APPENDIX G

RESPONDENT MATERIALS

Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 

(ECLS-K:2011)

Spring Fourth-Grade National Data Collection and Fifth-Grade Recruitment

OMB Clearance Package

#1850-0750 v.16

NOTE: The letters for respondents that are included in this appendix have headers indicating to 

whom the letter will be sent. These headers will be removed before the letters are printed and 

sent to respondents. Additionally, the OMB expiration date that currently appears as XX/XX/201X

will be replaced once a new expiration date is received.
Description of the Materials Included in this Package

This package includes the letters to be sent to different school personnel in the spring of fourth grade and the 

fall of fifth grade. Below is a list of all the letters included in this package, along with an indication of the 

recipient and the time at which the letters are mailed. There are some formatting issues in the letters (e.g., 

signature size, pagination) that result from multiple letters being included in one document. These issues will 

be corrected in the final letters distributed to the respondents.

Spring Fourth-Grade Data Collection Round

 ECLS-K:2011 Parent Consent Form for Child Assessment- Revised to cite the most current 

confidentiality and consent language

 Materials mailed at the start of the round, before data collection begins:

o SPRING 4

TH GRADE PARENT LETTER- Mailed to parents/guardians of study children.

o SPRING 4TH GRADE TEACHER LETTER- Teachers will be identified during advance school contacts 

in the fall of 2014. This letter will be mailed to them in spring 2015. If, during data collection in 

the spring of 2015, children are identified as having switched teachers (for example, because the 

child changed schools), the new teacher will be given this letter during spring 2015 data 

collection.

o SPRING 4

TH GRADE LETTER FOR SCHOOL COORDINATORS AT A CONTINUING (ORIGINAL OR 

DESTINATION) SCHOOL- Mailed to school coordinators in schools that have participated in the 

study since the base year or in schools that are identified as “destination schools,” that is, schools 

into which four or more study children from the same original school have transferred.

o SPRING 4TH GRADE LETTER FOR SCHOOL COORDINATORS AT A TRANSFER SCHOOL THAT HAS 

PARTICIPATED IN A PREVIOUS DATA COLLECTION ROUND- Mailed to school coordinators in 

schools that were added after the base year because a child transferred into the school and that 

have participated in at least one prior round of data collection but are not destination schools. A 

separate letter is needed for these school coordinators because coordinators and schools do not 

receive an incentive.

o SPRING 4TH GRADE LETTER FOR SCHOOL COORDINATORS AT A TRANSFER SCHOOL IDENTIFIED 

DURING RECRUITMENT- Mailed to school coordinators in schools that were added during the fall 

4

th grade recruitment and tracking because a child transferred into the school. These schools 

have not participated in at least one prior round of data collection and are not destination 

schools. A separate letter is needed for these school coordinators because they have not 

participated before and coordinators and schools do not receive an incentive.

 Letters mailed during data collection to districts, school administrators, and school coordinators in 

schools that are identified as having study children who transfer into them during the spring fourthgrade data collection:

o SPRING 4

TH GRADE LETTER FOR NEW TRANSFER DISTRICTS WITH PREVIOUSLY NONPARTICIPATING SCHOOLS INTO WHICH STUDY CHILDREN HAVE TRANSFERRED - Mailed to school 

districts that did not have schools participating in the study in a prior round that are now being 

recruited into the study because a participating study child transferred into one of the district’s 

schools.
o SPRING 4

TH GRADE LETTER FOR CONTINUING DISTRICTS WITH PREVIOUSLY NON-PARTICIPATING 

SCHOOLS INTO WHICH STUDY CHILDREN HAVE TRANSFERRED- Mailed to school districts that 

have schools that participated in the study in a prior round but in which at least one new school 

(i.e., one that has not participated in a prior round) is being recruited because a study child 

transferred into the new school.

o SPRING 4

TH GRADE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR LETTER FOR TRANSFER SCHOOLS IDENTIFIED IN 

SPRING 2015- Mailed to administrators in schools that did not participate in a prior round of the 

study but are now being recruited into the study because a participating study child transferred 

into the administrator’s school.

o SPRING 4TH GRADE LETTER FOR SCHOOL COORDINATORS AT A CONTINUING SCHOOL WITH NEW 

TRANSFER STUDENTS IDENTIFIED IN SPRING 2015- Mailed to school coordinators in schools that 

have participated in prior rounds of the study but that have new study children who have 

transferred into them. The school coordinator is mailed this new letter to make it clear that there 

are additional children who will be assessed during the school visit.

 Letters mailed at the end of the data collection round:

o SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR THANK YOU LETTER (HONORARIA)- Mailed to administrators of 

participating original and destination schools at the end of the fourth-grade school year along 

with the $200 school honorarium.

o SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR THANK YOU LETTER (NO HONORARIA)- Mailed to administrators of 

participating transfer schools at the end of the fourth-grade school year.

Spring Fifth-Grade Recruitment Letters

NOTE: A contract for the fifth-grade round of data collection has not been awarded as of the date of 

submission of this clearance request. For this reason, the letters currently include [TBD] where the name and 

contact information for the data collection contractor will be included. [TBD] will be replaced with the 

appropriate information before the letters are mailed. 

 Advance recruitment letter mailed in August 2015:

o SPRING 5

TH GRADE SCHOOL COORDINATOR LETTER FOR CONTINUING SCHOOLS, SENT IN 

ADVANCE OF FALL RECRUITMENT - Mailed in advance of fall recruitment to school coordinators 

in schools that have participated in prior rounds of the study.

 Advance letters mailed in fall 2015 to districts, school administrators, and school coordinators in 

schools that are identified during recruitment as having study children who transfer into them after the 

spring fourth-grade round of data collection:

o SPRING 5TH GRADE LETTER FOR NEW DISTRICTS WITH PREVIOUSLY NON-PARTICIPATING 

SCHOOLS INTO WHICH STUDY CHILDREN HAVE TRANSFERRED DURING RECRUITMENT - Mailed to 

school districts that did not have schools participating in the study in a prior round that are now 

being recruited into the study because a participating study child transferred into one of the 

district’s schools.

o SPRING 5TH GRADE LETTER FOR CONTINUING DISTRICTS WITH PREVIOUSLY NON-PARTICIPATING 

SCHOOLS INTO WHICH STUDY CHILDREN HAVE TRANSFERRED DURING RECRUITMENT- Mailed to 

school districts that have schools that participated in the study in a prior round but in which at 

least one new school (i.e., one that has not participated in a prior round) is being recruited 
because a study child transferred into the new school.

o SPRING 5

TH GRADE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR LETTER FOR TRANSFER SCHOOLS IDENTIFIED 

DURING RECRUITMENT- Mailed to administrators in schools that did not participate in a prior 

round of the study but are now being recruited into the study because a participating study child 

transferred into the administrator’s school.

o SPRING 5TH GRADE LETTER FOR SCHOOL COORDINATORS AT A CONTINUING SCHOOL WITH NEW 

TRANSFER STUDENTS IDENTIFIED DURING RECRUITMENT- Mailed to school coordinators in 

schools that have participated in prior rounds of the study but that have new study children who 

have transferred into them. The school coordinator is mailed this new letter to make it clear that 

there are additional children who will be assessed during the school visit.

