁶

1=Fewer than 10 hours

2=10-24 hours

3=More than 24 hours

One final question was added to the Child’s Homeschooling section to capture the prevalence of military families who are homeschooling.

Is [this child] in a military family that frequently relocates?

1=Yes

2=No

To properly navigate survey respondents, an additional question is added to the survey at the conclusion of the homeschooling section. If a homeschooling parent feels that the child’s experiences have been fully captured by the questions in the first section, the parent can choose “no” in this item and be skipped to the Family Activities section. If a homeschooling parent thinks of the child’s enrollment in a physical or virtual school as a large component of schooling, the parent can choose “yes” in this item and then answer questions about the child’s school.

Is this homeschooled child also enrolled in a school?

1=Yes

2=No

In the “Child’s School” section, an expanded school choice section is added for NHES:2019. These items were developed using a literature review to identify relevant constructs, then discussed with the technical review panel, and finally tested in cognitive testing.

Is this school a magnet school or does [he/she/he or she] attend a magnet program?

1=Yes

2= No

Did you feel that you had a choice in what school [this child] attends?

1=Yes

2= No

How important was each of the following reasons when you chose the school where [this child] is enrolled for most credits?

Please select one response for EACH item below.

Convenient location (1=Not at all important, 2=Somewhat important, 3=Important, 4=Very important)
Safety (including student discipline) (1=Not at all important, 2=Somewhat important, 3=Important, 4=Very important)
Quality of teachers, principal, or other school staff (1=Not at all important, 2=Somewhat important, 3=Important, 4=Very important)
Curriculum focus or unique academic programs (e.g., language immersion, STEM focus) (1=Not at all important, 2=Somewhat important, 3=Important, 4=Very important)
Extracurricular options (including before- and after-school programs) (1=Not at all important, 2=Somewhat important, 3=Important, 4=Very important)
Student body characteristics (1=Not at all important, 2=Somewhat important, 3=Important, 4=Very important)
Academic performance of students (such as test scores, dropout rates, and so on) (1=Not at all important, 2=Somewhat important, 3=Important, 4=Very important)
The religious orientation of the school (1=Not at all important, 2=Somewhat important, 3=Important, 4=Very important)
Quality or availability of special education (including services for students with disabilities) (1=Not at all important, 2=Somewhat important, 3=Important, 4=Very important)
Special facilities (e.g., gymnasium, planetarium, library) (1=Not at all important, 2=Somewhat important, 3=Important, 4=Very important)
Number of students in class (1=Not at all important, 2=Somewhat important, 3=Important, 4=Very important),
Cost (1=Not at all important, 2=Somewhat important, 3=Important, 4=Very important),

How did you find out about [this child]’s school?

Select all that apply.

1=It is in my neighborhood, (1=Yes, 2=Not Marked)

2=Friend (1=Yes, 2=Not Marked)

3=Family member (1=Yes, 2=Not Marked)

4=Newspaper or magazine articles (1=Yes, 2=Not Marked)

5=State report cards (1=Yes, 2=Not Marked)

6=A school ratings website (1=Yes, 2=Not Marked)

7=Advertisements (television, radio, online, other) (1=Yes, 2=Not Marked)

8=Flier (1=Yes, 2=Not Marked)

9=School or district staff (for example, teacher, administrator, school counselor) (1=Yes, 2=Not Marked)

10=Church (1=Yes, 2=Not Marked)

11=Other-Specify (1=Yes, 2=Not Marked)

The “Child’s School” section also includes the new items about online course-taking, as footnoted in the earlier paragraphs of this section where the homeschooling additions appear. The item measuring reasons for choosing online, virtual, or cyber courses has different response options in the Child’s School section than it does in the Child’s Homeschooling section, so it is shown below. These items were developed for NHES and tested in cognitive testing:

There are many different reasons that children are enrolled in online, virtual, or cyber courses. Is [this] child enrolled in online, virtual, or cyber courses because…

Please select one response for EACH item below.

[This child] needed a course(s) that is more advanced (e.g., Advanced Placement or college courses) than the ones offered at [his, her, his or her] school? (1= Yes, 2= No)
[This child] needed a specialized course(s) (e.g., foreign language) that was not offered at [his, her, his or her] school? (1= Yes, 2= No)
[This child] needed to make up a course that [he/she or he or she] failed (e.g., course recovery or credit recovery)? (1= Yes, 2= No)
[This child] needed to earn additional credits? (1= Yes, 2= No),
[This child] needed extra help in a course or subject offered at [his, her, his or her] physical school?, 1= Yes, 2= No)
[This child] had a schedule conflict with the in-person courses?, (1= Yes, 2= No),
[This child] has a physical or mental health problem that has lasted six months or more? (1= Yes, 2= No),
[This child] has a temporary illness that prevents [him, her, him or her] from going to school? (1= Yes, 2= No)
[This child] has other special needs that you feel the school can’t or won’t meet? (1= Yes, 2= No),
[This child]’s learning style is well suited for online/virtual/cyber learning? (1= Yes, 2= No),
[This child] did not have a choice because online/virtual/cyber learning is required? (1= Yes, 2= No),
The school placed [this child] in an online course because there was no in-person teacher for the course?, (1= Yes, 2= No)
You prefer online, virtual, or cyber courses for [this child]? (1= Yes, 2= No)
Other Specify: (1= Yes, 2= No)

Of the reasons that [this child] is enrolled in online, virtual, or cyber courses, which one would you say is the most important to you?

