2020 National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS) Teacher and Principal Follow Up Survey
Cognitive Testing
Volume II: Cognitive Interview Protocols
OMB# 1850-0803 v. 278
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
October 2020
Participant ID #: ________________________
Text Version : _________
Interview Date: ______/______/___________ (mm/dd/yyyy)
Interview Time: ____________ AM / PM
Interviewer Initials: _________
Hello, my name is ________________, and I work for the Census Bureau. Thank you for agreeing to participate in our study. [IF OBSERVER PRESENT: I also want to let you know that this interview is being observed by [DESCRIBE OBSERVER’S ROLE: e.g., someone who works on the survey]. They are observing the interview because they are also interested in how the questions work for people like you.]
We are working with the U.S. Department of Education to develop and refine questions for a survey about education as well as test text messages that will be sent about the survey. Before surveys are conducted, it’s important to try out the messages about the survey and the survey questions with the help of people such as yourself.
It is important that the text messages and the survey questions make sense, and that everyone understands the questions the same way. If you agree to take part in this study, I will send you some text messages to your phone and have you read them and tell me about your impressions of them. Then I will have you answer some survey questions. After I ask you the survey questions, I will ask some follow-up questions about your answers and what you understood the questions to mean. There are no right or wrong answers. Our purpose is not to compile information about you. Instead, your interview, along with those of others, will show us how to improve these questions and text messages for the survey.
If they did sign before the interview:
Before we start, I just wanted to thank you for signing the document in the link I sent before the interview. Just as a quick reminder that document explained a little bit about this interview and provided information about your rights as a participant, such as that all information you provide is confidential and we won’t use your name or specific circumstances in any report. The link had a signature line to acknowledge the $40 you will receive by mail for participating. It also asked for your permission to have this session audio recorded as well as a video recording of your computer screen. This is so that I can concentrate on what you are saying rather than having to take extensive notes. Your name will not be associated with the recording or any of the other data collected during the session. May I turn on the recorder? [If they say yes turn on recorder] For our purposes, we need to capture your consent orally on the recording. Please state, “I give consent to participate in this research and to be recorded.”
PARTICIPANT AGREES
Thank you for that.
Do you have any other questions about the document or the interview?
If they did NOT sign before the interview:
Before we start, I noticed that you had not yet signed the document in the link we e-mailed to you; I just wanted to check did you receive that e-mail? [If yes] Did you have any issues opening the link or with signing the document? [if they say yes talk them through it. IF UNABLE TO GET SIGNED CONSENT, DISPLAY CONSENT FORM OR RELY ON ORAL CONSENT USING SCRIPT BELOW] I will go over what is in that document and obtain consent orally. However, the document also contains an acknowledgement that you will receive $40 by mail for participating in this research. You can still participate right now, but you will need to sign that document before we can send the $40.
The document explains a little bit about the purpose of this study, which is to test text messages and questions for the Teacher Follow Up Survey. The document provides information about your rights as a participant, such as that all information you provide is confidential and we won’t use your name or specific circumstances in any report. It also asks for your permission to have this session audio recorded as well as a video of your computer screen so that I can concentrate on what you are saying rather than having to take extensive notes. May I turn on the recorder? [If they say yes turn on Snagit recorder] For our purposes, we need to capture your consent orally on the recording. Please state, “I give consent to participate in this research and to be recorded.”
PARTICIPANT AGREES
Thank you for that.
Your participation in this interview is very important because it will help the Census Bureau with improving these messages and survey questions. Your participation in this interview is voluntary, and you may decline to answer any question or stop the interview at any time. We are scheduled to be here for about 90 minutes, and I won’t keep you any longer.
IF RESPONDENT IS NOT A FEDERAL EMPLOYEE: As a thank you for your help, we will mail you $40 cash after the interview is completed.
