TFS 2021-22 Special District Recruitment Material Change Request Memo

Memorandum United States Department of Education

Institute of Education Sciences

National Center for Education Statistics

DATE: August 26, 2021

TO: Robert Sivinski, OMB

THROUGH: Carrie Clarady, NCES

FROM: Julia Merlin, NCES

SUBJECT: 2021-22 TFS Special District Recruitment Material Change Request (OMB# 1850-0617 v.6)

The Teacher Follow-Up Survey (TFS) is a follow-up survey of public and private elementary and secondary school teachers who participated in the National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS) during the previous school year. The purpose of the survey is to determine how many teachers remained at the same school, moved to another school, or left the profession. Historically, the TFS has also been conducted the school year following the Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS), the predecessor survey to the NTPS. Redesigned from the SASS with a focus on flexibility, timeliness, and integration with other ED data, the NTPS system allows for school, principal, and teacher characteristics to be analyzed in relation to one another. The major objectives of the TFS are to measure the attrition rate for teachers; examine the characteristics of teachers who stayed in the teaching profession and those who changed professions or retired; obtain activity or occupational data for those who left the position of a K-12 teacher; obtain reasons for moving to a new school or leaving the K-12 teaching profession; and collect data on job satisfaction.

The TFS/PFS main study was approved in July 2021 (OMB# 1850-0617 v.4) and a change request (OMB# 1850-0617 v.5) to update teacher recruitment materials was approved in August 2021. The 2020-21 NTPS (OMB# 1850-0598 v.28-30) finished data collection in late July 2021, after which special district approvals for the NTPS and its follow-up studies (TFS and PFS) expired. During past collections, the TFS/PFS team was only required to remind districts of the upcoming TFS/PFS survey collection once the expiry date passed, as the NTPS special district recruitment materials previously sent to districts had included language about TFS/PFS. Historically there were very few requests for additional or updated information. During preparation for the 2021-22 TFS/PFS, however, the team has encountered unexpected procedural changes in special districts and an increased request for detailed information that is uncharacteristic of previous cycles. NCES proposes a few minor changes in order to respond to those unexpected special district demands.

NCES is providing special districts with one TFS/PFS cover letter (Appendix A, p.4), one generic TFS/PFS research application (pp. 12-17), and two consent forms (one for TFS and one for PFS, pp. 6-9). All of these documents are additions to the package and have not yet been introduced, although they introduce no new information or details about the data collection. The cover letter introduces the TFS/PFS and explains what we are asking from districts, teachers, and principals. The generic research application further describes the TFS and PFS in detail, including purpose, significance, measurement procedures, questionnaires, methodology, data collection timeline, analysis and release of information plan, confidentiality, IRB exemption, and informed consent. The TFS and PFS consent forms include information about the confidentiality of the survey, the federal laws and regulations which underpin the survey security plan, and plans for the analysis and release of information. The consent forms are the only documents in this change request which will be shared directly with respondents, and only when or if required by a district which has determined that the NTPS documentation is no longer sufficient.

NCES is also proposing edits to the approved language on the FAQ documents in Appendix A in order to send special districts a single FAQ document for both TFS and PFS. All text related to TFS will remain the same (the previous version can be seen on p. 17 of Appendix A, v.5), and additional language about the PFS has been added.

All changes in the attached materials are shown in full in the pages to follow. In edited documents (such as the FAQ), black font demarks the text that remains unchanged from the last approved package, while text in red font shows the additions that were made. This requested change does not affect the approved total cost to the federal government for conducting this study nor the estimated respondent burden.

Appendix A

TFS/PFS Cover Letter

[NAME] [DATE]

[POSITION]

[DISTRICT NAME]

[ADDRESS 1]

[ADDRESS 2]

Dear [NAME],

Thank you for your participation in the 2020-21 National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS) last school year. Responses from your teachers and principals helped make it a success. The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) of the U.S. Department of Education is reminding you of two NTPS follow-up surveys, the Teacher Follow-up Survey (TFS) and Principal Follow-up Survey (PFS), that were also approved and will be conducted in some of your district’s schools during the upcoming 2021-22 school year.

