OMB83 Change Memo v22

Memorandum United States Department of Education

Institute of Education Sciences

National Center for Education Statistics

DATE: November 1, 2018

TO: Robert Sivinski, OMB

THROUGH: Kashka Kubzdela, NCES

FROM: Carolyn Fidelman, NCES

SUBJECT: Middle Grades Longitudinal Study of 2017-18 (MGLS:2017) Main Study First Follow-up (MS2) 2018 Tracking and Recruitment and Operational Field Test Second Follow-up (OFT3) Change Request (OMB# 1850-0911 v.22)

The Middle Grades Longitudinal Study of 2017-18 (MGLS:2017) is the first study conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) to follow a nationally representative sample of students as they enter and move through the middle grades (grades 6–8). The data collected through repeated measures of key constructs will provide a rich descriptive picture of the academic experiences and development of students during these critical years and will allow researchers to examine associations between contextual factors and student outcomes. The study focuses on student achievement in mathematics and literacy along with measures of student socioemotional wellbeing and other outcomes. The study includes students with disabilities for whom descriptive information on their outcomes, educational experiences, and special education services are being collected. In preparation for the Main Study (MS), the data collection instruments and procedures were field tested. An Item Validation Field Test (IVFT) was conducted from January through May 2016 to determine the psychometric properties of assessment and survey items and the predictive potential of items so that valid, reliable, and useful assessment and survey instruments could be developed for the Main Study. The MGLS:2017 Operational Field Test (OFT) Base Year (OFT1) data collection was conducted from January through May 2017 to test the near-final instruments and recruitment and data collection procedures and materials in preparation for the MGLS:2017 Main Study Base Year (MS1). The MS1 data collection took place from January to August 2018, and the OFT First Follow-up (OFT2) data collections from February to May 2018. OFT2 was conducted primarily to obtain information on recruiting, particularly for students in three focal IDEA-defined disability groups: specific learning disability, autism, and emotional disturbance; obtain a tracking sample that can be used to study mobility patterns in subsequent years; and test protocols, items, and administrative procedures. Originally, NCES planned for MGLS:2017 to conduct annual main study follow-up data collections first beginning in January 2019 and next beginning in January 2020, when most of the students in the sample will be in grades 7 and 8, respectively. In September 2018, OMB approved NCES’s request (OMB# 1850-0911 v.20) to revise the study design due to lower than expected response rates experienced in the sixth grade data collection and to: (1) drop the originally planned seventh grade round of data collection and conduct the Main Study First Follow-up (MS2) data collection in January-July 2020 (when most sample students will be in the eighth grade), (2) notify participating districts and schools of this change in data collection schedule, (3) discontinue the procedures designed to oversample students in specific IDEA-defined disability groups, and (4) conduct MS2 and OFT Second Follow-up (OFT3) tracking activities. In October 2018, NCES opened a 30-day public comment period for a request, currently pending at OMB, to further modify the study design for MS2 to augment the sample with additional schools to achieve about 776 participating schools in MS2 (OMB# 1850-0911 v.21). In the meantime, NCES needs to begin the approved 2018 MS2 and OFT3 tracking and enrollment update activities with three non-substantive revisions to the approved procedures and materials. This request is to make non-substantive edits to the 2018 MS2 and OFT3 tracking and enrollment update procedures and materials to be deployed in November 2018.

In addition to the lowered burden, the only edits made to the 2018 MS2 and OFT3 tracking and enrollment update materials and procedures are the following:

1. To date, MGLS used a $150 incentive for school coordinators but, based on the MS1 and OFT2 experience, we are splitting this incentive so that the coordinator will get $50 for providing each enrollment list or enrollment update, and then will get $100 after all data collection activities are completed (so $50 for the 2018 student enrollment information, $50 for a potential 2019 student enrollment information, and then $100 at end of the 2020 data collection).

2. To further strengthen security of collected data, the following login security requirement was added: “For added security, there is an additional 2-factor authentication step. After entering your Study ID and Password, a 6-digit code will be sent via email to the designated list provider we have on file. The 6-digit code is time sensitive and must be entered within 15 minutes into the verification code prompt box.”