Tracking Materials

 BIRTHDAY CARD – Mailed each month to children who have a birthday that month.

 POST-IT NOTES FOR PARENTS – Included with spring 2015 parent letter.

 HOLIDAY CARD – Mailed to school administrators in December 2015.
Spring Fourth-Grade Materials
Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class 2010-11 (ECLS-K:2011)

Parent Permission for Child to Participate

Your child is being asked to take part in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 

(ECLS-K:2011), which follows a sample of children from kindergarten through fifth grade. The ECLS-K:2011 is 

sponsored by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) of the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of 

Education Sciences and is being conducted on behalf of NCES by Westat. In the 2010-11 school year, children in 

kindergarten in your child's school and other schools across the nation will be selected to participate in ECLS-K:2011. 

Your child will be asked to take individually administered assessments designed to measure skills in reading, 

mathematics, and science. Also as part of the assessment, through a brief number game and a picture game, we will 

be assessing your child's working memory and regulation of attention. Your child’s teacher and child care provider will 

complete questionnaires about themselves and your child.

The collection of information in this survey is authorized by 20 U.S. Code, Section 9543. Participation is voluntary. 

Your responses are protected from disclosure by federal statute (20 U.S. Code, Section 9573). All responses that 

relate to or describe identifiable characteristics of individuals may be used only for statistical purposes and may not be 

disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law. Information from multiple 

individuals will be combined to produce statistical reports; no information that identifies you or your child (e.g., name 

or address) will be included in any reports. Your child’s school will not receive any information about you or your child 

as a part of this study. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1850-0750. Approval expires 

10/31/2016.

If you have any questions or concerns about the protection of the information you provide or your rights in this 

research study, contact Gail Mulligan at the National Center for Education Statistics at 1-202-502-7491 or 

Gail.Mulligan@ed.gov.

PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT

I have read the letter and the information above. 

 I consent to my child’s participation in the ECLS-K:2011.

 I DO NOT consent to my child’s participation in the ECLS-K:2011.

Please complete, sign, and return this form in the enclosed envelope to your child’s school.

CHILD’S NAME:

First and last name

Sign your name: 

Signature of parent/guardian Date

Print your name: 

First Middle Last
Spring 2015

Dear Parent,

The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 (ECLS-K:2011) has 

completed four years of data collection! Thanks to the continued participation of families and 

schools across the country, we have collected a wealth of information that is already being used to 

gain a better understanding of today’s students and their experiences. Collecting information as 

your child moves into the upper elementary grades is very important for understanding how his 

or her experiences in the early years of elementary school have prepared him or her for the later 

grades. We are excited to talk with you and your child again this spring, to learn about your 

experiences during the 2014-15 school year.

As in the past, our field staff will be visiting your child’s school in the upcoming months to assess 

his or her knowledge and skills in reading, mathematics, and science. They also will be assessing 

your child’s memory and ability to follow directions, as well as measuring his/her height and 

weight. Once again, we are asking children to complete a questionnaire about themselves and their 

experiences in school. The assessment and the kinds of questions that will be asked are similar to 

those used in previous years, so the process should feel familiar to your child. As always, children 

may decline to answer any of the questions asked in the study. Also, participants’ responses will not 

be associated with their names or provided to school staff. In total, the assessment activities will 

take approximately 80 minutes to complete.

We are also asking parents to complete a telephone interview with a member of our data 

collection staff who will be calling your home to conduct the interview. The interview this round

should take only about 35 minutes to complete. It includes questions about your child's school, 

your household, activities you do with your child at home, your child’s behavior and health, and

contact with any parents who may not live with your child. As always, our field staff will be

happy to conduct the interview at a time that is most convenient for you.

If you have questions about the study, please feel free to call Westat toll free at 

1- 888-204-4864 or send an email to ECLSKHELP@westat.com. Also, more information about

the ECLS-K:2011, including samples of the questions to be asked of children, is available at the

NCES website at http://nces.ed.gov/ecls/myECLSK2011.

Thank you again for your participation!

Sincerely,

Christopher Chapman

Associate Commissioner, Sample Surveys Division 

National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences

The collection of information in this survey is authorized by 20 U.S. Code, Section 9543. Participation is voluntary. Your responses 

are protected from disclosure by federal statute (20 U.S. Code, Section 9573). All responses that relate to or describe identifiable

characteristics of individuals may be used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any 

other purpose except as required by law. Information from multiple individuals will be combined to produce statistical reports; no 

information that identifies you or your child (e.g., name or address) will be included in any reports. Your child’s school will not receive

any information about you or your child as a part of this study. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 

1850-0750. Approval expires XX/XX/201X.

SPRING 4

TH GRADE PARENT LETTER
Spring 2015

Dear Teacher,

We are very happy that your school is participating in the Early Childhood Longitudinal 

Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 (ECLS-K:2011), the third in a series of longitudinal 

studies of young children conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics

(NCES). Like the earlier studies, the ECLS-K:2011 will be an important source of data for

researchers and policy makers to address key issues related to children’s development and

learning. The ECLS-K:2011 is described in more detail in the brochure included in your

study package. For more information on this and the prior longitudinal studies, you can also 

visit the NCES website at http://nces.ed.gov/ecls/myECLSK2011.

The study began in the 2010-11 school year with students who were in kindergarten. Now 

that the ECLS-K:2011 is well underway, we have identified one or more students in the 

study who are in your classroom. For the study data to accurately represent the early 

schooling experiences of all children in America, it is vital that the sampled students take 

part in each phase of the study. Therefore, this spring we would like to conduct a child 

assessment with the sampled children who are attending your school. A component of the 

data collection involves collecting data about the sampled students from their teachers using 

self-administered questionnaires. We also will collect information from the school 

administrator, as well as the students’ parents.

Teachers are essential contributors to the ECLS-K:2011. You provide valuable insights into 

the classroom experiences of the children participating in the study. We will ask you to help 

us in several ways. As the teacher of at least one of our sampled children, we will ask you to 

answer some questions about your classroom and background, and we will ask you to 

complete a subject-specific questionnaire for each child participating in the study who is a 

student of yours. You will receive an honorarium of $20 for participating plus $7 for each of 

the child-level questionnaires you are asked to complete. We also will need your cooperation 

as we complete one-on-one child assessments in your school. We will make arrangements 

with your school’s ECLS-K:2011 school coordinator regarding the times that we can have 

access to the children and where the assessments will take place. It is possible that we will 

be taking children out of your classroom so that they can participate in the assessment. The 

assessments are designed to measure children’s reading, mathematics, and science skills and 

knowledge, as well as obtain indicators of children’s memory and ability to follow rules in a 

structured task. Children also will have their height and weight measured and will complete a

questionnaire about themselves and their experiences in school. These assessment activities 

will take approximately 80 minutes per child to complete.

