National Household Education Survey 

2016 (NHES:2016)

Full-scale Data Collection

OMB# 1850-0768 v.11

Part C

APRIL 2015
i

TABLE OF CONTENTS

JUSTIFICATION OF NHES SCREENER AND CHILD TOPICAL QUESTIONNAIRES

C.1 Screener .............................................................................................. 1

C.2 Early Childhood Program Participation Survey ................................. 2

C.3 Parent and Family Involvement in Education Survey ........................ 8

List of Exhibits

Exhibit

1 Content of Screener ......................................................................................... 1

2 Item-by-item descriptions of the Early Childhood Program

Participation Survey and associated research questions.................................. 5

3 Item-by-item descriptions of Parent and Family Involvement in 

Education Survey for Enrolled Students and associated research 

questions.......................................................................................................... 12

4 Item-by-item descriptions of the Parent and Family Involvement in 

Education for Homeschooled Students Survey and associated research 

questions.......................................................................................................... 15
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PART C. JUSTIFICATION OF NHES SCREENER AND CHILD TOPICAL QUESTIONNAIRES

NHES:2016 data will be collected using a screener questionnaire and three extended topical questionnaires (two

child and one adult topical questionnaires, where one of the child topical surveys will be administered in two 

versions depending on whether the child is homeschooled or not):

 The household screener, to be used to identify eligible households for participation in one of the topical 

surveys.

 The Early Childhood Program Participation Survey (ECPP), to be administered to a parent or guardian 

knowledgeable about the care and education of children from birth through age 6 and not yet in kindergarten 

(infants, toddlers, and preschoolers).

 The Parent and Family Involvement in Education Survey (PFI), to be administered to a parent or guardian 

knowledgeable about the education of children enrolled in school in kindergarten through grade 12 or 

homeschooled at these grade levels. To reduce respondents’ burden, two questionnaires were developed for 

this survey: one for parents of children attending school and one for parents of homeschooled children.

The topics addressed in the ECPP and PFI have been covered in previous NHES administrations, including the first 

administration of the NHES as a mail, self-administered survey in 2012. The screener and topical surveys are 

provided in appendix 2.

C.1 Screener

The household screener is an essential part of the NHES survey instrumentation. It is used to confirm that the 

sampled address is a residential address, determine whether the household includes potentially eligible children or 

adults, and collect information required for conducting within-household sampling.

In the NHES:2012, a short screener questionnaire that was designed to quickly “screen out” ineligible households 

(those that did not have any children age 20 or younger) was used. Households without children age 20 or younger 

could indicate this by checking a box and returning the survey. Households with children age 20 or younger were 

asked to enumerate children living in the household (up to a total of five children) and provide basic demographic 

information about each child. The decision to incorporate an adult topical survey into the NHES required a 

complete household enumeration of children and adults, so a small experiment was conducted in conjunction with 

an ATES pilot test administered in 2013. The response rates for a 5-person child-only screener and a 10-person all 

household member screener were found to be comparable. The NHES-FS used the 10-person screener as part of its 

goal to evaluate the procedures needed to include an adult-focused survey in NHES and included an experiment 

comparing response rate differences between a screener that asked for age measured in years versus a screener that 

asked for age measured as year and month of birth. Based on the results of this experiment, NHES:2016 will use 

the screener that asks for age as year and month of birth.

The screener captures whether there are eligible children or adults in the household. The screener questionnaire 

uses a grid format over two pages that are viewable on opposite facing pages. This form of navigation reduces the 

space necessary for enumerating household members and possibly decreases the potential for respondent errors 

such as omission of a household member. The screener collects information on up to ten household members over a 

total of four pages (two sets of the grid format over two pages that are viewable on opposite facing pages).

Commonly Asked Questions. The back of the screener contains commonly asked questions and responses 

intended to address questions that many respondents may have. The purpose of this material is to inform 

respondents fully and assure them of the sponsorship, legitimacy, and privacy protections of the study. Exhibit 1 

includes item-by-item descriptions of the NHES screener.
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Exhibit 1. Content of Screener

Question # Item Stem Research Question/Purpose

1 How many people live in this household? Determine Eligibility

2 What is his or her first name, initials, or nickname? Sampling

3 What is this person’s month and year of birth? Sampling

5 What is this person’s sex? Sampling

6 Is this person currently in... Sampling

7 What is this person’s current grade or equivalent? Sampling

C.2 Early Childhood Program Participation Survey

The items in the NHES:2016 ECPP questionnaire are the same as those in the NHES:2012 ECPP questionnaire, 

with the exceptions noted in appendix C, which drew items from several previous NHES administrations and was 

very similar to the NHES:2005 and NHES:2001 ECPP interviews. The following topics are included in the survey:

 Participation in relative care, nonrelative care, center-based programs, and Early Head Start/Head Start;

 Care/program characteristics such as location, days and hours per week, and cost;

 Care provider characteristics such as language;

 Difficulty in finding care and child care selection criteria;

 Family education activities such as visiting a library and reading to the child;

 Emerging literacy and numeracy;

 Children’s health and disability;

 Parent characteristics; and

 Household characteristics.

Below, the survey items are discussed in more detail. The descriptions are presented in the order the questions 

appear in the printed instrument.

Instructions

The first page of the questionnaire identifies the selected child using information from the screener and provides the 

respondent with instructions for completing the questionnaire. Contact information is provided (a toll free number) 

in case there is confusion about the selected child or the household has no child fitting the description given.