While you are answering questions from the text messages or the survey, I would like you to think aloud. While I am interested in your answers, I am even more interested in the process you go through when you answer the questions. So, as much as possible, I’d like you to think aloud for me; meaning, talk me through your thought process as you answer each question. From time to time, I may also ask you what you are thinking to remind you to do this.
I find it helps people to get the idea of thinking aloud while they are answering a question if they do a practice question first. Let’s begin with a practice question. Remember to think aloud as you answer.
How many windows are there in the house or apartment where you live?
_____________ WINDOWS
[IF NEEDED: Try to visualize the place where you live, and think about how many windows there are in that place. As you count up the windows, tell me what you are seeing and thinking about.
PROBES:
How did you come up with that answer?
Tell me more about that. Why did you say [ANSWER]?
I noticed that you hesitated. Tell me what you were thinking.]
Great, that is what we will want you to do for today’s session.
Do you have any other questions about the document or the interview?
Were you able to install the Skype for Business software we sent instructions for? Is that computer currently turned on and ready to be used?
Do you have the phone with the number you provided during screening available to receive text messages on? If you are using that phone for this call can you still read the texts and talk to us by using speakerphone or a headset?
NOTE for interviewers: These are the highest priority sections if time is short
1. All text message content and probing (except the “help” link which is noted below)
2. Complete Student debt questions in survey (Q2-Q8)
3. Probe on Student debt questions even if you have to stop them completing the survey
Thank you! Ok I am going to send you a text message to [participant phone number] and I would like you to tell me about what you would think if this message appeared on your phone.
As some background, the text messages will mention some questions about your experiences as a teacher and your current employment status. Normally these messages would be sent as a follow up survey of teachers and principals who completed a more comprehensive survey of their experiences in the school year before.
Early Texting-Web Link Group
Initiate Welcome Text
Hello, you are receiving this message since you completed the National Teacher and Principal Survey last school year on behalf of Department of Education and Census Bureau. You may receive up to x contacts via text in the next 2 months. Visit go.usa.gov/xGww4 for more information. Reply STOP to cancel. Message rates may apply.
[If needed] Did you receive the text? Does the message take up more than the entire screen? [If needed] How many text messages did it come in as?
Now please tell me more about what you are thinking and what you might do next.
Ok thank you for that feedback. A few minutes later the following text would appear.
Initiate Text 1
Please answer questions on your status as a teacher at https://go.usa.gov/xGww4. Your User ID to complete the survey is xxxx-xxxx. Call 1-800-xxx-xxxx for help
Now please tell me what you are thinking about this text. What might you do next after receiving this? [If needed] Would you respond?
If they say they would respond Please login as if you were going to respond now.
If they say they would not respond then prompt Thank you for that feedback, for the purpose of this study would you mind completing the survey? Please remember to tell me what you are doing. Interviewer please note any confusion they mention or pauses that seem to indicate difficulty
After they get to the login back and use the USER ID What do you think about this survey? Does it seem legitimate to you?
Thank you for that feedback. Now we are going to pretend that you still had not responded and several more weeks went by. You would then receive this text message.
Initiate Text 2
The Department of Education and Census Bureau need your help to understand your experiences in the teaching profession. Complete the survey at https://go.usa.gov/xGww4. Your User ID to complete the survey is xxxx-xxxx. Call 1-800-xxx-xxxx for help.
What do you think about this text? Do you think you might be more or less likely to respond to this message than the previous text?
Finally if you still had not responded to any of the previous messages we would send the following text message.
Initiate Text 3
The Department of Education and Census Bureau have messaged you multiple times. Please complete a short survey on your opinions about teaching at https://go.usa.gov/xGww4. Your User ID to complete the survey is xxxx-xxxx. Call 1-800-xxx-xxxx for help.
What do you think about this text?
Do you think if you had not responded yet it might encourage you to do so?
late Texting-Web Link Group
Initiate Welcome Text
Hello, you are receiving this message since you completed the National Teacher and Principal Survey last school year on behalf of Department of Education and Census Bureau. You may receive up to X contacts via text in the next 2 months. Visit go.usa.gov/xGww4 for more information. Reply STOP to cancel. Message rates may apply.
