School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS) 2018 Cognitive Interviews 2016

National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS) 2018
Cognitive Interviews 2016
Appendix G
SSOCS Communication Materials to be Cognitively Tested

OMB #1850-0803 v.171

September 2016

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION SCIENCES

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NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS

SSOCS-12(L)
(12-2015)

Dear

SSOCS is endorsed by:
• American Association of School
Administrators
• American Federation of Teachers
• American School Counselors
Association
• Association for Middle Level Education
• Association of American Educators
• Council of Chief State School
Officers
• Education Northwest
• National Association of State Boards
of Education
• National Association of Elementary School
Principals
• National Association of School
Resource Officers
• National Association of Secondary
School Principals
• National PTA
• National School Safety Center
• School Safety Advocacy Council
• UCLA Center for Mental Health
in Schools
• National Association of School
Psychologists
• School Social Work Association of America

I am writing to invite you to participate in the 2016 School Survey on Crime and
Safety (SSOCS). Data collection for this survey is being carried out by the U.S.
Census Bureau on behalf of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
of the U.S. Department of Education. SSOCS is a recurring survey that focuses
on the frequency of crime and violence in public schools and the programs and
practices schools have developed to provide a safe school environment. It
provides a unique opportunity to collect national data on crime and safety from
the school’s perspective. SSOCS is the only survey of its kind.
Your response is critical to the success of this study because your
school is one of only a small number invited to participate in SSOCS. Your
school represents hundreds of similar schools nationwide. Your involvement will
only require the completion of a questionnaire. The person most knowledgeable
about school crime and school policies to provide a safe environment should
complete this survey.
NCES is authorized to conduct this survey by the Education Sciences Reform
Act of 2002 (ESRA; 20 U.S.C., § 9543). Your answers 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). Reports of the
findings from the survey will not identify participating districts, schools, or staff.
Individual responses will be combined with those from other participants to
produce summary statistics and reports.
The U.S. Census Bureau will be sending the SSOCS questionnaire
to your school next week. If you have any general questions about the
study, please contact the U.S. Census Bureau at 1–888–595–1332. Someone
will be available to take your call Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and
8:00 p.m. (Eastern Time). The U.S. Census Bureau is also available to answer
your questions via e-mail at addp.education.surveys@census.gov.

Data collected by:
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Economics and Statistics Administration
U.S. CENSUS BUREAU

Thank you for giving this matter your attention. We look forward to your school’s
participation in this important data collection effort.

Study conducted by:
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION
STATISTICS

Sincerely,

Peggy G. Carr
Acting Commissioner
National Center for Education Statistics
Enclosures

WASHINGTON, DC 20202

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION SCIENCES

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NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS

SSOCS-13(L)
(12-2015)

Dear
Last week, I wrote to request your participation in the School Survey on Crime
and Safety (SSOCS), an important national study that collects information about
crime and safety in public schools. Data collection for this survey is being
carried out by the U.S. Census Bureau on behalf of the National Center for
Education Statistics (NCES) of the U.S. Department of Education.
SSOCS is endorsed by:
• American Association of School
Administrators
• American Federation of Teachers
• American School Counselors
Association
• Association for Middle Level Education
• Association of American Educators
• Council of Chief State School
Officers
• Education Northwest
• National Association of State
Boards of Education
• National Association of Elementary
School Principals
• National Association of School
Resource Officers
• National Association of Secondary
School Principals
• National PTA
• National School Safety Center
• School Safety Advocacy Council
• UCLA Center for Mental Health
in Schools
• National Association of School
Psychologists
• School Social Work Association
of America
Data collected by:
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Economics and Statistics Administration
U.S. CENSUS BUREAU
Study conducted by:
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION
STATISTICS