[The only responses below that will be shown to the web survey respondent are the ones for which she chose “yes” in the previous item. These may include any or all of the following:]

[This child] needed a course(s) that is more advanced (e.g., Advanced Placement or college courses) than the ones offered at [his/her/his or her] school?
[This child] needed a specialized course(s) (e.g., foreign language) that was not offered at [his, her, his or her] school?
[This child] needed to make up a course that [she/her/she or he] failed (e.g., course recovery or credit recovery
[This child] needed to earn additional credits?
[This child] needed extra help in a course or subject offered at [his, her, his or her] physical school?
[This child] had a schedule conflict with the in-person courses?
[This child] has a physical or mental health problem that has lasted six months or more?
[This child] has a temporary illness that prevents [him/her/him or her] from going to school?
[This child] has other special needs that you feel the school can’t or won’t meet?
[This child]’s learning style is well suited for online/virtual/cyber learning?
[This child] did not have a choice because online/virtual/cyber learning is required?
The school placed [this child] in an online course because there was no in-person teacher for the course?
You prefer online, virtual, or cyber courses for [this child]?
Other ‐ Specify:
If blank then “Another reason – not specified

NHES:2019 PFI Deletions

To make room for the new items in the Child’s Homeschooling section, some items were deleted. A set of items at the beginning of the PFI-Homeschool survey were deleted because the revised school type question shown in Exhibit 4 provides the same information:

Does this child attend a public or private school or a college or university for instruction?

What type of school(s) does this child attend?

Mark all that apply.

Public school (K - 12)
Private school (K - 12)
College, community college, or university

The revised grade/grade equivalent item in the NHES:2019 (shown in Exhibit 4) now collects homeschoolers’ grade equivalent, so the item below has been deleted:

What grade or year would this child be in if he/she was attending school?

Mark ONE only.

Kindergarten

Grade (1 through 12)

An additional question from the NHES:2016 PFI-Homeschool questionnaire was deleted because the technical review panel recommended its deletion. Also, cognitive interview respondents indicated that this information was difficult to track and report, and thus unreliable.

These next questions ask you to estimate the amount of time you homeschool this child.

a. How many days each week is this child homeschooled? days each week

b. About how many total hours each week is he/she homeschooled? hours per week

The following set of items about online course-taking was removed (a new set of items about online course-taking was developed for parents of enrolled students for NHES:2019, along with complementary items for parents of homeschooled students – shown under additions earlier in this document).

(Homeschool version):

Some homeschooled children take courses over the Internet taught by people outside the household. Is this child receiving any instruction this way?

(Enrolled version):

Is this child taking any school-related courses online instead of in-person with the teacher?

Do not include courses that use the Internet only for selected assignments.

(Both homeschooled and enrolled):

Is that instruction provided by any of the following places?

Mark all that apply.

Your local public school
Your state
A charter school
Another public school
A private school
A college, community college, or university
Someplace else — Specify:

(Both homeschooled and enrolled):

Is there a charge or fee for that instruction?

The following curriculum item was removed because of technical review panel recommendations to remove it and because findings from data analysis of this item were difficult to interpret without additional context.

Thinking about all years this child has been homeschooled, which of the following subject areas has this child been taught during his or her home instruction?

Mark all that apply.

Art
Music
Basic algebra (Algebra I)
Advanced algebra (Algebra II)
Geometry
Calculus
Probability
Scientific inquiry or experiments
Earth sciences or geology
Biology
Chemistry or physics
Geography
English or literature
Computer science (e.g., computer programming)
Social science, history, social studies
Foreign language
Arithmetic
Basic reading/ reading skills
Spelling
Physical education or gym
Health

In the “Child’s School” section, the following item was deleted because it became a component of a larger school choice question listed above in the NHES:2019 PFI Additions section.

In deciding between schools, did you seek information on the performance of the schools you were considering, like test scores, dropout rates, and so on?

Another item in the “Child’s School” section was deleted because the technical review panel recommended that it was no longer needed.

In which month did this child start at his/her current school this school year?

month (1 through 12)

NHES:2019 PFI Revisions

Throughout testing, some revisions were identified for NHES:2019 from the NHES:2016 items. These revisions are listed in detail in Exhibit 5 below. Changes between 2016 paper item wording and 2019 web survey item wording are highlighted in yellow.

