National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Private School Focus Groups

National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Private School Focus Groups

Appendix A

Private School Administrators and Teachers Recruitment Materials and Moderator’s Guides

OMB #1850-0803 v.256

National Center for Education Statistics

Institute of Education Sciences

U.S. Department of Education

Washington, D.C.

October 2019

Appendix A-1

Recruitment Call Script for Focus Groups With Private School Administrators

Hello, my name is <INTERVIEWER’S NAME> from [RECRUITING COMPANY] and I am calling on behalf of the National Center for Education Statistics, or NCES, the statistical center of the Department of Education. May I please speak with <private school administrator’s name>?

We are recruiting potential participants for a paid online focus group about how private school heads of school view participating in education-related studies. We are not selling anything. We are simply interested in hearing your thoughts about education-related studies. We would like to ask you a series of questions to determine your eligibility for the study.

1. First, do you, or does any member of your household or immediate family, work for or is retired from:

A market research company _____

A direct mail company or direct marketing company _____

An advertising agency or public relations firm _____

The media (TV/radio/newspapers/magazines) _____

[IF YES TO ANY >> THANK AND END]

2. Are you the head of school for a private school?

Yes ____

[THANK AND END] No ____

3. Which of the following grades does your school include? [ENSURE ALL GRADES ARE REPRESENTED IN EACH GROUP]

4th Grade ____

8th Grade ____

12th Grade ____

[THANK AND END] Not Applicable ____

4. Do you make decisions about whether your school participates in voluntary studies, assessments, and/or research?

Yes ____

[THANK AND END] No ____

5. What is the name of the school where you are the head of school as well as the city and state where it is located?

______________________________________________________________________

6. Is your school located in a large city, a suburb near a large city, a small city or town, or a rural area? [RECRUIT A MIX, AIM FOR AT LEAST ONE OF EACH TYPE PER GROUP]

Large city ____

Suburb of a large city ____

Small city or town ____

Rural area ____

7. Is your school Catholic, other religious affiliated, or nonsectarian? [RECRUIT NO MORE THAN TWO CATHOLIC SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS PER GROUP AND AIM FOR BALANCED MIX OF THE CATEGORIES]

Catholic ____

Other Religious Affiliated ____

Nonsectarian ____

8. Which of the following is your age range?

Under age 20 ____

20–29 ____

30–39 ____

40–49 ____

50–59 ____

60–69 ____

70 or over ____

9. So that we can be sure that participants of all backgrounds are represented in our focus group, please tell me about your ethnic and racial background. [RECRUIT AT LEAST 2 PEOPLE WHO IDENTIFY THEMSELVES AS SOMETHING OTHER THAN “WHITE, NON-HISPANIC” PER GROUP]

9a. Are you Hispanic or Latino?

Yes ____

No ____

9b. Which of the following do you think best describe your racial background? You may select more than one. [MARK ALL THAT APPLY]

White____

Black or African American ____

Asian ____

Native Hawaiian-Indian or Other Pacific Islander ____

American Indian or Alaska Native ____

10. What is your gender?

______________________________________________________________________

^{Your opinions are very important to us and to thank you for your time if you participate in the focus group, we will send} you a $100 gift card through email as a token of our appreciation.

We will send log-in and dial-in instructions for a session that will meet online at <<TIME>> on <<DATE>> with other private school heads of school to discuss the National Assessment of Educational Progress or NAEP [pronounced NAPE, not N-A-E-P]. During the meeting, we will describe this study and discuss your perceptions of it. We also want to learn how we might better word our materials and discussions when communicating with principals about the study.

NCES is authorized to conduct this study by the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (ESRA 2002, 20 U.S.C. §9543). Your participation is voluntary and 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).

Would you be willing and available to participate in this discussion?

If YES, continue. If NO, thank and end.

^{As I mentioned, we will send} you a $100 gift card through email as a token of our appreciation ^{for your participation in this focus group discussion}. The discussion will last approximately 90 minutes. We will follow-up with log-in and dial-in instructions for a session that will meet online at <<TIME>> on <<DATE>>. Can you please confirm your name and best telephone number and email address?

