**AP PENDIX**  **E DA** **TA COLLECTION FORM**  **FOR DISTRICT -**  **LEVEL KINDERGA**  **RTEN AS**  **SESSM ENT DA**  **TA**An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer

**MEMORA NDUM**  P.O. Box 2393 Princeton, NJ 08543

- 2393 Telephone (609) 799

- 3535 Fax (609) 799

- 0005 www.mathematica

-mpr.com

**TO:** [Name] **FROM:** [Name] **DA TE**  **:** XX/XX/XXXX **SUBJECT** : District Data Request for the Race to the Top

-- Early

Learning Challenge Descriptive Study o f Tiered Quality Rating and Improvement Systems in Nine Round 1 States
Thank you for participating in the Race to the Top

-- Earl y Learning Challenge Descriptive Study o f Tiered Quality Rating and Improvement Systems in Nine Round 1 States , a study that Mathematica Policy

Research is cond

ucting for the U.S. Department of Education (ED). The goal of the study

i s to examine the structure and characteristics of TQRIS and whether and how the TQRI S ratings are related to child outcomes. This memo outlines our request to [ District] for the data collection for this important study

. **We are**  **requesting only**  **the data**  **that we**  **cannot obtain**  **directly from**  **the state.**  This includes the following: Demographic information (for example, gender and race/ethnicity) Year

- specific background information (for example, English

- language

- learner status) Test scores on kindergarten entry assessments (KEA) Other information (for example, attendance and previous school history) We are requesting this information for all kindergarten students f or school year 2014

–2015 and all previous years during which the TQRIS and KEA being used were identical to those used in 2014

–2015

. Specifically, we are requesting data for [ ye ars ]. Table 1 lists the demographic, background, test score, and other data elements that we would like to collect. We realize that some data elements might not be available. If a data element is not available, please let us know and we will work with you to determine if another, similar data element may b e used instead. When you provide data, please include a data dictionary or codebook that explains what the variables and values mean.MEMO TO: [Name]

FROM: [Name] DATE: XX/XX/XXXX PAGE: 2 **Table 1. Student Record Data Items a**  Variable Description Notes b **Student Background and Demographic Information** Student ID ID numbers should be consistent across all school years for which data are being requested. Weprefer that the ID num ber not be personally identifiable information, such as a social security number. Gender Student’s gender. Year of birth, or suitably rounded age variable Student’s year of birth.

Race Race of student. Ethnicity Hispanic or Latino indicator. **Year -**  **Specific Student Background Information** District NCES ID or district code Number that uniquely identifies district in which student was enrolled at the beginning of each school year; the ID number for a particular district should be consistent across all school ye ars for which data are being requested. W e prefer NCES ID, but will accept other district codes. District Name Name of district in which student was enrolled in each year. School NCES ID or school code Number that uniquely identifies school (or preschool) in which student was enrolled in each year. ID numbers should be consistent across all school years for which data are being requested. W e prefer NCES ID, but will accept other school codes. School name Name of school (or preschool) in which student was enrolled in each year. Grade level Grade level of the student. Free and reduced
price lunch status Eligibility for free or reduced
- price lunch. English
- language
learner status English
- language
- learner, limited
- English
- proficient, or bilingual status, with level if available. Special education status Special education status, such as having an Individual Education Plan. Disability type Disability type and/or severity code, if applicable. 504 plan Wh ether student had a 504 plan. Maternal education Highest level of education that student’s mother completed.MEMO TO: [Name]

FROM: [Name] DATE: XX/XX/XXXX PAGE: 3
Variable Description Notes b **Student Test Scores** Overall scale score from [insert name of state kindergarten entry assessment] or [insert name of state alternative kindergarten entry assessment] Overall scale score from state or district kindergarten entry assessment. Scale score is preferred, but normal curve equivalents, percentile ranks, and number correct are acceptable (in descending order of preference). (Note: If a student retook the test, please provide the most recent score in each year.)
Kindergarten entry assessment language and literacy scale score Scale score from language and literacy section of state or district kindergarten entry assessment. Scale score is preferred, but normal curve equivalents, percentile ranks, and number correct are acceptable (in descending order of preference). Kindergarten entry assessment cognition and general knowledge (including early ma them atics and early scientific development) scale score Scale score from general knowledge (including early ma them atics and early scientific development) section of state or district kindergarten entry assessment. S cale score is preferred, but normal curve equivalents, percentile ranks, and number correct are acceptable (in descending order of preference).