Section 1. Early Childhood Care and Programs

A major focus of the ECPP Survey is addressed in the first section of the questionnaire, which focuses on types of

nonparental care and education: care by relatives, care by nonrelatives, and center-based programs. Three sets of 

items within section 1, one focused on each of the previously mentioned types of nonparental care and education,

collect extensive information to describe the different types of nonparental care and education that children may 

receive. These items provide detailed information on the extent of current participation in the different types of care 

arrangements and programs, location, amount of time children spend in current arrangements or programs, and the 

financial cost of current care arrangements or programs to the child’s household. This information can in turn be 

related to children’s personal, family, and household characteristics. The following information is collected in each 

of these sets of items:

 The number of current arrangements or programs of the respective type;

 The location of the arrangement or program (including whether programs are located at parents’ 

workplaces);

 The number of days and hours per week the child receives care or attends a program on a weekly basis, and 

the length of time in attendance at the arrangement or program;

 The language of the care provider;

 Whether the care provider will care for the child when the child is sick; and

 The cost to the household of the arrangement or program, and assistance in paying for the arrangement.

In addition to these common items, the section on relative care contains an item concerning the relationship of the 

care provider to the child and an item asking the age of the relative care provider. Age of the nonrelative care 

provider and whether the parent already knew the care provider is obtained in the nonrelative care section. The 
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section on center-based care asks additional items on whether the center provides health services such as hearing, 

speech, or vision testing, and if the center is religiously affiliated.

Care Your Child Receives From Relatives (Questions 1-16). This series collects information regarding care 

provided on a regular basis by relatives other than the child’s parents. This includes grandparents, aunts or uncles, 

brothers or sisters, etc. Occasional babysitting is explicitly excluded. The care may be provided in the child’s home 

or in another home. For the child care arrangement in which the child spends the most time, key facets of care such 

as location, hours, and cost are collected. Limited information on other relative care arrangements is collected to 

provide a full accounting of time spent in care without undue burden.

Care Your Child Receives from Nonrelatives (Questions 17-34). This series collects information on care 

provided in a private home on a regular basis by nonrelatives. This includes home child care providers, regular 

sitters, or neighbors. Care may be provided in the child’s home or in another home. Occasional babysitting is 

explicitly excluded. Key indicators (e.g., location, hours, cost) are collected for the primary nonrelative care 

arrangement, and hours for other arrangements are collected to provide a full accounting of time spent in care.

Day Care Centers and Preschool Programs Your Child Attends (Questions 35-53). This series collects 

information on programs provided for groups of children in day care centers, preschools, and pre-kindergartens.

This can include daycare centers, preschools, prekindergartens, or center-based Head Start or Early Head Start 

programs. Key indicators (e.g., location, hours, and cost) are collected for the primary center-based program 

arrangement, and hours for other arrangements are collected to provide a full accounting of time spent in care.

Early Head Start/Head Start (Questions 38 and 54). Head Start is a federally funded early childhood education 

program for disadvantaged children. Most participants are 3 to 5 years old. Participation in an Early Head Start 

program may begin at birth. Respondents with a child in center-based care are asked if it is a Head Start 

arrangement. Following the collection of relative, nonrelative, and center-based care arrangements, respondents are 

asked if the child has ever attended Head Start or Early Head Start. These items help to characterize the 

arrangements in which a child participates.

Section 2: Finding and Choosing Care for Your Child (Questions 54-58)

Access to care and early education programs is a topic of concern to experts in child development and early 

education and to policymakers. This section asks parents if they feel they have good choices for child care where 

they live and the difficulty parents have had finding the type of child care they want. The last item addresses the 

importance of factors in choosing child care and early education arrangements.

Section 3: Family Activities (Questions 59-65)

Activities with potential education benefits that families can do together are measured in this section of the 

questionnaire. Parents are asked about reading to their children and the amount of time spent reading to the child 

every day. In addition, parents are asked about other activities such as telling a story, teaching letters or numbers, or 

doing arts and crafts. Also asked of parents is whether someone in the family has visited a library with the child in 

the past month. These items are indicators of the richness of the child’s education environment at home and the 

parents’ involvement in promoting the child’s development.

Section 4: Things Your Child May Be Learning (Questions 66-73)

This series measures the child’s accomplishment of developmental tasks that indicate readiness for school. Analysts 

and policymakers are interested in tracking progress in emerging literacy and numeracy across time and examining 

the relationship of emerging literacy and numeracy with preschool program participation and family education 

activities.

Section 5: This Child’s Health (Questions 74-84)

This section includes items about the child’s overall health, any serious medical conditions, and disability services 

the child may be receiving. The presence of diagnosed conditions is an important risk factor and is related to 

children’s development and education experiences in the preschool years as well as their later experiences in 

school. Condition status may be associated with access to nonparental care and education programs.
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Section 6: Child’s Background (Questions 85-92)

Questions about the child’s month and year of birth, race/ethnicity, country of origin, and language will be used to 

examine differences in children’s participation in care and education programs. For children whose primary 

language is not English, a question about participation in English language education is asked. English language 

education may help children to participate in other early education and prepare for school.

Section 7 : Child’s Family (Questions 93-127)

This section collects information on the child’s parents or guardians who reside in the household. The topics 

include age at first becoming a parent or guardian, native language, country of origin, marital status, educational 

attainment, and employment status. These items on parent characteristics measure factors that may be associated 

with participation in early care and education and may also indicate risk factors, such as low parent education, that 

could be associated with participation in care, child development, and preparation for school.