3. NCES determined and is confirming that no data collection will be done in schools as part of OFT3.

These three revisions are reflected in the following edits made to the 2018 MS2 and OFT3 tracking and enrollment update materials that will be sent out in early November 2018:

• MS2A-B2 & OFT3-A - adds one clarification statement (“We are requesting your assistance to verify the enrollment status of the students at your school who participated in MGLS:2017 last year. This may also include MGLS:2017 students that have recently transferred to your school.”) and notification of the $50 incentive.

• MS2A-C & OFT3-B – adds notice of new security requirements for logging in, and notification of the $50 incentive.

• MS2A-D & OFT3-C – the format of the enrollment update form fields were revised for clarity

• MS2A-E & OFT3-D – added notification of the $50 incentive

• MS2A-I – modified to reflect the next data collection will be in winter/spring 2020 (as approved last month)

• MS2A-J – no change

• MS2A-K & MS2A-L - modified to reflect the next data collection will be in winter/spring 2020 (as approved last month)

• OFT3-A – modified to state that data collection will not occur at the school

• OFT3-B - adds notice of new security requirements for logging in, and notification of the $50 incentive.

These revised materials, which are subject of this request, are provided below in this memo.

The burden for these activities will be lower than the approved burden because fewer than anticipated schools participated in MS1. In the larger request currently in a 30-day public comment period and pending at OMB, all of the burden change requests are provided (see OMB# 1850-0911 v.21 for details).

Appendix MS2A-B2. MGLS:2017 Base Year School Letter

Go to https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/mgls/

Select “Student Enrollment Form”

Enter your Study ID: <ID fill>

Enter your Password: <psswrd fill>

<date>

<School Coordinator name>

<school name>

<address>

<city> <state> <zip>

Dear <School Coordinator Name>:

We are looking forward to working with you and your school this school year on the follow-up to the Middle Grades Longitudinal Study of 2017-18 (MGLS:2017). As the designated School Coordinator for MGLS:2017, you play a critical and invaluable role in assisting us with study preparations. We really appreciate your assistance, particularly given the many demands on your time.

As you may recall, MGLS:2017 is a comprehensive longitudinal study that follows a cohort of students as they progress through the middle grade years, making the transition from elementary school and preparing for the transition into high school. The goals of the study are to assess students’ mathematics and reading skills, their other (noncognitive) skills important to learning, their socioemotional well-being, and to collect data on family and school factors that may encourage success during these important years of education. MGLS:2017 is conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) at the U.S. Department of Education and is being administered by RTI International on behalf of NCES. A copy of the MGLS:2017 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) with study details is enclosed.

We are requesting your assistance to verify the enrollment status of the students at your school who participated in MGLS:2017 last year. This may also include MGLS:2017 students that have recently transferred to your school. While no actual data collection will occur in spring 2019, it is imperative that we maintain current enrollment records. We would appreciate your help in completing this task via our study website within three weeks of receipt of this letter. Instructions for completing this task are included with this letter. You will receive $50 for completing this activity.

In the upper right-hand corner of this letter, you will find a web address and a unique Study ID and password. We ask that you go to that web address and log in with the study ID and password provided in this letter. For data security purposes, you will be prompted to change your password to something only you know. Next you will click on “Student Enrollment Update” where you will find a list of all the students who were selected to participate in MGLS:2017 in spring 2018. We would appreciate your review of these students’ enrollment status at <SCHOOL NAME>. If the student is no longer enrolled at your school, you will be asked to provide:

• Last Date of attendance

• Reason for leaving (transferred to a new school, left to be home schooled, moved on to the next school or don’t know.)

• New school information: Name, city, and state of new school (if known)

• Last known address for student (address, city, state, zip, phone, and email)

We ask that you provide as much information as you have for these students. We are very grateful for your time and your assistance, which are critical to the success of the study. If you have any questions, please call the MGLS:2017 help desk at 855-500-1432 or by email at [email protected]. Thank you for your continued support of MGLS:2017!

Sincerely,

Dan Pratt

Project Director

Enclosures:

Enrollment Status Instructions

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) sheet

Appendix MS2A-C. MGLS:2017 Enrollment Update Instructions

Instructions for Student Enrollment Verification

Below are instructions for verifying the current enrollment status for those students who were selected to participate in MGLS:2017 in spring 2018.