Exhibit 5. PFI Revisions for NHES:2019

NHES: 2016 paper item	NHES:2019 web item	Reason for change		Tested?		Source
Child’s Schooling
What is this child’s current grade or year of school? If this child is not assigned a specific grade, mark or write the grade he/she would be in at a school with regular grades. Child has not yet started kindergarten ->Please STOP now and call1-888-840-8353 so we can verify that you received the correct survey. Full-day kindergarten Partial-day kindergarten ___ ____grade (1 through 12)	Is [this child] in full-day or partial-day kindergarten? 1= Full-day kindergarten 2= Partial-day kindergarten What is [this child]’s current grade, grade equivalent, or year of school? If [this child] is not assigned a specific grade or is homeschooled, mark the grade level of the curriculum that the child receives. 1=Child has not yet started kindergarten 2= Full-day kindergarten 3= Partial-day kindergarten 4 = 1st grade 5 = 2nd grade 6 = 3rd grade 7 = 4th grade 8 = 5th grade 9 = 6th grade 10 = 7th grade 11 = 8th grade 12 = 9th grade 13 = 10th grade 14 = 11th grade 15 = 12th grade		The web survey allows us to separate the full-day or partial-day kindergarten question (for those students who are marked as being in kindergarten on the screener) from the grade question. Additionally, the grade question was revised to be inclusive of homeschool students.		Yes		NHES
What type of school does this child attend? Private, Catholic Private, religious but not Catholic Private, not religious Public school	This question will help us make sure you are receiving questions that are appropriate for [this child]. Students today take part in many different types of schools and education settings. What type of school does [this child] attend? Please select one response for EACH item below. (Y/N) A public school located in a physical building, including charter school A private Catholic school located in a physical building A private, religious but NOT Catholic school located in a physical building A private, not religious school located in a physical building Full-time online, virtual, or cyber school for grades kindergarten through 12 College, community college, or university that is online, virtual, or cyber College, community college, or university located in a physical building Student is homeschooled, including co-ops		The school type item was expanded to allow respondents to indicate the full array of schools in which a student may be enrolled, including homeschool and virtual school. In the web survey, this item drives all navigation throughout the survey so that we can collect data on homeschooling and on the physical or virtual school in which a child is enrolled for the most credits, if applicable.		Yes		NHES
Child’s Homeschooling
Some parents decide to educate their children at home rather than send them to a public or private school. Is this child being schooled at home instead of at school for at least some classes or subjects? No Yes	Some parents decide to educate their children at home rather than send them to a public or private school located in a physical building. Is [this child] being schooled at home INSTEAD of at school for at least SOME classes or subjects? 1 = Yes 2 = No		This item was revised because many homeschooling parents interpret the word “school” to be a phenomenon that exists outside of a physical building. Given that the homeschooled child may be enrolled in online courses, this question tries to verify homeschooling status by clarifying that we are looking for students who are in “school” not in a physical building.		Yes		NHES
Which of the following statements best describes your homeschooling arrangement for this child? This child is homeschooled for all classes or subject areas. This child is homeschooled for some classes or subject areas and also attends a public or private school. This child is not homeschooled. This child attends a public or private school for all classes or subject areas.	Which of the following statements best describes your homeschooling arrangement for [this child]? 1=[This child] is homeschooled for ALL classes or subject areas, which may include co-ops, virtual/cyber/online courses, and home instruction provided by a private tutor or teacher 2=[This child] is homeschooled for SOME classes or subject areas and is also enrolled in a public or private school 3=[This child] is NOT homeschooled. [He/She/He or She] is enrolled in a public or private school for all classes or subject areas		Response options were clarified for homeschooling families in which the sampled student engages in a range of activities outside of the home.		Yes		NHES
Who is the person that mainly provides this child’s home instruction? Mother Father Grandparent Brother/sister Another person - Who is that?	Who is the person that MAINLY provides [this child]’s HOME instruction? 1= Mother 2= Father 3= Grandparent 4= Brother/sister 5 = Teacher of online, virtual, or cyber school 6 = Another person -Who is that?		Added a response option for homeschooling students who are predominately virtual schooled.		Yes		NHES
Since September, has this child participated in activities with other children who are homeschooled? No Yes	Since September, has [this child] participated in activities with other children outside your family who are homeschooled? 1= Yes 2=No		Cognitive testing revealed that some homeschooling parents were choosing “yes” to this item because of activities that the sampled child was participating in with siblings in the home.		Yes		NHES
Thinking about sources of curriculum or books you use to homeschool this child, please tell us about all the sources that apply to you. Since September, have you used materials from... Mark X ONE box for each item below. Y/N a. A public library? b. A homeschooling catalog, publisher, or individual who specializes in homeschooling materials? c. Another educational publisher? d. A homeschooling organization? e. A church, synagogue, or other religious organization? f. Your local public school or school district? g. A private school? h. A bookstore or other store (including online)? i. Websites, excluding retailers? j. Other source — Specify:	In this question, we are interested in the ONLINE, VIRTUAL, OR CYBER RESOURCES that are used in your home when a parent is providing instruction (for example, streaming instructional videos, downloaded course materials)? Since September, have you used materials from... Please select one response for EACH item below. A public library (1= Yes, 2=No), A catalog, publisher, store, private school, or individual that specializes in providing educational materials to homeschooling families? (1= Yes, 2=No), Is the catalog, publisher, private school, or individual affiliated with a particular religion or religious organization? (1= Yes, 2=No) Your local public school or school district (1= Yes, 2=No) Free websites (such as YouTube or Wikipedia)? ((1= Yes, 2=No) Organized online, virtual, or cyber educational resources (such as Khan Academy or edX)? (1= Yes, 2=No) Other source –Specify: (1= Yes, 2=No) In this question, we are interested in the physical resources that you use. Where do you get the PHYSICAL curriculum and materials you use to homeschool [this child] (for example, worksheets, textbooks, fiction/nonfiction books, DVDs, or videos)? Since September, have you used materials from... Please select one response for EACH item below. A public library? (1= Yes, 2=No), A catalog, publisher, store, private school, or individual that specializes in providing educational materials to homeschooling families?, (1= Yes, 2=No), Is the catalog, publisher, private school, or individual affiliated with a particular religion or religious organization? (1= Yes, 2=No), Your local public school or school district? (1= Yes, 2=No), A homeschooling convention? (1= Yes, 2=No), A used curriculum swap or exchange event? (1= Yes, 2=No), Other homeschool families? ((1= Yes, 2=No), Other source –Specify: (1= Yes, 2=No)		The Technical Review Panel recommended addition of some response options for this item. Cognitive testing also revealed that question conflated mode of delivery of the curriculum source with the actual source (for example, a parent may stream an online book from the library). Therefore, the item was separated into two items: one about online resources and one about physical resources.		Yes		NHES