[If needed] Did you receive the text?
What does the message look like? [If needed] How many text messages did it come in as?
Please tell me more about what you are thinking and what you might do next.
Ok thank you for that feedback. A few minutes later the following text would appear.
Initiate Text 1
Please answer questions on your status as a teacher at https://go.usa.gov/xGww4. Your User ID to complete the survey is xxxx-xxxx. Call 1-800-xxx-xxxx for help
Now please tell me what you are thinking about this text. What might you do next after receiving this? [If needed] Would you respond?
If they say they would respond Please login and respond now.
If they say they would not respond then prompt Thank you for that feedback, for the purpose of this study would you mind logging into the survey. Please remember to tell me what you are doing. Interviewer please note any confusion they mention or pauses that seem to indicate difficulty
What do you think about this survey? Does it seem legitimate to you?
Thank you for that feedback. Now we are going to pretend that you still had not responded and several more weeks went by. You would then receive this text message.
Initiate Text 2
The Department of Education and Census Bureau need your help to understand your experiences in the teaching profession. Complete the survey at https://go.usa.gov/xGww4. Your User ID to complete the survey is xxxx-xxxx. Call 1-800-xxx-xxxx for help.
Finally, what do you think about this text? Do you think you might be more or less likely to respond to this message than the previous text?
late Texting-Questions
Initiate Welcome Text
Hello, you are receiving this message since you completed the National Teacher and Principal Survey last school year on behalf of Department of Education and Census Bureau. You may receive up to x contacts via text in the next 2 months. Visit go.usa.gov/xGww4 for more information. Reply STOP to cancel. Message rates may apply.
[If needed] Did you receive the text?
Please tell me more about what you are thinking and what you might do next.
Ok thank you for that feedback. A few minutes later the following text would appear.
Initiate Text 1
Version 1: Please answer questions to update your status as a teacher from the last school year. Reply START to continue. Call 1-800-xxx-xxxx for help or learn more at go.usa.gov/xGww4
Version 2: Do you still teach any regularly scheduled classes in any grades K-12? Reply YES or NO. Call 1-800-xxx-xxxx for help or learn more at go.usa.gov/xGww4.
Now please tell me what you are thinking about this text. What might you do next after receiving this? [If needed] Would you respond?
If they say they would respond Please respond now [If they are unsure how to tell them to enter START and note this].
If they say they would not respond then prompt Thank you for that feedback, for the purpose of this study would you mind responding. Please remember to tell me what you are doing. Interviewer please note any confusion they mention or pauses that seem to indicate difficulty
[If needed] Please continue to respond until you see a “thank you” message.
Initiate status Text questions
[If Version 2 skip to 2]Do you still teach any regularly scheduled classes in any grades K-12? Reply YES or NO
[IF NO to Q1] Are you still working in K-12 education, but not currently teaching any classes?
[IF YES] Thank you so much for your time and participation!
[If NO to Q2] Are you retired?
[IF YES] Thank you so much for your time and participation!
[IF NO to Q3] Are you still teaching but currently on leave? Reply YES or NO
[IF NO to Q4] Thank you so much for your time and participation!
[IF YES to Q4] Do you plan to return to teaching this school year? Reply YES or NO
[IF NO] Are you planning to return to teaching next school year? Reply YES or NO
[IF NO] Thank you so much for your time and participation!
[IF YES] Will you still be teaching at the same school as you were in the 2020-21 school year?
[IF YES OR NO] Thank you so much for your time and participation!
[IF YES to Q1 OR Q5] Are you still teaching at the same school as the 2019-20 school year? Reply YES or NO
[IF YES OR NO] Thank you so much for your time and participation!
What do you think about this text survey? Does it seem legitimate to you?
Thank you for that feedback. Now we are going to pretend that you still had not responded and several more weeks went by. You would then receive this text message.
