### January **30, 2013** 

# Private School Universe Survey **(PSS) August 2013**  **— July 2016** 

**Supporting Statement**

**Part A Request for OMB Review**  **OMB# 1850 -**  **0 641**  **v. 5** 

Submitted by **National Center for Education Statistics**

**U.S. Department of Education**1 S UPPORTING STATEMENT TABLE OF CONTENTS **B. COLLECTION OF INFORMATION EMPLOYING STATISTICAL METHODS ........**  **2** Bl. Respondent Universe ................................ ................................ ................................ ....... 2 B2. Procedures for Data Collection

— Statistical Methods, Estimation Procedures, Accuracy , and Anticipated Problems ................................ ................................ ................................ 2 B3. Methods for Maxi mizing Response Rates ................................ ................................ ....... 2 B4. Test of Procedures and Methods ................................ ................................ ...................... 3 B5. Statistical Consultants, Agency Staff, and Contractors ................................ ................... 3 **C. ITEM JUSTIFICATION ................................**  **................................ ................................**  **......... 4**  **APPENDIX A. STATE LI ST REQUEST LETTER**  **APPENDIX B. ASSOCIAT ION LIST REQUEST LET**  **TER APPENDIX C. TELEPHON**  **E SCRIPT APPENDIX D. PSS QUES**  **TIONNAIRE APPENDIX E. EXAMPLES**  **OF TABLE SHELLS**2

**B. COLLECTION OF INFORMA TION EMPLOYING STA**  **TISTICA L METHODS**  Bl. Respondent Universe The target population for the survey consists of all private schools in the United States that provide instruction to any

of grades Kindergarten - 12, or comparable ungraded levels (approximately 30,000 schools) . B2. Procedures for Data Collection — Statistical Methods, Estimation Procedures, Accuracy, and Anticipated Problems The universe frame to be used by NCES for the 201 3 - 1 4 PSS wi ll be composed of the 201 3 - 1 4 PSS list frame and the 201 3 - 1 4 area - search frame. The list frame is based on the 20 11 - 1 2 PSS and is updated with current membership lists from private school associations and private school lists from state departments of educ ation and social servi ces (for kindergarten programs) 1

. The area list is developed after a sy stematic search of approximately

124 randomly

selected primary

sampling units (PSUs). The list of schools found in this search is unduplicated with the list frame to yield the area - frame schools. The area frame is used to represent schools missing from the list frame. The 20 11 - 12 area - frame search was conducted in 124 PSUs and identified 354 unduplicated schools, weighting up to represent 1 , 941 private schools. Simi larly , the universe frame to be used by NCES for the 2015 - 16 PSS will be composed of the 2015 - 16 PSS list frame an d the 2015 - 16 area - search frame . A combination of mail/Internet, telephone follow - up, and personal visit follow - up will be used to ensure an anticipated 95 percent response rate for the 201 3 - 1 4 and 2015 - 16 PSS 2 . The first mailout will be followed by

a reminder card (1 week later) and by a second mailout to nonrespondents (1 month later). Six weeks after the second mailout , noninterview cases wi ll be turned over to the CATI facility for telephone follow - up and, when necessary , to field staff for personal visit follow - up. B 3 . Methods for Maximizing Response Rates Several procedures will be employed to ensure high response rates. The following el ements of the data collection plan will contribute to the overall success of the survey . 1. Visible support from top - level federal education officials. Top - level education department officials addressed the representatives of a number of private school a ssociations at an NCES - sponsored meeting that took place in November 20 12 . The officials demonstrated their support for the survey by informing the representatives of the timing and objectives of the survey

and by soliciting the representatives’ cooperatio n to ensure the survey ’s success. 2. Interactive field monitoring with extensive follow - up (by telephone and personal visits) of nonrespondents. The survey

will use mixed survey

modes

— mail/Internet, telephone, and personal interviews, as needed, to achie ve high response levels in 201 3 - 1 4 and 2015 - 16 . Past experience indicates that the majority of the

1 See appendices A and B for examples of letters used to request private school lists. 2 The response rate for the 2011 - 12 PSS w as 92.1 percent.3

school survey s will be completed by mail/Internet. Follow - up telephone or in - person interviews for the mail nonrespondents will be conducted to achieve an expected response rate of 95 percent. Inaddition, the survey

content is based upon administrative information that is commonly on file in private schools. The ease of answering the items should increase the respondent’s willingness to complete the questionnaire. B 4 . Test of Procedures and Methods The survey