As we mentioned in our previous letter, SSOCS provides a unique opportunity
to collect national data on crime and safety from the school’s perspective. We
are confident that, with your participation, we can provide data to state and
federal agencies about various types of crime and discipline that exist in
schools today. Although SSOCS may ask some questions that appear similar
to those on other surveys, this survey is not connected to any other state or
federal data collection system. SSOCS is unique in that it provides
national estimates of school crime and safety using common
definitions across all states.
NCES is authorized to conduct this survey by the Education Sciences
Reform Act of 2002 (ESRA; 20 U.S.C., § 9543). We realize that data
on school crime are highly sensitive, so we want to remind you that information
provided as part of this study 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). Reports of the findings from
the survey will not identify participating districts, schools, or staff. Individual
responses will be combined with those from other participants to produce
summary statistics and reports.
While your participation in this survey is voluntary and your decision
will not affect any benefits or funding you receive from the U.S. Department of
Education, we do hope that you will participate in this important national survey.
We would appreciate the return of the questionnaire within
two weeks. A postage-paid return envelope has been enclosed for your
convenience. If you have any general questions about the study, please
contact the U.S. Census Bureau at 1–888–595–1332. Someone will be
available to take your call Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and
8:00 p.m. (Eastern Time). The U.S. Census Bureau is also available to answer
your questions via e-mail at addp.education.surveys@census.gov.
Sincerely,

Peggy G. Carr
Acting Commissioner
National Center for Education Statistics
Enclosures
WASHINGTON, DC 20202

Resources
«« For helpful tips on emergency planning:
http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oese/
oshs/news.html
«« For more information on the prevention of
bullying: http://www.stopbullying.gov
Do individual school

«« More school safety resources:
http://www.cdc.gov/features/safeschools

Your answers 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. Code, Section 9573). Your
answers will be combined with those from others
to produce summary statistics and reports. No
individual data such as names or addresses will be
reported. Any attempt on the part of a data user to
identify a school or a specific respondent is prohibited
by law and punishable with a fine of up to $250,000
and/or a prison term up to 5 years.

more
information
SSOCS?
Where can I find

about the

To see reports, publications, and other information
on the SSOCS, please visit the SSOCS website at
http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/SSOCS.

The School
Survey on

Crime
Safety

and

data remain
confidential?

«« For important school safety resources:
http://nij.gov/topics/crime/school-crime

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c

National Center for Education Statistics
Institute of Education Sciences
1990 K Street NW
Washington, DC 20006-5651
nces.ed.gov
202-502-7300

www.ed.gov

ies.ed.gov

15

NCES 2015-045
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

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Why is the

SSOCS
important?
To address school crime, parents, school staff,
and policymakers must understand the extent
and nature of the problem. SSOCS is designed to
provide measures of crime and safety in the nation’s
public schools. Some findings from the most recent
collection done in the 2009–10 school year:
«« During the 2009–10 school year, the rate
of violent incidents per 1,000 students was
higher in middle schools (40 incidents) than
in primary schools or high schools (21
incidents each).

What is

School Survey
on Crime and
Safety?
the

The School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS)
is a national survey of elementary and secondary
public school principals that collects information
on school safety, including the frequency of school
crime and violence, disciplinary actions, and school
practices related to the prevention and reduction of
crime. SSOCS is one of the nation’s primary sources
of school-level data on crime and safety. Sponsored
by the U.S. Department of Education, Institute of
Education Sciences, National Center for Education
Statistics (NCES), it has been administered five times
since 1999 to nationally representative samples of
schools and will be conducted again in the spring of
the 2015–16 school year. Your school has been selected
to participate in this new wave of data collection.

«« Some 25 percent of schools reported at least
one incident of the distribution, possession, or
use of illegal drugs, a higher percentage than
that of the distribution, possession, or use of
alcohol (14 percent of schools) or prescription
drugs (12 percent of schools).
«« A higher percentage of middle schools reported
that student bullying occurred at school daily
or at least once a week (39 percent) than did
high schools or primary schools (20 percent
each).

topics are
covered in the

What

questionnaire?
«« School policies and programs concerning crime
and safety;
«« Student and teacher involvement in efforts to
prevent or reduce school violence;
«« Frequency and types of disciplinary actions
such as expulsions, transfers, and suspensions
for selected offenses;
«« Frequency and types of crimes at school,
including rape, sexual battery, physical attack,
robbery, theft, and vandalism;
«« Student access to mental health services; and
«« Responsibilities of sworn law enforcement
officers and SROs.

my school
selected?

Why was

16

There are more than 80,000 public schools in the
United States and only a small proportion are
surveyed at one time. Your school was selected to
represent schools similar to yours from across the
nation. Your participation is important so that the
results represent the diversity of America’s public
schools.