The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Oral Reading Fluency Pilot Study 2017

National Center for Education Statistics

National Assessment of Educational Progress

Appendices

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Oral Reading Fluency Pilot Study 2017

OMB# 1850-0803 v.174

September 2016

Table of Contents

Appendix A: School Contact Script 1

Appendix B: Parent/Guardian Notification Letter 6

Appendix C: School Debriefing Script 7

Appendices – 2017 Oral Reading Fluency Special Study

Appendix A: School Contact Script

ORF 2017 School Contact Script

Introduction

Hello, _________________________ {NAME OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR}. My name is __________________ {YOUR NAME} and I represent the National Assessment of Educational Progress, or NAEP. As you know, NAEP will be conducting a special study—the Oral Reading Fluency study with a few of your fourth grade students. I’m calling today to confirm the assessment day logistics. This call should just take about ten to fifteen minutes; is now a good time?

• If not, arrange a callback time.

Schedule Confirmation

I see that we have scheduled _____________ {ORF ASSESSMENT DATE} to conduct the Oral Reading Fluency 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 director as soon as possible. Callback date: _______________________ Time: ________________

Pre-Study Packet

Now I’d like to explain how we plan to select the students for this study. You should have received the pre-study packet on or around April 7^th. Did you receive this package?

	Yes	 Continue.
	No	I’m sorry about that. I can send you the documents electronically so that you have everything for the call.
		 Email school administrator a memo, Parent Notification letter, a Student Listing Form, and the customized Sampling Directions sheet for his/her school.

Let’s go through those contents now.

• Wait for school administrator to collect contents, as necessary.

Student Listing Form

First, take a look at the Student Listing Form. This is where you will mark the ten students that you select for the Oral Reading Fluency study. Take note of their name and the location where you can find them on the morning of the assessment. If the data is available at your school, also list the following information for each student on the form:

• Gender;

• Race/ethnicity;

• Eligibility for the National School Lunch program, or if they are part of a Community Eligibility Provision;

• Whether or not the student is SD; and

• Whether or not the student is ELL.

• Add pauses or repeat as necessary.

There is a dotted line with scissors separating the portion of the form with the students’ names from the portion with data. I will cut this form myself once the assessment is complete and leave the portion with the students’ names with you. This is how the students’ identities will remain anonymous for the study.

Sampling Directions

Now, let’s go over how you are to select the sample. Please turn to Sampling Directions sheet from your package. Can you please confirm that the school name printed at the top of the form is correct and that you received the form for your school?

• Make sure the school administrator received the Sampling Directions sheet for his/her school before continuing.

This form directs you to draw up a list of all fourth graders registered for the spring at your school. Including a number column that starts at 1 will make this task much easier. Per your customized sheet, choose the students on the numbered rows that correspond to the red numbers on your Sampling Directions sheet. So, if your red numbers begin with 14, then the student on row 14 of the list you draw up will be the first student you select for the Oral Reading Fluency study. Does that make sense?

• Explain the sampling task as necessary.

Parent Notification

Now, let’s talk about parent and guardian notification. As soon as you select the students, please send each student’s parents or guardians the Notification Letter. When my team and I arrive, I’ll ask you to confirm that you sent the parent notification letters. Do you have any questions for me about the parent notification letter?

• Answer questions.

Logistics

Now let’s discuss the logistics.

What time can the assessment begin on _____________ {ORF ASSESSMENT DATE}?

 Time: __________________________

Thank you. We will need a room with at least two power outlets. What room can we use?

 Room: __________________________

Thank you. Is this room on the first floor of the building?

	Yes	 Continue.
	No	We will have heavy equipment with us for the assessment. Is there an elevator we can use to reach that floor?
		 Yes
		 No

My team and I will need about an hour before the assessment to begin to set up and prepare; so if we arrive at the school at ________________ (desired arrival time), is that OK?

And may we have access to _______________________ (testing location) at that time?

	Yes	 Continue.
	No	Is there another room that we could use for the assessment instead that would be available for set up 1 hour beforehand? _________________________ (new testing location)

Great, so my team and I will see you at ________________ (arrival time) on {ORF ASSESSMENT DATE}.

Where should we park?

__________________________ (parking location)

Where should we meet you upon arrival?

__________________________ (school administrator location)

Thank you for your time today. That’s all the questions I have. Do you have any questions for me about the assessment?

• Answer questions.

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 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 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: Parent/Guardian Notification Letter

NAEP 2017 Oral Reading Fluency Study (ORF)

PARENT/GUARDIAN NOTIFICATION LETTER

(School Letterhead)

(Insert Date Here)

Dear Parent or Guardian:

(School name) will participate in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Oral Reading Fluency study on (date). NAEP is the largest nationally representative and continuing assessment of what students know and can do in various subjects. It is administered by the National Center for Education Statistics, within the U.S. Department of Education. NAEP is different from our state assessment because it provides a common measure of student achievement across the country. The results are released as The Nation's Report Card (http://www.nationsreportcard.gov/), which provides information about student achievement to educators, parents, policymakers, and the public.

Your child (will/might) be given a set of materials to read aloud in English after completing the NAEP Reading Assessment. The assessment also asks students questions about their test-taking experience and how often they read aloud. For example, students will be asked to describe the last time they were asked to read aloud and who was with them. Student responses will not be shared with the school, and will provide context and meaning to the assessment results. Student responses will be audio recorded. The assessment takes about 90 minutes for most students.

The information collected is used for research purposes only 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 will not be affected.

• Students may be excused for any reason, are not required to complete the assessment, and may skip any question.

• While the study is voluntary, NAEP depends on student participation to help policymakers improve education. 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, but please encourage your child to do their best. A brochure that explains what participation in NAEP means for you and your child is available at http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/pdf/parents/2012469.pdf. Contact (name) at (telephone number) or at (email address) if you have any questions.

We are excited that our school is participating in NAEP. We know that (school name)'s students will show what our nation’s students know and can do.

Sincerely,

School Principal

Appendix C: School Debriefing Script

ORF 2017 School Debriefing Script

Directions: Complete with the school administrator directly after the assessment.

1.

Overall, how do you think the Oral Reading Fluency 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, earphones, and microphone for the study?

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

3.

NAEP is interested in any other feedback you 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. _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________