Change Memo v.5

U NITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

National Center for Education Statistics

October 19, 2023

MEMORANDUM

To: Dr. Bev Pratt, OMB

From: Rebecca Bielamowicz and Ryan Iaconelli, NCES

Through: Carrie Clarady, NCES

Re: 2023-24 School Pulse Panel December and January Questionnaire Items Change Request (OMB# 1850-0975 v.5)

The School Pulse Panel is an ongoing study conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), part of the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), within the United States Department of Education, to collect extensive data on current and emerging issues concerning students and staff in U.S. public primary, middle, high, and combined-grade schools. Specifically, the survey will ask school office staff about topics such as staffing, college and career readiness, school improvement plans, tutoring, summer programs, facilities, learning strategies and recovery, after-school programs, and world and dual language programs. The SPP has become one of the nation’s main sources of timely and reliable data on issues concerning the education environment, as reported by principals in U.S. public schools.

The SPP monthly data collection went through a 60-day public comment period, followed by a 30-day public comment period (OMB# 1850-0975 v.2) and was formally cleared on July 31, 2023. A change request (v.3) was cleared in July 2023 to make changes to the September and October instruments and August 2023-January 2024 communication materials. The purpose of this memo is to request approval for changes to the December and January SPP questionnaires. The items that were submitted as a part of the 30-day public comment period (v.4, approved October 2023) were undergoing cognitive testing at the time the package was out for public comment. Changes to the November, December, and January questionnaires that are being made in response to the cognitive testing are detailed below. Many of the changes were made to improve item clarity and include such actions as adjusting the ordering of questions and tweaking item directions and response options based on recommendations from the cognitive testing. Other changes include the removal of some questions that respondents were not able to answer (and would therefore produce unusable data) and the consolidation of questions to reduce cognitive burden and improve data quality (ex., the questions on teacher planning time).

The costs to the government have not changed as a result of this amendment, nor has the projected respondent burden. All changes to the materials that are part of this submission are detailed below with new additions and redactions shown in red. Changes to formatting (ex., bolding a word that was previously not bolded) are noted in green.

Changes to Appendix C2

Additions and Deletions to Appendix C2

November 2023 Instrument

SchLun14. As a result of the challenges you just indicated, have you had to make any of the adjustments listed below to the school meals programs? {Display if SchLun13 ≠ “My school has not experienced…” or SchLun13 ≠ Don’t Know}

• Reducing menu options

• Increasing paid lunch prices

• Seeking external funding to cover excess costs of serving school meals

• Limiting service options (e.g., stopping breakfast in the classroom)

• No longer participating in National School Lunch Program

• No longer participating in School Breakfast Program

• No longer participating in other USDA child nutrition programs (e.g., afterschool snack programs)

• Other, please specify: ____________

• Don’t know

• We have not had to make any adjustments to our school meal program

ABS6. We’d like to learn more about schools’ experiences with student, teacher, and staff absences. In the space below, please share any information you would like us to know on this topic.

This item is optional.  

SIP_more. We’d like to learn more about schools’ experiences with school improvement plans. In the space below, please share any information you would like us to know on this topic.

This item is optional.  

(NB: These count items are included every month (as referenced in the footnote of the “modules” grid at the beginning of Appendix C2) but they were accidentally left off of v. 4 of Appendix C2)

TEACHER0. Please enter an approximate total teacher count for your school as of today.

Please enter the number of teachers, including full-time and part-time teachers.

________ teachers

STAFF0. Please enter an approximate total non-teacher staff count for your school as of today.

Please enter the number of non-teaching staff, including full-time and part-time non-teachers.

________ non-teaching staff

ENROLLMENT0. As of today, please enter your total student enrollment count.

Please enter the number of students.

________ students

December 2023 Instrument

Fac1. What is the approximate percentage of hardscape (asphalt, concrete) versus landscape (porous surface, plants, other) in the outdoor areas designated for play at your school?

_________percentage of hardscape

• Don’t know

Fac1. Does your school have any of the following outdoor surfaces designated for play?

• Only landscape surfaces (e.g., fields, porous surfaces, woodchips)

• Only hardscape (e.g., asphalt, concrete)

• Both landscape and hardscape surfaces

• We have no outdoor surfaces designated for play

Fac28. Does the your school have an outdoor space designed for teaching available?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t Know

Fac39. Is training for educators about teaching/learning outdoors available at least once per year?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

Fac42. Are outdoor play areas, including athletic fields and courts, available to the surrounding community public outside of school hours or when school is not in session? {Display if Fac1 ≠ We have no outdoor…}

• Yes

• No

• Don’t Know

Fac510. Does your the school or district employ a dedicated groundskeeper position who works at least part-time at your school?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

Fac611. Does the your school or district employ a school garden coordinator who works at least part-time at your school?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

Fac7. Are indoor school facilities (e.g., classrooms, gym, auditorium, etc.) available for the public to use (with permission) outside of school hours or when school is not in session?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t Know

Fac712. Does the your school have outdoor space designed for student gardening available?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

Fac813. Has your school employed, or designated an employee to serve as, Do you have an Indoor Air Quality Coordinator at your school? This may be a school or district employee, or an employee designated to serve in this role.