1. Go to the MGLS:2017 website at https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/mgls/

2. You will be prompted to enter your study ID and password that were provided to you in the upper right hand corner of the School Coordinator letter, which accompanied this instructions page. If this is the first time you have logged onto the website, you will be prompted to change your password to something only you know for data security purposes. If you do not have a study ID and password, please call 1-855-500-1432.

   • For added security, there is an additional 2-factor authentication step. After entering your Study ID and Password, a 6-digit code will be sent via email to the designated list provider we have on file. The 6-digit code is time sensitive and must be entered within 15 minutes into the verification code prompt box.

3. You will then click on the link for the “Student Enrollment Update” where you will find a list of all the students who were selected to participate in MGLS:2017 in spring 2018.

4. Please review the current enrollment status for each student listed. For each student who is currently enrolled at your school, you will be asked to confirm or provide the following information:

• Current grade

• Student/Parent Contact information including street address, city, state, zip, phone, and email

5. For each student who is no longer enrolled at your school, you will be asked to provide the following additional information:

• Last date of attendance

• Reason for leaving (transferred to a new school, left to be home schooled, graduated and moved on to the next school (e.g. middle school or high school), or don’t know)

• For transfer students: Name, city, and state of new school (if known)

• Last known address for student/parent (address, city, state, zip, phone, and email)

You will receive $50 for completing this activity. If you need assistance with the website, please call 1-855-400-1432 or send an e-mail to [email protected].

Appendix MS2A-D. MGLS:2017 Enrollment Update Form (identical to Appendices OFT3-C and MS2B-C)

ENROLLMENT UPDATE FORM

If enrolled:

If no longer enrolled:

For all students

Reason for leaving school attended in spring 2018

If transferred (Option A, B, C selected on previous question):

Student Name

Study ID

Still Enrolled?

Current Grade

Last Date of Attendance

A. Transferred to school inside district B. Transferred to school outside district C. Graduated and moved on to next grade level school in district D. Home schooled E Other (please specify) F. Don't know

Current School Name

Current School City

Current School State

Don't know

Student's Current/ Last Known Address

City

State

Zip

Student's Home Phone

Student's Cell Phone

Mother's Name

Mother's Address (if different from student)

Mother's Home Phone

Mother's Cell Phone

Mother's Email

Father's Name

Father's Address (if different from student)

Father's Home Phone

Father's Cell Phone

Father's Email

Appendix MS2A-E. MGLS:2017 Reminder Email for Enrollment Update

[Sample Maintenance Enrollment Update Email, Group 1: Schools that have not changed their password or initiated the process yet]

Dear <SCHOOL COORDINATOR>:

Select students from <SCHOOL NAME> participated in the Middle Grades Longitudinal Study of 2017-18 (MGLS:2017) conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education (NCES) in spring of 2018. We recently sent you a letter asking you to verify the current enrollment status of these students. We know you are very busy and appreciate your time. If you have already completed this information, we thank you. If you have not provided this information yet, please do so at your earliest convenience

One of the most powerful aspects of MGLS:2017 is that it is longitudinal. Our ability to assess the progress of participating students over time will help educators better understand what drives students to academic and personal success.

Please visit the web address below and use the study ID and password provided to access your students’ enrollment list. If this is the first time you are logging into the website, you will be asked to change your password to something only you know for data security purposes.

You will receive $50 for completing this activity. We appreciate your continued support of MGLS:2017. If you have any questions, please call the MGLS:2017 help desk at 855-500-1432.

Go to https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/mgls/

Enter your Study ID: <ID fill>

Enter your Password: <psswrd fill>

Select “Student Enrollment Update”

Thank you in advance for your help with this important effort!

Dan Pratt

Project Director, Middle Grades Longitudinal Study of 2017-18

[Sample Maintenance Enrollment Update Email, Group 2: Schools that have started to update the form, have changed their password, but have not “submitted” their updated form yet]

Dear <NAME>:

Select students from <SCHOOL NAME> participated in the Middle Grades Longitudinal Study of 2017-18 (MGLS:2017) conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education (NCES) in the spring of 2018. Our records show that you have begun but not completed the student enrollment update form for the participating students. This is a request to please complete this online form at your earliest convenience. We know you are very busy and we appreciate your help with this important effort.