Section 8: Your Household (Questions 128-139)

This final series of items collects information on the relationship of people in the household to the child, receipt of 

public assistance, and household income. Household composition is an indicator of resources for care and 

opportunity for interaction within the household. Receipt of public assistance and household income are used to 

classify families according to the economic resources available to them, and to examine the relationship of the 

family’s economic status to early childhood program participation. These variables, taken along with parent 

characteristics, can be used to identify children who may be at risk in terms of development and education 

preparation.

Early Childhood Program Participation Survey Research Questions

The items in the Early Childhood Program Participation Survey (ECPP) will obtain information useful for 

investigating the following research questions.

1. To what extent do preschool children (birth to age 6 and not yet in kindergarten) participate in nonparental 

care and early childhood programs?

a. In what different types of nonparental care arrangements/programs do children participate?

b. How many children participate in multiple care arrangements/programs?

c. Where are care arrangements/programs located?

d. How much time do children spend in nonparental care arrangements/programs?

e. What is the relationship of relative care providers to the children for whom they are caring?

f. What is the cost and what payment arrangements are made for the cost of care arrangements/programs?

g. How are child and family characteristics related to the care or early childhood education children 

receive?

h. What resources do parents use to find child care?

i. Is (emergent) literacy and numeracy related to the type of child care, amount of time in child care, or 

stability of child care?

j. What is the availability of sick child care?

k. How does parents’ employment status influence their choice of arrangements?

l. Do parents report difficulty in finding child care?

m. What factors do parents consider important when selecting child care arrangements?

2. How has the participation of preschool children in nonparental care arrangements/programs changed from 

1991 to the present?

a. Have the subpopulations of children participating in various types of care arrangements/programs 

changed?

b. Has the amount of time children spend in care arrangements/programs changed?

3. Do at-risk children have the same access to nonparental care arrangements/programs as other children?

a. Are at-risk children more or less likely to participate in nonparental care arrangements/programs than 

other children?

b. Do at-risk children participate in different numbers and/or types of care arrangements/programs than 

those children not classified as at-risk?
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4. What type of child care subsidies/benefits have parents received from government agencies or from their 

employers?

5. What is the extent of families’ involvement in family-child education activities?

a. To what extent do families participate in selected education activities at home with their child?

b. Is participation in education activities related to preschoolers’ emerging literacy and numeracy?

6. How is children’s health/disability status related to their participation in nonparental care and education?

These research questions are reflected in exhibit 2 which includes item-by-item descriptions of the ECPP questions 

and their associated research questions.
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Exhibit 2. Item-by-item descriptions of the Early Childhood Program Participation Survey

Question # Item Stem for ECPPS Research Question/Purpose

Section 1: Childhood Care and Programs; Questions 1-53

1

Child receiving relative care from someone other than a 

parent or guardian 

Household/family composition; 

Research Question 1a.

2 Arrangements regularly scheduled at least once a week Research Question 1d.

3 Relative care provider’s relationship to the child Research Question 1e.

4 Age of relative care provider Research Question 1e.

5 Place care is provided Research Question 1c.

6 Number of days each week child receives care Research Question 1d.

7 Number of hours each week child receives care Research Question 1d.

8 Age of child when this particular care began Research Question 1d.

9 Language relative speaks while giving care Research Question 1g.

10 Relative care for child when sick Research Question 1j.

11 Fee charged for care Research Question 1f.

12 People/programs/organizations that help pay childcare 

expenses

Research Question 1f, 4.

13 Total amount paid for relative childcare Research Question 1f.

14 Number of children amount covers, including sampled child Research Question 1f.

15 Any other relative care arrangements Research Question 1a.

16 Total hours each week spent in those other relative care 

arrangements Research Question 1d.

17 Child receiving non-relative home-based care on a regular 

basis

Household/family composition; 

Research Question 1a.

18 Arrangements regularly scheduled at least once a week Research Question 1d.

19 Care provided in home or in another home Research Question 1c.

20 Care provider lives in household Research Question 1c.

21 Number of days each week child receives care Research Question 1d.

22 Number of hours each week child receives care Research Question 1d.

23 Age of child when this particular care arrangement began Research Question 1d.

24 Was the care provider someone the respondent knew Research Question 1h.

25 Provider aged 18 or over Research Question 1e.

26 Language non-relative speaks while giving care Research Question 1g.

27 Non-relative care for child when sick Research Question 1j.

28 Would you recommend this care provider to another parent Research Question 1h.

29 Fee charged for care that is paid by respondent or another 

person/agency Research Question 1f.

30 People/programs/organizations that help pay childcare 

expenses

Research Question 1f, 4.

31 Total amount paid for nonrelative childcare Research Question 1f.

32 Number of children amount covers, including sampled child Research Question 1f.

33 Any other non-relative home-based care arrangements Research Question 1a.

34 Total hours each week spent in those other non-relative 

home-based care arrangements Research Question 1d.

35 Is child now in any center-based/preschool/prekindergarten

care arrangements Research Question 1a.

36 Does child go to a center-based 

care/preschool/prekindergarten at least once a week Research Question 1d.

37 What is the child's current program Research Question 1a, 3b.

38 Is this program a Head Start or Early Head Start program Research Question 1a, 3b.

39 Location of center-based care arrangement Research Question 1a, 3b.

40 Religious affiliation of childcare Research Question 1c, 1g.
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Question # Item Stem for ECPPS Research Question/Purpose

41 Care provided at parents workplace Research Question 1c.

42 Number of days each week child receives care Research Question 1d.

43 Number of hours each week child receives care Research Question 1d.

44 Age of child when this particular care arrangement began Research Question 1d.

45 Language main care provider speaks while giving care Research Question 1g.

46 Would you recommend this program to another parent Research Question 1h.

47 Program provides services to the child/family Research Question 1g.

48 Fee charged for care Research Question 1f.

49 People/programs/organizations that help pay childcare 

expenses

Research Question 1f, 4.