Initiate Text 2
Version 1: The Department of Education and Census Bureau need your help. We want to learn more about your experiences in the teaching profession. Reply START to continue. Call 1-800 -xxx-xxxx for help or learn more at go.usa.gov/xGww4
Version 2: The Department of Education and Census Bureau need your help. Do you still teach any regularly scheduled classes in any grades K-12?Reply YES or NO. Call 1-800-xxx-xxxx for help or learn more at go.usa.gov/xGww4.
Finally, what do you think about this text? Do you think you might be more or less likely to respond to this message than the text we sent earlier that said “Please answer questions to update your status as a teacher from the last school year. Reply START to continue. Call 1-800-xxx-xxxx for help or learn more at go.usa.gov/xGww4?
“HELP” LINK
(for all participants If there is at least 20 minutes left in the interview then ask this probe. If less than 20 minutes have them log into the survey and start answering the questions.)
Now would you mind going back to the first text I sent? Would you please click on the link we sent you and let me know what you think about what you are seeing? [If needed] Do you think the website looks legitimate?
CONTACT AND SURVEY
Always ask the below probes
Thank you for your feedback on the text messages. This survey also sends people invitations and reminders by email and mail. Would you prefer to be contacted about this type of survey by text messages, email, or mail? Thank you.
I will now ask you to go to your computer and log into the Skype meeting invitation and share your screen with me. Now I am going to ask you to go to the survey link we sent in the email. I would like you to fill out the survey questions. Please think aloud as you are answering the questions so I know what you are thinking about and feeling as you are answering.
Thank you very much for answering those questions.
Would you mind telling me a little bit about how your school is operating right now with the coronavirus pandemic and distancing requirements?
Now I’d like to ask you a few more questions about how you came up with your answers.
Q2 Research Questions:
Are they easily able to indicate what types of loans they have? What kind of debt have they ever had if they have currently paid it off?
We asked you “ Do you currently have any of the below types of debt from your undergraduate or graduate education?”
Please tell me more about what kinds of debt you have or have ever had from your education.
Was it hard to remember what types of loan(s) you have?
Have you ever refinanced your loan(s)? [If yes] When you refinanced did the type of loan change? By type of loan, we mean whether it was federal, private, state, or some other kind of loan. [If yes] Did you report what type those loan(s) were originally or after refinancing?
Q3 Research Questions:
Have they seriously considered leaving (i.e., more than a passing whim)? How much has their debt load contributed to those thoughts? If they have left, was their student debt was a significant factor in that decision?
If they have been a teacher at the same school since at least the 2019-20 school year We asked “Have you ever seriously considered leaving your current job for a higher paying job to help pay off debt from your undergraduate or graduate education?
Now I would like you to pretend to be a colleague or friend you know who recently left their teaching position, it could have been to teach at a new school, start a new profession, or to take a non-teaching job in education. If you don’t know anyone that has left please imagine what you think they might say. Please answer the following question as you think that person would answer it. Show the respondent the following question through the screenshare or read aloud if not possible to show.
“Was finding a higher paying job to help pay off debt from your undergraduate or graduate education at least one of the reasons why you left your previous teaching job?”
Please tell me more about why you think your colleague left their last job?
How much of a factor would you say student debt was in their decision?
Do you think you might leave in the future because of your student debt?
Q4 Research Questions:
Do they feel that this question allows them to accurately report their feelings about their debt?
We asked you “How do you feel about the amount of debt you have remaining from your undergraduate and graduate education?”
Please tell me more about your answer. Do you feel that you were able to choose an answer that reflects how you really feel about it?
[If no] How would you describe your feelings about the debt?
Q10 Research Questions:
How are they choosing an answer for their classroom organization given remote learning and other unusual learning situations?
We asked you “Which statement best describes the way YOUR classes at THIS school are organized?” Please tell me more about your answer. [If needed] Is this the answer you would have selected in the fall of last year? Did the coronavirus pandemic and remote learning change the answer you normally would have selected?