One of the most powerful aspects of MGLS:2017 is that it is longitudinal. Our ability to assess the progress of participating students over time will help educators better understand what drives students to academic and personal success.

To complete the student enrollment update form, go to https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/mgls/. Your Study ID is <ID fill>. Please use the password you created to log in and then click on “Student Enrollment Update Form.” to resume the update. If you need your password reset, call the MGLS:2017 help desk at 855-500-1432.

You will receive $50 for completing this activity. We greatly appreciate your continued support of this important research!

We look forward to hearing from you.

Dan Pratt

Project Director, Middle Grades Longitudinal Study of 2017-18

Appendix MS2A-I. MGLS:2017 Panel Maintenance Letter

Go to https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/mgls

Enter your study ID: <ID fill>

Enter your password: <psswrd fill>

<date>

<name>

<address>

<city> <state> <zip>

Dear <name>:

In the spring of 2018, <student’s name> [IF PARTICIPATED SAY: participated; IF NONRESPONDENT SAY: was selected to participate] in the Middle Grades Longitudinal Study of 2017-18 (MGLS:2017). This important research, conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, follows a cohort of students as they progress through the middle grade years, making the transition from elementary school and preparing for the transition into high school.

As we prepare for the next phase of MGLS:2017, which will take place in the spring of 2020, we are updating our contact information for selected students. We hope that you can take just 5 minutes to update <student’s name> contact information and current school information. The success of this national longitudinal study depends on having the most up-to-date contact information for all of the students and parents involved in MGLS:2017. Please visit our secure website and use the study ID provided above to update your contact information. [IF REMINDER: If you prefer, you may also complete and return the enclosed address update form.]

MGLS:2017 is being administered by RTI International for the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), part of the U.S. Department of Education. If you have any questions about MGLS:2017 or about updating your contact information, please call the MGLS:2017 help desk at 1-855-500-1432. You may also send us an e-mail at [email protected].

We thank you in advance for your help and greatly appreciate your continued support of this important research!

Sincerely,

Dan Pratt

Project Director

Middle Grades Longitudinal Study of 2017-18

NCES is authorized to conduct MGLS:2017 by the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (ESRA 2002, 20 U.S.C. §9543) and to collect students’ education records from education agencies or institutions for the purposes of evaluating federally supported education programs under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA, 34 CFR §§ 99.31(a)(3)(iii) and 99.35). The data are being collected for NCES by RTI International, a U.S.-based nonprofit research organization. All of the information you provide may be used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law (20 U.S.C. §9573 and 6 U.S.C. §151). The collected information will be combined across respondents to produce statistical reports.

Enclosures

[IF REMINDER: Address update form]

Appendix MS2A-J. MGLS:2017 Panel Maintenance Email

[Sample Maintenance Email to Parents that have not updated within a week after the letter]

Middle Grades Longitudinal Study of 2017-18

Dear <NAME>:

In the spring of 2018, your son or daughter [IF PARTICIPATED SAY: participated; IF NONRESPONDENT SAY: was selected to participate] in the Middle Grades Longitudinal Study of 2017-18 (MGLS:2017). MGLS:2017 is conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics, part of the U.S. Department of Education.

Recently, we sent a letter asking for your help in verifying your child’s contact information. If you have already completed this update, we thank you! If you have not yet had an opportunity, this is a friendly reminder to please spend about 5 minutes to update this information at your earliest convenience. We greatly appreciate your help with this critical effort. One of the most powerful aspects of MGLS:2017 is that it is longitudinal. Our ability to assess the progress of students over time will help educators better understand what leads to student growth and success across the middle grade years.

Please visit the web address below and use the study ID and password provided to update your student’s contact information. If you have any questions or encounter any difficulty, please call the MGLS:2017 help desk, toll-free, at 855-500-1432.

Go to https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/mgls/

Enter your study ID: <ID fill>

Enter your password: <psswrd fill>

Thank you for your continued participation in this important study. We look forward to hearing from you!

Dan Pratt

Project Director

Middle Grades Longitudinal Study of 2017-18

Appendix MS2A-K. MGLS:2017 Panel Maintenance Webpage Contents (identical to Appendix MS2B-O)

Middle Grades Longitudinal Study of 2017-18 (MGLS:2017)

Address Update Information

Thank you for your interest and continued participation in the Middle Grades Longitudinal Study of 2017-18 (MGLS:2017). As we prepare for the next phase of MGLS:2017, which will take place in the spring of 2020, we are updating our contact information for selected students. We need to verify some information with you about your child who was in sixth grade during the 2017-18 school year.