50 Total amount paid for this program Research Question 1f.

51 Number of children amount covers, including sampled child Research Question 1f.

52 Does this child have any other center-based care 

arrangements Research Question 1a.

53 Total hours each week spent in those other center-based care 

arrangements Research Question 1d.

Section 2: Finding and Choosing Care (54-58)

54 Has child ever attended Head Start Research Question 1g, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4.

55 Main reason for wanting childcare Research Question 1l, 1m.

56 Good choices for childcare Research Question 1l, 1m.

57 Difficulty finding care Research Question 1l, 1m.

58 Importance of factors considered when choosing childcare 

arrangement Research Question 1l, 1m.

Section 3: Family Activities (59-65)

59 Number of books this child owns Research Question 1i.

60 Number of times child was read to in the past week Research Question 1i, 5a.

61 During those times, how many minutes are spent reading to 

the child Research Question 1i, 5a.

62 Activities done in the past week Research Question 1i, 5a.

63 Visited the library in the past month Research Question 1i, 5a.

64 Visited a bookstore in the past month Research Question 1i, 5a.

65 Eaten meals together in the past week Research Question 1i.

Section 4: Things your Child may be Learning (66-73)

66 Child 2 years of age or younger/older verification item

67 Child can identify primary colors by name Research Question 1i, 5b.

68 Child can recognize letter of the alphabet Research Question 1i, 5b.

69 How high can this child count Research Question 1i, 5b.

70 Can child write his/her name even if words are backwards Research Question 1i, 5b.

71 Does this child read or pretend to read storybooks on his/her 

own

Research Question 1i, 5b.

72 Does this child actually read the words written in books or 

does he/she look at the book and pretend to read Research Question 1i, 5b.

73 When child pretends to read, does it sound like a connected 

story Research Question 1i, 5b.

Section 5: This Childs Health (74-84)

74 Describe child’s health Research Question 1g, 3a, 3b.

75 Child's diagnosed conditions Research Question 1g, 3a, 3b.

76 If child under 3, has professional said child is “at-risk” for 

developmental delay Research Question 1g, 3a, 3b.

77 Response to question 75 or 76 Research Question 1g, 3a, 3b.

78 Child receiving services for condition Research Question 1g, 3a, 3b.
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Question # Item Stem for ECPPS Research Question/Purpose

79 Who are those services provided by Research Question 1g, 3a, 3b.

80 Services provided by an IFSP or IEP Research Question 1g, 3a, 3b.

81 Adult in household helped to develop/change child’s IFSP or 

IEP Research Question 1g, 3a, 3b.

82 Overall satisfaction/dissatisfaction with child’s IFSP or IEP Research Question 1g, 3a, 3b.

83 Child currently enrolled in special education classes/services Research Question 1g, 3a, 3b.

84 Child’s condition affect his/her ability to do the following 

things Research Question 1g, 3a, 3b

Section 6: Child’s Background (85-92)

85 In what month and year was this child born Research Question 1g, 2a, 3a, 3b.

86 Where was this child born Research Question 1g, 2a, 3a, 3b.

87 Age of child when first moved to the US/ District of 

Columbia Research Question 1g, 2a, 3a, 3b.

88 Is this child of Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino origin Research Question 1g, 2a, 3a, 3b.

89 Child’s race Research Question 1g, 2a, 3a, 3b.

89a Child’s sex Research Question 1g, 2a, 3a, 3b.

90 Childs address since the beginning of the school year Research Question 1g, 2a, 3a, 3b.

91 Language child speaks at home Research Question 1g, 2a, 3a, 3b.

92 Child currently enrolled in English as a second language, 

bilingual education, or an English immersion program

Demographic/ background 

characteristics

Section 7: Child’s Family (93-127)

Parent 1 Parent/Guardian section

93 Parent/guardian relationship to child Research Question 1g.

94 Is this person male or female Research Question 1g.

95 Marital status of this parent or guardian Research Question 1g.

96 First language parent or guardian learned to speak Research Question 1g.

97 What language does this person speak most at home now Research Question 1g.

98 Where was this parent or guardian born Research Question 1g.

99 How old was this person when he/ she first moved to the US/ 

District of Columbia Research Question 1g.

100 Is this person of Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino origin Research Question 1g.

101 What is this person’s race Research Question 1g.

102 Parent/guardian’s highest level of education completed Research Question 1g.

103 Is he or she currently attending or enrolled in a school/job 

training Research Question 1g.

104 Parent/ guardian employment status Research Question 1g.

105 Number of hours worked per week for pay, if employed/selfemployed Research Question 1g, 1k.

106 Looking for work in the past 4 weeks, if unemployed Research Question 1g, 1k.

107 Worked for pay or income in the past 12 months Research Question 1g, 1k.

108 Age of parent/guardian Research Question 1g.

109 Age when first became a parent/guardian to any child Research Question 1g.

Parent 2 Parent/Guardian section

110 Parent/guardian # 2 present in the household Research Question 1g.

111 Parent/ guardian relationship to child Research Question 1g.

112 Is this person male or female Research Question 1g.

113 Marital status of this parent or guardian Research Question 1g.

114 First language parent or guardian learned to speak Research Question 1g.

115 What language does this person speak most at home now Research Question 1g.

116 Where was this parent or guardian born Research Question 1g.
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Question # Item Stem for ECPPS Research Question/Purpose

117 How old was this person when he/she first moved to the 

US/District of Columbia Research Question 1g.