There are many different reasons that parents choose to homeschool their children. Did your family choose to homeschool this child because: Mark X ONE box for each item below. Y/N a. You are concerned about the school environment, such as safety, drugs, or negative peer pressure? b.You are dissatisfied with the academic instruction at other schools? c.You prefer to teach this child at home so that you can provide religious instruction? d.You prefer to teach this child at home so that you can provide moral instruction? e.This child has a physical or mental health problem that has lasted six months or more? f.This child has a temporary illness that prevents him/her from going to school? g.This child has other special needs that you feel the school can’t or won’t meet? h.You are interested in a nontraditional approach to children’s education? i.You have another reason for homeschooling your child? Specify:	There are many different reasons that parents choose to homeschool their children. Did your family choose to homeschool [this child] because: Please select one response for EACH item below. You are concerned about the school environment, such as safety, drugs, or negative peer pressure? (1= Yes, 2= No) You are dissatisfied with the academic instruction at other schools? (1= Yes, 2= No) You prefer to teach [this child] at home so that you can provide religious instruction? (1= Yes, 2= No), You prefer to teach [this child] at home so that you can provide moral instruction? (1= Yes, 2= No) [This child] has a physical or mental health problem that has lasted six months or more?, (1= Yes, 2= No) [This child] has a temporary illness that prevents [him/her/him or her] from going to school? (1= Yes, 2= No) [This child] has other special needs that you feel the school can’t or won’t meet? (1= Yes, 2= No), You are interested in a nontraditional approach to children’s education?, (1= Yes, 2= No), You want to emphasize family life together?, (1= Yes, 2= No), You have another reason for homeschooling your child? Specify:, (1= Yes, 2= No),		A number of response additions to this item were tested because of recommendations from the technical review panel. The “family life” response was the one that resonated with cognitive interview respondents.		Yes		NHES
Which of the following subject areas are being taught to this child now? Mark all that apply. Art Music Basic algebra (Algebra I) Advanced algebra (Algebra II) Geometry Calculus Probability Scientific inquiry or experiments Earth sciences or geology Biology Chemistry or physics Geography English or literature Computer science (e.g., computer programming) Social science, history, social studies Foreign language Arithmetic Basic reading/ reading skills Spelling Physical education or gym Health	In the most recent week that [this child] was homeschooled, what subject areas were taught during [his/her/his or her] home instruction? We have provided spaces for you to tell us about up to 10 subject areas. You may have fewer subject areas to tell us about. Please enter only one subject area in each box.		The Technical Review Panel suggested that the unique aspects of homeschool curriculum are unmeasured by the 2016 item.		Yes		NHES
Child’s School
How many hours each week does this child usually go to a school for instruction? Do not include time spent in extracurricular activities. --_ hours	About how many hours does [this child] attend a school each WEEK? 1=0 hours. Child's school is not located in a physical building 2=1-10 hours 3=11-24 hours 4= More than 24 hours		Item was revised to account for virtual school attendance. Categories were used to make the item cognitively easier for respondents.		Yes		NHES
Is it his/her district-assigned school? A district-assigned school is the school that your local public school district told you that this child can attend, based on the location of your residence No Yes	Please answer the next questions about the school where [this child] is enrolled for most credits. Is it [his/her/his or her] district-assigned school? A district-assigned school is the school that your local public school district told you that [this child] can attend, based on the location of your residence.		This item is the first item for parents of all students who are enrolled in a physical school, including those parents whose child attends a school part-time. The added text orients the parent to which school should be the subject of the questions.		Yes		NHES
Since the beginning of this school year, how many days has [this child] been absent from school?	Since the beginning of this school year, how many days has [this child] been absent from school? 1= 0-5 days 2= 6-10 days 3= 11-20 days 4= More than 20 days		This item was changed to a categorical variable to reduce cognitive burden for respondents.		Yes		NHES
Families and School
Since the beginning of this school year, has any adult in this child’s household done any of the following things at this child’s school? MarkONE box for each item below. N/Y Attended a school or class event, such as a play, dance, sports event, or science fair Served as a volunteer in [this child]’s classroom or elsewhere in the school Attended a general school meeting, for example, an open house, or a back-to-school night Attended a meeting of the parent-teacher organization or association, Gone to a regularly scheduled parent-teacher conference with [this child]’s teacher, Participated in fundraising for the school, Served on a school committee, Met with a guidance counselor in person	The questions in this section are about the physical or online/virtual/cyber school where [this child] is enrolled for the most hours. Since the beginning of this school year, has any adult in [this child]’s household done any of the following things at this child’s school? Please select one response for EACH item below. Attended a school or class event, such as a play, dance, sports event, or science fair (1 = Yes, 2=No), Served as a volunteer in [this child]’s classroom or elsewhere in the school (1 = Yes, 2=No), Attended a general school meeting, for example, an open house, or a back-to-school night (1 = Yes, 2=No), Attended a meeting of the parent-teacher organization or association, (1 = Yes, 2=No), Gone to a regularly scheduled parent-teacher conference with [this child]’s teacher, (1 = Yes, 2=No), Participated in fundraising for the school, (1 = Yes, 2=No), Served on a school committee, (1 = Yes, 2=No), Met with a guidance counselor in person (1 = Yes, 2=No),		Introductory text added to clarify for the respondent which school to think about when answering questions.		Yes		NHES

