Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study (BPS:12) Student Records Qualitative Evaluation

Attachment I: Recruitment Call & Screening Questions

Recruitment Procedures

Participants will be recruited from institutions that completed the NPSAS:16 full-scale student records collection and are located in the greater Research Triangle Park, NC area. To the extent possible, participants will be selected such that a range of institution sizes and sectors are represented. If a sufficient number of NPSAS:16 full-scale participants cannot be recruited from this area, the pool will be expanded to include other area NPSAS-eligible institutions (such as NPSAS:16 field test participants, or institutions that participated in prior NPSAS student records focus groups) or institutions from the greater Chicago, IL and Washington, DC areas.

Selected participants will be those types of staff who would be responsible for collecting and providing the requested data for the BPS:12 Student Records collection. Sampled individuals will be contacted by telephone by RTI project staff and screened to ensure they are responsible for completing or overseeing completion of the student records collection. Once verified, they will be invited to participate in a one-on-one, in-person interview session, which will take place at the institution. Each session will last for a maximum of 90 minutes, and participants will be offered a $25 Amazon gift card to thank them for their time.

Recruitment Screener

RESPONDENT FIRST NAME:

DATE SCREENED/SCHEDULED: ____________________ BY: _________________________

DATE CONFIRMED: CONFIRMED BY:

Design:

• One-on-one in-person interviews with institution staff (those experienced/responsible for completing student records requests)

• Recruit 10-12 participants.

(ASK TO SPEAK TO PERSON ON THE LIST)

Hello, this is [name] calling from RTI International, on behalf of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) part of the US Department of Education.

We are requesting the help of individuals at postsecondary institutions that have participated in a past round of the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study, or NPSAS. We would like your institution to help us test the website that we use to collect data.

Please note that all responses that relate to or describe identifiable characteristics of individuals may be used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law (20 U.S.C., § 9573).

I would now like to ask you a few questions:

1. Are you familiar with the NPSAS student record collection?

	CIRCLE ONE
Yes	1	 (CONTINUE)
No	2	 (Briefly describe the student records collection in NPSAS/BPS, then CONTINUE)

2. The interviews will be conducted with individuals who are responsible for collecting data from their institution’s records and completing reporting requirements for NCES studies. Which of the following best describes who, within your institution, is responsible for providing the student records data?

		CIRCLE ONE
	You are the primary person responsible for completing the instruments	1
	You share the tasks involved in completing the instruments with someone else	2
OR	Someone else is involved in completing the instruments	3	(ASK TO SPEAK TO THIS PERSON)
(DO NOT READ)	Don't know	4	(THANK AND TERMINATE)

3. During the interview session, you will navigate through the website while the interviewer asks you questions. You will need to be sitting at a computer with an internet connection during the interview session. Is there a location at your institution that we could conduct the interview?

	CIRCLE ONE
Yes	1	 (CONTINUE)
No	2	 (THANK AND TERMINATE)

4. [If institution participated in NPSAS:16 student records collection] Which mode did your institution use to complete the NPSAS:16 student record collection?

	CIRCLE ONE
Web mode	1
Excel template	2
CSV mode	3

5. Please verify that your institution is still classified as [institution type].

	CIRCLE ONE
Public less-than-2-year	1
Public 2-year	2
Public 4-year nondoctorate-granting, primarily sub-baccalaureate	3
Public 4-year nondoctorate-granting, primarily baccalaureate	4
Public 4-year doctorate-granting	5
Private nonprofit lt 4-year	6
Private nonprofit 4-year nondoctorate	7
Private nonprofit 4-year doctorate-granting	8
Private for profit less-than-2-year	9
Private for profit 2-year	10
Private for profit 4-year	11

6. What is your current title? _______________________________________

7. What department do you work in? (DO NOT READ)

	CIRCLE ONE
Financial aid/Financial planning	1
Institutional research	2
Admissions	3
Other (Specify) ____________________	4

INVITATION

8. We would like to invite you to participate in an in-person interview session to discuss ways to improve the student records collection instruments and processes for upcoming studies. You will receive a $25 Amazon.com gift certificate as a token of thanks for your participation in this study. Would you be willing to participate?