Your participation in this study is voluntary; however, I encourage you to participate in the 

ECLS-K:2011. Please read the enclosed materials for more information about the study and 

your important role in it. These materials provide instructions for you on how to complete 

the questionnaires and return them to your school’s ECLS-K:2011 school coordinator. They

also provide information about the one-on-one child assessments.

SPRING 4

TH GRADE TEACHER LETTER
The National Center for Education Statistics of the U.S. Department of Education’s 

Institute of Education Sciences is the primary sponsor of the ECLS-K:2011, which is being 

conducted on behalf of NCES by Westat. The ECLS-K:2011 has been endorsed by the 

national education organizations listed on this letter. NCES is authorized to conduct this

study under 20 U.S. Code, Section 9543. Under that law, the data you provide may be used 

only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any

other purpose except as required by law (20 U.S. Code, Section 9573). The U.S. Office of

Management and Budget has approved the data collection under OMB # 1850-0750 

(expires XX/XX/201X). Information collected from multiple individuals will be combined

to produce reports of findings from the ECLS-K:2011. The reports will not identify

participating districts, schools, children and their parents, or individual staff.

Thank you for your support of the ECLS-K:2011. If you have questions about the study, 

please feel free to call Westat toll free at 1-888-204-4864 or send an email to 

ECLSKHELP@westat.com. Also, more information about the ECLS-K:2011 is available at 

http://nces.ed.gov/ecls/myECLSK2011.

Thank you for your time and consideration of the study.

Christopher Chapman

Associate Commissioner, Sample Surveys Division

National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences
Spring 2015

[NAME]

[SCHOOL NAME]

[ADDRESS 1]

[ADDRESS 2]

[CITY, STATE ZIP]

Dear School Coordinator:

We are very happy that your school is participating in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, 

Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 (ECLS-K:2011). As you know, this spring we are planning to

collect information from the study children at your school, their parents, their teachers, and their

school’s administrator. Enclosed is a check for $25 in appreciation for your helping us with this

important study.

As in our previous visits to your school, the participating children will complete one-on-one 

assessments with trained ECLS-K:2011 assessors. These assessments are designed to measure

children’s reading, mathematics, and science skills and knowledge, as well as obtain indicators of

children’s memory and ability to follow rules in a structured task. Children also will have their 

height and weight measured and will complete a questionnaire about themselves and their 

experiences in school. These assessment activities will take approximately 80 minutes for each 

child to complete.

A component of the data collection involves collecting information about the sampled students

from their teachers using self-administered questionnaires. We also will collect information from 

the school administrator. As a token of our appreciation for its participation, your school will 

receive a check for $200.

We appreciate your help with four tasks, which are detailed in the enclosed materials. These are:

(1) confirm that the children participating in the ECLS-K:2011 are attending your school (the list

of participating children will be sent separately); (2) confirm the date and time for the spring 

activities; (3) identify an appropriate space for the assessments; and (4) identify the primary

teachers of the participating children. Please read the enclosed materials for more information 

about the study and your important role in it.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) of the U.S. Department of Education’s

Institute of Education Sciences is the primary sponsor of the ECLS-K:2011, which is being 

conducted on behalf of NCES by Westat. The ECLS-K:2011 has been endorsed by the national

education organizations listed on this letter. NCES is authorized to conduct this study under 20 

U.S. Code, Section 9543. Under that law, the data you provide may be used only for statistical 

purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as

required by law (20 U.S. Code, Section 9573). The U.S. Office of Management and Budget has

approved the data collection under OMB # 1850-0750 (expires XX/XX/201X).

Thank you for your support of the ECLS-K:2011. We look forward to working with you and your

school again. An ECLS-K:2011 representative will call you in the coming weeks to further explain 

the study and your responsibilities. If you have any questions or concerns in advance of the phone 

call, please call Westat toll free at 1-888-204-4864 or send an email to ECLSKHELP@westat.com.

Sincerely,

Christopher Chapman

Associate Commissioner, Sample Surveys Division

National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences

SPRING 4

TH GRADE LETTER FOR SCHOOL COORDINATORS 

AT A CONTINUING (ORIGINAL OR DESTINATION) SCHOOL
Spring 2015

[NAME]

[SCHOOL NAME]

[ADDRESS 1]

[ADDRESS 2]

[CITY, STATE ZIP]

Dear School Coordinator:

We are very happy that your school is participating in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, 

Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 (ECLS-K:2011). As you know, this spring we are planning to 

collect information from the study children at your school, their parents, their teachers, and 

their school’s administrator.

As in our previous visits to your school, the participating children will complete one-on-one 

assessments with trained ECLS-K:2011 assessors. These assessments are designed to measure 

children’s reading, mathematics, and science skills and knowledge, as well as obtain indicators of 

children’s memory and ability to follow rules in a structured task. Children also will have their 

height and weight measured and will complete a questionnaire about themselves and their 

experiences in school. These assessment activities will take approximately 80 minutes for each 

child to complete.

A component of the data collection involves collecting information about the sampled students 

from their teachers using self-administered questionnaires. We also will collect information from 

the school administrator.

We appreciate your help with four tasks, which are detailed in the enclosed materials. These are 

(1) confirm that the children participating in the ECLS-K:2011 are attending your school (the 

list of participating children will be sent separately); (2) confirm the date and time for the spring 

activities; (3) identify an appropriate space for the assessments; and (4) identify the primary 

teachers of the participating children. Please read the enclosed materials for more information 

about the study and your important role in it.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) of the U.S. Department of Education’s 

Institute of Education Sciences is the primary sponsor of the ECLS-K:2011, which is being 

conducted on behalf of NCES by Westat. The ECLS-K:2011 has been endorsed by the national 

education organizations listed on this letter. NCES is authorized to conduct this study under 20 

U.S. Code, Section 9543. Under that law, the data you provide may be used only for statistical 

purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as 

required by law (20 U.S. Code, Section 9573). The U.S. Office of Management and Budget has 

approved the data collection under OMB # 1850-0750 (expires XX/XX/201X).

Thank you for your support of the ECLS-K:2011. We look forward to working with you and 

your school again. An ECLS-K:2011 representative will call you in the coming weeks to further

explain the study and your responsibilities. If you have any questions or concerns in advance of

the phone call, please call Westat toll free at 1-888-204-4864 or send an email to

ECLSKHELP@westat.com.

