Appendix A-C PSS Communications Materials

Appendix A -- State List Request Letter

July 5, 2016

(Header Information)

Dear:

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) within the U.S. Department of Education requests your assistance in improving the coverage and quality of our private school listings and statistics. Every 2 years, NCES conducts the Private School Survey (PSS). The PSS data allow NCES to report on enrollment trends; counts of private schools, students, teachers, and high school graduates; program emphasis; and types of private schools. The PSS also serves as a list of private schools for additional NCES studies. In order to conduct the 2017-18 PSS, we must compile a complete and accurate list of all private schools in the United States. Please help us to identify all private or nonpublic schools in your state.

What we request from you

• A computer file (preferably a spreadsheet) of all private and nonpublic schools in your state that provide instruction for at least one grade between kindergarten and grade 12.

• If a computer list is not available, a paper list is acceptable.

Definition of eligible school

• Please include all private, nonpublic, or religious-exempt schools with any of the grades kindergarten through grade 12.

  • Kindergarten is defined as: An educational program for children (primarily 5-year-olds) who would normally enter first grade in the following year, even if “kindergarten” is not in the name of the program.

• Include programs such as transitional or developmental kindergarten if children are expected to enter the first grade upon completing the program.

• Please exclude all programs that

• teach only adult education or postsecondary students;

• are designed only for 3- or 4-year-old children and do not include kindergarten (e.g., Head Start programs, prekindergarten, or nursery schools);

• provide only before or afterschool care for children who attend school in another facility;

• provide only child care and do not include kindergarten.

The file or list should include the following information for each program:

• school name:

• mailing address:

• telephone number:

• grade range:

• enrollment: and

• number of teachers.

In addition to the information above that we have requested from you in the past, please also provide:

• school location address.

Please supply the date the list was last updated.

Sending the list

• The U.S. Census Bureau collects the private school lists for us. You may send your list to the U.S. Census Bureau by e-mail or regular mail. Please send your list by August 21, 2016.

To transmit your file via e-mail, please send a message to the following address:

dsmd.private.school.lists@census.gov

Note that e-mail attachments have a suggested size limit of 2MB (two megabytes). If you have difficulty sending your attachment because it is too large, please call 1-800-579-8520 to make alternative arrangements.

To send your list on diskette or paper, please mail the file to the following address:

U.S. Census Bureau

ATTN: Lowell Allen

Bldg. 66, Room 313

1201 E. 10th St.

Jeffersonville, IN 47132

For additional information on the PSS and other surveys that NCES conducts, please visit our website: http://nces.ed.gov. If you have any questions about our list updating, please contact Mr. Allen toll free at 1-800-579-8520.

Thank you in advance for your assistance in improving the accuracy of our private school data collection.

Sincerely yours,

Christopher Chapman

Associate Commissioner for Sample Survey Studies

Appendix B -- Association List Request Letter

July 5, 2016

Dear CONTACT NAME HERE:

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) requests your assistance in improving the coverage and quality of our private school listings and statistics. Every 2 years, NCES conducts the Private School Survey (PSS). The PSS data allow NCES to report on enrollment trends; counts of private schools, students, teachers, and high school graduates; program emphasis; and types of private schools. The PSS also serves as a list of private schools for updating the school search tool on the NCES website. In order to conduct the 2017-18 PSS, we must compile a complete and accurate list of all private schools in the United States. Please help us to identify all private or nonpublic schools in the United States that currently belong to your association.

What we request from you

• A computer file (preferably a spreadsheet) of all private and nonpublic schools that currently belong to your association and provide instruction for at least one grade between kindergarten and grade 12.

• If a computer list is not available, a paper list is acceptable.

Definition of eligible school

• Please include all private, nonpublic, or religious-exempt schools with any of the grades kindergarten through grade 12.

• Kindergarten is defined as: An educational program for children (primarily 5-year-olds) who would normally enter first grade in the following year, even if “kindergarten” is not in the name of the program.

• Include programs such as transitional or developmental kindergarten if children are expected to enter the first grade upon completing the program.

• Please exclude all programs that

• teach only adult education or postsecondary students;

• are designed only for 3- or 4-year-old children and do not include kindergarten (e.g., Head Start programs, prekindergarten, or nursery schools);

• provide only before or afterschool care for children who attend school in another facility;

• provide only child care and do not include kindergarten;

• are considered a homeschool that teaches family members only.

The file or list should include the following information for each school:

• school name;

• mailing address;

• location address;

• telephone number;

• grade range;

• enrollment;

• number of teachers; and

• school contact e-mail address.

Please supply the date the list was last updated.

Sending the list

• The U.S. Census Bureau collects the private school lists for us. You may send your list to the U.S. Census Bureau by e-mail or regular mail. Please send your list by August 21, 2016.

To transmit your file via e-mail, please send a message to the following address:

dsmd.private.school.lists@census.gov

Note that e-mail attachments have a suggested size limit of 2MB (two megabytes). If you have difficulty sending your attachment because it is too large, please call 1-800-579-8520 to make alternative arrangements.

To send your list on CD or paper, please mail the file to the following address:

U.S. Census Bureau

ATTN: SMQAB-SMS

Bldg. 66, Room 313

1201 E. 10th St.

Jeffersonville, IN 47132

For additional information on the PSS and other surveys that NCES conducts, please visit our website: http://nces.ed.gov. If you have any questions about our list updating, please contact SMQAB toll free at 1-800-579-8520.