C.5 Additions, Deletions, and Revisions to Sections that are Common to the ECPP and PFI Surveys

The ECPP and PFI surveys share several sections in common. The sections called “Child’s Health,” “Child’s Background,” “Household Members,” “Child’s Family,” and “Your Household” all share content across ECPP and PFI. The sections below describe the additions, deletions, and revisions made to these survey sections that are shared by the two child surveys that will be fielded in NHES:2019.

NHES:2019 Additions to the Sections that are Common to the ECPP and PFI Surveys

Two items were added to the end of the surveys, in the “Your Household” section, in order to capture information about children’s use of technology in the home for learning. These items were adapted from the internet usage items in the NHES and underwent cognitive testing. The final item wording for these questions for NHES:2019 is:

How often does [this child] use the Internet AT HOME for learning activities?

1= Everyday

2 = A few times a week

3 = A few times a month

4 = A few times a year

5 = Never

Does this child access the Internet for learning activities on…

Please select one response for EACH item below.

Computer?
Tablet?
Cell phone?

NHES:2019 Deletions to the Sections that are Common to the ECPP and PFI Surveys

Because of the additions in the ECPP and PFI surveys, deletions to the survey were necessary in order to keep the survey length manageable for respondents. Over time, the detailed data from the Child’s Health section of the NHES has been collected but not analyzed. Small sample size of NHES responses that are about students with IEPs prevents detailed subgroup analyses. The following items were deleted for NHES:2019. The item number from the 2016 ECPP, not the PFI, is provided.

ECPP80. Are these services provided by any of the following sources?

Mark XONE box for each item below

Your local school district No, Yes
A state or local health or social service agency No, Yes
A doctor, clinic, or other health care provider No, Yes
This child’s private school No, Yes

ECPP81. Are any of these services provided through an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP), Individualized Education Program (IEP) or services plan?

ECPP82. Did any adult in your household work with the service provider or school to develop or change this child’s IFSP, IEP or services plan?

ECPP 81. Since September, how satisfied or dissatisfied have you been with the following aspects of this child’s IFSP, IEP or services plan?

b.The child’s special needs teacher or therapist?

Very satisfied
Somewhat satisfied
Somewhat dissatisfied
Very dissatisfied
Does not apply

c. The service provider’s or school’s ability to accommodate this child’s special needs?

Very satisfied
Somewhat satisfied
Somewhat dissatisfied
Very dissatisfied
Does not apply

d. The service provider’s or school’s commitment to help this child learn?

Very satisfied
Somewhat satisfied
Somewhat dissatisfied
Very dissatisfied
Does not apply

The following item was deleted from the Child’s Family: Parent 1 and Parent 2 sections of the ECPP and PFI surveys. The item was dropped because it was not used for analyses, and reducing respondent burden as much as possible is a goal.

ECPP117 and ECPP 136. How old was this person when he or she first became a parent to any child?

___ ____ Age

Don’t know

The following item was dropped from the very end of the ECPP and PFI questionnaires. This is an item that had been added to the 2016 survey in order to better understand the results of the web experiment and how familiarity with technology intersects with response by mode. However, those data are not needed for data users, so the item was dropped in favor of items about using technology at home for learning.