Sincerely,

Christopher Chapman

Associate Commissioner, Sample Surveys Division

National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences

SPRING 4

TH GRADE LETTER FOR SCHOOL COORDINATORS 

AT A TRANSFER SCHOOL THAT HAS PARTICIPATED IN A 

PREVIOUS DATA COLLECTION ROUND
Spring 2015

[NAME]

[SCHOOL NAME]

[ADDRESS 1]

[ADDRESS 2]

[CITY, STATE ZIP]

Dear School Coordinator:

We are very happy that your school is participating in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, 

Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 (ECLS-K:2011). One or more students who have participated

in the study at a different school have transferred to your school. This spring we are

planning to collect information from these students, their parents, their teachers, and their

school’s administrator.

Participating children will complete one-on-one assessments with trained ECLS-K:2011 

assessors. These assessments are designed to measure children’s reading, mathematics, and 

science skills and knowledge, as well as obtain indicators of children’s memory and ability to 

follow rules in a structured task. Children also will have their height and weight measured and 

will complete a questionnaire about themselves and their experiences in school. These 

assessment activities will take approximately 80 minutes for each child to complete.

A component of the data collection involves collecting information about the sampled students

from their teachers using self-administered questionnaires. We also will collect information from 

the school administrator.

We appreciate your help with four tasks, which are detailed in the enclosed materials. These are

(1) confirm that the children participating in the ECLS-K:2011 are attending your school (the list

of participating children will be sent separately); (2) confirm the date and time for the spring 

activities; (3) identify an appropriate space for the assessments; and (4) identify the primary

teachers of the participating children. Please read the enclosed materials for more information 

about the study and your important role in it.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) of the U.S. Department of Education’s

Institute of Education Sciences is the primary sponsor of the ECLS-K:2011, which is being 

conducted on behalf of NCES by Westat. The ECLS-K:2011 has been endorsed by the national

education organizations listed on this letter. NCES is authorized to conduct this study under 20 

U.S. Code, Section 9543. Under that law, the data you provide may be used only for statistical 

purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as

required by law (20 U.S. Code, Section 9573). The U.S. Office of Management and Budget has

approved the data collection under OMB # 1850-0750 (expires XX/XX/201X).

Thank you for your support of the ECLS-K:2011. We look forward to working with you and 

your school. An ECLS-K:2011 representative will call you in the coming weeks to further

explain the study and your responsibilities. If you have any questions or concerns in advance of

the phone call, please call Westat toll free at 1-888-204-4864 or send an email to

ECLSKHELP@westat.com.

Sincerely,

Christopher Chapman

Associate Commissioner, Sample Surveys Division

National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences

SPRING 4

TH GRADE LETTER FOR SCHOOL COORDINATORS AT 

A TRANSFER SCHOOL IDENTIFIED DURING RECRUITMENT 
Spring 2015

[SUPERINTENDENT NAME]

[DISTRICT NAME/DIOCESE]

[ADDRESS]

[ADDRESS2]

[CITY, STATE ZIP]

Dear Superintendent:

I am writing to inform you that one or more students who are participating in the Early 

Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 (ECLS-K:2011) have 

transferred to a school in your district.

The ECLS-K:2011 is the third in a series of longitudinal studies of young children conducted by 

the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The earlier studies have been important 

sources of data for researchers and policy makers to address key issues related to children’s 

development and learning, including literacy in the home, the teaching of reading and 

mathematics, and the associations between physical exercise, childhood obesity, and well-being. 

Researchers using the data have published their findings widely in scientific journals and the 

popular press. NCES also presents results from these studies for practitioners and the general 

public on our website, http://nces.ed.gov/ecls.

Like its predecessor studies, the ECLS-K:2011 will provide important information on children’s 

early learning and development, transition into kindergarten, and progress through elementary 

school. The new cohort of students’ school experiences will be compared to those of over a 

decade earlier to study the extent to which the demographic profile of children and their 

environment for learning have changed, and how these changes relate to developmental and 

academic differences across the cohorts.

The participating children will complete individual assessments with trained ECLS-K:2011

assessors. These assessments are designed to measure children’s reading, mathematics, and science 

skills and knowledge, as well as obtain indicators of children’s memory and ability to follow rules in 

a structured task, both of which are associated with learning. Children also will have their height 

and weight measured and will complete a questionnaire about themselves and their experiences in 

school. These assessment activities will take approximately 80 minutes per child to complete. 

Parents of the study children will be asked to participate by providing background information 

about their children and their families during a telephone interview. The children’s teachers will be 

asked to provide information about themselves and the sampled children. We also will ask the 

school’s administrator to complete a self-administered questionnaire about the school and his or her 

background.

Participation in this study is voluntary; however, we ask your agency to support the participation 

of schools in your district in the ECLS-K:2011. Because the ECLS-K:2011 is designed to be a 

representative sample of U.S. students, its accuracy depends on the full participation of the 

sampled schools and students.

The National Center for Education Statistics of the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of 

Education Sciences is the primary sponsor of the ECLS-K:2011, which is being conducted on 

behalf of NCES by Westat. The ECLS-K:2011 has been endorsed by the national education 

organizations listed on this letter. NCES is authorized to conduct this study under 20 U.S. Code, 

Section 9543. Under that law, the data provided by your schools, staff, students, and their parents 

may be used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for 

any other purpose except as required by law (20 U.S. Code, Section 9573). The U.S. Office of 

SPRING 4

TH GRADE LETTER FOR NEW TRANSFER DISTRICTS 

WITH PREVIOUSLY NON-PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS INTO 

WHICH STUDY CHILDREN HAVE TRANSFERRED
Management and Budget has approved the data collection under OMB # 1850-0750 (expires 

XX/XX/201X).

In preparation for spring activities in the schools, in the next few days an ECLS-K:2011 

representative will contact the schools in your district that the study’s students attend. We are 

required by law to protect the names of schools in the study from disclosure; we ask that each 

district respect this requirement and protect the identity of participating schools as well. 

Information collected from multiple individuals will be combined to produce reports of findings

from the ECLS-K:2011. The reports will not identify participating districts, schools, children and 

their parents, or individual staff.

Detailed information about the ECLS-K:2011 can be found in the brochure enclosed with this

letter. If you have questions about the study, please feel free to call Westat toll-free at 1-888-204-

4864 or send an email to ECLSKHELP@westat.com. Also, more information about the ECLSK:2011 is available at: http://nces.ed.gov/ecls/MyECLSK2011.

Thank you for your support of the ECLS-K:2011.

Sincerely,

Christopher Chapman

Associate Commissioner, Sample Surveys Division

National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences

Enclosures: ECLS-K:2011 Brochure

ECLS-K:2011 Schools in this District
Spring 2015

[SUPERINTENDENT NAME]

[DISTRICT NAME/DIOCESE]

[ADDRESS]

[CITY, STATE ZIP]

Dear Superintendent:

We are very happy that schools in your district are participating in the Early Childhood 

Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 (ECLS-K:2011). Thank you for helping 

make their participation possible. I am writing to inform you that one or more students 

who are participating in the ECLS-K:2011 have transferred to a school in your district 

that was not previously part of the study.