PARTICIPANT NAME:

TELEPHONE/EMAIL:

[Message in case not available: Hello, I’m calling from [RECRUITING COMPANY] on behalf of the National Center for Education Statistics, or NCES, the statistical center of the Department of Education. We are recruiting participants for an online focus group about how private school administrators view participating in education-related studies. ^{Your opinions are very important to us and, if you take part in the focus group, to thank you for your time, we will send} you a $100 gift card through email as a token of our appreciation. If you are interested, give us a call at < phone number > or email us at < >. Thank you. Goodbye.]

Appendix A-2

Recruitment Call Script for Focus Groups With Private School Teachers

Hello, my name is <INTERVIEWER’S NAME> from [RECRUITING COMPANY] and I am calling on behalf of the National Center for Education Statistics, or NCES, the statistical center of the Department of Education. May I please speak with <private school teacher’s name>?

We are recruiting potential participants for a paid online focus group about how private school teachers view participating in education-related studies. We are not selling anything. We are simply interested in hearing your thoughts about education-related studies. We would like to ask you a series of questions to determine your eligibility for the study.

1. First, do you, or does any member of your household or immediate family, work for or is retired from:

A market research company _____

A direct mail company or direct marketing company _____

An advertising agency or public relations firm _____

The media (TV/radio/newspapers/magazines) _____

[IF YES TO ANY >> THANK AND END]

2. Do you teach at a private school?

Yes ____

[THANK AND END] No ____

3. Which of the following grades does your school include? [ENSURE ALL GRADES ARE REPRESENTED IN EACH GROUP]

4th Grade ____

8th Grade ____

12th Grade ____

[THANK AND END] Not Applicable ____

4. What is the name of the school where you teach as well as the city and state where it is located?

______________________________________________________________________

5. Is your school located in a large city, a suburb near a large city, a small city or town, or a rural area? [RECRUIT A MIX, AIM FOR AT LEAST ONE OF EACH TYPE PER GROUP]

Large city ____

Suburb of a large city ____

Small city or town ____

Rural area ____

6. Is your school Catholic, other religious affiliated, or nonsectarian? [RECRUIT NO MORE THAN TWO CATHOLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS PER GROUP AND AIM FOR BALANCED MIX OF THE CATEGORIES]

Catholic ____

Other Religious Affiliated ____

Nonsectarian ____

7. Which of the following is your age range?

Under age 20 ____

20–29 ____

30–39 ____

40–49 ____

50–59 ____

60–69 ____

70 or over ____

8. So that we can be sure that participants of all backgrounds are represented in our focus group, please tell me about your ethnic and racial background. [RECRUIT AT LEAST 2 PEOPLE WHO IDENTIFY THEMSELVES AS SOMETHING OTHER THAN “WHITE, NON-HISPANIC” PER GROUP]

8a. Are you Hispanic or Latino?

Yes ____

No ____

8b. Which of the following do you think best describe your racial background? You may select more than one. [MARK ALL THAT APPLY]

White____

Black or African American ____

Asian ____

Native Hawaiian-Indian or Other Pacific Islander ____

American Indian or Alaska Native ____

9. What is your gender?

______________________________________________________________________

^{Your opinions are very important to us and to thank you for your time if you participate in the focus group, we will send} you a $100 gift card through email as a token of our appreciation.

We will send log-in and dial-in instructions for a session that will meet online at <<TIME>> on <<DATE>> with other private school teachers to discuss the National Assessment of Educational Progress or NAEP [pronounced NAPE, not N-A-E-P]. During the meeting, we will describe this study and discuss your perceptions of it. We also want to learn how we might better word our materials and discussions when communicating with principals about the study.

NCES is authorized to conduct this study by the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (ESRA 2002, 20 U.S.C. §9543). Your participation is voluntary and 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).

Would you be willing and available to participate in this discussion?

If YES, continue. If NO, thank and end.

^{As I mentioned, we will send} you a $100 gift card through email as a token of our appreciation ^{for your participation in this focus group discussion}. The discussion will last approximately 90 minutes. We will follow-up with log-in and dial-in instructions for a session that will meet online at <<TIME>> on <<DATE>>. Can you please confirm your name and best telephone number and email address?