The TFS and PFS are administered on a recurring basis by the U.S. Census Bureau, on behalf of NCES, to collect data on teacher and principal attrition. Data collected from these surveys are used by researchers, policymakers, and educational leaders to understand the effects of school policies and practices on educators’ decisions to remain in or leave the profession, and inform decisions concerning education and K-12 schools across the U.S. No student or classroom time is involved in the completion of these surveys.

For the TFS, a Teacher Status Form (TFS-1) will be mailed directly to schools in which one or more teachers completed a 2020-21 NTPS Teacher Questionnaire. The TFS-1 will collect information about the current teaching status of each teacher listed on the form. Current teachers will then receive a brief survey about their experiences and working conditions, while former teachers receive a brief survey about their employment and reasons for career changes. The PFS will also initially be mailed to schools. Principals who responded to the 2020-21 NTPS will be asked whether they are still working as a principal at the same school, as a principal at a different school, or if they have left the profession.

Thank you for your consideration of this application. The enclosed materials describe the purposes, survey topics, sample sizes, and respondent burden for these surveys. The 2021-22 TFS and PFS questionnaires are also included for your reference. Please return the District Approval Form indicating your decision to participate as soon as possible.

If you have any questions about the TFS or PFS, please contact the district research application team by e-mail at [email protected]. You can find additional information about the NTPS and results from prior NTPS administrations, including the TFS and PFS, at http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/ntps.

Sincerely,

Chris Chapman

Associate Commissioner

National Center for Education Statistics

PCP, 550 12th St. SW, 4th floor, Room 4054

Washington, DC 20202

TFS/PFS Generic Research Application

2021-22 TFS and PFS Generic Research Application

CONTACT

Applicant:

Title: Julia Merlin Project Director

Affiliation: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)

Address: Institute of Education Sciences (IES) United States Department of Education PCP, 550 12th Street, SW4th floor, Room 4035 Washington, DC 20202

Phone: (202) 245-8211

E-mail: [email protected]

Research Application Contact: District Research Application Team

1-800-221-1204

[email protected]

TITLE: Teacher Follow-up Survey (TFS) and Principal Follow-up Survey (PFS), 2021-22

Anticipated Start Date: September 2021

Anticipated End Date: July 2022

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The Teacher Follow-up Survey (TFS) is a follow-up survey of selected elementary and secondary school teachers who participated in the previous year’s National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS). It includes both teachers who left teaching and those who remained in the K-12 teaching profession, either in the same school as during the previous (NTPS) year or in a different school. More specifically, the TFS collects data on teacher retention and attrition, as well as the characteristics and experiences of those who stayed in the teaching profession and those who changed professions or retired. Current teachers who responded to the 2020-21 NTPS are asked about their experiences and working conditions, while former teachers are asked about their employment and reasons for career changes.

Similarly, the Principal Follow-up Survey (PFS) is a follow-up survey of selected principals who participated in the previous year's NTPS. It collects data on principal retention and attrition. Principals who responded to the 2020-21 NTPS are asked to indicate whether they are still working as a principal at the same school, as a principal at a different school, or if they have left the profession.

The TFS and PFS are administered on a recurring basis by the U.S. Census Bureau on behalf of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). NCES is authorized to conduct these surveys by the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (ESRA 2002, 20 U.S.C. §9543). Together with the NTPS, TFS and PFS data provide a multitude of opportunities for analysis and reporting on elementary and secondary educational issues. The TFS and PFS do not involve students, parents, or any use of classroom time.

