Advance Superintendent Letter

Attachment F

Advance Superintendent Letter

Dear Superintendent:

Since 1996, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has partnered with schools and districts like yours to conduct surveys of principals and lead health education teachers that assess the status of school health policies and practices at the secondary school level. Over time, the surveys have undergone many updates and revisions to address emerging health priorities and provide a comprehensive assessment of school health. For example, the surveys recently added questions on school policies addressing the use of electronic vapor products. Because of the large impact these surveys have on the assessment and development of school health policies, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has determined there is a need to assess the reliability of the self-administered questionnaires.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has partnered with Westat, a social science research firm in Rockville, MD, to conduct the School Health Profiles Test-Retest Reliability Study. This research study will test the reliability of the data collected through the 2020 School Principal and Lead Health Education Teacher Questionnaires.

[Several schools in your district were] chosen through a random selection process to participate in this study. Each selected school will receive two questionnaires at two separate times approximately two weeks apart:

1. The School Health Profiles School Principal Questionnaire for the principal to complete; and

2. The School Health Profiles Lead Health Education Teacher Questionnaire for what we refer to as the lead health education teacher to complete. The respondent for this questionnaire may be the school’s only health education teacher, the department chair, the most senior health education teacher, or the teacher who is most knowledgeable about instruction on health topics.

Data collection will occur during January through June 2021. Once the principal and the lead health education teacher complete the first questionnaire, they will be asked to complete the same questionnaire a second time approximately two weeks later. Although we will ask respondents to fill in their name and school on both surveys for tracking purposes, neither names nor schools will be linked to survey responses in the data file or analysis. No data will be reported about individual schools, principals, or teachers.

Although participation is voluntary, your district’s participation in this School Health Profiles Test-Retest Reliability Study is important. The study is needed to ensure the questionnaires used are reliably capturing the kinds of health-related policies and practices schools are using. State and district education agencies use these data to design and administer health programs to support the health and well-being of students across the U.S. The findings of this study will be published in a journal article to document the reliability of the questionnaires. Information about how to access the article will be available on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website once published, and the findings will be shared broadly.

As a token of appreciation for contributing their time and support, respondents will receive a $5 check upon completing the first questionnaire, and a $20 check upon completing the second questionnaire.

If you have any immediate questions, please call me at [(###) ###-####].

Sincerely,

Name

Title