PARTICIPANT NAME:

TELEPHONE/EMAIL:

[Message in case not available: Hello, I’m calling from [RECRUITING COMPANY] on behalf of the National Center for Education Statistics, or NCES, the statistical center of the Department of Education. We are recruiting participants for an online focus group about how private school teachers view participating in education-related studies. ^{Your opinions are very important to us and, if you take part in the focus group, to thank you for your time, we will send} you a $100 gift card through email as a token of our appreciation. If you are interested, give us a call at < phone number > or email us at < >. Thank you. Goodbye.]

Appendix A-3

Consent Form for Private School Administrators

CONSENT FORM

PARTICIPATION IN A QUALITATIVE RESEARCH PROJECT

FOCUS GROUP PURPOSE

A focus group will be held with private school heads of school/principals about participation in education-related studies. The information obtained from this group will guide recruitment strategies for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in an effort to improve participation rates and collect valid data on education across the U.S.

AGENCY CONDUCTING THE STUDY

This project is being conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), which is part of the U.S. Department of Education. Representatives from Hager Sharp, an independent communications firm, will administer the focus group sessions.

CONFIDENTIALITY

NCES is authorized to conduct this study by the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (ESRA 2002, 20 U.S.C. §9543). Your participation is voluntary and 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).

Audio recordings will be used to write a summary report of what we learn through this focus group. Your name will not be included in the report, and the recordings will be destroyed once the report is written.

QUESTIONS

If you have any questions about the discussion group, please call Christina Nicols of Hager Sharp at 202-842-3600.

CONSENT

I, __________________________________, agree to participate in this focus group.

SIGNATURE

DATE

Appendix A-4

Consent Form for Private School Teachers

CONSENT FORM

PARTICIPATION IN A QUALITATIVE RESEARCH PROJECT

FOCUS GROUP PURPOSE

A focus group will be held with private school teachers about participation in education-related studies. The information obtained from this group will guide recruitment strategies for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in an effort to improve participation rates and collect valid data on education across the U.S.

AGENCY CONDUCTING THE STUDY

This project is being conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), which is part of the U.S. Department of Education. Representatives from Hager Sharp, an independent communications firm, will administer the focus group sessions.

CONFIDENTIALITY

NCES is authorized to conduct this study by the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (ESRA 2002, 20 U.S.C. §9543). Your participation is voluntary and 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).

Audio recordings will be used to write a summary report of what we learn through this focus group. Your name will not be included in the report, and the recordings will be destroyed once the report is written.

QUESTIONS

If you have any questions about the discussion group, please call Christina Nicols of Hager Sharp at 202-842-3600.

CONSENT

I, __________________________________, agree to participate in this focus group.

SIGNATURE

DATE

^{Appendix A-5}

^{Moderator’s Guide: Focus Groups With Private School Administrators}

Time: 90 minutes total

Research Questions:

• How do private school administrators (i.e., private school heads of school and principals) decide to participate in a voluntary survey or study, such as the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)?

  • What factors do they consider?

  • Whose opinions do they consider?

• What value do private school administrators perceive NAEP has in education generally?

• What value do private school administrators perceive NAEP has for private schools specifically?

• What will motivate private school administrators to participate in NAEP? What benefits do private school administrators perceive come from participating in NAEP?

• What are the main obstacles to private school participation in NAEP and what can we do to overcome them?

• How does the value of the study and its contribution to the field of education factor into a private school administrator’s decision to participate?

• What current or potential NAEP data do private school administrators find relevant, useful, and informative?

  • How can NAEP data be more user-friendly?

• How does the format and duration of the study factor into a private school administrator’s decision to participate?

• What messaging do private school administrators need to hear to motivate them to participate? What language and/or messages will help them understand the importance/value of NAEP and the importance/value of private school participation?

  • Are there any messages that would make them less likely to respond?

• Are there specific endorsements that would influence private school administrators to participate in NAEP? Are there any endorsements that would make them less likely to respond?

INTRODUCTION (10 MINUTES)

• My name is [MODERATOR] and I work for Hager Sharp, an independent communications company administering this focus group on behalf of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), which is the statistical center of the U.S. Department of Education.

Today you are participating in a focus group session. A focus group allows us to talk with people and learn more about what they think than when using other methods, such as surveys. We are looking to get your honest opinions. I will be asking questions meant to generate discussion. There are no right or wrong answers. I encourage you to express your opinion even if it might be different from other participants’ opinions. We want all viewpoints―positive, negative, and everything in between. We do not have to come to any agreement on what we talk about. Everyone’s opinion is important, so I would like to hear from each of you. We will be audio recording the session so that I have notes for my report. Once the report is written, we will destroy the recordings.

