School Pulse Panel 2024-25 Data Collection

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 leaders about topics such as staffing, college and career readiness, artificial intelligence, tutoring, summer and after-school programs, facilities, and learning strategies and recovery, among other topics. 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 preliminary activities for the 2024-25 data collection was formally cleared in January 2024 (OMB# 1850-0969 v.12) and the SPP monthly data collection package was formally cleared in June 2024 (OMB# 1850-0969 v.13). A change request (v.14) was cleared in June 2024 to make changes to the 2024-25 preliminary activities package in order to modify the July 2024 communication materials and screener survey. A change request (v.15) was cleared in August 2024 to make changes to the August 2024, September 2024, and October 2024 instruments, informed by cognitive testing results with school staff. A 30-day public comment period package (v.16) was cleared in October 2024 that included new items (within the scope of the research domains previously established) to be collected on the November 2024, December 2024, and January 2025 instruments, as well as planned items for the rest of the study year, through June 2025. A change request (v.17) was cleared in November 2024 to make changes to the December 2024, January 2025, and February 2025 instruments, informed by cognitive testing results with school staff. The new revision (v.18) is focused on a 30-day public comment period on new items (within the scope of the research domains previously established) to be collected on the March 2025-June 2025 School Pulse Panels. These items are considered very close to final and will go through minimal testing with school personnel to examine any comprehension concerns with item wording. This testing will occur simultaneously with when the package is out for the 30-day public comment period. Feedback from this testing, as well as additional input from SPP stakeholders, will result in modifications and additions that will be reflected in future change requests. The costs to the government have not changed as a result of this amendment, nor has the projected respondent burden. As of January 31st, 2025, cognitive testing for March and April questionnaires have been completed. March and April changes to Appendix B1 and Appendix C are based on the results of cognitive testing to improve the quality of the data or to better capture the intent of the question. Additionally, to ensure compliance with President Donald Trump's executive orders (E.O.) titled Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing on and Initial Rescissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions on January 20, 2025, we request removal of two sub-questions from the May 2025 questionnaire (OMB# 1850-0969). Lastly, we have updated Appendix A - Communication Materials to include a notice for respondents should changes occur to our monthly data collection plan, such as a government shutdown.

The latest form for School Pulse Panel 2024-25 Data Collection expires 2028-03-31 and is listed under ICR 202412-1850-001.