App. C Teacher Letter

APPENDIX C

TEACHER COVER LETTER

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION SCIENCES NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS

January 2009

Dear Teacher:

On behalf of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), U.S. Department of Education, I request your participation in the national survey Teachers’ Use of Educational Technology in U.S. Public Schools. The federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved the survey (OMB No. 1850-XXXX). Westat, a research firm in Rockville, Maryland, is conducting the study for NCES using the Fast Response Survey System (FRSS). The questionnaire is designed to be completed in about 20 minutes.

• Why is NCES conducting the survey? This survey is being conducted to provide nationally representative information on how teachers use educational technology. This includes use of computing devices and software for instruction and administrative tasks. Teachers will also be asked about their preparation and training to use educational technology.

• Why is my participation important? Your participation, while voluntary, is important because it is vital to the development of national estimates. We need your input because you are one of a small sample of teachers selected for the study.

• How does NCES protect the confidentiality of the information that I provide? The information collected will be published in aggregate form only and will not identify individual teachers or their schools. Your answers may be used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose unless otherwise compelled by law. (Public Law 107-279, Education Sciences Reform Act, Section 183.) Your school and district have been informed about this survey, but they will not see the answers you give on your individual survey.

You may complete the survey using either the enclosed questionnaire or an online version of the survey available through the Internet. The online version of the survey is available at www.frss-xxxxx.org. Your username and password appear on the enclosed Web Survey Information Sheet. If you complete the paper version of the questionnaire, please return it to Westat in the enclosed postage-paid envelope. Please complete the survey only once, using either the paper or the online version.

We ask that you complete the survey within 3 weeks, and that you keep a copy of the completed survey for your files. If you have any questions about this survey, please contact Cindy Gray, the Westat survey manager, at 800-937-8281, ext. 4336 (toll-free) or 301-251-4336, or by e-mail at cindygray@westat.com. You may also call Peter Tice, the NCES Project Officer, at 202-502-7497. Thank you for your assistance.

Sincerely,

Mark Schneider

Commissioner

Enclosures

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20006—