If they answered Q13
Q13 Research Questions:
How are they choosing an answer for their instructional time and the number of students sections given remote learning and other unusual learning situations?
We asked you “ During your most recent FULL WEEK of teaching, approximately how many minutes did YOU spend teaching each of the following subjects at THIS school?”
Please tell me more about your answer. [If needed] Is this the answer you would have reported in the fall of last year? Did the current situation with the coronavirus pandemic and remote learning change the answer you normally would have selected?
If they answered Q15
Q15 Research Questions:
How are they choosing an answer for the number of students sections and class size given remote learning and other unusual learning situations?
We asked you “ For EACH of the [if not blank, fill number from Q14] class periods or sections that you reported in item 14, record the subject name, grade level, and number of students?”
Please tell me more about the number of students/sections you reported? Is this the answer you would have selected in the fall of last year? Did the current situation with the coronavirus pandemic and remote learning change the answer you normally would have selected?
Q17 Research Questions:
How are they coming up with an answer for this question in light of the coronavirus pandemic? Are they reporting the amount of time teaching virtually, some combination of that and other activities, or something else?
We asked “Of the hours you are CONTRACTED to work, excluding time spent on planning, lunch, break/recess, arrival/dismissal of students, and otherwise NOT delivering instruction, how many hours during a typical full week do you DELIVER INSTRUCTION to students in THIS school?”
Please tell me more about your answer and what type of activities you included.
Is this the answer you would have reported in the fall of last year?
Interviewers these probes can be cut if running out of time, jump to “was there anything else” probe.
Q5-8 Research Question:
Why are teachers who have student debt not using debt forgiveness? Are they unaware of programs, have they been disqualified, or is there some other reason?
We asked you several questions about debt forgiveness programs.
Would you tell me a little bit about your answers and what you know about debt forgiveness programs?
Interviewers ask everything below
Was there anything else you would like to mention that you feel you haven’t had a chance to mention yet?
If signed consent/voucher before interview
Thank you very much for your time today and we will be mailing out the $40 incentive in cash in the next few days.
If did not sign consent/voucher form before interview
Just as a reminder, you need to sign the document in the link before we can send the $40 cash incentive. Would you like me to send the link again and/or talk you through any problems you may be having with it?
[If send again] Just to confirm, what e-mail address would you like me to send that to?
Thank you very much for your time today and we will be mailing out that $40 cash incentive as soon as you sign that document.
Participant ID #: ________________________
Text Version: _________
Interview Date: ______/______/___________ (mm/dd/yyyy)
Interview Time: ____________ AM / PM
Interviewer Initials: _________
Hello, my name is ________________, and I work for the Census Bureau. Thank you for agreeing to participate in our study. [IF OBSERVER PRESENT: I also want to let you know that this interview is being observed by [DESCRIBE OBSERVER’S ROLE: e.g., someone who works on the survey]. They are observing the interview because they are also interested in how the questions work for people like you.]
We are working with the U.S. Department of Education to develop and refine questions for a survey about education as well as test text messages that will be sent about the survey. Before surveys are conducted, it’s important to try out the messages about the survey and the survey questions with the help of people such as yourself.
It is important that the text messages and the survey questions make sense, and that everyone understands the questions the same way. If you agree to take part in this study, I will send you some text messages to your phone and have you read them and tell me about your impressions of them. Then I will have you answer some survey questions. After I ask you the survey questions, I will ask some follow-up questions about your answers and what you understood the questions to mean. There are no right or wrong answers. Our purpose is not to compile information about you. Instead, your interview, along with those of others, will show us how to improve these questions and text messages for the survey.
