Generally, the superintendent of schools in each district determines consent procedures, or the superintendent may choose to defer such decisions to school boards within the district. For passive consent , parents or guardians of each student chosen to participate in the survey received a letter explaining the survey and asking permission for the student to fill out the questionnaire. In 1992, whether active or passive consent was used, very few parents or guardians refused permission for students to participate. Consent procedures for AHS II Consent procedures for the AHS II will be similar to those employed in 1992. The McCreary Centre Society, as sponsors of the survey, recommend that passive consent be encouraged wherever district policies allow it.
Passive consent encourages better participation rates and therefore better quality of data.
Passive approval also greatly reduces the logistical difficulties associated with administering and collecting approval forms for each classroom. Schools or school districts are welcome to supplement this form with a personalized letter from the superintendent, principal or school board chairperson. The McCreary Centre Society, 1999.