ECPP143. How often do you use the Internet?

Everyday
A few times a week
A few times a month
A few times a year
Never

NHES:2019 Revisions to the Sections that are Common to the ECPP and PFI Surveys

There were a number of revisions made to the “Child’s Health,” “Child’s Background,” “Household Members,” “Child’s Family,” and “Your Household” sections of the surveys. These are listed below in Exhibit 5.

Exhibit 5. Revisions for NHES:2019 to the Sections that are Common the ECPP and PFI Surveys

NHES: 2016 paper item	NHES:2019 web item	Reason for change			Tested?		Source
Child’s Health
Has a health, education, or early intervention professional told you that this child has any of the following conditions? Mark X ONE box for each item below. An intellectual disability (mental retardation) A speech or language impairment A serious emotional disturbance Deafness or another hearing impairment Blindness or another visual impairment not corrected with glasses An orthopedic impairment Autism Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) Attention Deficit Disorder, ADD or ADHD A specific learning disability A developmental delay Traumatic brain injury Another health impairment lasting 6 months or longer	Has a health professional told you that [this child] has any of the following conditions? Please select one response for EACH item below. An intellectual disability, formerly known as mental retardation, A speech or language impairment, A serious emotional disturbance, Deafness or another hearing impairment, Blindness or another visual impairment that can’t be corrected with glasses, An orthopedic impairment, Autism, Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD), Attention Deficit Disorder, ADD or ADHD, A specific learning disability, A developmental delay, Traumatic brain injury, Another health impairment lasting 6 months or longer,		The technical review panel recommended that only health professional diagnoses should be counted by parents in their responses to this item. Additionally, the change to “mental retardation” was made to reflect updated language that is also being used by the National Survey of Children’s Health. Cognitive testing suggested that the eyeglasses item should be clarified.			Yes		National Survey of Children’s Health
Is this child receiving services for his/her condition? No Yes	Is [this child] receiving services through an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP), Individualized Education Program (IEP), or services plan? 1=Yes 2=No		This item was revised to become the filter for the questions that come after in this section.			Yes		NHES
Since September, how satisfied or dissatisfied have you been with the following aspects of this child’s IFSP,IEP or services plan? a. The service provider’s or school’s communication with your family? Very satisfied Somewhat satisfied Somewhat dissatisfied Very dissatisfied Does not apply b.The child’s special needs teacher or therapist? Very satisfied Somewhat satisfied Somewhat dissatisfied Very dissatisfied Does not apply c. The service provider’s or school’s ability to accommodate this child’s special needs? Very satisfied Somewhat satisfied Somewhat dissatisfied Very dissatisfied Does not apply d. The service provider’s or school’s commitment to help this child learn? Very satisfied Somewhat satisfied Somewhat dissatisfied Very dissatisfied Does not apply	Thinking about [this child’s] IFSP, IEP or services plan, how satisfied are you with the service provider’s or school’s communication with your family? 1=Very satisfied 2= Somewhat satisfied 3= Somewhat dissatisfied 4= Very dissatisfied 5= Does not apply		Subitems b-d have been dropped from this item, so it was rewritten to be a stand-alone question item			Yes		NHES
Does this child’s condition interfere with his/her ability to do any of the following things? Learn Participate in play with other children Go on outings Make friends	Does [this child]’s condition interfere with [his/her/his or her] ability to do any of the following things? Please select one response for EACH item below. Learn, Play with other children, Go on outings, Make friends,		Cognitive interviews suggested that this revision would improve respondent comprehension of the item			Yes		NHES
Child’s Background
How old was this child when he/she first moved to the 50 United States or the District of Columbia? [open-ended]	How old was [this child] when [he/she/he or she] first moved to the 50 United States or the District of Columbia? If younger than 1, select ‘0’.		Cognitive testing suggested that respondents were not sure what to write when they moved to the U.S. before age 1, so clarification was added.			Yes		NHES
Is this child of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin? No Yes	Is [this child] of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin? 1 = No, not of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin 2 = Yes, Mexican, Mexican American, Chicano 3 = Yes, Puerto Rican 4 = Yes, Cuban 5 = Yes, another Hispanic, Latino or Spanish origin; or more than one Hispanic, Latino or Spanish origin		Hispanic/Latino ethnic origin response categories were expanded to provide richer data about differences in experiences among Hispanic/Latino children.			Yes		NHES
What language does this child speak most at home? Mark X ONE only. Child has not started to speak English Spanish A language other than English or Spanish English and Spanish equally English and another language equally	What language does [this child] speak most AT HOME? 1= [This child] has not started to speak 2= English 3= Spanish 4= English and Spanish equally 5= A language other than English or Spanish 6= English and another language equally		Cognitive testers suggested that the order of response options in this item should be changed so that the families who speak English and Spanish equally can find that response option quicker.			Yes		NHES
Household Members