If they did sign before the interview:
Before we start, I just wanted to thank you for signing the document in the link I sent before the interview. Just as a quick reminder that document explained a little bit about this interview and provided information about your rights as a participant, such as that all information you provide is confidential and we won’t use your name or specific circumstances in any report. The link had a signature line to acknowledge the $75 you will receive by mail for participating. It also asked for your permission to have this session audio recorded as well as a video recording of your computer screen. This is so that I can concentrate on what you are saying rather than having to take extensive notes. Your name will not be associated with the recording or any of the other data collected during the session. May I turn on the recorder? [If they say yes turn on recorder] For our purposes, we need to capture your consent orally on the recording. Please state, “I give consent to participate in this research and to be recorded.”
PARTICIPANT AGREES
Thank you for that.
Do you have any other questions about the document or the interview?
If they did NOT sign before the interview:
Before we start, I noticed that you had not yet signed the document in the link we e-mailed to you; I just wanted to check did you receive that e-mail? [If yes] Did you have any issues opening the link or with signing the document? [if they say yes talk them through it. IF UNABLE TO GET SIGNED CONSENT, DISPLAY CONSENT FORM OR RELY ON ORAL CONSENT USING SCRIPT BELOW] I will go over what is in that document and obtain consent orally. However, the document also contains an acknowledgement that you will receive $75 by mail for participating in this research. You can still participate right now, but you will need to sign that document before we can send the $75.
The document explains a little bit about the purpose of this study, which is to test text messages and questions for the Principal Follow Up Survey. The document provides information about your rights as a participant, such as that all information you provide is confidential and we won’t use your name or specific circumstances in any report. It also asks for your permission to have this session audio recorded as well as a video of your computer screen so that I can concentrate on what you are saying rather than having to take extensive notes. May I turn on the recorder? [If they say yes turn on Snagit recorder] For our purposes, we need to capture your consent orally on the recording. Please state, “I give consent to participate in this research and to be recorded.”
PARTICIPANT AGREES
Thank you for that.
Your participation in this interview is very important because it will help the Census Bureau with improving these text messages and questions. Your participation in this interview is voluntary, and you may decline to answer any question, or stop the interview at any time. We are scheduled to be here up to 90 minutes, and I won’t keep you any longer.
IF RESPONDENT IS NOT A FEDERAL EMPLOYEE: As a thank you for your help, we will mail you $75 cash after the interview is completed.
While you are answering questions from the text messages or the survey I would like you to think aloud. While I am interested in your answers, I am even more interested in the process you go through when you answer the questions. So, as much as possible, I’d like you to think aloud for me; meaning, talk me through your thought process as you answer each question. From time to time, I may also ask you what you are thinking to remind you to do this.
I find it helps people to get the idea of thinking aloud while they are answering a question if they do a practice question first. Let’s begin with a practice question. Remember to think aloud as you answer.
How many windows are there in the house or apartment where you live?
_____________ WINDOWS
[IF NEEDED: Try to visualize the place where you live, and think about how many windows there are in that place. As you count up the windows, tell me what you are seeing and thinking about.
PROBES:
How did you come up with that answer?
Tell me more about that. Why did you say [ANSWER]?
I noticed that you hesitated. Tell me what you were thinking.]
Great, that is what we will want you to do for today’s session.
Do you have any other questions about the document or the interview?
Were you able to install the Skype for Business software we sent instructions for? Is that computer currently turned on and ready to be used?
Do you have the phone with the number you provided during screening available to receive text messages on? If you are using that phone for this call can you still read the texts and talk to us by using speakerphone or a headset?
NOTE for interviewers: The priority order for time is:
1. All text message content and probing (except the “help” link which is noted below)
2. respond to survey questions (let them finish as much as time allows)
3. Probes on survey questions (If time allows)
Thank you! Ok now I am going to send you a text message to [participant phone number] and I would like you to tell me about what you would think if this message appeared on your phone.
As some background, the text messages will mention some questions about your experiences as a teacher and your current employment status. Normally these messages would be sent as a follow up survey of teachers and principals who completed a more comprehensive survey of their experiences in the school year before.
