TFS Supporting Statement Part C

FOLLOW-UP SURVEYS TO THE 2020-21 NATIONAL TEACHER AND PRINCIPAL SURVEY (NTPS):

2021-22 Teacher Follow-Up Survey (TFS) and

2021-22 Principal Follow-Up Survey (PFS)

PART C

Item Justification

OMB# 1850-0617 v.5

National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)

U.S. Department of Education

March 2021

revised May 2021

revised August 2021

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Contents

PART C. ITEM JUSTIFICATION 1

C.1 2021-22 TFS Item Justification 1

C.1.1 TFS-1: Teacher Status Form 1

C.1.2 TFS-2: Questionnaire for Former Teachers 1

C.2 2021-22 PFS Item Justification 7

PART C. ITEM JUSTIFICATION

C.1 2021-22 TFS Item Justification

C.1.1 TFS-1: Teacher Status Form

The TFS-1 has one hardcopy form. It contains two items. Item 1 asks about the named teacher’s current status (e.g., Teaching in this school, Teaching, but not in this school; Not teaching but working in this school; On leave, returning this school year to this school; On leave, not returning this school year; Left this school, not currently teaching; Left this school, occupational status unknown; and Deceased). Item 2 asks if the teacher is currently living outside the United States (these teachers are deemed out of scope for TFS).

The TFS-1 Form has not been modified from the version used in 2016-17 TFS data collection, aside from updates to reference years.

C.1.2 TFS-2: Questionnaire for Former Teachers

Revisions made to existing items on the 2021–22 TFS-2 in comparison to the 2016–17 TFS-2:

2016–17 TFS-2 wording	2021-22 TFS-2 wording	Justification
14. Which of the following best describes why you involuntarily left your K–12 teaching position? I did not meet Highly Qualified Teacher (HQT) requirements (Generally, to be Highly Qualified, teachers must 1) have a bachelor’s degree; 2) hold full state certification or licensure, including an "alternative certification"; and 3) demonstrate competency in the subject area(s) they teach. The HQT requirement is a provision under No Child Left Behind [NCLB].)	14. Which of the following best describes why you involuntarily left your K–12 teaching position? I did not meet state/district certification or licensing requirements (e.g., classroom experience hours, teaching evaluation or observation scores, professional and subject knowledge exams, additional coursework requirements, or other requirements to teach.)	This response option was modified to measure teachers who were unable to meet state/district licensing requirements (and left the field or moved schools involuntarily). HQT requirements are no longer required by the federal government, and states have their own licensing requirements.
N/A – new item for 2021-22 TFS.	15. Was the debt from your undergraduate or graduate education one of the reasons why you left your previous teaching job? Yes No	This item is intended to measure how important the availability of a way to pay off debt was part of the teacher’s decision to leave their previous job. This information will help inform planning for debt forgiveness programs to address teacher turnover related to student debt loads.
N/A – new item for 2021-22 TFS.	16. Do you currently have any of the below types of debt from your undergraduate or graduate education? I do not currently have debt from my undergraduate or graduate education Federal student loans Private student loans State student loans Loans from family or friends for undergraduate or graduate education Credit card debt for undergraduate or graduate education Other debt for undergraduate or graduate education - Please specify ➔	This item is intended to measure the percentage of teachers who have outstanding debt from their education as well as the type of debt. This question will also act as a filter for the additional questions about debt and debt forgiveness. This information will help inform planning for debt forgiveness programs to address teacher turnover related to student debt loads.