Including children, how many people live in THIS HOUSEHOLD? Include adults and children who are temporarily away from home (for example, living in college housing) if they have no other permanent home. [open-ended]	Including children, how many people live in THIS HOUSEHOLD? [open-ended]			2016 language for this item was designed to match the number of people listed on the screener, so it mimicked the item wording on the screener. However, without enumerating adults at the screener stage in 2019, the topical item should be a different count from the screener item and does not need to mimic screener language.		Yes		NHES
How many of the following people live in this household with this child? Do not include this child in you answer. Example: Brother(s)……………….. 2 Enter '0' if none. [This child]’s… Brother(s), Sister(s) Mother (birth, adoptive, step, or foster) Father (birth, adoptive, step, or foster) Aunt(s) Uncle(s) Grandmother(s) Grandfather(s) Cousin(s) Parent's girlfriend/boyfriend/partner Other relative(s) Other non-relative(s)	We are interested in learning about how the people in your household are related to this child. How many of the following people live in this household with [this child]? Example: Brother(s)……………….. 2 Enter '0' if none. [This child]’s… Brother(s), Sister(s) Mother (birth, adoptive, step, or foster) Father (birth, adoptive, step, or foster) Aunt(s) Uncle(s) Grandmother(s) Grandfather(s) Cousin(s) Parent's girlfriend/boyfriend/partner Other relative(s) Other non-relative(s)			2016 language depended on the previous question to prime respondents to answer the “How many…” question. For 2019, we tested a question preface, and found that it was clearer to respondents.		Yes		NHES
Which language(s) are spoken at home by the adults in this household? Mark all that apply. English, Spanish or Spanish Creole, French (including Patois, Creole, Cajun), Chinese, Other languages – Specify:,	Which language(s) are spoken at home by the adults in this household? Select all that apply. English, Spanish, French (including Patois, Creole, Cajun), Chinese, Other languages – Specify:,			Cognitive interviewers suggested that Spanish Creole was not a term that Spanish speakers in testing understood, and it made them reluctant to choose the “Spanish” category even when it applied.		Yes		NHES
Child’s Family: PARENT 1 LIVING IN HOUSEHOLD
Is this person male or female? Male Female	[Are you/ Is this parent or guardian ] male or female? 1= Male 2= Female		An expert reviewer at NCES suggested that all questions in this section should refer to “parent or guardian” to be as clear as possible for the respondent.			Yes		NHES
What is this person’s current marital status? Now Married Widowed Divorced Separated Never married	What is [your/this parent or guardian’s] current marital status? 1= Now Married 2= Widowed 3= Divorced 4= Separated 5= Never married		An expert reviewer at NCES suggested that all questions in this section should refer to “parent or guardian” to be as clear as possible for the respondent.			Yes		NHES
Is this person currently living with a boyfriend/girlfriend or partner in this household? Yes No	[Are you/Is this parent or guardian] currently living with a boyfriend/girlfriend or partner in this household? 1 = Yes 2= No		An expert reviewer at NCES suggested that all questions in this section should refer to “parent or guardian” to be as clear as possible for the respondent.			Yes		NHES
What was the FIRST language this parent or guardian learned to speak? English Spanish A language other than English or Spanish English and Spanish equally English and another language equally	What was the FIRST language [you/ this parent or guardian] learned to speak? 1= English 2= Spanish 3= English and Spanish equally 4= A language other than English or Spanish 5= English and another language equally		Cognitive testers suggested that the order of response options in this item should be changed so that the families who speak English and Spanish equally can find that response option quicker.			Yes		NHES
What language does this parent or guardian speak most at home NOW? English Spanish A language other than English or Spanish English and Spanish equally English and another language equally	What language [do you/does this parent or guardian] speak most at home NOW? 1= English 2= Spanish 3= English and Spanish equally 4= A language other than English or Spanish 5= English and another language equally		Cognitive testers suggested that the order of response options in this item should be changed so that the families who speak English and Spanish equally can find that response option quicker.			Yes		NHES
How old was this person when he or she first moved to the 50 United States or the District of Columbia? [open-ended]	How old [were you/was this parent or guardian] when [you/he/she/he or she] first moved to the 50 United States or the District of Columbia? If younger than 1, enter ‘0’ [open-ended]		An expert reviewer at NCES suggested that all questions in this section should refer to “parent or guardian” to be as clear as possible for the respondent. Also, cognitive testing suggested that respondents were not sure what to write when they moved to the U.S. before age 1, so clarification was added.			Yes		NHES
Is this person of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin? No Yes	[Are you/ Is this parent or guardian] of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin? 1 = No, not of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin 2 = Yes, Mexican, Mexican American, Chicano 3 = Yes, Puerto Rican 4 = Yes, Cuban 5 = Yes, another Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin; or more than one Hispanic, Latino or Spanish origin		Hispanic/Latino ethnic origin response categories were expanded to provide richer data about differences in experiences among Hispanic/Latino children.			Yes		NHES
What is this person’s race? You may mark one or more races. American Indian or Alaska Native Asian Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, White	What is [your/this parent or guardian’s] race? You may select one or more races. American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, White		An expert reviewer at NCES suggested that all questions in this section should refer to “parent or guardian” to be as clear as possible for the respondent.			Yes		NHES