Data collected through the NTPS, TFS, and PFS are used by a wide variety of people interested in elementary and secondary education, including legislators, other education policymakers, researchers, teacher professional organizations, education advocacy groups, and journalists. These surveys provide a unique resource of information on elementary and secondary education by linking data provided by schools with their respective principals and teachers. Data can be analyzed not only within each survey, but also across surveys. This linkage makes NTPS, TFS, and PFS data unique among school surveys and allows researchers to study the complexities of the American education system from multiple perspectives.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY AND BENEFITS OF PARTICIPATION The TFS and PFS help researchers and policymakers learn about our nation’s teachers and principals so that they can work to improve education for all students. All districts ultimately benefit when good data help legislators and administrators make good decisions. The ability of NCES to provide this important information is contingent upon the voluntary participation of sampled teachers and principals; participation of staff is dependent upon their districts’ approval. Because your district and staff represent yourselves and many others like you, your participation is crucial for producing high quality information. By participating in this survey, you will ensure that information about your district and staff is included in important education decisions. The data you and your staff provide will better inform and help to shape future education policies.

HYPOTHESES AND MEASUREMENT Congress, the U.S. Department of Education and other Federal agencies, State Departments of Education, education associations, and the education research community will use data from the 2021-22 TFS and PFS to present research on a range of issues related to teacher attrition/retention and principal attrition and mobility. These surveys will provide important insight into the career paths of teachers and principals, as well as basic descriptive information about each respondent. The major objectives of the TFS and PFS surveys are to:

• Measure the attrition rate for teachers and principals;

• Examine the characteristics of teachers who stayed in the teaching profession and those who changed professions or retired;

• Obtain activity or occupational data for those who left the position of a K-12 teacher;

• Obtain current occupational data for principals;

• Obtain reasons for moving to a new school or leaving the K-12 teaching profession; and

• Collect data on job satisfaction.

QUESTIONNAIRES

Copies of the 2021-22 TFS and PFS questionnaires are enclosed for your reference. Additional information about these surveys, as well as the NTPS, is available at: http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/ntps.

A Teacher Status Form (TFS-1) will be mailed to all schools in which at least one sampled teacher completed a Teacher Questionnaire during the 2020-21 NTPS. A knowledgeable person at the school will be asked to complete the TFS-1 by indicating the current teaching status of each teacher listed on the form. Teacher status data collected on the TFS-1 will be used to stratify the teachers for 2021-22 TFS sampling into groups of “stayers” (still teaching at the same school), “movers” (still teaching, but at a different school), or “leavers” (no longer teaching).

Two separate paper questionnaires will be used for the 2021-22 TFS, one for current teachers and one for former teachers. The TFS Questionnaire for Former Teachers (TFS-2) will obtain information about those sampled persons who left teaching within the year after the NTPS, such as information about their present occupation or activity, reasons for leaving teaching, comparison of current position to teaching, and demographic characteristics that may have changed since the previous year. The TFS Questionnaire for Current Teachers (TFS-3) will obtain information about current teachers, including teachers who continued to teach in the same school as in the previous year and those who changed schools. It will collect information about their current teaching assignment, satisfaction with teaching, reasons for moving to a new school, comparison of current teaching position with last year’s position, and demographic characteristics that may have changed since the previous year.

The 2021-22 TFS-2 Questionnaire consists of the following sections:

• Employment Status

• Information on Leaving the Teaching Profession

• Your Impression of Teaching and Your Current Job

• Education Activities and Future Plans

• Background Information

• Contact Information

The 2021-22 TFS-3 Questionnaire consists of the following sections:

• Certification and Assignments at Your Current School

• Your Current School: Conditions and Experiences

• Information about Changes from Last School Year to this School Year

• Education Activities and Future Plans

• General Employment and Background Information

• Contact Information

For the 2021-22 PFS, the PFS-1A (public school) or PFS-1B (private school) questionnaire will be mailed to each sampled principal’s 2020-21 school in order to gather occupational status information about that principal for the current (2021-22) school year. The PFS-1C (public school) or PFS-1D (private school) questionnaire will be mailed directly to the sampled principal’s home address (as collected on the 2020-21 NTPS Principal Questionnaire) in order to collect occupation status information about the principal when the school fails to complete their PFS-1A (public school) and PFS-1B (private school).