An Indoor Air Quality Coordinator monitors air quality conditions at the school and is responsible for reporting air quality issues and complaints.

• Yes

• No

• Don’t Know

Fac915. Are carbon dioxide sensors installed in classrooms and other gathering spaces to monitor for effective ventilation?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t Know

Fac1019a. How many permanent buildings are in use at your school?

Do NOT include sheds, storage warehouses, or other buildings that people do not typically occupy.

_____ buildings

• None

• Don’t know

Fac1019b. How many of these buildings have received third-party green building certification from an external organization? {Display if Fac19a > 0}

Green building certification verifies that a building has met environmental, energy, human health, and other standards in its design, construction, and performance.

______ buildings {Display if permanent building item > 0}

• None

• Don’t know

Fac1120a. How many non-permanent (portable) buildings are in use at your school?

Do NOT include sheds, storage warehouses, or other buildings that people do not typically occupy.

_____ buildings

• None

• Don’t know

Fac11b20b. How many of these non-permanent buildings have received third-party green building certification from an external organization? {Display if non-permanent building item > 0} {Display if Fac20a > 0}

Green building certification verifies that a building has met environmental, energy, human health, and other standards in its design, construction, and performance.

______ buildings

• None

• Don’t know

Fac1214. Does your school have carbon monoxide alarms installed?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

Fac13. Do the carbon monoxide alarms at your school meet the requirements of the National Fire Protection Association, code 720?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

Fac1415. Are carbon dioxide sensors installed in classrooms and other gathering spaces to monitor for effective ventilation?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t Know

Fac1516. Does the school have a policy in place to have Are there local exhaust systems installed at airborne contaminant sources, such as (e.g., science labs, copy/printing facilities, and chemical storage rooms)?

• Yes, at all airborne contaminant sources

• Yes, at some airborne contaminant sources

• No

• We do not have any airborne contaminant sources at this school

• Don’t know

Fac1617. Does the school have an anti-idling program in place, including signage and active monitoring during pick-up and drop-off?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

Fac1718. Are the designated vehicle loading & and unloading areas at least 25 feet from all building air intakes (including doors and windows)?

• Yes

• No

• We do not have designated loading and unloading areas at this school

• Don’t know

Fac184. Does the school have an auditorium or cafetorium (mix of cafeteria and auditorium) on-site?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

Fac195. Does the school have dedicated library space available?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

Fac203. Please indicate which of the following athletic amenities your school has on-site. Select all that apply.

• All-purpose grass field (e.g., football field, soccer field, lacrosse field)

• All-purpose turf field (e.g., football field, soccer field, lacrosse field)

• Baseball/softball field

• Gymnasium (e.g., basketball court, volleyball court)

• Outdoor basketball court

• Outdoor volleyball court

• Indoor Ppool

• Outdoor pool

• Softball field

• Indoor Ttennis courts

• Outdoor tennis courts

• Indoor Ttrack

• Outdoor track

• Weight room

• Other, please specify: _______

• None of the above We have no athletic amenities on-site

Fac216. How many STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) labs are on your campus?

A STEM lab is a room or space dedicated to science, technology, and/or mathematic experiments and hands on applications of these fields.

_________ STEM labs

• Don’t know

Fac2221. In what year was your school’s main instructional building constructed?

• Year: _______

• Don’t know

Fac2322. In what year was the last major renovation of the main instructional building?

• Year: _______

• The main instructional building has never undergone a major renovation

• Don’t know

Fac2423. In what year was the last major building replacement or addition made to this school?

• Year: _______

• The school has never had a major addition or replacement

• Don’t know

Fac2524. Is any major repair/renovation/modernization work currently being performed at this school?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

Fac_more. We’d like to learn more about schools’ building facilities and amenities. In the space below, please share any information you would like us to know on this topic.

This item is optional.  

LSR1. Does your school provide training for Are teachers at your school provided training in any of the following? Select all that apply.

• Using formative assessments to inform instruction

• Using diagnostic assessments to inform instruction

• Using tailored accelerated instruction (i.e., using new, grade-level content to teach prior-grade concepts or skills)

• None of the above

• Don’t know

LSR2. Which of the following ways Aare parents informed of about their child’s learning progress throughout the school year, beyond receiving report cards/summative assessments?