Your feedback will be used only for the purposes of our report and will not be used for any other purpose except as required by law. [If requested, recite 20 U.S.C. §9573 and 6 U.S.C. §151: NCES is authorized to conduct this study by the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (ESRA 2002, 20 U.S.C. §9543). Your participation is voluntary and 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).]

No names will appear in the summary report. If at any time you decide you do not want to continue, you may choose to stop. Before we begin, do you have any questions about what I just said?

 Draft materials will be presented along with other information. I want to point out that I did not develop these materials, so you will not flatter me or insult me by anything that you say. My job is simply to ensure that we cover everything that we need to and to help keep the discussion moving. I have no stake in the outcome of the discussion.

 Are there any questions about using the WebEx technology? [ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT WEBEX]

 I’d like everyone to introduce themselves. Let me start [MODERATOR INTRO]. Now, I’ll call on each participant by name, and when I do, please tell us a little about yourself, such as the school you lead.

GENERAL PERCEPTIONS OF VOLUNTARY STUDIES (10 MINUTES)

Today we’ll be talking about a voluntary education study that is given at grades 4, 8, and 12. Before we discuss the study in detail, I’d like to hear generally about how you decide whether or not to participate in voluntary education studies.

• When you are asked to have your staff or students participate in a voluntary study, what is your initial reaction? What factors do you consider? Do certain factors matter more or less in your decision to participate?

• Whose opinions and interests do you consider? Do certain stakeholders’ opinions or interests factor more or less in your decision?

• What factors would make you more likely to agree to participate in a voluntary study?

GENERAL PERCEPTIONS OF NAEP (10 MINUTES)

Now I’d like for us to focus on the specific study we’ll be talking about today, the National Assessment of Educational Progress, or NAEP.

• Has anyone heard of NAEP before? What have you heard, or what do you know about the study?

[SHOW PAGE WITH NAEP STATEMENT ON SCREEN] (see Appendix B)

Let me tell you a bit about NAEP. NAEP is conducted by the U.S. Department of Education. NAEP is the largest nationally representative assessment of what our nation’s students know and can do in subjects such as mathematics, reading, science, writing, civics, and U.S. history. Teachers, parents, policymakers, and researchers use NAEP results to assess progress and develop ways to improve education in the United States. NAEP is a trusted resource and has been providing valid and reliable data on student performance since 1969.

NAEP is often referred to as the gold standard of assessment. NAEP assessments are generally conducted in late January through early March and NAEP representatives work with each school to select a date that is suitable to the school’s schedule. NAEP assessments are given digitally and take approximately two hours. NAEP representatives give the assessment and provide all materials and equipment. In addition to the NAEP subject-based assessments, students, teachers, and school administrators are asked to complete survey questionnaires about educational experiences, learning opportunities, and learning environments. NAEP results are reported for different demographic groups and are not reported for individual students or schools. Within a school, just some of the student population participates, and student responses are combined with those from other participating students to produce the results.

With this information, I’d like your general feedback on the study.

• What additional questions do you have about the study after this description?

• What do you believe is the value of NAEP? How does it contribute to the field of education? Is the value of NAEP different for private schools than for public schools? If so, how?

• What sets NAEP apart from other studies or assessments you’re recruited for or participating in? Alternatively, how is it the same?

BENEFITS AND BARRIERS FOR PARTICIPATION OF NAEP (25 MINUTES)

Now let’s imagine you’ve been asked to have some of your staff and students participate in the study.

• Knowing what you do about the study, how likely would you be to have your staff and students participate in the study? Why?

• What would motivate you to allow your staff and students to participate?

• What benefits do you believe could come from participating in the study?

• For you?

• For your staff?

• For parents?

• For selected students?

• Which of these benefits is most important to you?

• What would be the main obstacles that would keep you from participating in the study?

• How does the value of the study and its contribution to the field of education factor into your decision to participate? Is that an important factor in your decision?

• How does the format and duration of the study factor into your decision to participate? Is that an important factor in your decision?