	CIRCLE ONE
Yes	1	(CONTINUE)
No	2	(THANK AND TERMINATE)

9. When are you available to participate in the interview?

_______________________________________ (DATE)

_______________________________________ (TIME)

10. Where will the interview session take place? [Request the street address, parking information, campus security info, or other instructions as appropriate.]

_______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ (OFFICE LOCATION)

11. Please provide your e-mail address

_______________________________________ (RECORD E-MAIL ADDRESS)

12. Please provide a telephone number where you can be reached on the day of the interview.

_______________________________________ (RECORD TELEPHONE NUMBER)

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION. WE WILL SEND YOU A CONFIRMATION EMAIL.

Attachment II: Contacting Materials

Confirmation Email

Thank you for your commitment to participate in a one-on-one interview about the Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study (BPS) student records collection.

 We look forward to seeing you on [date] at [time].

 The session will last approximately 90 minutes.

• The session will take place in person at [address/location].

• The purpose of the interview is to get your feedback on ways to improve the procedures and systems that will be used to collect student records for the BPS study.

 As a token of our appreciation, you will receive a $25 gift certificate from Amazon.com after the completion of the interview.

Your participation in this study is completely voluntary, but we greatly appreciate your willingness to help improve our systems. If you have any questions, please contact us at [number] or [email].

A ttachment III: Consent Form

Consent to Participate in Research

Title of Research: Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study (BPS): Student Records Interview

Introduction and Purpose

You, along with participants from other institutions, are being asked to participate in a one-on-one interview session being carried out by RTI International for the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), part of the U.S. Department of Education. The purpose of the session is to interview institution staff experienced with the student record collection for discussion of data availability, collection methods, and usability of the application. The results of these interview sessions will be used to improve student records collection instruments for future NCES studies.

Procedures

You are one of approximately 12 individuals who will be taking part in this study. Participants from other institutions will be asked similar questions.

The interview session will be audio recorded to make sure we don’t miss anything that you say and to help us write a report summarizing the results of the discussions. Upon completion of the written report, the recording will be destroyed. Your name will never be used in the report that we write.

Study Duration

Your participation in the interview session will take about 90 minutes.

Possible Risks or Discomforts

We do not anticipate that any of the discussion topics will make you uncomfortable or upset. However you may refuse to answer any question or take a break at any time.

Benefits

Benefits to you: You will receive a $25 Amazon.com gift certificate as a token of thanks for your participation in this study.

Benefits to others: We hope that these interview sessions will help us improve student records collections for future NCES studies that will aid in understanding students’ college experiences and how they pay for college or trade school.

Confidentiality

RTI International is carrying out this research for the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) of the U.S. Department of Education. NCES is authorized to conduct this study under the Education Sciences Reform Act (20 U.S.C., § 9543). Your participation is voluntary. Your responses are protected from disclosure by federal statute (20 U.S.C., § 9573). All responses that relate to or describe identifiable characteristics of individuals may be used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law.

Your Rights

Your decision to take part in this research study is completely voluntary. You can refuse any part of the study and you can stop participating at any time.

Your Questions

If you have any questions about the study, you may call Jamie Wescott (919-485-5573) or Kristin Dudley at RTI International (919-541-6855). If you have any questions about your rights as a study participant, you may call RTI’s Office of Research Protection at 1-866-214-2043 (a toll-free number).

YOU WILL BE GIVEN A COPY OF THIS CONSENT FORM TO KEEP.

Your signature below indicates that you have read the information provided above, have received answers to your questions, and have freely decided to participate in this research. By agreeing to participate in this research, you are not giving up any of your legal rights.

________________ Date _____________________________________ _ Signature of Participant

____________________________________ __

Printed Name of Participant

I certify that the nature and purpose, the potential benefits, and possible risks associated with participating in this research have been explained to the above-named individual.

______________ Date _____________________________________ _ Signature of Person Obtaining Consent

____________________________________ __

Printed Name of Person Obtaining Consent

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