118 Is this person of Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino origin Research Question 1g.

119 What is this person’s race Research Question 1g.

120 Parent/guardian highest level of education completed Research Question 1g.

121 Is he or she currently attending or enrolled in a school/job 

training Research Question 1g, 1k.

122 Parent/ guardian employment status Research Question 1g, 1k.

123 Number of hours worked per week, if employed/selfemployed Research Question 1g, 1k.

124 Looking for work in the past 4 weeks, if unemployed Research Question 1g, 1k.

125 Worked for pay or income in the past 12 months Research Question 1g.

126 Age of parent/guardian Research Question 1g.

127 Age when first became a parent/guardian to any child Research Question 1g.

Section 8: Your Household (128-140)

128 Number of people in household Household Demographics

129 How many of the following live in the household with this 

child Household Demographics

130 How is respondent related to child Household Demographics

131 Languages spoken by adults in household Household Demographics

132 Benefits received in the past 12 months Household Demographics

133 Total household income Variables used for weighting; Research 

Question 1g, 2a.

134 Number of years at address Household Demographics

135 Home ownership Household Demographics

136 Mail received at another address including P.O. Boxes Household Demographics

137 Internet access in household Household Demographics

138 Presence of a landline telephone Household Demographics

139 Own a working cell phone Household Demographics

C.3 Parent and Family Involvement in Education Survey

The NHES:2016 PFI questionnaires will be the same as those used in the NHES:2012, with the exceptions noted in 

appendix C, which drew upon the PFI surveys of 1996, 2003 and 2007. Separate PFI questionnaires are used for 

parents of children enrolled in school or homeschooled for ease of respondent self-administration. The following 

topics are included in the PFI surveys:

 School characteristics such as control (public/private) and school choice;

 Student experiences in school, academic grades, and grade repetition;

 Parent and family involvement/participation in school including involvement in school decision-making and 

barriers to such participation;

 School practices to involve and support families;

 Family involvement in children’s schoolwork;

 Homeschooling;

 Family activities such as arts and crafts, visiting a library, or attending a play or concert;

 Children’s backgrounds;

 Children’s health and disability;

 Parent characteristics; and

 Household characteristics.

School enrollment or homeschooling status and grade are collected for all children in the screener and displayed at 

the beginning of the self-administered topical questionnaire. Parents of children enrolled in elementary or 

secondary school are asked about their children’s experiences in school, feedback that they receive from teachers 

on their child’s school performance, their involvement in school activities, school practices to involve families, and 
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their involvement in homework. Parents of homeschooled students are asked about their reasons for homeschooling 

and sources of instruction used in their children’s homeschooling. All parents are asked questions on their home 

activities and family involvement in activities outside of school, such as visiting a library. Finally, parents of all 

children are asked questions on their children’s health, disabilities, and demographic characteristics; the 

characteristics of parents/guardians residing in the household; and household characteristics.

Below, the survey items are discussed in more detail. The descriptions below begin with the questionnaire for 

parents of children enrolled in school.

Instructions

The first page of the questionnaire identifies the selected child using information from the screener and provides the 

respondent with instructions for completing the questionnaire. Contact information is provided (a toll free number) 

in case there is confusion about the selected child or the household has no child fitting the description given.

Section 1: Child’s Schooling (Questions 1 through 25)

This section covers questions that are asked of all parents with children in elementary, middle or high school who 

are not homeschoolers. The section provides detailed information on the characteristics of the school that the child 

attends. This covers topics such as whether the school is a private or public school, whether it is a school that has 

been assigned or is a school that parents have chosen for their child, whether it is a charter school, and whether it is 

a Catholic school or has another religious affiliation. The characteristics of schools provide important contextual 

variables that may be related to parent and family involvement and children’s education experiences. On the 

homeschooling version, these items are replaced with questions about the decision to homeschool and the child’s 

homeschool experience.

A series of questions (Questions 7 through 11) asks for information on whether parents chose the school that their 

children are enrolled in, including the information that parents obtained about the school before making a choice 

and whether the school was the parent’s first choice for their child.

A list of schools in the family’s area will be provided on the last page of the questionnaire. Identifying the child’s 

school permits linking data about schools from existing data sources at NCES, notably the Common Core of Data 

and Private School Universe Survey. This permits the analysis of family experiences in the context of school 

characteristics including public/private control, religious affiliation, school size, urbanicity, standardized test 

performance, and school population measures. These measures can also be used to assess the accuracy of parent 

responses about school characteristics.

This section of the instrument also includes items that address specifics of children’s and families’ experiences with 

schools that may be associated with parent involvement:

 Student experiences in school including grades and academic performance (Questions 15 and 22);

 Teacher feedback on the child’s school performance and behavior (Question 16);

 Grade repetition since starting kindergarten (Questions 19);

 Suspension or expulsion from school (Question 20); and

 Parents’ plans for their child’s education after high school (Question 21).

Section 2: Families and Schools (Questions 26-30)

A core area of interest in the PFI Survey is parents’ involvement in their children’s schools. This section includes 

questions on the frequency and nature of parents’ involvement in school including attending meetings, 

volunteering, serving on school committees, and other types of contact with school staff and teachers. Another 

aspect of parents’ contact with the school involves school practices to communicate with parents regarding their 

child’s progress and placement and parents’ expected role. Schools contact parents for various reasons including 

students’ performance, school volunteering opportunities, other methods and opportunities that can help children in 

their education, and planning for attending college or work after completion of education. The nature of contact 

measured includes letters, newsletters and email. Finally, parents are given the opportunity to express their level of 

satisfaction with the school.
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Section 3: Homework (Questions 31-37)

Parent and family involvement in homework is another form of support for children’s education; Section 3 

addresses this topic. This section includes questions about the amount of homework that children receive, the home 

environment that families create for children to do homework, and the involvement of parents and other family 

members in ensuring that children complete their homework.