1. Please enter the name of the school you expect your child to be enrolled at in the spring of 2019: _________________________

• Check if same school attended as in spring 2018 (Skip to question 4)

2. If this is a different school than the one attended in spring 2018, in what city and state is this school?

City: _________________________

State:_________________________

3. What is the reason for leaving the school attended in spring 2018?

• Transferred to a new school

• Left to be home schooled

• Graduated and moved on to the next school (e.g. middle school or junior high school).

• Don’t know

4. If the current contact information is not correct below, please provide the updated contact information on the right.

Parent or guardian «parent1panelinfo»					Updated information Check if this is the student’s primary address
	Name:	«parentname»
	Address:	«parentaddr»
	City	«parentcity»
	State	«parentstate»
	ZIP	«parentzip»
	Home phone:	«parenthphone»
	Work phone:	«parentwphone»
	Cell phone:	«parentcphone»

Primary email: _____________________ ________________________

Secondary email: ___________________ ________________________

Parent or guardian 2 «parent2panelinfo»					Updated information Check if this is the student’s primary address
	Name:	«parent2name»
	Address:	«parent2addr»
	City	«parent2city»
	State	«parent2state»
	ZIP	«parent2zip»
	Home phone:	«parent2hphone»
	Work phone:	«parent2wphone»
	Cell phone:	«parent2cphone»

Primary email: _____________________ ________________________

Secondary email: ___________________ ________________________

5. Is there a relative or friend, who does not live in this household, who will always know where you are if you move? What is the name, address, and telephone number of that person? We will only contact this person if we cannot locate you for the next interview.

Name:
Address:
City
State
ZIP
Home phone:
Work phone:
Cell phone:

6. Would you like us to send a text message to the cell phone listed on the first page when data collection is about to begin? (Please note: standard text message rates apply)

• Yes

• No

NOTE: The next question will only be displayed if the “yes” box under number 6 is checked. It will not be displayed if “no” is checked or nothing is checked.

7. We will need the name of your cell phone service provider (e.g., AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, etc.) to ensure the message is sent to the correct carrier.

Service provider:

Thank you in advance for making MGLS:2017 a success!

Appendix MS2A-L. MGLS:2017 Panel Maintenance Hardcopy (identical to Appendix MS2B-P)

Hardcopy Panel Maintenance Form

Thank you for your interest and continued participation in the Middle Grades Longitudinal Study of 2017-18 (MGLS:2017). We are preparing for the follow-up study to take place in the Spring of 2020.

Please take a moment to update your current address and telephone information in the space provided below if different than what is printed. If you prefer, you can also provide this information by logging into our secure website at https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/mgls/ using the login information provided in the letter.

Student name: «studentname» (Your child who was in sixth grade during the 2017–18 school year.)

1. Will your child be attending [SCHNAME] in the spring of 2019?

• Yes (skip to question 4)

• No (go to question 2)

2. What school will your child be attending in spring 2019?

School name: _________________________

City: _________________________

State:_________________________

3. What is the reason for leaving [SCHNAME]?

• Transferred to a new school

• Left to be home schooled

• Graduated and moved on to the next school (e.g. middle school or junior high school).

• Don’t know

4. Parent/Guardian information.

If the information on the left side is incorrect, please update it on the right side. Please indicate if the address below is the student’s primary residence.

Parent or Guardian 1			Information is correct Check if this is the student’s primary address
Name:	«parentname»
Address:	«parentaddr»
City	«parentcity»
State	«parentstate»
ZIP	«parentzip»
Home phone:	«parenthphone»
Work phone:	«parentwphone»
Cell phone:	«parentcphone»
Primary email:	«parentemail1»
Secondary email:	«parentemail2»

CONTINUE ON PAGE 2

Parent or Guardian 2			Information is correct Check if this is the student’s primary address
Name:	«parent2name»
Address:	«parent2addr»
City	«parent2city»
State	«parent2state»
ZIP	«parent2zip»
Home phone:	«parent2hphone»
Work phone:	«parent2wphone»
Cell phone:	«parent2cphone»
Primary email:	«parent2email1»
Secondary email:	«parent2email2»

5. Would you like us to send a text message to the cell phone listed on the first page when data collection is about to begin? (Please note: standard text message rates apply)

• Yes

• No

If yes, we will need the name of your cell phone service provider (e.g., AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, etc.) to ensure the message is sent to the correct carrier.