N/A – new item for 2021-22 TFS.	17. How do you feel about the amount of debt you have remaining from your undergraduate and graduate education? Not at all worried A little worried Somewhat worried Very worried Extremely worried	This item is intended to measure the amount of concern teachers have about the debt they have left from their education. This information will help inform planning for debt forgiveness programs to address teacher turnover related to student debt loads.
N/A – new item for 2021-22 TFS.	18d. Indicate the level of importance EACH of the following played in your decision to leave the position of a K-12 teacher. I left the position of a K-12 teacher – d. Because of changes in childcare arrangements caused by the coronavirus pandemic Not at all important Slightly important Somewhat important Very important Extremely important	This item is intended to measure if the loss of childcare during the coronavirus pandemic was a significant factor in why teachers left their position from the 2020-21 school year.
N/A – new item for 2021-22 TFS.	18h. Indicate the level of importance EACH of the following played in your decision to leave the position of a K-12 teacher. I left the position of a K-12 teacher – h. Because I wanted or needed a way to pay off debt from my undergraduate or graduate education (such as higher pay and/or debt forgiveness) Not at all important Slightly important Somewhat important Very important Extremely important	This item is intended to measure how important the availability of a way to pay off debt was in the teacher’s decision to leave their previous job. This information will help inform planning for debt forgiveness programs to address teacher turnover related to student debt loads.
N/A – new item for 2021-22 TFS.	18r. Indicate the level of importance EACH of the following played in your decision to leave the position of a K-12 teacher. I left the position of a K-12 teacher – r. Because I was dissatisfied with the way my school or district supported me during the coronavirus pandemic Not at all important Slightly important Somewhat important Very important Extremely important	This item is intended to measure how much the situation with coronavirus, and how their school provided support, or not, contributed to their decision to leave. This item may help inform administrators for future planning purposes.
N/A – new item for 2021-22 TFS.	20i. Indicate how effectively your principal or school head performed each of the following at LAST YEAR’S SCHOOL. i. Supported teachers during the coronavirus pandemic Not at all effectively Slightly effectively Somewhat effectively Very effectively Extremely effectively	This item is intended to measure how much the situation with coronavirus, and how their school head handled it, contributed to their decision to leave. This item may help inform administrators for future planning purposes.
N/A – new item for 2021-22 TFS.	20j. Indicate how effectively your principal or school head performed each of the following at LAST YEAR’S SCHOOL. j. Provided teachers with the tools and materials needed to teach effectively during the coronavirus pandemic Not at all effectively Slightly effectively Somewhat effectively Very effectively Extremely effectively	This item is intended to measure how much the situation with coronavirus, and how their school head handled it, contributed to their decision to leave. This item may help inform administrators for future planning purposes.
N/A – new item for 2021-22 TFS.	27. What are some ways the coronavirus pandemic affected your teaching experience? This can include any challenges you faced or enhancements you made in areas such as new teaching methods, classroom management strategies, communications, and technology. [open-ended text box]	This open-ended exploratory item is intended to capture information about respondents’ experiences teaching during the coronavirus pandemic. This could provide additional information about why some teachers decided to leave. Responses to this question may help inform new questions for future iterations of the TFS/PFS or for other education surveys.