Initiate Welcome Text
Hello, you are receiving this message since you completed the National Teacher and Principal Survey last school year on behalf of Department of Education and Census Bureau. You may receive up to X contacts via text in the next 2 months. Visit go.usa.gov/xGww4 for more information. Reply STOP to cancel. Message rates may apply.
[If needed] Did you receive the text? What does the message look like? [If needed] How many text messages did it come in as?
Please tell me more about what you are thinking and what you might do next.
Ok thank you for that feedback. A few minutes later the following text would appear.
Initiate Text 1- Version-X
Version 1: Please answer questions to update your status as a principal from the last school year. Reply START to continue. Call 1-800-xxx-xxxx for help or learn more at go.usa.gov/xGww4
Version 2: Are you still working as a principal at the same school as the 2019-20 school year? Reply YES or NO. Call 1-800-xxx-xxxx for help or learn more at go.usa.gov/xGww4.
Now please tell me what you are thinking about this text. What might you do next after receiving this? [If needed] Would you respond?
Please respond now. If they are unsure what to do tell them to type start and make a note.
Principal Status Text Messages
[If version 2 skip to 2] Are you still working as a principal at the same school as the 2019-20 school year? Reply YES or NO.
[IF YES] Thank you so much for your time and participation!
[IF NO to Q1] Are you working as a principal at a different school? Reply YES or NO.
[IF YES] Thank you so much for your time and participation!
[IF NO to Q3] Are you still working in a K-12 school, but not as a principal? Reply YES or NO.
[If YES] Thank you so much for your time and participation!
[IF NO to Q4] Are you still working in K-12 education, but not in a K-12 school? Reply YES or NO.
[If YES] Thank you so much for your time and participation!
[If NO to Q4] Are you working outside of K-12 education? Reply YES or NO
[IF YES OR NO] Thank you so much for your time and participation!
If they say they would respond Please do that now.
If they say they would not respond then prompt Thank you for that feedback, for the purpose of this study would you mind [typing Start/ Responding to the question]? Please remember to tell me what you are doing. Interviewer please note any confusion they mention or pauses that seem to indicate difficulty
[If needed] Please continue to respond to the questions until you see a “Thank you” message.
What do you think about this text survey? Does it seem legitimate to you?
Now I would like you to pretend to be a colleague or friend you know who left their position as a principal. This could be because they simply moved to a new school, retired, or started a new profession. I am going to send the questions again, but I would like you to answer them as you think your colleague would. Please continue to respond to the questions until you see a “Thank you” message.
Thank you for doing that, now please tell me a bit more about your colleague and why they left their previous position.
Thank you for that feedback. Now we are going to have you be yourself again and pretend that you still had not responded and several more weeks went by. You would then receive this text message.
Initiate Text 2- Version-X
Version 1: The Department of Education and Census Bureau need your help. Please answer questions on your status as a principal, even if you currently have a different job. Reply START to continue. Call 1-800-xxx-xxxx for help or learn more at go.usa.gov/xGww4.
Version 2: The Department of Education and Census Bureau need your help. Are you still working as a principal at the same school as the 2019-20 school year? Reply YES or NO. Call xxx-xxx-xxxx for help or learn more at go.usa.gov/xGww4.
Finally, what do you think about this text? Do you think you might be more or less likely to respond to this message than the text message that said [Fill with version] Version 1: Please answer questions to update your status as a principal from the last school year. Reply START to continue.
Version 2: Are you still working as a principal at the same school as the 2019-20 school year? Reply YES or NO?
“HELP” LINK
If there is at least 20 minutes left in the interview then ask this probe
Now would you mind going back to the first text I sent? Would you please click on the link we sent you and let me know what you think about what you are seeing? If needed: Do you think the website looks legitimate?