Which of the following best describes this person’s employment status? Employed for pay or income Self-employed Unemployed or out of work Full-time student Stay at home parent Retired Disabled or unable to work	Which of the following best describes [your/this parent or guardian’s] employment status? 1= Employed for pay or income 2= Self-employed 3= Unemployed or out of work 4= Full-time student 5= Stay at home parent 6= Retired 7= Disabled or unable to work		An expert reviewer at NCES suggested that all questions in this section should refer to “parent or guardian” to be as clear as possible for the respondent.			Yes		NHES
(If employed or self-employed) About how many hours per week does he or she usually work for pay or income, counting all jobs? [open-ended]	About how many HOURS PER WEEK [do you/does this parent or guardian] USUALLY work for pay or income, counting all jobs? [open-ended]		Cognitive testing for NHES:2019 suggested that the parenthetical preface (a convention of the ATES that was adopted by the child surveys in 2016 for consistency) was not adding clarity to the question and was sometimes confusing respondents.			Yes		NHES
(If unemployed or out of work) Has this parent or guardian been actively looking for work in the past 4 weeks? No Yes	[Have you/Has this parent or guardian] been ACTIVELY looking for work IN THE PAST 4 WEEKS? 1 = Yes 2=No		Cognitive testing for NHES:2019 suggested that the parenthetical preface (a convention of the ATES that was adopted by the child surveys in 2016 for consistency) was not adding clarity to the question and was sometimes confusing respondents.			Yes		NHES
In the past 12 months, how many months (if any) has this person worked for pay or income? [open-ended]	IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS, how many months (if any) [have you/has this parent or guardian] worked for pay or income? Select ‘0’ if none. [open-ended]		An expert reviewer at NCES suggested that all questions in this section should refer to “parent or guardian” to be as clear as possible for the respondent.			Yes		NHES
How old is this person? [open-ended]	How old [are you/is this parent or guardian]? [open-ended]		An expert reviewer at NCES suggested that all questions in this section should refer to “parent or guardian” to be as clear as possible for the respondent.			Yes		NHES
Child’s Family: PARENT 2 LIVING IN HOUSEHOLD All revisions shown above for PARENT 1 were also made in the PARENT 2 section.
Your Household
In the past 12 months, did your family ever receive benefits from any of the following programs? Mark XONE box for each item below. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or TANF Your state welfare or family assistance program Women, Infants, and Children, or WIC Food Stamps Medicaid Child Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Section 8 housing assistance	Now we have a few final questions before you are finished. IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS, did your family ever receive benefits from any of the following programs? Please select one response for EACH item below. Your state welfare or family assistance program (this may be called Temporary Assistance for Needy Families [TANF] or something else Women, Infants, and Children, or WIC SNAP benefits, also known as Food Stamps Medicaid Child Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Housing assistance through a voucher or Section 8			The social service benefit programs were updated with more current nomenclature and tested and revised for clarity for respondents		Yes		NHES
Which category best fits the total income of all persons in your household over the past 12 months? Include your own income. Include money from jobs or other earnings, pensions, interest, rent, Social Security payments, and so on. $0 to $10,000 $10,001 to $20,000 $20,001 to $30,000 $30,001 to $40,000 $40,001 to $50,000 $50,001 to $60,000 $60,001 to $75,000 $75,001 to $100,000 $100,001 to $150,000 $150,001 or more	Which category best fits the total income of all persons in your household over the past 12 months? Include your own income. Include money from jobs or other earnings, pensions, interest, rent, Social Security payments, and so on. 1= $0 to $10,000 2= $10,001 to $20,000 3= $20,001 to $30,000 4= $30,001 to $40,000 5= $40,001 to $50,000 6= $50,001 to $60,000 7= $60,001 to $75,000 8= $75,001 to $100,000 9= $100,001 to $150,000 10= $150,001 to $200,000 11= $200,001 to $250,000 12= $250,001 or more			Income categories have been updated to keep pace with inflationary rises in income over time.		Yes		NHES
Is this house... Owned or being bought by someone in this household, Rented by someone in this household, or Occupied by some other arrangement?	Is this house or apartment… 1= Owned or being bought by someone in this household? 2= Rented by someone in this household? 3= Occupied by some other arrangement?			Cognitive testing revealed that some respondents were offended by the assumption that they live in a house.		Yes		NHES

1 Please note that the convention shown above, in which wording that is underlined in the paper version of the survey is presented in all capital letters in the web version of the survey, carries throughout the ECPP and PFI surveys. However, these differences are not listed singly in the ECPP and PFI sections below for parsimony.

2 This wording is used to asked of homeschooling parents and parents of enrolled students separately.

3 This wording is used to asked of homeschooling parents and parents of enrolled students separately.

4 This wording is used to asked of homeschooling parents and parents of enrolled students separately.

5 This wording is used to asked of homeschooling parents and parents of enrolled students separately.

6 This wording is used to asked of homeschooling parents and parents of enrolled students separately.

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Author	Tabitha Wurster
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File Created	2021-01-21