C.1.3 TFS-3: Questionnaire for Current Teachers

Revisions made to existing items on the 2021–22 TFS-3 in comparison to the 2016–17 TFS-3:

2016–17 TFS wording	2021–22 TFS wording	Justification for revision
23. Which of the following best describes why you involuntarily left your K–12 teaching position? I did not meet Highly Qualified Teacher (HQT) requirements (Generally, to be Highly Qualified, teachers must 1) have a bachelor’s degree; 2) hold full state certification or licensure, including an "alternative certification"; and 3) demonstrate competency in the subject area(s) they teach. The HQT requirement is a provision under No Child Left Behind [NCLB].)	23. Which of the following best describes why you involuntarily left your K–12 teaching position? I did not meet state/district certification or licensing requirements (e.g., classroom experience hours, teaching evaluation or observation scores, professional and subject knowledge exams, additional coursework requirements, or other requirements to teach.)	This response option was modified to measure teachers who were unable to meet state/district licensing requirements (and left the field or moved schools involuntarily). HQT requirements are no longer required by the federal government, and states have their own licensing requirements.
N/A – new item for 2021-22 TFS.	24d. Indicate the level of importance EACH of the following played in your decision to leave LAST YEAR’S SCHOOL. I left last year’s school – d. Because of changes in childcare arrangements caused by the coronavirus pandemic Not at all important Slightly important Somewhat important Very important Extremely important	This item is intended to measure if the loss of childcare during the coronavirus pandemic was a significant factor in why teachers left their position from the 2020-21 school year.
N/A – new item for 2021-22 TFS.	24h. Indicate the level of importance EACH of the following played in your decision to leave LAST YEAR’S SCHOOL. I left last year’s school – h. Because I wanted or needed a way to pay off debt from my undergraduate or graduate education (such as higher pay and/or debt forgiveness) Not at all important Slightly important Somewhat important Very important Extremely important	This item is intended to measure how important the availability of a way to pay off debt was in the teacher’s decision to leave their previous job. This information will help inform planning for debt forgiveness programs to address teacher turnover related to student debt loads.
N/A – new item for 2021-22 TFS.	24n. Indicate the level of importance EACH of the following played in your decision to leave LAST YEAR’S SCHOOL. I left last year’s school – n. Because I was dissatisfied with the way my school or district supported me during the coronavirus pandemic Not at all important Slightly important Somewhat important Very important Extremely important	This item is intended to measure how much the situation with coronavirus, and how their school provided support, or not, contributed to their decision to leave. This item may help inform administrators for future planning purposes.
N/A – new item for 2021-22 TFS.	26. Was the debt from your undergraduate or graduate education one of the reasons why you left your previous teaching job? Yes No	This item is intended to measure how important the availability of a way to pay off debt was part of the teacher’s decision to leave their previous job. This information will help inform planning for debt forgiveness programs to address teacher turnover related to student debt loads.
N/A – new item for 2021-22 TFS.	27. Do you currently have any of the below types of debt from your undergraduate or graduate education? I do not currently have debt from my undergraduate or graduate education Federal student loans Private student loans State student loans Loans from family or friends for undergraduate or graduate education Credit card debt for undergraduate or graduate education Other debt for undergraduate or graduate education - Please specify ➔	This item is intended to measure the percentage of teachers who have outstanding debt from their education as well as the type of debt. This question will also act as a filter for the additional questions about debt and debt forgiveness. This information will help inform planning for debt forgiveness programs to address teacher turnover related to student debt loads.
N/A – new item for 2021-22 TFS.	28. How do you feel about the amount of debt you have remaining from your undergraduate and graduate education? Not at all worried A little worried Somewhat worried Very worried Extremely worried	This item is intended to measure the amount of concern teachers have about the debt they have left from their education. This information will help inform planning for debt forgiveness programs to address teacher turnover related to student debt loads.
N/A – new item for 2021-22 TFS.	29. Has the debt from your undergraduate or graduate education ever made you seriously consider leaving your current job for a higher paying job? Yes No	This item is intended to measure how much the situation with coronavirus contributed to their decision to leave and they can report any specific reasons. This item may help inform administrators for future planning purposes.
N/A – new item for 2021-22 TFS.	30i. Indicate how effectively your principal or school head performed each of the following at LAST YEAR’S SCHOOL. i. Supported teachers during the coronavirus pandemic Not at all effectively Slightly effectively Somewhat effectively Very effectively Extremely effectively	This item is intended to measure how much the situation with coronavirus, and how their school provided support, or not, contributed to their decision to leave. This item may help inform administrators for future planning purposes.
N/A – new item for 2021-22 TFS.	30j. Indicate how effectively your principal or school head performed each of the following at LAST YEAR’S SCHOOL. j. Provided teachers with the tools and materials needed to teach effectively during the coronavirus pandemic Not at all effectively Slightly effectively Somewhat effectively Very effectively Extremely effectively	This item is intended to measure how much the situation with coronavirus, and how their school head handled it, contributed to their decision to leave. This item may help inform administrators for future planning purposes.
N/A – new item for 2021-22 TFS.	37. What are some ways the coronavirus pandemic has affected your teaching experience? This can include any challenges you faced or enhancements you made in areas such as new teaching methods, classroom management strategies, communications, and technology. [open-ended text box]	This open-ended exploratory item is intended to capture information about respondents’ experiences teaching during the coronavirus pandemic. Responses to this question may help inform new questions for future iterations of the TFS/PFS or for other education surveys.

C.2 2021-22 PFS Item Justification

There are four versions of the PFS Questionnaire:

• PFS-1A is sent to public schools in the initial mail-out;

• PFS-1B is sent to private school in the initial mail-out;

• PFS-1C is sent directly to NTPS principal respondents who were public school principals when PFS-1A is a non-response; and

• PFS-1D is sent directly to NTPS principal respondents who were private school principals when PFS-1B is a non-response.

The PFS-1A and PFS-1C questionnaires have not been modified from the versions used in 2016-17 PFS data collection, aside from updates to reference years.

The PFS-1B and PFS-1D questionnaires have not been modified from the versions used in 2012-13 PFS data collection, aside from updates to reference years and survey reference (change from SASS to NTPS). The 2015-16 NTPS did not include a sample of private schools or their principals, therefore private versions of the PFS questionnaires were not needed for the 2016-17 PFS collection.