Section 4: Family Activities (Questions 38-40)

Parent and family involvement in non-school activities with potential education benefits represents another way 

that parents and families can support children’s education and development. Parents are asked about activities such 

as telling a story, doing arts and crafts, playing sports and games, or getting involved in other projects. Parents are 

asked to report on the activities done with their child in the past week and in the past month with anyone in the 

family.

Section 5: Child’s Health (Questions 41-50)

This section includes items to identify disabled children and to determine whether children with disabilities are 

receiving services. The presence of disabilities is an important risk factor for all children and is related to children’s 

development and education experiences in school. These items will also provide the data to analyze the 

accessibility of special education and other programs and plans for disabled children.

Section 6: Child’s Background (PFI-Enrolled, Questions 51-58)

This section collects demographic information on the child’s race/ethnicity and country of origin. These 

characteristics can be correlated with the various levels of family involvement in children’s education.

Section 7: Child’s Family (Questions 59-99)

This section collects information on the child’s parents or guardians who reside in the household: mother and 

father, or other guardians if parents are not present. The topics include age at first becoming a parent or guardian, 

native language, country of origin, educational attainment, and employment status. These items on parental 

characteristics measure risk factors that could be associated with children’s development and progress through 

school. Other questions within both parent characteristics sections can be used to relate family involvement in 

education with parents’ characteristics including their education, choice of employment as well as the number of 

hours they work.

For parents of children who attend school, questions about school accommodations for parents or guardians whose 

primary language is not English are also included in these sections. These are important indicators of possible 

barriers to parent involvement.

Section 8: Your Household (Questions 100-113)

This final series of items collects information about who lives in the household with the sampled child, household 

receipt of public assistance, and household income. Receipt of public assistance and household income can be used 

to classify families according to the economic resources available to them, identify child risk factors, and examine 

the relationship of the family’s economic status to school participation.

Parent and Family Involvement in Education Survey Research Questions

The items in the Parent and Family Involvement in Education survey will obtain information useful for 

investigating the following research questions.

1. In what ways and to what extent are parents and families involved in their children’s schooling?

a. To what extent are parents and families involved in choosing their children’s schools?

b. What are the reasons for parents’ school choices and what types of information do parents obtain to 

make these choices?

c. In what ways are parents and families involved directly with their children’s schools (e.g., meetings, 

volunteering, etc.)?

d. What is the relationship between parents’ characteristics and the extent of parents’ and families’

involvement in school choice and children’s schooling?
12

e. What is the relationship between parent and family involvement in school and student experiences and 

performance (e.g., grades, retention)?

f. What is the relationship between parent and family involvement in school and student characteristics?

2. What are parents’ perceptions of communication by teachers or other school personnel with parents or 

families?

a. What is the type and purpose of school communication reported by parents including school contact to 

discuss both problems and how well the child is doing in school?

b. What frequency and modes of school contact with families do parents report?

c. What are the differences in parent perceptions of the purpose and frequency of communication by 

school characteristics?

d. How are parent perceptions of school/family communication related to their involvement with the 

school, in homework, and in learning activities outside of school?

3. What types of school practices to involve and support families are reported by parents?

a. What are the school practices that parents report?

b. What is the relationship between school practices and different types and levels of involvement with 

the school, in homework, and in learning activities outside of school?

c. What are the differences in reports of school practices based on school characteristics?

d. What is the relationship of parent-reported school practices to levels of involvement by socioeconomic 

status?

e. What is the relationship between family involvement with the school and parent assessments of the 

school environment concerning parent and family involvement?

4. What are the barriers to school involvement by families?

a. What are the language barriers that language minority families face and how do they relate to the type 

and extent of their involvement with the school?

b. Do parent perceptions of the efficacy of their involvement relate to the type and extent of family 

involvement?

5. In what ways and to what extent are parents and other household members involved in their children’s 

homework?

a. How does the involvement of household members in homework relate to student experiences and 

performance?

b. How often do household members help children with homework?

c. How does the environment that families create for homework completion relate to student experiences 

and performance?

d. How do parents’ characteristics relate to the extent of parents’ involvement in children’s homework?

6. In what ways are parents and family members involved in non-school activities with children at home?

a. What is the type and extent of family involvement in daily activities and other learning activities of 

children and how does this relate to student experiences and performance?

7. How is children’s health/disability status related to family involvement and student behavior, experiences and 

performance?

a. How is children’s health related to the level of parent and family involvement in their education?

b. What is the extent of parent reporting of children’s disabilities?

c. How are children’s health and disabilities related to the extent of parent and family involvement, school 

practices, and student experiences and performance?

d. To what extent do children receive services for disabilities and from what sources?

e. What is the extent of children’s participation in Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) or 

enrollment in special education classes?

f. What is the extent of parents’ and families’ involvement with the school in developing their children’s 

IEPs?

g. Are parents satisfied with their children’s IEPs or special education classes or services, including the 

school’s communication with the family, the special needs teacher or therapist, and the school’s ability 

to accommodate the child’s special needs?