Thank you in advance for your assistance in improving the accuracy of our private school data collection.

Sincerely yours,

Christopher Chapman

Associate Commissioner for Sample Survey Studies

Appendix C -- School Communication Materials

C1. Telephone Script

PSS TRADITIONAL/ECC PHONE SCRIPT

USE 8 - Area Code - Phone Number

Hello, this is _________________ with the United States Census Bureau. We are updating our list of private schools and I would like to obtain or verify some information.

1. Are you a private school?

If not private school = Thank them and hang up.

If Private = Continue

2. Do you teach ANY grades Kindergarten through 12^th grade?

(If they say they have Kindergarten = verify they TEACH Kindergarten and NOT a Day Care or Before/Afterschool Facility.

If “No” = Thank them and hang up.

If “Yes” = What grades do you teach?

3. What is the TOTAL number of teachers at your school?

4. What is the total number of students at your school?

   1. Ask for number of students enrolled in any grades K-12.

(We do not want to include any O/S grades such as PreK or Postsecondary)

VERIFY while on phone:

NAME OF SCHOOL

MAILING ADDRESS OF SCHOOL

Including City, State, and ZIP

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR COOPERATION.

NOTE: If you reach an answering machine or you need to leave a message for someone to return your call, leave this toll-free number with your EXTENSION and/or NAME.

1-800-579-8520 + Extension and/or name

C2. School Questionnaire Advance Letter & FAQ

Dear Administrator:

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) of the U.S. Department of Education requests your participation in the 2017-18 Private School Survey (PSS), a national data collection that is very valuable to private schools across the country.

For your convenience, the Internet link to this survey, as well as your username and temporary password are listed below. Your responses will be collected on a secure website. To log-in to the Private School Survey:

1. Go to https://surveys.nces.ed.gov/pss/

2. Enter your username,

3. Enter your case-sensitive temporary password,

4. Click “sign on”.

5. You will be prompted to create a new password and enter the school e-mail address.

6. Click Begin Survey to participate.

If you are unable to complete the survey on the Internet, you also have the option to participate in this survey by completing a paper form that will be mailed to you in approximately three weeks.

If you have any questions about the survey, please contact the Census Bureau at 1-888-329-5890. Staff will be available to take your call or answer your email from Monday through Friday between 8:30 am and 5:00 pm (Eastern time). You can also contact the U.S. Census Bureau via email at: addp.education.surveys@census.gov.

NCES has instituted this survey in recognition of the importance of private education in the United States. While there is no penalty for not responding, a high response rate is very important to the success of the survey. We encourage you to participate in this voluntary survey.

To learn more about the Private School Survey, please go to http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/pss.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation in this very important effort.

Sincerely,

Peggy Carr

Commissioner for Education Statistics

National Center for Education Statistics

Enclosure

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS SURVEY?

The purpose of this data collection effort is to obtain current information about private schools, such as type of school, length of school year, number of students and teachers, and number of high school graduates, if any. We will use the data to produce a web-based private school search tool and statistical summaries about the providers of private education in the United States.

WHO AUTHORIZES THIS SURVEY?

This survey is authorized by the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (ESRA, 20 U.S.C. Section 9543). The U.S. Census Bureau is conducting this survey for the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) of the U.S. Department of Education.

WHO SHOULD PARTICIPATE IN THIS SURVEY?

The 2013-14 Private School Survey includes all private schools and early childhood programs that provide educational instruction to students in at least one of grades between kindergarten and grade 12.

WHY SHOULD YOUR SCHOOL PARTICIPATE IN THIS SURVEY?

Private schools are a significant segment of the nation’s educational system. Results from previous surveys show that approximately 25 percent of all elementary and secondary schools in the United States are private; these schools enroll approximately 10 percent of the nation’s children and employ 13 percent of the nation’s teachers. NCES has instituted this survey in recognition of the importance of private education in the United States. While there is no penalty for not responding, a high response rate is very important to the success of the survey. We encourage you to participate in this voluntary survey.

Paperwork Burden Statement

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1850-0641. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 20 minutes per response, including the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collection. If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate(s), suggestions for improving this form, or comments or concerns about the contents of this questionnaire, please write to: Private School Survey, National Center for Education Statistics, 550 12^th St., SW, 4^th floor, Washington, DC 20202.

C3. Reminder Postcard

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Economic and Statistics Administration

U.S. Census Bureau

Jeffersonville, IN 47132-0001

7173-4(P) (8-2015)

OFFICIAL BUSINESS

Penalty for Private Use, $300

PRESORTED FIRST-CLASS MAIL

POSTAGE & FEES PAID

U.S. Census Bureau Permit No. G-58

JUST A REMINDER

Recently the U.S. Census Bureau contacted you about this year’s national survey that we are conducting. Many thanks to those who have already completed the survey.

If you have received the questionnaire but have not yet had time to complete it, please do so as soon as possible. The option to complete the survey over the Internet is also available. Your response is important for the success of this survey.

Thank You.

7173-4(P) (08-11-15)

C4. Association Letter to Non-respondents

Private school association logo

Dear Administrator:

[Private school association letter to non-respondents – written by private school association – inserted here.]

Sincerely,

Private School Association Representative

Private School Association