Service provider:

Thank you in advance for making MGLS:2017 a success!

Appendix OFT3-A. MGLS:2017 School Letter

Go to https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/mgls/

Select “Student Enrollment Form”

Enter your Study ID: <ID fill>

Enter your Password: <psswrd fill>

<date>

<School Coordinator name>

<school name>

<address>

<city> <state> <zip>

Dear <School Coordinator Name>:

We are looking forward to working with you and your school this school year on the follow-up to the Middle Grades Longitudinal Study of 2017-18 (MGLS:2017). As the designated School Coordinator for MGLS:2017, you play a critical and invaluable role in assisting us with study preparations. We really appreciate your assistance, particularly given the many demands on your time.

As you may recall, MGLS:2017 is a comprehensive longitudinal study that follows a cohort of students as they progress through the middle grade years, making the transition from elementary school and preparing for the transition into high school. The goals of the study are to assess students’ mathematics and reading skills, their other (noncognitive) skills important to learning, their socioemotional well-being, and to collect data on family and school factors that may encourage success during these important years of education. MGLS:2017 is conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) at the U.S. Department of Education and is being administered by RTI International on behalf of NCES.

We are requesting your assistance to verify the enrollment status of the students at your school who participated in MGLS:2017 [FILL: last year/two years ago]. This may also include MGLS:2017 students that have recently transferred to your school. We would appreciate your help in completing this task via our study website within three weeks of receipt of this letter. Instructions for completing this task are included with this letter. Please note that we are only requesting an update on the enrollment of selected students and will NOT be conducting a data collection at the school.

In the upper right-hand corner of this letter, you will find a web address and a unique Study ID and password. We ask that you go to that web address and log in with the study ID and password provided in this letter. For data security purposes, you will be prompted to change your password to something only you know. Next you will click on “Student Enrollment Update” where you will find a list of all the students who were selected to participate in MGLS:2017 in spring 2018. We would appreciate your review of these students’ enrollment status at <SCHOOL NAME>. If the student is no longer enrolled at your school, you will be asked to provide:

• Last Date of attendance

• Reason for leaving (transferred to a new school, left to be home schooled, moved on to the next school or don’t know.)

• New school information: Name, city, and state of new school (if known)

• Last known address for student (address, city, state, zip, phone, and email)

You will receive $50 for providing the enrollment status information. We ask that you provide as much information as you have for these students. We are very grateful for your time and your assistance, which are critical to the success of the study. If you have any questions, please call the MGLS:2017 help desk at 855-500-1432 or by email at [email protected]. Thank you for your continued support of MGLS:2017!

Sincerely,

Dan Pratt

Project Director

Enclosures:

Enrollment Update Instructions

Appendix OFT3-B. MGLS:2017 Enrollment Update Instructions

Instructions for Student Enrollment Verification

Below are instructions for verifying the current enrollment status for those students who were selected to participate in MGLS:2017 in spring 2017 and/or spring 2018.

1. Go to the MGLS:2017 website at https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/mgls/

2. You will be prompted to enter your study ID and password that were provided to you in the upper right-hand corner of the School Coordinator letter, which accompanied this instructions page. If this is the first time you have logged onto the website, you will be prompted to change your password to something only you know for data security purposes. If you do not have a study ID and password, please call 1-855-500-1432.

   • For added security, there is an additional 2-factor authentication step. After entering your Study ID and Password, a 6-digit code will be sent via email to the designated list provider we have on file. The 6-digit code is time sensitive and must be entered within 15 minutes into the verification code prompt box.

3. You will then click on the link for the “Student Enrollment Update” where you will find a list of all the students who were selected to participate in MGLS:2017.

