60 Day Comment Response

Response to Public Comments Received During the 30-day Comment Period

February 2022

School Pulse Panel Data Collection

ED-2021-SCC-0169 Comments on FR Doc # 2021-19158

NCES and the staff of the School Pulse Survey want to thank all public commenters for your feedback responding to a request for comments on the School Pulse Panel Data Collection published in the Federal Register. The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) appreciates your interest in our work. The Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) provides an opportunity for an open and public comment period where comments on collections can be made. We are grateful for this process and your comment and hope that you will continue to follow our work.

This comment was originally submitted in response to a package that received an emergency clearance and was then posted for 30-day public comment under OMB# 1850-0963 v.7. The School Pulse Panel Data Collection is currently moving to a regular OMB clearance cycle. We are publishing this response to comments as part of the 30-day review for this new regular clearance as part of the transition to this regular clearance.

Submitter Information

Name: Sara Kerr, Vice President, Education Policy Implementation

Organization: Results For America

Comment

As schools face unprecedented challenges to keep children learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic, it is paramount to understand how schools and districts have adapted, and, importantly, what we can learn from these experiences to prepare for the future. We at Results for America (Results for America) believe that the 2022 School Pulse Panel (SPP) data collection is an important tool to meet this need. With SPP data, education leaders and policymakers will have a valid and reliable evidence base from which to make meaningful decisions that assist districts and schools during this challenging time. To this end, RFA supports the Institute of Educational Science (IES), Department of Education (ED) and applauds IES for its efforts to help the country understand how schools are approaching their response and recovery efforts and supporting students, teachers, and their communities. RFA also applauds IES for taking recent steps to strengthen the SPP collection efforts, including reducing the survey length and bolstering recruitment efforts.

While the SPP will provide critical data that illuminate school practices, we believe IES can take a few additional steps to strengthen the SPP collection. Specifically, RFA advises IES to:

1. Commit to conducting the SPP over a multi-year, long-term period: This ensures there is timely school- and district-level data that can demonstrate changing COVID-19 trends and increase the likelihood districts and schools learn from one another in real time. Further, conducting the SPP over multiple years increases the likelihood that data can be connected and analyzed against other Departmental data, such as the National Assessment of Educational Progress. We understand that this would require additional Federal investment, and will gladly work with the IES, ED, and Congress to identify resources to support a more permanent collection should the initial collections prove valuable.

2. Communicate to survey respondents how the SPP data is or will be used: IES should demonstrate to respondents in plain language how data is or will be used to inform policy, practice, and funding decisions with specific examples at the Federal, state, and local levels. Clearly communicating why and how the SPP data influences practical, impactful decisions may increase response rates from already overwhelmed district and school staff.

3. Share tangible, direct value of the SPP to schools and districts: Use specific examples of how SPP data may benefit survey respondents and their schools and communities, and highlight other resources that may assist. Examples include:

a. Outlining how respondents may utilize the SPP data dashboard to analyze and compare results with peer districts;

b. Creating SPP regional profiles to share with respondents; and

c. Sharing Departmental technical assistance resources, such as the Regional Educational Laboratories, Comprehensive Centers, and Equity Assistance Centers.

RFA continues to support IES implementation of the SPP to collect timely, relevant COVID-19 data on our schools. We welcome the opportunity to discuss these recommendations and thank IES for the opportunity to comment.

Sincerely,

Sara Kerr

RESPONSE:

Thank you for your feedback posted on January 19, 2022, responding to a 30-day request for comments on the proposed School Pulse Panel Data Collection. The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) appreciates your interest in and support of the School Pulse Panel survey.

Our hope is that these initial, pandemic-focused collections will yield valuable, real-time results that can be used for policy-making decisions and further support the utility of a quick-response, quick-release of findings approach for years to come. As mentioned in the comment, dedicated funding is necessary, and we welcome and appreciate your support for resources on this effort. Additionally, we thank you for your suggestions on improvements for recruitment and consider incorporating this into upcoming monthly survey communications with sampled schools.

As this is an ongoing survey, we encourage you to look for future OMB requests for comments on this collection. Thank you again for your comment and please do not hesitate to contact us with questions or for help.

Sincerely,

Rachel Hansen
Statistician, Project Director, School Pulse

National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)

U.S. Department of Education

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