METHODOLOGY AND SAMPLING

The U.S. Census Bureau is the collection agent for TFS and PFS data on behalf of NCES. The TFS is a self-administered survey that is offered to respondents through a mail questionnaire and an online survey. The PFS is a self-administered survey that is offered to respondents through a mail questionnaire only. As part of an effort to increase survey response rates, and subject to approval, TFS respondents will also receive a cash incentive for their participation.

The TFS and PFS do not require the use of any school personnel for administration, other than the direct time it takes to complete them. They also do not involve students. Sampled teachers are requested to record their answers either (a) using the online survey option to send in their responses via a secure server link or (b) on the printed questionnaire. Sampled principals are requested to record their answers on the printed questionnaire and return it by mail to the U.S. Census Bureau. There is no use of classroom time required for the completion of these questionnaires.

The 2021-22 TFS sample is a subsample from the 2020-21 NTPS teacher sample. The sampling frame for the 2021-22 TFS consists of traditional public, public charter, and private school teachers who completed a Teacher Questionnaire during the 2020-21 NTPS. Any sampled NTPS teacher who did not complete an interview or was otherwise found to be out of scope for the NTPS is not included in the TFS frame. Nationally, a planned total of 10,273 teachers will be selected to participate.

In the fall of 2021, a Teacher Status Form (TFS-1) will be mailed to sampled schools in which one or more teachers completed a 2020-21 NTPS Teacher Questionnaire. A knowledgeable person at the school will be asked to complete the TFS-1 by indicating the current teaching status of each teacher listed on the form. These data will be used to stratify the teachers for 2021-22 TFS sampling into groups of former teachers (NTPS teachers who have left the teaching profession, or “Leavers”), current teachers (NTPS teachers who have remained in the teaching profession), and teachers who have left their 2020-21 school, but for whom there is no information available (the ‘unknown’ group). The current teachers group will be further stratified into two groups: those who remained in the school they were teaching in 2020-21 (“Stayers”) and those who moved to different schools (“Movers”).

The sampling frame for the 2021-22 PFS consists of all traditional public and public charter school principals who completed a Principal Questionnaire (NTPS-2A), and all private school principals who completed a Private School Principal Questionnaire (NTPS-2B) during the 2020-21 NTPS. Any sampled NTPS principal who did not complete their questionnaire or was otherwise found to be out of scope for NTPS will not be included in the PFS frame. The 2021-22 PFS sample will include approximately 6,700 public and public charter school principals and 1,750 private school principals.

DATA COLLECTION

The U.S. Census Bureau handles the TFS and PFS data collection for NCES. Follow-up with non- responding principals and teachers will be conducted by mail, email, and telephone. U.S. Census Bureau staff who administer the TFS and PFS receive training in preparation for the survey, and have undergone a criminal background check as a condition of employment.

Data collection for the Questionnaire for Former Teachers (TFS-2) and the Questionnaire for Current Teachers (TFS-3) will begin in January 2022. The first contact with sampled teachers will be through an initial contact letter sent by mail inviting them to participate and providing credentials for them to log on and complete the web-based survey. Concurrently with the initial contact letter, an email invitation to participate (unless a valid email address is unavailable) will also be sent to the sample member with a link to the survey and their log in credentials. In late January, nonrespondents will be sent a second mailout and first email reminder, and in mid-February a second reminder only by email. A third mailout and third email reminder will be sent to nonrespondents in early March. The fourth mailed package will be sent in mid-April and will include a paper copy of the applicable TFS questionnaire, as will the fifth (and final mailed contact) mailed package in mid-May. A fourth reminder by email only will be sent in late March, followed by a fifth and sixth reminder by email, which will be sent alongside the fourth and fifth mailed packages. Data collection will end in early July 2022.

Data collection for the PFS will also begin in January 2022. The first contact with sampled principals will be through an initial contact letter sent by mail to their school. In late January, a reminder letter will also be sent to the schools of nonrespondents. For principals whose schools did not respond to the initial or reminder letters sent in January, an additional letter will be sent to their home address (if available) in mid-March, along with an email invitation to participate (unless a valid email address is unavailable). In late March, a reminder letter will be sent to nonrespondents, as well as a final reminder email. Data collection will end in early July 2022.