The participating children will complete individual assessments with trained ECLS-K:2011

assessors. These assessments are designed to measure children’s reading, mathematics, and science 

skills and knowledge, as well as obtain indicators of children’s memory and ability to follow rules 

in a structured task, both of which are associated with learning. Children also will have their 

height and weight measured and will complete a questionnaire about themselves and their 

experiences in school. These assessment activities will take approximately 80 minutes per child to 

complete. Parents of the study children will be asked to participate by providing background 

information about their children and their families during a telephone interview. The children’s 

teachers will be asked to provide information about themselves and the sampled children. We also 

will ask the school’s administrator to complete a self-administered questionnaire about the school 

and his or her background.

Participation in this study is voluntary; however, we ask your agency to support the participation 

of schools in your district in the ECLS-K:2011. Because the ECLS-K:2011 is designed to be a 

representative sample of U.S. students, its accuracy depends on the full participation of the 

sampled schools and students.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) of the U.S. Department of Education’s 

Institute of Education Sciences is the primary sponsor of the ECLS-K:2011, which is being 

conducted on behalf of NCES by Westat. The ECLS-K:2011 has been endorsed by the national 

education organizations listed on this letter. NCES is authorized to conduct this study under 20 

U.S. Code, Section 9543. Under that law, the data provided by your schools, staff, students, and 

their parents may be used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in

identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law (20 U.S. Code, Section 9573). 

The U.S. Office of Management and Budget has approved the data collection under OMB # 

1850-0750 (expires XX/XX/201X).

In preparation for spring activities in the schools, in the next few days an ECLS-K:2011 

representative will contact the schools in your district that the study’s students attend. We are 

required by law to protect the names of schools in the study from disclosure; we ask that each 

district respect this requirement and protect the identity of participating schools as well. 

Information collected from multiple individuals will be combined to produce reports of findings

from the ECLS-K:2011. The reports will not identify participating districts, schools, children 

and their parents, or individual staff.

SPRING 4

TH GRADE LETTER FOR CONTINUING DISTRICTS 

WITH PREVIOUSLY NON-PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS INTO 

WHICH STUDY CHILDREN HAVE TRANSFERRED
If you have questions about the study, please feel free to call Westat toll-free at 1-888-204-4864

or send an email to ECLSKHELP@westat.com. Also, more information about the ECLSK:2011 is available at: http://nces.ed.gov/ecls/MyECLSK2011.

Thank you for your support of the ECLS-K:2011.

Sincerely,

Christopher Chapman

Associate Commissioner, Sample Surveys Division

National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences

Enclosure: List of ECLS-K:2011 Schools Added from your District
Spring 2015

[PRINCIPAL NAME]

[SCHOOL NAME]

[ADDRESS 1]

[ADDRESS 2]

[CITY, STATE ZIP]

Dear School Administrator:

I am writing to invite you to participate in an insightful study, the Early Childhood Longitudinal

Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 (ECLS-K:2011). The ECLS-K:2011 began in the 2010-11 

school year with approximately 18,200 children in about 950 schools across the country. We are 

inviting you to participate because one or more students who are participating in the 

study have transferred to your school.

The ECLS-K:2011 is the third in a series of longitudinal studies of young children conducted by

the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The earlier studies have been important

sources of data for researchers and policy makers to address key issues related to children’s

development and learning including literacy in the home, the teaching of reading and 

mathematics, and the associations between physical exercise, childhood obesity, and well-being.

Researchers using the data have published their findings widely in scientific journals and the 

popular press. NCES also presents results from these studies for practitioners and the general 

public on our website, http://nces.ed.gov/ecls.

Like its predecessor studies, the ECLS-K:2011 will provide important information on children’s

early learning and development, transition into kindergarten, and progress through elementary 

school. The new cohort of students’ school experiences will be compared to those of over a

decade earlier to study the extent to which the demographic profile of children and their

environments for learning have changed, and how these changes relate to developmental and 

academic differences across the cohorts. The study is described in more detail in the enclosed

brochure.

The participation of each of the selected schools is crucial to the success of this important

study. For the study data to accurately represent the early schooling experiences of all children

in America, it is vital that the sampled students take part in each phase of the study. Therefore,

this spring we would like to conduct a child assessment with the study children who are now 

attending your school.

The participating children will complete individual assessments with trained ECLS-K:2011 

assessors. These assessments are designed to measure children’s reading, mathematics, and

science skills and knowledge, as well as obtain indicators of children’s memory and ability to 

follow rules in a structured task, both of which are associated with learning. Children also will 

have their height and weight measured and will complete a questionnaire about themselves and 

their experiences in school. These assessment activities will take approximately 80 minutes per 

child to complete. Parents of the study children will be asked to participate by providing

background information about their children and their families during a telephone interview.

The children’s teachers will be asked to provide information about themselves and the sampled

children. We also will ask you to complete a self-administered questionnaire about your school 

and background.

SPRING 4

TH GRADE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR LETTER FOR 

TRANSFER SCHOOLS IDENTIFIED IN SPRING 2015
Participation in this study is voluntary; however, I encourage your school’s participation in the 

ECLS-K:2011. Because the ECLS-K:2011 is designed to be a representative sample of U.S.

students, its accuracy depends on the full participation of your school, teachers, and students. 

We are asking you to identify a staff member at your school to act as a liaison with the ECLSK:2011 and facilitate the activities in the school that are part of the study. In appreciation for 

their time and efforts, participating teachers will receive an honorarium. 

The National Center for Education Statistics of the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of 

Education Sciences is the primary sponsor of the ECLS-K:2011, which is being conducted on 

behalf of NCES by Westat. The ECLS-K:2011 has been endorsed by the national education 

organizations listed on this letter. NCES is authorized to conduct this study under 20 U.S. Code, 

Section 9543. Under that law, the data provided by your school, staff, students, and their parents

may be used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form 

for any other purpose except as required by law (20 U.S. Code, Section 9573). The U.S. Office

of Management and Budget has approved the data collection under OMB # 1850-0750 (expires

XX/XX/201X). Information collected from multiple individuals will be combined to produce

reports of findings from the ECLS-K:2011. The reports will not identify participating districts, 

schools, children and their parents, or individual staff.

Within the next few days, an ECLS-K:2011 representative will contact you about participating in 

this important study. If you have questions about the study, please feel free to call Westat tollfree at 1-888-204-4864 or send an email to ECLSKHELP@westat.com. Also, more information 

about the ECLS-K:2011 is available at http://nces.ed.gov/ecls/MyECLSK2011.

Thank you for your support of the ECLS-K:2011.

