Appendix A -- State List Request Letter

July 20, 2014

(Header Information)

 

Dear:

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) within the U.S. Department of Education requests your 

assistance in improving the coverage and quality of our private school listings and statistics. Every 2 years, NCES 

conducts the Private School Survey (PSS). The PSS data allow NCES to report on enrollment trends; counts of 

private schools, students, teachers, and high school graduates; program emphasis; and types of private schools. The 

PSS also serves as a list of private schools for additional NCES studies. In order to conduct the 2015-16 PSS, we 

must compile a complete and accurate list of all private schools in the United States. Please help us to identify all 

private or nonpublic schools in your state.

 A computer file (preferably a spreadsheet) of all private and nonpublic schools in your state that 

provide instruction for at least one grade between kindergarten and grade 12.

 If a computer list is not available, a paper list is acceptable.

 Please include all private, nonpublic, or religious-exempt schools with any of the grades kindergarten 

through grade 12.

 Kindergarten is defined as: An educational program for children (primarily 5-year-olds) who would 

normally enter first grade in the following year, even if “kindergarten” is not in the name of the 

program. 

 Include programs such as transitional or developmental kindergarten if children are expected to 

enter the first grade upon completing the program.

 Please exclude all programs that

 teach only adult education or postsecondary students;

 are designed only for 3- or 4-year-old children and do not include kindergarten (e.g., Head Start 

programs, prekindergarten, or nursery schools);

 provide only before or afterschool care for children who attend school in another facility;

 provide only child care and do not include kindergarten.

What we request from you

Definition of eligible school
 school name: 

 mailing address: 

 telephone number:

 grade range:

 enrollment: and

 number of teachers.

In addition to the information above that we have requested from you in the past, please also provide: 

 school location address.

Please supply the date the list was last updated.

 The U.S. Census Bureau collects the private school lists for us. You may send your list to the 

U.S. Census Bureau by e-mail or regular mail. Please send your list by August 21, 2010.

To transmit your file via e-mail, please send a message to the following address:

dsmd.private.school.lists@census.gov

Note that e-mail attachments have a suggested size limit of 2MB (two megabytes). If you have difficulty 

sending your attachment because it is too large, please call 1-800-579-8520 to make alternative 

arrangements.

To send your list on diskette or paper, please mail the file to the following address:

U.S. Census Bureau

ATTN: Lowell Allen

Bldg. 66, Room 313

1201 E. 10th St.

Jeffersonville, IN 47132

For additional information on the PSS and other surveys that NCES conducts, please visit our website: 

http://nces.ed.gov. If you have any questions about our list updating, please contact Mr. Allen toll free at 

1-800-579-8520.

Thank you in advance for your assistance in improving the accuracy of our private school data collection.

Sincerely yours,

 

Jeffrey Owings

Associate Commissioner for

Elementary/Secondary and Library Studies

The file or list should include the following information for each program:

Sending the list
Appendix B -- Association List Request Letter

July 20, 2010

Dear CONTACT NAME HERE: 

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) requests your assistance in improving the coverage 

and quality of our private school listings and statistics. Every 2 years, NCES conducts the Private School 

Survey (PSS). The PSS data allow NCES to report on enrollment trends; counts of private schools, 

students, teachers, and high school graduates; program emphasis; and types of private schools. The PSS 

also serves as a list of private schools for updating the school search tool on the NCES website. In order 

to conduct the 2015-16 PSS, we must compile a complete and accurate list of all private schools in the 

United States and, new to this cycle, in Puerto Rico as well. Please help us to identify all private or 

nonpublic schools that currently belong to your association, including those in the United States and in 

Puerto Rico.

 A computer file (preferably a spreadsheet) of all private and nonpublic schools that 

currently belong to your association and provide instruction for at least one grade between 

kindergarten and grade 12.

 If a computer list is not available, a paper list is acceptable.

 Please include all private, nonpublic, or religious-exempt schools with any of the grades 

kindergarten through grade 12.

 Kindergarten is defined as: An educational program for children (primarily 5-year-olds) 

who would normally enter first grade in the following year, even if “kindergarten” is not 

in the name of the program. 

 Include programs such as transitional or developmental kindergarten if children are 

expected to enter the first grade upon completing the program.

 Please exclude all programs that

 teach only adult education or postsecondary students;

 are designed only for 3- or 4-year-old children and do not include kindergarten (e.g., 

Head Start programs, prekindergarten, or nursery schools);

 provide only before or afterschool care for children who attend school in another facility;

 provide only child care and do not include kindergarten;

 are considered a homeschool that teaches family members only.

What we request from you

Definition of eligible school
 school name; 

 mailing address;

 location address; 

 telephone number;

 grade range;

 enrollment;

 number of teachers; and

 school contact e-mail address.

Please supply the date the list was last updated.

 The U.S. Census Bureau collects the private school lists for us. You may send your list to the U.S. Census 

Bureau by e-mail or regular mail. Please send your list by August 21, 2013.

To transmit your file via e-mail, please send a message to the following address:

dsmd.private.school.lists@census.gov

Note that e-mail attachments have a suggested size limit of 2MB (two megabytes). If you have difficulty sending 

your attachment because it is too large, please call 1-800-579-8520 to make alternative arrangements.

To send your list on CD or paper, please mail the file to the following address:

U.S. Census Bureau

ATTN: SMQAB-SMS

Bldg. 66, Room 313

1201 E. 10th St.

Jeffersonville, IN 47132

For additional information on the PSS and other surveys that NCES conducts, please visit our website: 

http://nces.ed.gov. If you have any questions about our list updating, please contact SMQAB toll free at 1-800-579-

8520.

Thank you in advance for your assistance in improving the accuracy of our private school data collection.

Sincerely yours,

Jeffrey Owings

Associate Commissioner for 

Elementary/Secondary and Library Studies

The file or list should include the following information for each school:

Sending the list
Appendix C -- Telephone Script

PSS TRADITIONAL/ECC PHONE SCRIPT

USE 8 - Area Code - Phone Number

Hello, this is _________________ with the United States Census Bureau. We are updating our list of 

private schools and I would like to obtain or verify some information.

(1) Are you a private school? 

If not private school = Thank them and hang up.

If Private = Continue

(2) Do you teach ANY grades Kindergarten through 12th grade?

(If they say they have Kindergarten = verify they TEACH Kindergarten and NOT 

a Day Care or Before/Afterschool Facility.

 If “No” = Thank them and hang up.

 If “Yes” = What grades do you teach?

(3) What is the TOTAL number of teachers at your school?

(4) What is the total number of students at your school?

a. Ask for number of students enrolled in any grades K-12.

(We do not want to include any O/S grades such as PreK or Postsecondary)

VERIFY while on phone:

NAME OF SCHOOL

MAILING ADDRESS OF SCHOOL

Including City, State, and ZIP

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR COOPERATION.

NOTE: If you reach an answering machine or you need to leave a message for someone to return 

your call, leave this toll-free number with your EXTENSION and/or NAME.

1-800-579-8520 + Extension and/or name