The planned data collection schedule is outlined below.

2021-22 TFS and PFS Planned Timetable	Approximate Schedule
Mail Teacher Status Form (TFS-1)	September 2021
Data collection begins for teachers and principals	January 2022
Follow-up activities for teachers and principals	January 2022 - May 2022
Final acceptance of all questionnaires	July 2022

RESPONSE BURDEN

The TFS and PFS rely on the voluntary participation of teachers and principals. The quality of national and state-level estimates is dependent on the level of respondent participation. The data provided by individual staff are combined with the information provided by other staff in statistical reports. Every effort is made to create questionnaires that collect in-depth data without putting an undue burden on the respondent. The estimated average response time for each questionnaire in the 2021-22 TFS and PFS is shown below.

Questionnaire	Estimated average response time per respondent
Teacher Status Form (TFS-1)	10 minutes
Questionnaire for Former Teachers (TFS-2)	19 minutes
Questionnaire for Current Teachers (TFS-3)	22 minutes
Principal Questionnaire (PFS)	5 minutes

The TFS and PFS do not require student or parent participation, and no classroom time is needed for the completion of these questionnaires. All participation is voluntary and there are no penalties for not participating. Respondents can also skip any question they do not want to answer.

ANALYSIS AND RELEASE OF INFORMATION

Once the U.S. Census Bureau receives completed surveys, names, addresses, and other identifying information for schools, principals, and teachers are removed to protect respondents’ confidentiality. When the respondents’ identifying information is removed from the data files, a school identification number is used to link principal and teacher data from the schools in which they work.

Data are used in statistical summaries only. NCES issues its own reports and allows researchers to access the data through restricted-use licensing for other analyses. Only users who have official clearance from NCES may have access to the restricted-use data files.

TFS and PFS publications will be provided for download on the NCES publications page (http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/).

BENEFIT TO YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT

The TFS and PFS provide critical information about retention and attrition rates for teachers and principals in a wide variety of schools across the nation. All districts ultimately benefit when good data help legislators and administrators make good decisions. The ability of NCES to provide this important information is contingent upon the voluntary participation of sampled teachers and principals; participation of staff is dependent upon their districts’ approval. Because your district and its staff represent themselves and many others like them, your participation is crucial for producing high quality information. By participating in this survey, you will ensure that information about your district’s teachers and principals is included in those important decisions.

CONFIDENTIALITY

Data security and confidentiality protection procedures have been put in place for the 2021-22 TFS and PFS to ensure that all NCES contractors and agents working on these surveys comply with all privacy requirements including, as applicable: the Inter-agency agreement with NCES for this study; Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. §552a); Privacy Act Regulations (34 CFR Part 5b); Computer Security Act of 1987;

U.S.A. Patriot Act of 2001 (P.L. 107-56); Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (ESRA 2002, 20

U.S.C. §9543); the Foundations of Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018, Title III, Part B, Confidential Information Protection; Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015 (6 U.S.C. §151); the U.S. Department of Education General Handbook for Information Technology Security General Support Systems and Major Applications Inventory Procedures (March 2005); the U.S. Department of Education Incident Handling Procedures (February 2009); the U.S. Department of Education, ACS Directive OM: 5-101, Contractor Employee Personnel Security Screenings; NCES Statistical Standards; and all new legislation that impacts the data collected through the inter-agency agreement for this study.

The U.S. Census Bureau will collect data under an interagency agreement with NCES, and maintain the individually identifiable questionnaires per the security plan, including:

1. Provisions for data collection in the field;

2. Provisions to protect the data-coding phase required before machine processing;

3. Provisions to safeguard completed survey documents;

4. Authorization procedures to access or obtain files containing identifying information; and

5. Provisions to remove printouts and other outputs that contain teacher identification information from normal operation. Such materials will be maintained in secured storage areas and will be securely destroyed as soon as practical.