questionnaire and procedures will be based on those used in the 20 11 - 1 2 PSS. See Appendix D for the 201 3 - 1 4 (2015 - 16) PSS questionnaire. Since no new items are to be included in the 201 3 - 1 4 PSS questio nnaire (or planned for the 2015 - 16 PSS questionnaire) , there is no need to test the 201 3 - 1 4 PSS questionnaire. B5. Statistical Consultants, Agency Staff, and Contractors Inaddition to review within NCES, Aref Dajani and S haron Stern of the U.S. Census B ureau reviewed the PSS sample design and related matters for statistical quality , feasibility , and suitability to the overall objectives of the survey . The following individuals have oversight of the data collection and analysis: Stephen Broughman PSS Pr oject Director ESSSP/ESL SD/NCES U.S. Department of Education Washington, DC 20006 (202) 502 - 7315 Kathry n Chandler Program Director ESSSP/ESL SD/NCES U.S. Department of Education Washington, DC 20006 (202) 502 - 7486 Nancy Swaim PSS Project Director Demogra phic Survey s Division U.S. Census Bureau Washington, DC 20233 (301) 763 - 2673 Aref Dajani Chief, L ongitudinal Survey s Branch Statistical Methods Division U.S. Census Bureau Washington, DC 20233 (301) 763 - 1 797 S haron Stern Chief, Education Survey s Branch D emographic Survey s Division U.S. Census Bureau Washington, DC 20233 (301) 763 - 56384 **C. ITEM JUSTIFICA**

**TION** The questionnaire is designed to collect information concerning the number of private schools, teachers, students, and high school graduates . In addition, the questionnaire contains several screening items that are necessary

to establish that schools are bona fide schools or educational programs offering kindergarten programs and not day

care centers, preschools, and the like. See Appendix D f or a copy of the 201 3 - 1 4 PSS questionnaire. It em 1 seeks information to identify the respondent. It em 2 lists statements that will be used to screen out schools that are not private schools or do not serve students in grades K - 12. It em 3 gives instructi ons to the respondent. It em 4 asks when the survey was started and will help to determine the time required to finish the questionnaire. It ems 5 and 6 obtain information regarding the grades offered, enrollment by grade, and total enrollment. These quest ions will be used to determine the current grades taught in private schools and will be used to classify sampled schools as elementary , secondary , or combined. The total enrollment (Item 6) and enrollment by

grade (Item 5) will be used to estimate the tota l enrollment in private schools and the number of private school students by grade or grade span. This data will be used in the sample selection design for other school survey s. It em 7 asks the racial/ethnic distribution of the student body . This is a bas ic school descriptor and an important policy- relevant measure of minority group composition in the school. This data will be used in the sample selection design for other school surveys. It em 8 asks if a school is coeducational, all female, or all male an d, if coeducational, how many male students attend the school. This is a basic school descriptor. This data will be used in the sample selection design for other school survey s. It em 9 asks for the number of regular high school graduates during the 201 2 - 1 3 academic year and the percent that went to 4 - ye ar colleges. This is a basic school descriptor and an important policy- relevant measure. It em 10 asks schools to indicate the existence of a kindergarten program, and for those schools with a kindergarten p rogram, whether it is a full - or half - day program and the number of day s per week of the kindergarten program. The characteristics of kindergarten programs in private schools are important policy- relevant measures. This data will be used in the sample sele ction design for other school surveys. It em 11 asks schools to indicate their number of full - and part - time teachers. This information will allow estimates of both the total number of private school teachers and the total number of full - time - equivalent te achers in private schools. This data will be used in the sample selection design for other school surveys. It em 12 seeks information regarding school ty pe. This information will be used as a classification variable in analy sis.5

It em 13 asks the extent to which private schools are supporting home schooling and whether the school is operated in a private home used as a family residence. This question will be used to determine the prevalence of schools in private residences and will also be used (in conjunct ion with Items 6 and 11) to screen out families that are homeschooling. It ems 14 and 15 ask schools to indicate whether they have a religious orientation and to indicate to what associations they

belong. These data will be used to estimate the number of C atholic, other religious, and nonsectarian schools; and to determine if schools are members of school associations. The data will also be used as a classification variable in analysis and in the sample selection design for other school surveys. It em 16 as ks for the number of day s in the school year for students. These data will be used to estimate the average length of the school year for students attending private schools. It em 17 will obtain information about the length of the school day in private scho ols. These data will be used to estimate the average length of the school day for students attending private schools. It em 18 asks schools to indicate the existence of a library /media center. This is a basic school descriptor and will be used in the sampl e selection design for other school surveys. It em 19 will be used in conjunction with Item 4 to determine the time required to finish the survey . It em 20 will be used by

NCES to study

survey response patterns. It em 21 will be used for updating the scho ol name and address. This data will be used in sample surveys and future PSS collections. It em 22 will obtain the phy sical or street address of the school, if different from the mailing address. This information will be used in assigning a geocode to the school location and for unduplication.