8. What is the extent of homeschooling of children during their school years?

a. To what extent do homeschooled students also attend schools to receive some of their instruction?
13

b. To what extent do parents use homeschool communities or resources such as distance learning/Internet 

to obtain materials or develop curricula?

c. Of the total school-going years, how many years are children homeschooled?

d. What are the reasons for homeschooling by parents?

e. What is the role of the Internet and the use of other technology or media for homeschooling instruction

and curriculum development?

These research questions are reflected in exhibit 3, which includes item-by-item descriptions of the NHES Parent 

and Family Involvement in Education Survey questions for enrolled students and their associated research 

questions, and exhibit 4, which includes item-by-item descriptions of the NHES Parent and Family Involvement in 

Education Survey questions for homeschooled students and their associated research questions.

Exhibit 3. Item-by-item descriptions of Parent and Family Involvement in Education Survey for Enrolled 

Students and associated research questions

Question # Item Stem Research Question/Purpose

Section 1: Childs Schooling (1-25)

1 Confirm this child’s grade Research Question 1.

2 Is child homeschooled part-time Verification question

3 Type of school this child attends Research Question 1a, 2b, 3c.

4 His/her regularly assigned school Research Question 1a, 2b, 3c.

5 School a charter school Research Question 1a, 2b, 3c.

6 Move so that this child could attend his/her current school Research Question 1a, 1e.

7 Does school district allow choice Research Question 1a, 1e.

8 Consider other schools for this child Research Question 1a, 1e.

9

Seek information on the performance of the schools you 

were considering Research Question 1a, 1e.

10 School this child attends your first choice Research Question 1a, 1e.

11 Child has been in the same school since the beginning of this 

school year Research Question 1a.

12 Month and year child started at his/her current school Research Question 1c.

13 Child enjoys school Research Question 3e.

14 Grades the child gets Research Question 1e.

15 Child currently enrolled in advanced placement classes Research Question 1e.

16 Number of times this child’s school contacted your 

household Research Question 2a.

17 Number of days child has been absent Research Question 1e.

18 Has child repeated any grades Research Question 1e.

19 Grade or grades he/she repeated Research Question 1e.

20 School suspensions Research Question 1e

21 Expectations of child’s education Research Question 1e.

22 Child’s work at school Research Question 1e.

23 Take courses on Internet Research Question 1e.

24 Provider of Internet instruction Research Question 1e.

25 Fee for Internet instruction Research Question 1e.

Section 2: Families and School (26-30)

26 Activities adult in the HH has done at this child’s school Research Question

1c, 3a, 3d, 3e.

27 Number of school activities household has participated in Research Question

1c, 3a, 3d, 3e.

28 Notes received from school Research Question

2a, 2b, 2c, 2d.
14

Question # Item Stem Research Question/Purpose

29 How well has this child’s school done the following things Research Question

2a, 2b, 2c, 2d.

30 Overall satisfaction/dissatisfaction Research Question

2a, 2b, 2c, 2d.

Section 3: Homework (31-37)

31 How often does child receive homework Research Question 5.

32 Child’s time spent on homework Research Question 5.

33 Feelings towards the amount of homework (respondent) Research Question 5.

34 Feelings towards the amount of homework (child) Research Question 5.

35 Place set aside in home for child to complete homework Research Question 5c.

36 Adult in household checks homework Research Question 5b.

37 Number of days, per week, an adult in household helps child 

with homework Research Question 5b.

Section 4: Family Activities (38-40)

38 In the past week, has anyone in your family done the 

following things with this child... Research Question 6a

39 Number of days family has eaten the evening meal together Research Question 6a

40 In the past month, has anyone in your family done the 

following things with this child... Research Question 6a

Section 5: Childs Health (41-50)

41 Describe child’s health Research Question 7a.

42 Child’s diagnosed conditions Research Question 7a, 7b, 7c.

43 Did you mark yes to any condition Research Question 7a, 7b, 7c.

44 Child receiving services for his/her condition Research Question 7d.

45 Who are those services provided by Research Question 7d.

46 Services provided by an IEP Research Question 7e.

47 Adult in household helped to develop/change child’s IEP Research Question 7f.

48 Overall satisfaction/dissatisfaction with child’s IEP Research Question 7g.

49 Child currently enrolled in special education classes Research Question 7d.

50 Child’s conditions affect his/her ability to do the following 

things... Research Question 7c.

Section 6: Child’s Background (51-58)

51 In what month and year was this child born? Demographic/ background 

characteristics

52 Where was this child born Research Question 1f, 2a, 3a, 3b.

53 Age when first moved to the US/ District of Columbia Research Question 1f, 2a, 3a, 3b.

54 Is this child of Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino origin Research Question 1f, 2a, 3a, 3b.

55 Child’s race Research Question 1f, 2a, 3a, 3b.

55a Child’s sex Research Question 1f.

56 Child’s address for this school year Research Question 1f, 2a, 3a, 3b.

57 Language child speaks at home Research Question 1f, 2a, 3a, 3b.

58 Child currently enrolled in English as a second language, 

bilingual education, or an English immersion program Research question 1f.

Section 7: Child’s Family (59-99)

Parent 1 Parent/Guardian section

59 Parent/guardian relationship to child Research Question 1d.

60 Is this person male or female Research Question 1d.

61 Marital status of this parent or guardian Research Question 1d.

62 First language parent or guardian learned to speak Research Question 1d, 3a, 3b.

63 What language does this person speak most at home now Research Question 1d.
15

Question # Item Stem Research Question/Purpose

64 Difficult for parent to be involved at school because of 

language barriers Research Question 1d.

65 Does school have interpreters Research Question 1d.

66 Does school have translated materials Research Question 1d.

67 Where was this parent or guardian born Research Question 1d.

68 How old was this person when he/ she first moved to the US/ 

District of Columbia Research Question 1d.