Christopher Chapman

Associate Commissioner, Sample Surveys Division

National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences

Enclosure: ECLS-K:2011 Brochure
Spring 2015

[NAME]

[SCHOOL NAME]

[ADDRESS 1]

[ADDRESS 2]

[CITY, STATE ZIP]

Dear School Coordinator:

We are very happy that your school is participating in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, 

Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 (ECLS-K:2011). As you know, this spring we are planning to collect 

information from the study children at your school, their parents, their teachers, and their school’s

administrator. One or more students who have participated in the study at a different school

have transferred to your school, and we would like to complete assessments with them,

along with the children who have participated in your school in the past.

As with the other participating children at your school, these additional children will complete oneon-one assessments with trained ECLS-K:2011 assessors. These assessments are designed to

measure children’s reading, mathematics, and science skills and knowledge, as well as obtain

indicators of children’s memory and ability to follow rules in a structured task. Children also will 

have their height and weight measured and will complete a questionnaire about themselves and 

their experiences in school. These assessment activities will take approximately 80 minutes for each 

child to complete.

A component of the data collection involves collecting information about the sampled students

from their teachers using self-administered questionnaires. We also will collect information from 

the school administrator.

We appreciate your help with four tasks, which are detailed in the enclosed materials. These are

(1) confirm that the children participating in the ECLS-K:2011 are attending your school (the list of

participating children will be sent separately); (2) confirm the date and time for the spring activities; 

(3) identify an appropriate space for the assessments; and (4) identify the primary teachers of the

participating children. Please read the enclosed materials for more information about the study and 

your important role in it.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) of the U.S. Department of Education’s 

Institute of Education Sciences is the primary sponsor of the ECLS-K:2011, which is being 

conducted on behalf of NCES by Westat. The ECLS-K:2011 has been endorsed by the national

education organizations listed on this letter. NCES is authorized to conduct this study under 20 

U.S. Code, Section 9543. Under that law, the data you provide may be used only for statistical 

purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as 

required by law (20 U.S. Code, Section 9573). The U.S. Office of Management and Budget has

approved the data collection under OMB # 1850-0750 (expires XX/XX/201X).

Thank you for your support of the ECLS-K:2011. We look forward to working with you and your

school again. An ECLS-K:2011 representative will call you in the coming weeks to further explain 

the study and your responsibilities. If you have any questions or concerns in advance of the phone 

call, please call Westat toll free at 1-888-204-4864 or send an email to ECLSKHELP@westat.com.

Sincerely,

Christopher Chapman

Associate Commissioner, Sample Surveys Division

National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences

SPRING 4

TH GRADE LETTER FOR SCHOOL COORDINATORS 

AT A CONTINUING SCHOOL WITH NEW TRANSFER 

STUDENTS IDENTIFIED IN SPRING 2015
Spring 2015

[PRINCIPAL NAME]

[SCHOOL NAME]

[ADDRESS]

[CITY, ST ZIP]

Dear School Administrator,

Thank you for participating in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class 

of 2010-11 (ECLS-K:2011). Enclosed is an honorarium for your school as a token of our 

appreciation for your school’s participation in this important study of American education.

The study has been very successful to date because of the cooperation and participation of 

the children, parents, schools, school administrators, and teachers. You can find further 

information and results from the study at our website at 

http://www.myeclsk2011.com/default.html.

Thank you for your support of the ECLS-K:2011. We look forward to working with you in 

future rounds of the study. If you have any questions or concerns please call our toll-free 

number 1-888-204-4864 or email us at ECLSKHELP@westat.com.

Sincerely,

Christopher Chapman

Associate Commissioner, Sample Surveys Division 

National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences

SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR THANK YOU 

LETTER - HONORARIA
Spring 2015

[PRINCIPAL NAME]

[SCHOOL NAME]

[ADDRESS]

[CITY, ST ZIP]

Dear School Administrator,

Thank you for participating in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class 

of 2010-11 (ECLS-K:2011). 

The study has been very successful to date because of the cooperation and participation of 

the children, parents, schools, school administrators, and teachers. You can find further 

information and results from the study at our website at 

http://www.myeclsk2011.com/default.html.

Thank you for your support of the ECLS-K:2011. We look forward to working with you in 

future rounds of the study. If you have any questions or concerns please call our toll-free 

number 1-888-204-4864 or email us at ECLSKHELP@westat.com.

Sincerely,

Christopher Chapman

Associate Commissioner, Sample Surveys Division

National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences

SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR THANK YOU 

LETTER - NO HONORARIA
Spring Fifth-Grade Letters

Distributed During Fall 2015 Advance School Contact
Fall 2015

[NAME]

[SCHOOL NAME]

[ADDRESS 1]

[ADDRESS 2]

[CITY, STATE ZIP]

Dear School Coordinator:

We are very happy that your school is participating in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, 

Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 (ECLS-K:2011). As you may know, we collected information last

year from the children participating in the study, their parents, their teachers, and their school’s

administrator. We are looking forward to following these children this school year.

This spring, children will complete one-on-one assessments with trained ECLS-K:2011 assessors.

These assessments are designed to measure children’s reading, mathematics, and science skills and 

knowledge, as well as obtain indicators of children’s memory and ability to follow rules in a

structured task. Children also will have their height and weight measured and will complete a

questionnaire about themselves and their experiences in school. These assessment activities will 

take approximately 80 minutes for each child to complete.

A component of the data collection involves collecting information about the sampled students

from their teachers using self-administered questionnaires. We also will collect information from

the school administrator.

We appreciate your help with four tasks, which are detailed in the enclosed materials. These are

(1) confirm that the children participating in the ECLS-K:2011 are attending your school (the list

of participating children will be sent separately); (2) determine the date and time for the spring 

activities; (3) identify an appropriate space for the assessments; and (4) identify the primary

teachers of the participating children. Please read the enclosed materials for more information 

about the study and your important role in it.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) of the U.S. Department of Education’s

Institute of Education Sciences is the primary sponsor of the ECLS-K:2011, which is being 

conducted on behalf of NCES by [TBD]. The ECLS-K:2011 has been endorsed by the national

education organizations listed on this letter. NCES is authorized to conduct this study under 20 

U.S. Code, Section 9543. Under that law, the data you provide may be used only for statistical 

purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as

required by law (20 U.S. Code, Section 9573). The U.S. Office of Management and Budget has

approved the data collection under OMB # 1850-0750 (expires XX/XX/201X).

Thank you for your support of the ECLS-K:2011. We look forward to working with you and your

school again. An ECLS-K:2011 representative will call you in the coming weeks to further explain 

the study and your responsibilities. If you have any questions or concerns in advance of the phone 

call, please call [TBD] toll free at [TBD] or send an email to [TBD].

