Change Sheet Memo

DATE: November 9, 2018

TO: Robert Sivinski, OMB

THROUGH: Kashka Kubzdela, NCES

FROM: Lydia Malley, NCES

Re: Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS 2019) Main Study Materials Change Request (OMB# 1850-0695 v.15)

The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) is an international assessment of fourth and eighth grade students’ achievement in mathematics and science. Since its inception in 1995, TIMSS has continued to assess students every 4 years, with the next TIMSS assessment, TIMSS 2019, being the seventh iteration of the study. TIMSS provides a comparison of U.S. student performance with those of their international peers in mathematics and science at grades 4 and 8. TIMSS is coordinated by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA), an international collective of research organizations and government agencies that creates the assessment framework, assessments, and background questionnaires and provides procedures and technical standards which all countries must follow. In the U.S., the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) conducts TIMSS. In preparation for the TIMSS 2019 main study, NCES conducted a field test in 2018 to evaluate new assessment items and background questions, to ensure practices that promote low exclusion rates, and to ensure that classroom and student sampling procedures proposed for the main study are successful. The U.S. TIMSS 2019 field test data collection was conducted from March through April 2018. The U.S. TIMSS 2019 main study recruitment began in May 2018, and data collection will be conducted from March through May 2019. The request for the TIMSS 2019 Main Study was approved in October 2018 (OMB# 1850-0695 v.14).

This request is to: (a) provide an update to the final versions of the recruitment materials that will be used during the later portion of the TIMSS 2019 Main Study, and (b) provide the final U.S. Main Study questionnaires with the final U.S. adaptations to the international versions.

Revisions to Supporting Statement Part A Preface

Removed reference to draft materials and to this change request.

Revisions to Appendix A (Recruitment Materials)

In Appendix A, the following changes were made to the recruitment materials:

1. MyTIMSS website link (global): The www.mytimss.com website link was updated across all relevant documents to www.mytimss2019.com and help desk email was updated throughout.

2. MyTIMSS Registration and PSI Guide: Homepage screenshot was updated (p.18).

3. MyTIMSS Login Page: Screenshot was updated with current year info and website address (p.24).

4. MyTIMSS Home Page: The TIMSS home page was updated with current year info, current study info, and school’s class sample type (eTIMSS vs. Paper Bridge Study). Screenshot of the MyTIMSS homepage was also updated (p.25).

5. Email to SC to Submit Class and Student Lists – Grade 4; Email to SC to Submit Class and Student Lists – Grade 8: Wording of instructional text modified and paragraphs moved for clarity (p.27 and p.40).

6. Instructions for Submitting Class Lists – Grade 4; Instructions for Submitting Class Lists – Grade 8: Possible data entry warnings/errors were added (pp.30-31 and p.43).

7. Instructions for Submitting Student Lists – Grade 4; Instructions for Submitting Student Lists- Grade 8: For both grades 4 and 8 we revised the content for clarity and completeness (pp.32-37 and pp.44-49).

8. Submit Student List Page – Grade 4 (p.39); Submit Student List Page – Grade 8 (p.51): Screenshots were updated.

9. Teacher Tracking Forms (global change): All instances and references to the Teacher Tracking Form (TTF) were removed. This was removed from the MyTIMSS Prepare for Assessment Page, STF and TTF Email, Instructions for STF and TTF, and Reviewing the TTF. The U.S. has not used the TTF to monitor teachers, because there are only 2-4 teachers per school.

10. MyTIMSS Prepare for Assessment Page: Screenshot was updated and instructions elaborated upon for clarity (pp.52-53).

11. Student-Teacher Linkage Form (STLF): Updated instructions from one excel workbook with two worksheets to two workbooks (p.54).

12. Instructions for Student Tracking Form (STF): Number of STFs revised (p.56).

13. Student-Teacher Linkage Form (STLF) Template: The generic STLF was replaced with a picture of the Grades 4 and 8 STLF (p.57).

14. Student Tracking Form (STF) Template: The generic STF was replaced with the eTIMSS STF and the Paper Bridge Study STF (p.58).

15. MyTIMSS Documents Page: This page now also includes the e-filing excel templates as well as class and student list instructions (p.59).

16. Student Appointment Card for TIMSS 2019 MS: Grade 8 Only: The Student appointment card front and back image was updated with current year info (p.67).

Revisions to Appendix C (Questionnaires)

The U.S. Final Main Study Questionnaires are provided in Appendix C.1, replacing the international versions submitted in the last OMB package (OMB# 1850-0695 v.14). Appendix C.2 has also been updated from the draft U.S. adaptations to the final U.S. adaptations, after approval by the IEA.

The following changes were made to the list of U.S. adaptations in Appendix C.2 (and implemented in the questionnaires in Appendix C.1) from those last approved:

1. All instructional instances of “Check” were changed to “Fill” and “line” to “row” (e.g., “Check one circle for each line” was changed to “Fill in only one circle for each row”). In addition, in the student questionnaires, “circle” was changed to “oval.”

2. ScQ01, ScQ02 – Adapted country-specific first day of month for TIMSS month

3. ScQ05 – Adapted country specific language of test to English

4. ScQ25 (grade 4), ScQ26 (grade 8) – Adapted ISCED levels to U.S. context

5. ScQ26 (grade 4), ScQ27 (grade 8) – Adapted qualifications and ISCED levels

6. TQ05 – Adapted ISCED levels

7. TQ06A – Adapted ISCED levels

8. TQ6Ae (Grade 4), TQ12 – Adapted country specific language of test to English

9. TQ6 - Adapted to country-specific phrase for “<post-secondary> education” to U.S. context

10. Student Q Directions – Changed instructions for changing answer

11. SQG-01c – Changed instructions

12. SQG-03A - Adapted country specific language of test to English

13. SQG-06, 07 (grade 4); SQG-08,09 (grade 8) – adapts name of country

14. SQG-06 (grade 8), SQG-07 (grade 8) - Adapted ISCED levels

15. SQIS-11 (grade 8) – Adjusted question wording and response categories wording

16. SQG-23c/SQG-28c (grade 8) – Adapted “<university>” to “college or university”

17. The Teacher Grade 4 Questionnaire has combined the previously listed “General” “Math” and “Science” Grade 4 teacher questionnaires, since these will be administered as one set to all teachers at Grade 4. No changes were made beyond those listed above.

18. Introduction - The introduction of every questionnaire was updated by adding the following text below:

NCES is authorized to collect information from the questionnaire under the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (ESRA 2002, 20 U.S.C. §9543). You do not have to provide the information requested. However, the information you provide will help the U.S. Department of Education’s ongoing efforts to understand better how the educational system in the United States compares to that in other countries. There are no penalties should you choose not to participate in this study. All of the information you provide 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 and 6 U.S.C. §151). Your responses will be combined with those from other participants to produce summary statistics and reports.

This survey is estimated to take an average of 30 minutes, including time for reviewing instructions, [search existing data resources, gather the data needed], and completing and reviewing the collection of information. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing burden to: Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), National Center for Education Statistics, Potomac Center Plaza (PCP), 550 12th St., SW, 4th floor, Washington, DC 20202.