Appendices A-C NAEP 2015 Science Tablet Study Communication Materials

National Center for Education Statistics

National Assessment of Educational Progress

Volume I

Appendices A – C

Communication Materials

NAEP Science Interactive Computer Task and Hands-on Task Tablet Study

OMB# 1850-0803 v.91

November 27, 2013

Table of Contents

Appendix A: Sample School Contact Script 1

Appendix B: Sample Parent/Guardian Notification Letter 5

Appendix C: Sample School Debriefing Script 6

Appendix A: Sample School Contact Script

NAEP 2014 Science Tablet Study

School Contact Script

Note: Information in grey boxes is not to be read; rather, these are instructions to the NAEP staff.

Hello, _________________________ (name of school coordinator). My name is __________________ and I represent the National Assessment of Educational Progress, or NAEP. As you know, NAEP will be conducting a special study—the Science Interactive Computer Tasks and Hands-on Task study with your (fourth, eighth, twelfth) grade students. I’m calling today to confirm the testing day logistics. This call should just take about 5-10 minutes; is now a good time? [If not, arrange a call back time]

1. I see that we have scheduled _____________ (date) to conduct the science study in your school. Does this date still work for you?

	Yes	 Continue.
	No	 If possible, arrange a new date. New date _______________________  If no mutually convenient date can be determined, schedule a callback and contact your field manager as soon as possible. Callback date _______________________ Time ________________

2. Now I’d like to confirm the method by which you’ll be selecting the students to participate.

What is this school’s sampling method, according to the NAEP State Coordinator?
	Random sample from entire 4th, 8th, or12th grade class	 Confirm method with school coordinator. If he/she has any questions about the sampling process and/or line numbers, refer him/her to the NAEP State Coordinator.
	Classroom of 40 to 50 grade 4, 8, or 12 students	 Confirm method with school coordinator. If he/she has any questions about what type of class to select, refer him/her to the NAEP State Coordinator.

We’ll be testing the selected students in two groups, and I’ll discuss the logistics of those two groups with you in just a minute. When I arrive at your school on the morning of the study, please provide me with a list of the selected students, split up into two groups by how you’d like them tested. We’ll discuss the start time of each group next.

3. Now let’s discuss the testing logistics. As I mentioned, the testing will occur in two groups. Each group will take about 2 hours. We’ll need space to set up 25 tablets and keyboards. And, we would prefer a space where we would not have to move our equipment between groups.

IF TESTING TIMES INDICATED BY THE NAEP STATE COORDINATOR: My records indicate that you would like the first group to start at ______ (time). At what location can we test that group?

And my records indicate that you would like the second group to start at ______ (time). At what location can we test that group?

IF TESTING TIMES NOT INDICATED BY THE NAEP STATE COORDINATOR: Let’s talk about what time we can begin each group and the location.

Group A	Time: _____________	Location: _________________
Group B	Time: _____________	Location: _________________

My team and I will need about an hour before the first group is scheduled to begin to set up and prepare; so if we arrive at the school at ______ (time), is that OK? And may we have access to __________________ (Group A testing location) at that time?

4. Now, let’s review the status of parent/guardian notification. Have the parents and guardians been notified?

	Yes	 Continue.
	No	 Skip to question 5.

Please keep a copy of the letter for me that I’ll collect on the morning when I arrive at the school.

Were notifications sent to only the parents and guardians of the selected students or to the parents and guardians of all the students in the (fourth, eighth, twelfth) grade?

	Parents/guardians of selected students only	 Skip to question 6.
	Parents/guardians of all students in the grade.	On the morning of the tryout, if any of the selected students are absent, we’d like to substitute another (fourth, eighth, or twelfth) grade student in their place so that we can test as many students as possible.
		 Skip to question 6. .

5. As a reminder, the parents and guardians of the selected students must be notified before the study can take place. I’d like to call you back to confirm the letter has been sent. When is a good time for me to make that call?

 Callback date _______________________ Time ________________

Also, I’ll need a copy of the letter for my records, which I’ll collect from you on the morning of the study.

Do you plan to notify the parents/guardians of only the selected students or the parents and guardians of all the students in the (fourth, eighth, or twelfth) grade?