69 Is this person of Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino origin? Research Question 1d.

70 What is this person’s race Research Question 1d.

71 Parent/guardian highest level of education completed Research Question 1d.

72 Is he or she currently attending or enrolled in a school/job 

training 

Demographic/ background 

characteristics

73 Parent/ guardian employment status Research Question 1d

74 Number of hours worked per week, if employed Research Question 1d

75 Looking for work in the past 4 weeks, if unemployed Research Question 1d.

76 Worked for pay or income in the past 12 months Research Question 1d.

77 Age of parent/guardian Research Question 1d.

78 How old was this parent when she first became a parent to 

any child Research Question 1d.

Parent 2 Parent/Guardian section

79 Presence of a second parent or guardian Research Question 1d.

80 Parent/guardian relationship to child Research Question 1d.

81 Is this person male or female Research Question 1d.

82 Marital status of this parent or guardian Research Question 1d.

83 First language parent or guardian learned to speak Research Question 1d, 3a, 3b.

84 Language does this person speak most at home now Research Question 1 d.

85 Difficult for parent to be involved at school because of 

language barriers Research Question 1 d.

86 Does school have interpreters Research Question 1 d.

87 Does school have translated materials Research Question 1 d.

88 Where was this parent or guardian born Research Question 1 d.

89 How old was this person when he/ she first moved to the US/ 

District of Columbia Research Question 1 d.

90 Is this person of Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino origin? Research Question 1 d.

91 What is this person’s race Research Question 1 d.

92 Parent/guardian highest level of education completed Research Question 1 d.

93 Is he or she currently attending or enrolled in a school/job 

training Research Question 1 d.

94 Parent/ guardian employment status? Research Question 1 d.

95 Number of hours worked per week, if employed Research Question 1d.

96 Looking for work in the past 4 weeks, if unemployed Research Question 1d.

97 Worked for pay or income in the past 12 months Research Question 1d.

98 Age of parent/guardian Research Question 1d.

99 Age first became parent to any child Research Question 1d.

Section 8: Your Household (100-113)

100 Total number of people in household Household Demographics

101 How many of the following people live in the household

with the child Household Demographics

102 Respondent relationship to child Household Demographics

103 Languages spoken by adults in the household Household Demographics

104 Benefits received in the past 12 months Household Demographics
16

Question # Item Stem Research Question/Purpose

105 Total household income Household Demographics

106 Number of years at address Household Demographics

107 Home Ownership Household Demographics

108 Mail received at another address, including P.O. Boxes Household Demographics

109 Internet access in household Household Demographics

110 Presence of a landline telephone Household Demographics

111 Own a working cell phone Household Demographics

112 Calls received on cell phone Household Demographics

113 Identify child's school Household Demographics

114 School Information Household Demographics

Exhibit 4. Item-by-item descriptions of Homeschool Survey and associated research questions

Question # Item Stem Research Question/Purpose

Sections 1, 2 and 3 of the PFI enrolled questionnaire have been replaced with the following questions for those 

students who are homeschooled.

Child’s Homeschooling (1-20)

1 Person in household who mainly homeschools this child Understand trends in homeschooling

2 Is any instruction provided by a private tutor or teacher Understand trends in homeschooling

3

Any of this child’s instruction provided by a local 

homeschooling group or co-op

Research question 8b, Understand 

trends in homeschooling

4

Does child attend a public or private school or college or 

university for instruction

Research Question 8a, Understand 

trends in homeschooling

5 What type of school(s) does this child attend Research Question 8a, Understand 

trends in homeschooling

6

Number of hours per week child goes to school for 

instruction 

Research Question 8a, Understand 

trends in homeschooling

7

Grade or year in school child would in if he/she was 

attending school Understand trends in homeschooling

8A Number of days each week this child is homeschooled Understand trends in homeschooling

8B Total hours each week child is homeschooled Understand trends in homeschooling

9

Has child participated in any activities with other 

homeschooled children 

Research Question 8b, Understand 

trends in homeschooling

10 Formal curriculum versus informal learning Research Question 8b, Understand 

trends in homeschooling

11 Sources of curriculum or books used to homeschool child Research Question 8b, Understand 

trends in homeschooling

12 Courses taken to help prepare child’s home instruction Research Question 8b, 8e, Understand 

trends in homeschooling

13 Does child take courses over the Internet Research Question 8e, Understand 

trends in homeschooling

14

Is Internet instruction provided by local public school or 

other provider

Research Question 8b, 8e, Understand 

trends in homeschooling

15 Charge or fee for Internet instruction Research Question 8b, 8e, Understand 

trends in homeschooling

16

Grade(s) child was homeschooled for some classes or 

subjects Understand trends in homeschooling

17 Reasons parents choose to homeschool their child Research question 8d,Understand 

trends in homeschooling
17

Question # Item Stem Research Question/Purpose

18 Most important reason for homeschooling child Research question 8d, Understand 

trends in homeschooling

19 How far do you expect child to go in education Understand trends in homeschooling

20 Subject areas Understand trends in homeschooling

Family Activities (21-26)

21 In the past week, has anyone in your family done the 

following things with this child... Research Question 6a

22 Days that family ate the evening meal together Research Question 6a

23 In the past month, has anyone in your family done the 

following things with this child... Research Question 6a

24

Does the family participate in other homeschooling 

activities or meetings Understand trends in homeschooling

25 Number of times has family gone to meetings/participated in 

local homeschooling events Understand trends in homeschooling

26 Member of a national homeschooling organization Understand trends in homeschooling