Sincerely,

Christopher Chapman

Associate Commissioner, Sample Surveys Division

National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences

SPRING 5

TH GRADE SCHOOL COORDINATOR LETTER

FOR CONTINUING SCHOOLS, SENT IN ADVANCE OF 

FALL RECRUITMENT.
Fall 2015

[SUPERINTENDENT NAME]

[DISTRICT NAME/DIOCESE]

[ADDRESS]

[CITY, STATE ZIP]

Dear Superintendent:

I am writing to inform you that one or more students who are participating in the Early

Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 (ECLS-K:2011) have

transferred to a school in your district. 

The ECLS-K:2011 is the third in a series of longitudinal studies of young children conducted by 

the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The earlier studies have been important 

sources of data for researchers and policy makers to address key issues related to children’s 

development and learning, including literacy in the home, the teaching of reading and 

mathematics, and the associations between physical exercise, childhood obesity, and well-being. 

Researchers using the data have published their findings widely in scientific journals and the 

popular press. NCES also presents results from these studies for practitioners and the general 

public on our website, http://nces.ed.gov/ecls.

Like its predecessor studies, the ECLS-K:2011 will provide important information on children’s 

early learning and development, transition into kindergarten, and progress through elementary 

school. The new cohort of students’ school experiences will be compared to those of over a 

decade earlier to study the extent to which the demographic profile of children and their 

environment for learning have changed, and how these changes relate to developmental and 

academic differences across the cohorts.

This spring, the participating children will complete individual assessments with trained ECLSK:2011 assessors. These assessments are designed to measure children’s reading, mathematics, and 

science skills and knowledge, as well as obtain indicators of children’s memory and ability to 

follow rules in a structured task, both of which are associated with learning. Children also will 

have their height and weight measured and will complete a questionnaire about themselves and 

their experiences in school. The assessment activities will take approximately 80 minutes per child 

to complete. Parents of the study children will be asked to participate by providing background 

information about their children and their families during a telephone interview. The children’s 

teachers will be asked to provide information about themselves and the sampled children. We also 

will ask the school’s administrator to complete a self-administered questionnaire about the school 

and his or her background.

Participation in this study is voluntary; however, we ask your agency to support the participation 

of schools in your district in the ECLS-K:2011. Because the ECLS-K:2011 is designed to be a 

representative sample of U.S. students, its accuracy depends on the full participation of the 

sampled schools and students.

SPRING 5

TH GRADE LETTER FOR NEW DISTRICTS WITH PREVIOUSLY 

NON-PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS INTO WHICH STUDY CHILDREN HAVE 

TRANSFERRED DURING RECRUITMENT
The National Center for Education Statistics of the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of 

Education Sciences is the primary sponsor of the ECLS-K:2011, which is being conducted on 

behalf of NCES by [TBD]. The ECLS-K:2011 has been endorsed by the national education 

organizations listed on this letter. NCES is authorized to conduct this study under 20 U.S. Code, 

Section 9543. Under that law, the data provided by your schools, staff, students, and their parents

may be used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form

for any other purpose except as required by law (20 U.S. Code, Section 9573). The U.S. Office of

Management and Budget has approved the data collection under OMB # 1850-0750

(expires XX/XX/201X).

In preparation for our spring activities in the schools, in the next few days an ECLS-K:2011

representative will contact the schools in your district that the study’s students attend. We are

required by law to protect the names of schools in the study from disclosure; we ask that each 

district respect this requirement and protect the identity of participating schools as well. 

Information collected from multiple individuals will be combined to produce reports of findings

from the ECLS-K:2011. The reports will not identify participating districts, schools, children and 

their parents, or individual staff.

Detailed information about the ECLS-K:2011 can be found in the brochure enclosed with this

letter. If you have questions about the study, please feel free to call [TBD] toll-free at

[TBD] or send an email to [TBD]. Also, more information about the ECLS-K:2011 is available at: 

http://nces.ed.gov/ecls/MyECLSK2011.

Thank you for your support of the ECLS-K:2011.

Sincerely,

Christopher Chapman

Associate Commissioner, Sample Surveys Division

National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences

Enclosures: ECLS-K:2011 Brochure

ECLS-K:2011 Schools in this District
Fall 2015

[SUPERINTENDENT NAME]

[DISTRICT NAME/DIOCESE]

[ADDRESS]

[CITY, STATE ZIP]

Dear Superintendent:

We are very happy that schools in your district are participating in the Early Childhood 

Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 (ECLS-K:2011). Thank you for helping make 

their participation possible. I am writing to inform you that one or more students who are 

participating in the ECLS-K:2011 have transferred to a school in your district that was not 

previously part of the study.

This spring, the participating children will complete individual assessments with trained ECLSK:2011 assessors. These assessments are designed to measure children’s reading, mathematics, and 

science skills and knowledge, as well as obtain indicators of children’s memory and ability to 

follow rules in a structured task, both of which are associated with learning. Children also will

have their height and weight measured and will complete a questionnaire about themselves and 

their experiences in school. The assessment activities will take approximately 80 minutes per child 

to complete. Parents of the study children will be asked to participate by providing background 

information about their children and their families during a telephone interview. The children’s 

teachers will be asked to provide information about themselves and the sampled children. We also 

will ask the school’s administrator to complete a self-administered questionnaire about the school 

and his or her background.

Participation in this study is voluntary; however, we ask your agency to support the participation

of schools in your district in the ECLS-K:2011. Because the ECLS-K:2011 is designed to be a 

representative sample of U.S. students, its accuracy depends on the full participation of the 

sampled schools and students.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) of the U.S. Department of Education’s 

Institute of Education Sciences is the primary sponsor of the ECLS-K:2011, which is being 

conducted on behalf of NCES by [TBD]. The ECLS-K:2011 has been endorsed by the national

education organizations listed on this letter. NCES is authorized to conduct this study under 20

U.S. Code, Section 9543. Under that law, the data provided by your schools, staff, students, and

their parents may be used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in 

identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law (20 U.S. Code, Section 9573).

The U.S. Office of Management and Budget has approved the data collection under

OMB # 1850-0750 (expires XX/XX/201X).

In preparation for our spring activities in the schools, in the next few days an ECLS-K:2011

representative will contact the schools in your district that the study’s students attend. We are 

required by law to protect the names of schools in the study from disclosure; we ask that each 

district respect this requirement and protect the identity of participating schools as well. Information 

collected from multiple individuals will be combined to produce reports of findings from the ECLSK:2011. The reports will not identify participating districts, schools, children and their parents, or 

individual staff.

SPRING 5

TH GRADE LETTER FOR CONTINUING DISTRICTS WITH 

PREVIOUSLY NON-PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS INTO WHICH STUDY 

CHILDREN HAVE TRANSFERRED DURING RECRUITMENT
If you have questions about the study, please feel free to call [TBD] toll-free at

[TBD] or send an email to [TBD]. Also, more information about the ECLS-K:2011 is available at: 

http://nces.ed.gov/ecls/MyECLSK2011.

Thank you for your support of the ECLS-K:2011.