By law (20 U.S.C. §9573), a violation of the confidentiality restrictions is a felony, punishable by imprisonment of up to 5 years and/or a fine of up to $250,000. All government or contracted staff working on the TFS and PFS studies and having access to the data, including field staff, are required to sign an NCES Affidavit of Nondisclosure and have received public-trust security clearance.

From the initial contact with the participants through all of the follow-up efforts, potential survey respondents will be informed that (a) the U.S. Census Bureau administers the TFS and PFS on behalf of NCES; (b) NCES is authorized to conduct these surveys by the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (ESRA 2002, 20 U.S.C. §9543); (c) all of the information they 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); and that their participation is voluntary. The following language will be included in respondent contact materials and on data collection instruments:

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). According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this voluntary information collection is 1850-0617. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average XX minutes per response, including the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collection. If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate, suggestions for improving this collection, or comments or concerns about the contents or the status of your individual submission of this questionnaire, please e-mail: [email protected], or write to: National Teacher and Principal Survey, National Center for Education Statistics, PCP, 550 12th Street SW, #4035, Washington, DC 20202.

INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD (IRB) OR HUMAN SUBJECTS REVIEW

Under the federal policy for the protection of human subjects, the TFS and PFS are exempt from IRB review because they utilize survey procedures and are conducted in established or commonly accepted educational settings, involving normal educational practices. There is no potential for harm to human subjects.

The Department of Education has adopted a common set of regulations known as the Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects or "Common Rule." The design of these regulations is based on established, internationally recognized ethical principles. The specific regulation is Title 34, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 97, Protection of Human Subjects, which includes Subpart A, Basic Policy, and Subpart D, Additional Protections for Children. These regulations classify as exempt certain categories of research. Research that is nonexempt is covered by the regulations. Research activities in which the only involvement of human subjects will be in one or more of the following categories are exempt [34 CFR 97.101(b)(2)]:

Research involving the use of educational tests (cognitive, diagnostic, aptitude, achievement), survey procedures, interview procedures or observation of public behavior, unless the information identifies the subjects and disclosure could reasonably place the subjects at risk of criminal or civil liability or be damaging to the subjects' financial standing, employability, or reputation. Subpart D amends this exemption, in part: If the subjects are children, research involving interview or survey procedures and research involving observations of public behavior in which the researcher(s) participate in the activities being observed are not exempt. However, research involving the use of educational tests and research involving observations of public behavior in which the researcher(s) do not participate in the activities being observed are exempt.

For more information, please see http://www2.ed.gov/policy/fund/guid/humansub/overview.html.

INFORMED CONSENT

The nature of these self-administered, cross-sectional surveys is not considered intrusive, and has been ruled to be exempt under the protection of human subjects’ provisions in federal research. There are no individual student data (such as test scores or Social Security numbers) associated with any of the data acquired in these data collections. Since no data are collected about individual students, it is not necessary to obtain active, informed consent from students’ parents/guardians.

Participation in the TFS and PFS is completely voluntary, and individual survey items can be left blank, at the discretion of each respondent. On each questionnaire for each respondent, there is a statement indicating that participation is voluntary. A respondent gives implied consent to participate by completing the TFS and/or PFS questionnaire.

TFS Consent Form

PARTICIPANT INFORMED CONSENT FORM TEACHER FOLLOW-UP SURVEY (TFS) 2021-22

You are being asked to participate in the Teacher Follow-up Survey (TFS) for the 2021-22 school year. [DISTRICT NAME] has approved your school’s participation. This form provides you with information about the study, and the Project Director, Julia Merlin, who can be reached at 202-245-8211 or [email protected], is also available to answer your questions. Please read the information below and ask any questions you might have before deciding to participate.

The 2021-22 TFS is an important survey of selected elementary and secondary school teachers who participated in the 2020-21 National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS). It is administered on a recurring basis by the U.S. Census Bureau on behalf of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) to collect data on teacher retention and attrition, as well as the characteristics and experiences of those who stayed in the teaching profession and those who changed professions or retired. Current teachers who responded to the 2020-21 NTPS will be asked about their experiences and working conditions, while former teachers will be asked about their employment and reasons for career changes. NCES is authorized to conduct this study by the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (ESRA 2002, 20 U.S.C. §9543).