4. Please review the current enrollment status for each student listed. For each student who is currently enrolled at your school, you will be asked to confirm or provide the following information:

• Current grade

• Current math teacher and special education provider (if applicable)

• Student/Parent Contact information including street address, city, state, zip, phone, and email

5. For each student who is no longer enrolled at your school, you will be asked to provide the following additional information:

• Last date of attendance

• Reason for leaving (transferred to a new school, left to be home schooled, graduated and moved on to the next school (e.g. middle school or high school), or don’t know)

• New school information: Name, city, and state of new school (if known)

• Last known address for student/parent (address, city, state, zip, phone, and email)

You will receive $50 for completing this activity. If you need assistance with the website, please call 1-855-400-1432 or send an e-mail to [email protected].

Appendix OFT3-C. MGLS:2017 Enrollment Update Form (identical to Appendices MS2A-D and MS2B-C)

ENROLLMENT UPDATE FORM

If enrolled:

If no longer enrolled:

For all students

Reason for leaving school attended in spring 2018

If transferred (Option A, B, C selected on previous question):

Student Name

Study ID

Still Enrolled?

Current Grade

Math teacher and section

Special education teacher/provider (If applicable)

Last Date of Attendance

A. Transferred to school inside district B. Transferred to school outside district C. Graduated and moved on to next grade level school in district D. Home schooled E. Other (please specify) F. Don't know

Current School Name

Current School City

Current School State

Don't know

Student's Current/ Last Known Address

City

State

Zip

Student's Home Phone

Student's Cell Phone

Mother's Name

Mother's Address (if different from student)

Mother's Home Phone

Mother's Cell Phone

Mother's Email

Father's Name

Father's Address (if different from student)

Father's Home Phone

Father's Cell Phone

Father's Email

Appendix OFT3-D. MGLS:2017 Reminder Email for Enrollment Update

[Sample Maintenance Enrollment Update Email, Group 1: Schools that have not changed their password or initiated the process yet]

Dear <SCHOOL COORDINATOR>:

Select students from <SCHOOL NAME> participated in the Middle Grades Longitudinal Study of 2017-18 (MGLS:2017) conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education (NCES) in spring of 2017 and/or spring of 2018. We recently sent you a letter asking you to verify the current enrollment status of these students. We know you are very busy and appreciate your time. If you have already completed this information, we thank you. If you have not provided this information yet, please do so at your earliest convenience.

One of the most powerful aspects of MGLS:2017 is that it is a longitudinal study. Our ability to assess the progress of participating students over time will help educators better understand what drives students to academic and personal success. Please note that we are requesting an update on the enrollment of selected students but will NOT be asking to conduct additional data collection at the school.

You will receive $50 for completing this activity. Please visit the web address below and use the study ID and password provided to access your students’ enrollment list. If this is the first time you are logging into the website, you will be asked to change your password to something only you know for data security purposes. We appreciate your continued support of MGLS:2017. If you have any questions, please call the MGLS:2017 help desk at 855-500-1432.

Go to https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/mgls/

Enter your Study ID: <ID fill>

Enter your Password: <psswrd fill>

Select “Student Enrollment Update”

Thank you in advance for your help with this important effort!

Dan Pratt

Project Director, Middle Grades Longitudinal Study of 2017-18

[Sample Maintenance Enrollment Update Email, Group 2: Schools that have started to update the form, have changed their password, but have not “submitted” their updated form yet]

Dear <NAME>:

Select students from <SCHOOL NAME> participated in the Middle Grades Longitudinal Study of 2017-18 (MGLS:2017) conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education (NCES) in the spring of 2017 and/or spring of 2018. Our records show that you have begun but not completed the student enrollment update form for the participating students. This is a request to please complete this online form at your earliest convenience. We know you are very busy and we appreciate your help with this important effort.

One of the most powerful aspects of MGLS:2017 is that it is a longitudinal study. Our ability to assess the progress of participating students over time will help educators better understand what drives students to academic and personal success. Please note that we are requesting an update on the enrollment of selected students but will NOT be asking to conduct additional data collection at the school.

You will receive $50 for completing this activity. To complete the student enrollment update form, go to https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/mgls/. Your Study ID is <ID fill>. Please use the password you created to log in and then click on “Student Enrollment Update Form.” to resume the update. If you need your password reset, call the MGLS:2017 help desk at 855-500-1432. We greatly appreciate your continued support of this important research!

We look forward to hearing from you.

Dan Pratt

Project Director, Middle Grades Longitudinal Study of 2017-18