Kindergarten entry assessment approaches to learning scale score Scale score from approaches to learning secti on of state or district kindergarten entry assessment. Scale score is preferred, but normal curve equivalents, percentile ranks, and number correct are acceptable (in descending order of preference). Kindergarten entry assessment physical well
- being and mo tor skills development (including adaptive skills) scale score Scale score from physical well
- being and motor skills development (including adaptive skills) section of state or district kindergarten entry assessment. Scale score is preferred, but normal curve equivalents, percentile ranks, and number correct are acceptable (in descending order of preference). Kindergarten entry assessment social and emotional development scale score Scale score from social and emotional development section of state or d istrict kindergarten entry assessment. Scale score is preferred, but normal curve equivalents, percentile ranks, and number correct are acceptable (in descending order of preference). Kindergarten entry assessment name Name of kindergarten entry assessment as shown in state database. Kindergarten entry assessment date Date student took kindergarten entry assessment.MEMO TO: [Name]

FROM: [Name] DATE: XX/XX/XXXX PAGE: 4
Variable Description Notes b Kindergarten entry assessment form ty pe Kindergarten entry assessment form information, such as “Stanford 9 Form S” or an off
- grade test indicator, if available. Kindergarten entry assessment alternate assessment indicator Indicator for whether kindergarten entry assessment score is from an alternate assessment.

Exemption code Exemption codes for students receiving exemption for kindergarten entry assessment test, if applicable.

**Other Student Data** District NCES ID (or district code) of previous district/s attended Number that uniquely identifies district in which student was enrolled in year/s before kindergarten. District ID numbers should be consistent across all school years for which data are being requested. Weprefer NCES ID, but will accept other district codes. District name of previous district/s attended Name of district/s in which student was enrolled in year/s before kindergarten. School NCES ID (or school code) of previous school/s attended Number that uniquely identifies school (or preschool) in which student was enrolled in year/s before kindergarten. School ID numbers should be consistent across all school ye ars for which data are being requested. W e prefer NCES ID, but will accept other school codes. N am e of previous school/s or center
based ECE program/s attended Name of school (or center
- based ECE program ) in which student was enrolled in yea r/s before kindergarten. Number of years attended for each previous school or center
- based ECE program The total number of years the student attended the previous school/s or center
- based ECE program/s on record

.

a Data are requested for all kindergarten students in each year, including those not tested. b Mathematica will fill in the notes column after an initial telephone call to discuss the data request.MEMO TO: [Name]

FROM: [Name] DATE: XX/XX/XXXX PAGE: 5 **Justification for Requested Data** We greatly

a ppreciate your assistance with this data request. The study team and ED carefully c onsidered this request to ensure it asks for the least amount of data necessary to conduct a high quality study

. Below, we briefl y describe why the requested data elements are required to conduct the study

. **Student kindergarten**  **entry assessment**  **scores.** These are key outcome variables for the anal ys is. The study

will examine whether these scores are related to TQRIS ratings. **Student ID, school NCES ID and name, district NCES ID and name.**  These variables are needed to uniquel y identify students across schools and over time. School names are needed to check the consistency

o f the school NCES IDvariable and investigate possible anomalies in the data, such as those caused by s chool closures and consolidations. District ID s are needed to distinguish between schools that have the same or similar names, but are located in different districts. **NCES ID**  **and /or**  **name of**  **previous school**  **or center** **- based**  **ECE program** **, NCES**  **ID an**  **d name**  **of previous**  **district ,**  **num ber**  **of years**  **attended previous**  **school or**  **program .**  To relate TQRIS ratings of preschools to child outcomes, we need to know which center
-based ECE programs each child attended in the year/s prior to kindergarten

. We will use the number of years attended to control for time spent in a particular center
-based ECE program when examining the relationship between TQRI S ratings and child outcomes, and to ex amine whether this relationship differs for children who spent more time in their previous program

. **Student background**  **and demographic**  **information.** These variables are needed to control for student characteristics when examining the relationship between TQRIS ratings and child outcomes, and to examine whether this relationship diff ers for particular subgroups of interest, such as students from low

- income families, minority students, English

- language learners, and special education students.
**Data Confidentiality** Mathematica Policy