The TFS is a self-administered survey that is offered to respondents via an online and paper questionnaire. An online questionnaire will be offered to all respondents and a paper questionnaire will be provided upon request, and with the fourth and fifth mail contacts. Current and former teachers will be asked to complete the survey and return it directly to the U.S. Census Bureau. School districts and state educational agencies are not involved in the data collection in any way. The TFS also does not involve students or any use of classroom time. The estimated average response time for the survey is 22 minutes.

A security plan for protecting individual respondent data has been developed for the 2021-22 TFS. Under this plan, the 2021-22 TFS will conform to the applicable federal laws and regulations – specifically, the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a); Privacy Act Regulations (34 CFR Part 5b); the Computer Security Act of 1987; the Federal Statistical Confidentiality Order of 1997 (an OMB directive); the U.S.A. Patriot Act of 2001 (P.L. 107-56); the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (20 U.S.C. §9573); the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015 (6 U.S.C. §151); the Foundations of Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018, Title III, Part B, Confidential Information Protection; Confidential Information Protection, NCES Restricted-Use Data Procedures Manual; and the NCES Statistical Standards. By law (20 U.S.C. §9573), a violation of the confidentiality restrictions is a felony, punishable by imprisonment of up to 5 years and/or a fine of up to $250,000. All government or contracted staff working on the TFS study and having access to the data, including TFS field staff, are required to sign an NCES Affidavit of Nondisclosure and have received public-trust security clearance.

The information collected in the 2021-22 TFS will be released in several ways. Many of the estimates will be included in statistical analysis reports published by NCES. In addition, major findings will also be included on the NCES website. NCES allows researchers to access the data through restricted-use licensing for additional analyses. Only users who have official clearance from NCES may have access to the restricted-use data files. TFS publications will be provided for download on the NCES publications page http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/.

There are no risks involved in participating in this important survey. Your participation is entirely voluntary and you can refuse to participate without any penalty or loss of benefits to you, your school, or [DISTRICT NAME]. If you decide to participate, you are free to withdraw your participation at any time during the study without any adverse consequences from the U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau, or your school or district.

Please check one of the following:

I am willing to participate in the research project. I am not willing to participate in the research project.

I fully understand that all of the information I 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), and that my signature gives my consent to voluntarily participate in this research project. I understand that, while this study has been reviewed by the [District Name], [District Name] is not conducting the study.

You are making a decision whether or not to participate in this study. Your signature below indicates that you have read and understood the information provided above, have had an opportunity to ask questions, and agree to participate in this research study. If you later decide to withdraw your consent for participation in the study, you should contact the Project Director, Julia Merlin at [email protected]. You may discontinue participation at any time. You should keep a copy of this form for your records.

Signature Participant Printed Name Date

Please return this form to the U.S. Census Bureau via email to [email protected]

PFS Consent Form

PARTICIPANT INFORMED CONSENT FORM

PRINCIPAL FOLLOW-UP SURVEY (PFS) 2021-22

You are being asked to participate in the Principal Follow-up Survey (PFS) for the 2021-22 school year. [DISTRICT NAME] has approved your school’s participation. This form provides you with information about the study, and the Project Director, Julia Merlin, who can be reached at 202-245-8211 or [email protected], is also available to answer your questions. Please read the information below and ask any questions you might have before deciding to participate.

The 2021-22 PFS is an important survey of selected principals who participated in the 2020-21 National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS). It is administered on a recurring basis by the U.S. Census Bureau on behalf of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) to collect data on principal retention and attrition. Principals who responded to the 2020-21 NTPS will be asked to indicate whether they are still working as a principal at the same school, working as a principal at a different school, or if they have left the profession. NCES is authorized to conduct this study by the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (ESRA 2002, 20 U.S.C. §9543).

The PFS is a self-administered survey that is offered to respondents via a paper questionnaire. Principals will be asked to complete the survey and return it directly to the U.S. Census Bureau. School districts and state educational agencies are not involved in the data collection in any way. The PFS also does not involve students, teachers, or any use of classroom time. The estimated average response time for the survey is 5 minutes.