• Yes Teacher communications to the parents about areas in which the child is making progress or having difficulty

• No Parent-teacher conferences

• Online systems where parents can access their child's grades on assignments, tests, etc.

• Other, please specify: ______________

• Parents are not informed of their child's learning progress beyond report cards/summative assessments

• Don’t know

Plan1a. Are teachers at your school provided dedicated time for collaborative planning?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

Plan1ba. On average, how many minutes per week do your teachers have for dedicated collaborative for planning? {Display if Plan1a = Yes}

__________ average minutes per week

• None

• Don’t know

Plan1b. On average, how many minutes per week do your teachers have for dedicated collaborative planning? {Display if Plan1a = Yes}

__________ average minutes per week

• Don’t know

Plan1b. On average, how many of these {fill from Plan1a} minutes do teachers spend planning individually and how many do they spend planning collaboratively? {Display if Plan1a > 0}

____ average minutes per week for individual planning

• No minutes spent on individual planning

____ average minutes per week for collaborative planning

• No minutes spent on collaborative planning

• Don’t know

Plan1c. On average, how many times per week do your teachers have for dedicated collaborative planning? {Display if Plan1a = Yes}

________ average number of times per week

• Don’t know

Plan2a. On average, how many times per week do your teachers have dedicated for planning? {Display if Plan1a >0 }

____ average times per week

• Don't know

Plan2b. On average, how many of these {fill from Plan2a} times do teachers plan individually and how many times do they plan collaboratively? {Display if Plan1a > 0}

____ average times per week for individual planning

• No times for individual planning

____ average times per week for collaborative planning

• No times for collaborative planning

• Don't know

Plan1d. To the best of your knowledge, has your school increased the amount of dedicated time teachers have for collaborative planning since the 2019-20 school year? {Display if Plan1a = Yes}

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

Plan3a. To the best of your knowledge, has your school increased the amount of dedicated time teachers have for planning since the 2019-20 school year? {Display if Plan1a > 0}

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

Plan1dd. To the best of your knowledge, on average, how much had dedicated collaborative planning time increased peer week since the 2019-20 school year? {Display if Plan1d = Yes}

___________ average number of minutes

• Don’t know

Plan3b. On average, how many minutes per week has planning time increased since the 2019-20 school year? {Display if Plan3a > 0}

____ average minutes per week

• Don't know

Plan3c. On average, how much of {Fill from Plan3b} increased minutes per week have been dedicated to individual planning and how many of the increased minutes have been dedicated to collaborative planning since the 2019-20 school year? {Display if Plan3b > 0}

____ average minutes per week for individual planning

• No minutes spent on individual planning

____ average minutes per week for collaborative planning

• No minutes spent on collaborative planning

• Don’t know

Plan2a. Are teachers at your school provided dedicated time for individual planning?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

Plan2b. On average, how many minutes per week do your teachers have for dedicated individual planning? {Display if Plan2a = Yes}

__________ average minutes per week

• Don’t know

Plan2c. On average, how many times per week do your teachers have for dedicated individual planning? {Display if Plan2a = Yes}

________ average number of times per week

• Don’t know

Plan2d. To the best of your knowledge, has your school increased the amount of dedicated time teachers have for individual planning since the 2019-20 school year? {Display if Plan1a2a = Yes}

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

Plan2dd. To the best of your knowledge, on average, how much had dedicated individual planning time increased peer week since the 2019-20 school year? {Display if Plan2d = Yes}

___________ average number of minutes

• Don’t know

ParEng1. Which of the following methods, if any, does your school use to engage with parents? Select all that apply.

• Email

• Phone or web-based applications

• Web- or phone-based applications

• In-person meetings

• Parent-teacher associations or organizations

• At-home visits

• Other, please specify: _________

• None of the above

• Don’t know

ParEng2. Do you have staff focused on parent engagement in your school a parent/family engagement specialist or outreach worker at your school? This may be a school or district employee, or an employee designated to serve in this role.

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

ParEng3a. Have you added new parent/family engagement positions since the 2019-20 school year?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

ParEng4. For the 2023-24 school year, does your school either of the following family and community engagement opportunities? Select all that apply.

• A family engagement specialist or family outreach worker at the school

• Opportunities for families and community members to use school facilities (e.g., classrooms, gym, auditorium, etc.)

• None of the above

• Don’t know

ParEng54. To the best of your knowledge, what percentage of students had at least one parent or guardian participate in the following events during the 2023-24 school year?

	0-25%	26-50%	51-75%	76-100%	Not Applicable
Open house or back-to-school night
Regularly scheduled parent-teacher conferences
Special subject-area events (e.g., science fair, concerts)
Volunteers at school or served on a committee

ParEng_more. We’d like to learn more about schools’ teacher planning time and strategies to engage parents. In the space below, please share any information you would like us to know on this topic.