Research follows the confidentiality and data protec tion requirements of the Institute of Education Sciences (Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002, Title I, Part E, Section 183). **Responses to**  **this data**  **collection will**  **be used**  **for research**  **purposes only.**  The reports prepared for the study will summarize fin dings across the sample and will not associate responses with a specific district, school, or individual. We will not provide information that identifies respondents to anyone outside the study team , except as permitted by law

.MEMO TO: [Name]

FROM: [Name] DATE: XX/XX/XXXX PAGE: 6 **File Format** Data can be provided in a single file or multiple files, whichever the district prefers. We can work with almost any file format, including Excel, comma delimited or fixed

-width text files, SAS, SPSS, Stata, and Access. Please also provide documentation of data, including definitions of variables/fields, any codes used, and contact information for someone who can answer questions about the data. See Attachment A for instructions on transferring the data securel y to Mathematica. Thank you very

much for your assistance with this data request. Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns at (xxx) xxx -xxxx or name @mathematica

-mpr.com .

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1 995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is xxxx - xxxx . Publi c reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average eight hours per response, including the time to review instructions, search existing data sources, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collection

. The obligation to respond to this collection is voluntary

. If yo u have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission of this form, application or survey, please contact directly: Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, 555 New Jersey Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20208.MEMO TO: [Name]

FROM: [Name] DATE: XX/XX/XXXX PAGE: 7 **ATTACHMENT A SECURE DATA TRANSFER**  **GUIDE** This attachment describes procedures for securely transferring administrative data to Mathematica Policy

Research for the Race to the Top

-- Earl y Learning Challenge Descriptive Study o f Tiered Quality Rating and Improvement Systems in Nine Round 1 States

. Step 1 describes how to obtain your user name and password for our secure website. Step 2 describes procedures for delivering data to Mathematica. **If you**  **h ave**  **any questions,**  **please contact**  **XXXX at XXX -** **XXX -** **XXXX or XXX@mathematica** **- mpr.com**  **. Step 1. Obtaining Your User Name and Password**  We have created a unique user name and password to protect the security of your data; no other states or districts will have access to the data you provide. User name: XXX Password: Call XXXX at XXX

- XXX

- XXXX or XXXX at XXX

- XXX

- XXXX to obtain your password. (Telephone is more secure than email for providing your password.) **Step 2. Send ing Data to Mathematica**  When you are ready to transmit data, you may choose one of the two delivery options listed below. The options are listed in order of preference based on security, with Option 1 being more secure and Option 2 less secure. **To best**  **ens ure**  **the security**  **of your**  **data, please**  **choose Option**  **1 if possible .**  Detailed instructions for each option are included below. **Option 1: Upload Your Data File(s) to Our Secure File Transfer Website** To upload your file(s) to our secure website, go to: https://XXXX.mathematica

-mpr.com You will be prompted to enter your user name and password. When prompted, please enter the following (case

- sensitive) login information: User name: XXX Password: (provi ded b y telephone; see Step 1)MEMO TO: [Name]

FROM: [Name] DATE: XX/XX/XXXX PAGE: 8 After you log in, to upload files, click on the “Browse” button as seen in the picture below.

Locate your file where it is saved on your computer (for example, “My Documents” or “Desktop”) in the Windows dialog box. Click the “Open” button in the dialog box to complete this action, as pictured below.

When the dialog box closes, click the “Upload” button to upload your file, as pictured below. When this step is complete, you have successfully u ploaded your file. Repeat thi s step if you have multiple files to upload.

**Option 2: Federal Express** If you are unable to use the option above, you may ship your data to us at the address below via Federal Express. Please contact XXXX at XXX

-XXX

-XXXX or XXXX@mathematica

mpr.com for a prepaid Federal Express label. Please ship data to: XXXX Mathematica Policy

Research 600 Alexander Park, Suite 100 Princeton, NJ 08540 **Note: To**  **protect the**  **security of**  **your data,**  **Math ematica**  **requires the**  **use of**  **encryption software**  **for all**  **disks, CDs,**  **and DVD** **- ROMs**  **shipped via**  **Federal Express.**  **Shipping unencrypted**  **materials places**  **your data**  **at risk.**  **Please do**  **not include**  **the encryption**  **password in**  **your shipment;**  **encryption passwords**  **shou ld**  **be communicated**  **by telephone**  **to the**  **contact listed above.**