A security plan for protecting individual respondent data has been developed for the 2021-22 PFS. Under this plan, the 2021-22 PFS will conform to the applicable federal laws and regulations – specifically, the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a); Privacy Act Regulations (34 CFR Part 5b); the Computer Security Act of 1987; the Federal Statistical Confidentiality Order of 1997 (an OMB directive); the U.S.A. Patriot Act of 2001 (P.L. 107-56); the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (20 U.S.C. §9573); the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015 (6 U.S.C. §151); the Foundations of Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018, Title III, Part B, Confidential Information Protection; Confidential Information Protection, NCES Restricted-Use Data Procedures Manual; and the NCES Statistical Standards. By law (20 U.S.C. §9573), a violation of the confidentiality restrictions is a felony, punishable by imprisonment of up to 5 years and/or a fine of up to $250,000. All government or contracted staff working on the PFS study and having access to the data, including PFS field staff, are required to sign an NCES Affidavit of Nondisclosure and have received public-trust security clearance.

The information collected in the 2021-22 PFS will be released in several ways. Many of the estimates will be included in statistical analysis reports published by NCES. In addition, major findings will also be included on the NCES website. NCES allows researchers to access the data through restricted-use licensing for additional analyses. Only users who have official clearance from NCES may have access to the restricted-use data files. PFS publications will be provided for download on the NCES publications page http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/.

There are no risks involved in participating in this important survey. Your participation is entirely voluntary and you can refuse to participate without any penalty or loss of benefits to you, your school, or [DISTRICT NAME]. If you decide to participate, you are free to withdraw your participation at any time during the study without any adverse consequences from the U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau, or your school or district.

Please check one of the following:

I am willing to participate in the research project.

I am not willing to participate in the research project.

I fully understand that all of the information I 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), and that my signature gives my consent to voluntarily participate in this research project. I understand that, while this study has been reviewed by the [District Name], [District Name] is not conducting the study.

You are making a decision whether or not to participate in this study. Your signature below indicates that you have read and understood the information provided above, have had an opportunity to ask questions, and agree to participate in this research study. If you later decide to withdraw your consent for participation in the study, you should contact the Project Director, Julia Merlin at [email protected]. You may discontinue participation at any time. You should keep a copy of this form for your records.

Signature Participant Printed Name Date

Please return this form to the U.S. Census Bureau via email to [email protected]

TFS/PFS FAQs

2021-22 TFS and PFS Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of these surveys?

The purpose of the TFS is to obtain information about the career paths of teachers, including current teachers’ experiences and satisfaction, and former teachers’ current employment and reasons for leaving the teaching profession. The purpose of the PFS is to obtain information about the current occupational status of principals.

Who authorizes these surveys?

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), part of the U.S. Department of Education, is authorized to conduct these surveys by the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (ESRA 2002; 20 U.S.C., § 9541(b) and § 9543). Data collection for these surveys is being carried out by the U.S. Census Bureau on behalf of NCES. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved this survey. The OMB control number is 1850-0617 and the approval expiration date is 07/31/2024.

Why should you participate in these surveys?

This is a chance for your voice to be heard by education leaders! Policymakers and educational leaders rely on data from these surveys to inform their decisions concerning K–12 schools. Updating your responses since last year’s National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS) provides us with vital information about teacher and principal retention and attrition. These surveys also provide important insight into the career paths of teachers and principals, and your participation will contribute to the success of these surveys. You were specifically chosen as part of this scientific study among teachers and principals who participated in the NTPS last year, and we cannot replace you with anyone else. Your answers will ensure that teachers and principals like yourself, whether you’re still teaching, a principal, or have left the profession, are counted.

Will your responses be kept confidential?

Your responses are protected by federal statute (20 USC §9573). Your answers 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.

How will your information be reported?

The information you provide will be combined with the information provided by others in statistical reports. No individually-identifiable data will be included in the statistical reports.