CONTACT AND SURVEY
Always ask the below probes
Thank you for your feedback on the text messages. This survey also sends people invitations and reminders by email and mail. Would you prefer to be contacted about this type of survey by text messages, email, or mail? Thank you
I will now ask you to go to your computer and log into the Skype meeting invitation and share your screen with me. Now I am going to ask you to go to the survey link we sent in the email. I would like you to fill out the survey questions. Please think aloud as you are answering the questions so I know what you are thinking about and feeling as you are answering.
Probing
Thank you very much for answering those questions.
Would you mind telling me a little bit about how your school is operating right now with the coronavirus pandemic and distancing requirements?
Now I’d like to ask you a few more questions about how you came up with your answers.
Q2 Research Questions:
How are they coming up with enrollment numbers? Have these numbers significantly changed because of parents pulling kids out to homeschool?
We asked you “ Excluding prekindergarten, postsecondary, and adult education students, around October 1, 2020 how many students were enrolled in this school?”
Please tell me more about how you came up with an answer for this question.
Would it be hard to access this information for this school year?
Did you include any students whose parents may have pulled them out temporarily while school is virtual?
Have you seen an increase in the number of kids opting out of school to pursue other options for education this year, including but not limited to homeschooling, enrolling in private school, education pods, etc?
[If yes] About how much of an increase?
Q3 Research Questions:
What are they considering “attendance”-- logging into live lectures, turning in homework, any activity in a learning platform? If they accept any activity that day, is there a minimum amount of effort that is required or is logging in at all for any amount of time accepted?
We asked you “For this school year ( 2020-21) what is the Average Daily Attendance ( ADA) percentage at this school.”
Please tell me more about how you came up with an answer for this question.
What does your school consider “attendance” to be for remote or virtual learning?
[If needed] Is it logging into a live lesson? If a student attempts to log in but they have trouble logging in how do you count that for attendance?
Are there any students who do not have live lessons? What counts as attendance for them?
Q4 Research Questions:
What do they consider a “Start” time to be? Does this differ for primary vs secondary schools?
We asked you “What is the official start and end time for MOST students at this school?” Please tell me more about how you came up with an answer for this item.
What students were you thinking of?
Are there groups of students who may have different start times?
Q7 Research Questions:
How are they handling “on site staff” who may have been given other jobs in light of remote learning, such as nurses, food service personnel, etc. Are they being reported as their normal role or their current role?
We asked you “Around October 1, 2020, how many staff held full-time or part-time positions or assignments in this school in each of the following categories?”
Please tell me more about you answer? [If needed] Are there any staff who have been given different jobs because of the coronavirus pandemic? Please tell me more about them. What job category did you report them under for this question?
Q11 Research Questions:
How are they accommodating students with IEPs-- are they just in full virtual classes or special groups? Is there any protocol in place to evaluate students for new IEPs who are remote?
We asked you “How many students with IEPs or formally recognized disabilities are in each of the following instructional settings?”
Please tell us more about how your school is currently teaching students with IEPs?
[If needed] Are they attending virtual classes with their whole class?
Do they have special one on one or small group time with aides or teachers?
Is there any procedure in place to help you identify students who are remote who may need an IEP or accommodation?
Can be cut for time
Q13
Research Questions:
How
are they accommodating ELL during remote learning?
We asked you “Does this school have instruction specifically designed to address the needs of ELL or LEP students?”
Please tell me more about your answer. Would it have been different before the coronavirus pandemic and remote learning?
Interviewers ask everything below
Was there anything else you would like to mention that you feel you haven’t had a chance to yet?
If signed consent/voucher before interview
Thank you very much for your time today and we will be mailing out that $75 cash incentive in the next few days.
If did not sign consent/voucher form before interview
Just as a reminder, you need to sign the document in the link before we can send the $75 cash incentive. Would you like me to send the link again and/or talk you through any problems you may be having with it?
[If send again] Just to confirm, what e-mail address would you like me to send that to?
Thank you very much for your time today and we will be mailing out that $75 cash incentive as soon as you sign that document.
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| Author | Jasmine Luck (CENSUS/CBSM FED) |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2021-01-12 |