	Parents/guardians of selected students only	 Skip to question 6.
	Parents/guardians of all students in the selected grade.	On the morning of the tryout, if any of the selected students are absent, we’d like to substitute another (fourth, eighth, or twelfth) grade student in their place so that we can test as many students as possible.

6. I have just a few other logistical questions to ask you, so that the study runs as smoothly as possible.

When my team and I arrive at your school on the morning of the study, where should we park?

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

We will wear our NAEP identification badges and check in at the main office. Are there other procedures or protocols specific to your school that we need to follow?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Is there anything scheduled that might interrupt the session, such as a fire drill or assembly?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Once the session has begun, students arriving late can be admitted to the session if a tablet is available. If no tablet is available, how should we handle students who arrive too late?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

What is your policy regarding restroom breaks during testing? Do students who leave the testing room need a hall pass or need to be accompanied by school staff?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

How should we contact the office from the testing location if we need assistance should there be an emergency?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7. Those are all of the questions I have for you at this time. Do you have any questions for me?

If you have any questions before the study date, I can be reached at (telephone number) or this e-mail address (e-mail address). Please add my e-mail address to your address book to avoid the spam blocker. You can also call the NAEP Help Desk at 1-800-283-NAEP (6237). Thank you for your time.

Appendix B: Sample Parent/Guardian Notification Letter

NAEP 2014 PARENT/GUARDIAN NOTIFICATION LETTER

Science Interactive Computer Tasks and Hands-on Task Tablet Study

(School Letterhead)

(Insert Date Here)

Dear Parent or Guardian:

We are pleased to inform you that (school name) has been selected to participate in a special study—the 2014 science interactive computer tasks and hands-on task study for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). NAEP is administered by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), within the U.S. Department of Education, and is the largest continuing and nationally representative assessment of what our nation’s students know and can do. The results from this study will be used to prepare for future assessments.

In our school, the study will be given on (date). Your child (may be/has been) selected to participate. The study will be administered on touch-enabled devices similar to tablets, provided by NAEP representatives, and will require students to solve scientific problems. Students will conduct scientific investigations using hands-on materials and the touch-enabled device to simulate a natural or laboratory setting. Sample questions and findings from the 2009 science assessments are available on The Nation’s Report Card website: http://nationsreportcard.gov/science_2009.

It will take about 120 minutes for most students to participate in the study. The information your child provides may only be used for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law [Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002, 20 U.S.C §9573]. Your child’s grades in school will not be affected. Your child may be excused from participation for any reason, may skip any question, and is not required to finish the study. While NAEP is voluntary, we depend on student participation to provide an accurate measure of student achievement that will inform improvements in education. Your child’s participation is very important. However, if you do not want your child to participate, please notify me in writing by (date).

There is no need to study in preparation for NAEP. We do, however, ask parents to encourage their children to do their best and get plenty of rest the night before the study. General NAEP information for parents is available at http://nationsreportcard.gov/parents.asp. Should you have questions, please contact me at (telephone number) or via e-mail at (e-mail address).

We are excited that our school will be participating in NAEP, and pleased that your child (may be/has been) selected. We know that (school name)'s students will help us with this important study.

Sincerely,

School Principal

Appendix C: Sample School Debriefing Script

NAEP 2014 Science Tablet Study

School Coordinator Debriefing Script

Directions: Complete with the school coordinator by phone 1 day after the assessment.

1.

Overall, how do you think the NAEP Interactive Computer Tasks and Hands- On Tasks study went in your school? Would you say:

Read aloud and check the appropriate box.
	Very well
	Satisfactorily
	Unsatisfactorily
Record comments. _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________

2.

How would you say the students responded to using the tablets and other equipment (i.e. keyboard, stylus, etc.) for the study?

		Positive
		Neutral
		Negative
		No feedback
	Record comments. _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________

3.

How would you say the students responded to using the science kits for the study?

	Positive
	Neutral
	Negative
	No feedback
Record comments. _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________

4.

NAEP is interested in any other feedback you have received from students about this study. Is there any other feedback (positive or negative) that you would like to share?

	Yes
	No
	Don’t know
Record comments. _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________

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