• What factors, organizations, or individuals would be most influential in shaping your decision about whether or not to take part in NAEP?

• Would an endorsement from the leader of the professional organization with which your school is affiliated have an impact on the decision to participate in NAEP?

• Would a personal call from this leader influence the decision to participate in NAEP?

• Are there any other factors that would encourage or discourage you from participating in NAEP?

• Is there anything that may change your mind about participating in NAEP?

• Would something about the survey need to change? What? [PROBE FOR duration, access, time required, policy, etc.]

• If one thing could change about NAEP, what would be the most important to change in order to increase the likelihood that you would participate in the study?

• Are there any other concerns or reactions we haven’t discussed that would influence your decision to participate?

STATEMENTS ABOUT PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND NAEP (25 MINUTES)

Next, I’d like to get your feedback on some statements about private schools and NAEP.

[SHOW PAGE OF PRIVATE SCHOOL STATEMENTS ON SCREEN] (see Appendix B)

Please take a few minutes to read the page.

• What are your general reactions?

• How credible do you find these messages to be?

• How relevant do you find these messages to be?

• How effective would these messages be in encouraging your school to take part in NAEP?

SOURCES OF INFORMATION (8 MINUTES)

• Where do you get information about what’s happening in education? About what’s happening in your school system?

• What sources would you trust the most in getting information about assessments?

• Where would you go to get additional information about NAEP?

CONCLUSIONS (2 MINUTES)

• Do you have any additional comments about NAEP or surveys or assessments in general?

• Thank you.

^{Appendix A-6}

^{Moderator’s Guide: Focus Groups With Private School Teachers}

Time: 90 minutes total

Research Questions:

• What value do private school teachers perceive NAEP has in education generally?

• What value do private school teachers perceive NAEP has for private schools specifically?

• What will motivate private school teachers to support their school’s participation in NAEP? What benefits do private school teachers perceive come from participating in NAEP?

• What are the main obstacles to private school participation in NAEP and what can we do to overcome them?

• What current or potential NAEP data do private school teachers find relevant, useful, and informative?

  • How can NAEP data be more user-friendly?

• What messaging do private school teachers need to hear to motivate them to support their school’s participation? What language and/or messages will help them understand the importance/value of NAEP and the importance/value of private school participation?

  • Are there any messages that would make them less likely to respond?

INTRODUCTION (10 MINUTES)

• My name is [MODERATOR] and I work for Hager Sharp, an independent communications company administering this focus group on behalf of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), which is the statistical center of the U.S. Department of Education.

Today you are participating in a focus group session. A focus group allows us to talk with people and learn more about what they think than when using other methods, such as surveys. We are looking to get your honest opinions. I will be asking questions meant to generate discussion. There are no right or wrong answers. I encourage you to express your opinion even if it might be different from other participants’ opinions. We want all viewpoints―positive, negative, and everything in between. We do not have to come to any agreement on what we talk about. Everyone’s opinion is important, so I would like to hear from each of you. We will be audio recording the session so that I have notes for my report. Once the report is written, we will destroy the recordings.

Your feedback will be used only for the purposes of our report and will not be used for any other purpose except as required by law. [If requested, recite 20 U.S.C. §9573 and 6 U.S.C. §151: NCES is authorized to conduct this study by the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (ESRA 2002, 20 U.S.C. §9543). Your participation is voluntary and 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).]

No names will appear in the summary report. If at any time you decide you do not want to continue, you may choose to stop. Before we begin, do you have any questions about what I just said?

 Draft materials will be presented along with other information. I want to point out that I did not develop these materials, so you will not flatter me or insult me by anything that you say. My job is simply to ensure that we cover everything that we need to and to help keep the discussion moving. I have no stake in the outcome of the discussion.

 Are there any questions about using the WebEx technology? [ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT WEBEX]

 I’d like everyone to introduce themselves. Let me start [MODERATOR INTRO]. Now, I’ll call on each participant by name, and when I do, please tell us a little about yourself, such as the school you teach at.

GENERAL PERCEPTIONS OF VOLUNTARY STUDIES (10 MINUTES)

Today we’ll be talking about a voluntary education study that is given at grades 4, 8, and 12. Before we discuss the study in detail, I’d like to talk broadly about education studies involving samples of elementary or secondary schools.