Sincerely,

Christopher Chapman

Associate Commissioner, Sample Surveys Division

National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences

Enclosure: List of ECLS-K:2011 Schools Added from your District
Fall 2015

[PRINCIPAL NAME]

[SCHOOL NAME]

[ADDRESS 1]

[CITY, STATE ZIP]

Dear School Administrator:

I am writing to invite you to participate in an insightful study, the Early Childhood Longitudinal

Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 (ECLS-K:2011). The ECLS-K:2011 began in the 2010-11

school year with approximately 18,200 children in about 950 schools across the country. We are

inviting you to participate because one or more students who are participating in the 

study have transferred to your school.

The ECLS-K:2011 is the third in a series of longitudinal studies of young children conducted by 

the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The earlier studies have been important 

sources of data for researchers and policy makers to address key issues related to children’s

development and learning including literacy in the home, the teaching of reading and 

mathematics, and the associations between physical exercise, childhood obesity, and well-being.

Researchers using the data have published their findings widely in scientific journals and the 

popular press. NCES also presents results from these studies for practitioners and the general

public on our website, http://nces.ed.gov/ecls.

Like its predecessor studies, the ECLS-K:2011 will provide important information on children’s

early learning and development, transition into kindergarten, and progress through elementary 

school. The new cohort of students’ school experiences will be compared to those of over a

decade earlier to study the extent to which the demographic profile of children and their

environments for learning have changed, and how these changes relate to developmental and 

academic differences across the cohorts. The study is described in more detail in the enclosed

brochure.

The participation of each of the selected schools is crucial for the success of this important 

study. For the study data to accurately represent the early schooling experiences of all children

in America, it is vital that the sampled students take part in each phase of the study. Therefore,

this spring we would like to conduct a child assessment with the sampled children who are now

attending your school.

The participating children will complete individual assessments with trained ECLS-K:2011 

assessors. These assessments are designed to measure children’s reading, mathematics, and 

science skills and knowledge, as well as obtain indicators of children’s memory and ability to 

follow rules in a structured task, both of which are associated with learning. Children also will 

have their height and weight measured and will complete a questionnaire about themselves and 

their experiences in school. These assessment activities will take approximately 80 minutes per 

child to complete. Parents of the study children will be asked to participate by providing

background information about their children and their families during a telephone interview. 

The children’s teachers will be asked to provide information about themselves and the sampled 

children. We also will ask you to complete a self-administered questionnaire about your school 

and background.

SPRING 5

TH GRADE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR LETTER FOR 

TRANSFER SCHOOLS IDENTIFIED DURING RECRUITMENT
Participation in this study is voluntary; however, I encourage your school’s participation in the

ECLS-K:2011. Because the ECLS-K:2011 is designed to be a representative sample of U.S. 

students, its accuracy depends on the full participation of your school, teachers, and students. 

We are asking you to identify a staff member at your school to act as a liaison with the

ECLS-K:2011 and facilitate the activities in the school that are part of the study. In appreciation 

for their time and efforts, participating teachers will receive an honorarium.

The National Center for Education Statistics of the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of

Education Sciences is the primary sponsor of the ECLS-K:2011, which is being conducted on 

behalf of NCES by [TBD]. The ECLS-K:2011 has been endorsed by the national education 

organizations listed on this letter. NCES is authorized to conduct this study under 20 U.S. Code, 

Section 9543. Under that law, the data provided by your school, staff, students, and their parents

may be used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form

for any other purpose except as required by law (20 U.S. Code, Section 9573). The U.S. Office

of Management and Budget has approved the data collection under OMB # 1850-0750 (expires

XX/XX/201X). Information collected from multiple individuals will be combined to produce

reports of findings from the ECLS-K:2011. The reports will not identify participating districts, 

schools, children and their parents, or individual staff.

Within the next few days, an ECLS-K:2011 representative will contact you about participating in 

this important study. If you have questions about the study, please feel free to call [TBD] tollfree at [TBD] or send an email to [TBD]. Also, more information about the ECLS-K:2011 is

available at http://nces.ed.gov/ecls/MyECLSK2011.

Thank you for your support of the ECLS-K:2011.

Christopher Chapman

Associate Commissioner, Sample Surveys Division

National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences

Enclosure: ECLS-K:2011 Brochure
Fall 2015

[SCHOOL COORDINATOR NAME]

[SCHOOL NAME]

[ADDRESS 1]

[CITY, STATE ZIP]

Dear School Coordinator:

We are very happy that your school is participating in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, 

Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 (ECLS-K:2011). As you know, this spring we are planning to 

collect information from the study children at your school, their parents, their teachers, and their 

school’s administrator. One or more students who have participated in the study at a 

different school have transferred to your school, and we would like to complete 

assessments with them along with the children who have participated in your school in 

the past.

As with the other participating children at your school, these additional children will complete 

one-on-one assessments with trained ECLS-K:2011 assessors. These assessments are designed to 

measure children’s reading, mathematics, and science skills and knowledge, as well as obtain 

indicators of children’s memory and ability to follow rules in a structured task. Children also will 

have their height and weight measured and will complete a questionnaire about themselves and 

their experiences in school. These assessment activities will take approximately 80 minutes for

each child to complete.

A component of the data collection involves collecting information about the sampled students

from their teachers using self-administered questionnaires. We also will collect information from 

the school administrator.

We appreciate your help with four tasks, which are detailed in the enclosed materials. These are

(1) confirm that the children participating in the ECLS-K:2011 are attending your school (the list 

of participating children will be sent separately); (2) determine the date and time for the

assessment activities next spring; (3) identify an appropriate space for the assessments; and

(4) identify the primary teachers of the participating children. Please read the enclosed materials

for more information about the study and your important role in it.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) of the U.S. Department of Education’s 

Institute of Education Sciences is the primary sponsor of the ECLS-K:2011, which is being 

conducted on behalf of NCES by [TBD]. The ECLS-K:2011 has been endorsed by the national 

education organizations listed on this letter. NCES is authorized to conduct this study under 20 

U.S. Code, Section 9543. Under that law, the data you provide may be used only for statistical 

purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as

required by law (20 U.S. Code, Section 9573). The U.S. Office of Management and Budget has

approved the data collection under OMB # 1850-0750 (expires XX/XX/201X).

Thank you for your support of the ECLS-K:2011. We look forward to working with you and your

school again. An ECLS-K:2011 representative will call you in the coming weeks to further explain 

the study and your responsibilities. If you have any questions or concerns in advance of the phone 

call, please call [TBD] toll free at [TBD] or send an email to [TBD].

Sincerely,

Christopher Chapman

Associate Commissioner, Sample Surveys Division 

National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences

SPRING 5

TH GRADE LETTER FOR SCHOOL COORDINATORS AT A CONTINUING 

SCHOOL WITH NEW TRANSFER STUDENTS IDENTIFIED DURING RECRUITMENT
Tracking Materials
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POST-IT NOTES FOR PARENTS
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