This item is optional.  

January 2024 Instrument

CCR_gate. In which of the following grades does your school have students enrolled?

• Kindergarten

• 1^st grade

• 2^nd grade

• 3^rd grade

• 4^th grade

• 5^th grade {Display AdvC and CCP items if 5^th grade or above is selected}

• 6^th grade

• 7^th grade

• 8^th grade

• 9^th grade/Freshman

• 10^th grade/Sophomore

• 11^th grade/Junior

• 12^th grade/Senior

• Ungraded

AdvC2a. Does your school allow students to take courses above their grade level (e.g., allowing 8^th graders to take Algebra I, allowing 9^th graders to take Geometry)?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

AdvC2b. How many of these courses are taught in your school? {Display if AdvC2a = Yes}

______ courses

• Don’t’ know

AdvC2c. To the best of your knowledge, what percentage of students at your school are enrolled in course above their grade level? {Display if AdvC2a = Yes}

_______ percent of students

• Don’t know

AdvC2d. What percentage of students in each racial/ethnic group are enrolled in courses above their grade level? {Display if AdvC2a = Yes}

	Percentage of students	Don’t know
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black of African American
Hispanic/Latino
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races

AdvC1d. What percentage of students in each racial/ethnic group are enrolled in any advanced coursework?

{Display COLUMNS based on > 0 responses to AdvC1b}	Percentage enrolled in AP courses	Percentage enrolled in Pre-AP courses	Percentage enrolled in IB courses	Percentage enrolled in dual enrollment	Don’t know
American Indian or Alaska Native, Non-Hispanic
Asian, Non-Hispanic
Black ofr African American, Non-Hispanic
Hispanic/ or Latino, of any race
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, Non-Hispanic
White, Non-Hispanic
Two or more races, Non-Hispanic

CCP3. Using the responses below, fill in the sentence that best describes your school: “My school does a(n) ____________ job preparing students for college.”

• Very pPoor

• Below average Fair

• Average Good

• Above average Very good

• Exceptional Excellent

• Not applicable

CCP4. Using the responses below, fill in the sentence that best describes your school: “My school does a(n) ____________ job preparing students for the workforce.”

• Very pPoor

• Below average Fair

• Average Good

• Above average Very good

• Exceptional Excellent

• Not applicable

Lang1. Which, if any, of the following languages are taught as independent classes at your school?

• American Sign Language (ASL)

• Arabic

• Chinese (Mandarin or Cantonese)

• Dutch

• French

• German

• Hindi

• Italian

• Japanese

• Korean

• Latin

• Portuguese

• Russian

• Spanish

• Turkish

• Other, please specify: __________

• None of the above

CCP_more. We’d like to learn more about schools’ experiences with college and career readiness. In the space below, please share any information you would like us to know on this topic.

This item is optional.  

Lang2_v2. Approximately how many students are enrolled in these classes?

{Display based on answers to Lang1}	Number of students enrolled	Don’t Know
ASL
Arabic
Chinese
Dutch
French
German
Hindi
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Latin
Portuguese
Russian
Spanish
Turkish
Other

Lang3. Which of the following best describes how these classes are taught at your school? Select all that apply.

{Display based on answers to Lang1}	Traditional Classroom	Dual language (two-way) immersion	Immersion	Online	Hybrid	Don’t Know
ASL
Arabic
Chinese
Dutch
French
German
Hindi
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Latin
Portuguese
Russian
Spanish
Turkish
Other

Lang4. Do you offer these classes in collaboration with any of the following? Select all that apply.

{Display based on answers to Lang1}	A local high school	Community college	University campus	Heritage community school	No collaborations for this class	Don’t Know
ASL
Arabic
Chinese
Dutch
French
German
Hindi
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Latin
Portuguese
Russian
Spanish
Turkish
Other

Dual4. Which of the following partner languages are used in your school’s dual language program(s)?

• American Sign Language (ASL)

• Arabic

• Chinese (Mandarin or Cantonese)

• Dutch

• French

• German

• Hindi

• Italian

• Japanese

• Korean

• Latin

• Portuguese

• Russian

• Spanish

• Turkish

• Other, please specify: __________

• None of the above

Dual_more. We’d like to learn more about schools’ experiences with world and dual language programs. In the space below, please share any information you would like us to know on this topic.

This item is optional.  

PAut_more. We’d like to learn more about schools’ experiences with principal autonomy. In the space below, please share any information you would like us to know on this topic.

This item is optional.  

550 12^th Street, S.W., Washington, DC 20202

Our mission is to ensure equal access to education and to promote educational excellence throughout the Nation.

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