• Are you aware of any assessments or surveys like that? Do any studies come to mind?

• Has your school ever participated in any of these kinds of studies? Do you know anyone whose school has participated?

• What is your overall reaction to such studies? What questions or concerns do you have about these studies?

• To whom are these studies valuable? In what ways are they necessary or unnecessary?

GENERAL PERCEPTIONS OF NAEP (10 MINUTES)

Now I’d like for us to focus on the specific study we’ll be talking about today, the National Assessment of Educational Progress, or NAEP.

• Has anyone heard of NAEP before? What have you heard, or what do you know about the study?

[SHOW PAGE WITH NAEP STATEMENT ON SCREEN] (see Appendix B)

Let me tell you a bit about NAEP. NAEP is conducted by the U.S. Department of Education. NAEP is the largest nationally representative assessment of what our nation’s students know and can do in subjects such as mathematics, reading, science, writing, civics, and U.S. history. Teachers, parents, policymakers, and researchers use NAEP results to assess progress and develop ways to improve education in the United States. NAEP is a trusted resource and has been providing valid and reliable data on student performance since 1969.

NAEP is often referred to as the gold standard of assessment. NAEP assessments are generally conducted in late January through early March and NAEP representatives work with each school to select a date that is suitable to the school’s schedule. NAEP assessments are given digitally and take approximately two hours. NAEP representatives give the assessment and provide all materials and equipment. In addition to the NAEP subject-based assessments, students, teachers, and school administrators are asked to complete survey questionnaires about educational experiences, learning opportunities, and learning environments. NAEP results are reported for different demographic groups and are not reported for individual students or schools. Within a school, just some of the student population participates, and student responses are combined with those from other participating students to produce the results.

With this information, I’d like your general feedback on the study.

• What additional questions do you have about the study after this description?

• What do you believe is the value of NAEP? How does it contribute to the field of education? Is the value of NAEP different for private schools than for public schools? If so, how?

• What sets NAEP apart from other studies or assessments you’re recruited for or participating in? Alternatively, how is it the same?

BENEFITS AND BARRIERS FOR PARTICIPATION OF NAEP (25 MINUTES)

Now let’s imagine your school has been asked to participate in the study.

• Knowing what you do about the study, how likely would you be to support your school’s participation in the study? Why?

• Who would be the key decision makers for determining whether or not your school will participate? What would motivate them to allow your school and students to participate?

• What benefits do you believe could come from participating in the study?

• For you?

• For other teachers?

• For school administrators?

• For parents?

• For selected students?

• Which of these benefits is most important to you?

• What would be the main obstacles that would keep your school from participating in the study?

• How does the value of the study and its contribution to the field of education factor into your decision to support participation? Is that an important factor in your decision?

• How does the format and duration of the study factor into your decision to support participation? Is that an important factor in your decision?

• What factors, organizations, or individuals would be most influential in shaping your decision about whether or not to support participation in NAEP?

• Would an endorsement from the leader of the professional organization with which your school is affiliated have an impact on your decision?

• Are there any other factors that would encourage or discourage you from supporting participation in NAEP?

• Is there anything that may change your mind about supporting participation in NAEP?

• Would something about the survey need to change? What? [PROBE FOR duration, access, time required, policy, etc.]

• If one thing could change about NAEP, what would be the most important to change in order to increase the likelihood that you would support participation in the study?

• Are there any other concerns or reactions we haven’t discussed that would influence your decision to support participation?

STATEMENTS ABOUT PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND NAEP (25 MINUTES)

Next, I’d like to get your feedback on some statements about private schools and NAEP.

[SHOW PAGE OF PRIVATE SCHOOL STATEMENTS ON SCREEN] (see Appendix B)

Please take a few minutes to read the page.

• What are your general reactions?

• How credible do you find these messages to be?

• How relevant do you find these messages to be?

• How effective would these messages be in encouraging your school to take part in NAEP?

SOURCES OF INFORMATION (8 MINUTES)

• Where do you get information about what’s happening in education? About what’s happening in your school system?

• What sources would you trust the most in getting information about assessments?

• Where would you go to get additional information about NAEP?

CONCLUSIONS (2 MINUTES)

• Do you have any additional comments about NAEP or surveys or assessments in general?

• Thank you.