Change Memo

Memorandum United States Department of Education

Institute of Education Sciences

National Center for Education Statistics

DATE: July 22, 2020

TO: Robert Sivinski, OMB

THROUGH: Carrie Clarady, Avar Consulting, in contract to NCES

FROM: Maura Spiegelman, NCES

SUBJECT: 2020-21 National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS 2020-21) Operational Status Item Change Request (OMB# 1850-0598 v.33)

The National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS), conducted every two to three years by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), is a system of related questionnaires that provides descriptive data on the context of elementary and secondary education. Redesigned from the Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) with a focus on flexibility, timeliness, and integration with other ED data, the NTPS system allows for school, principal, and teacher characteristics to be analyzed in relation to one another. NTPS is an in-depth, nationally representative survey of first through twelfth grade public and private school teachers, principals, and schools. Kindergarten teachers in schools with at least a first grade are also surveyed. NTPS utilizes core content and a series of rotating modules to allow timely collection of important education trends as well as trend analysis. Topics covered include characteristics of teachers, principals, schools, teacher training opportunities, retention, retirement, hiring, and shortages.

The NTPS 2019-20 preliminary activities were approved in July 2019, with a change request approved in November 2019 (OMB# 1850-0598 v.26-27). OMB approved the main study for 2020-21 in March 2020 (OMB# 1850-0598 v.28-30). In December 2019, NCES received OMB approval (OMB#1850-0803 v. 259) for cognitive interviews to test new and revised items about virtual schools and online course offerings in the NTPS School Questionnaire. Questions about virtual schools and online course offerings were revised, based on the results of this cognitive testing. This testing occurred in the winter and spring of 2020. During the end of this testing window, in March 2020, it became clear that questions needed to distinguish between typical practices (the intent of these questions) and changes implemented by schools due to the coronavirus pandemic. Questions on virtual schools and online course offerings were added to all NTPS questionnaires (OMB# 1850-0598 v.31-32). This request adds a statement to each NTPS questionnaire noting that the coronavirus pandemic may have affected schools’ operating statuses and teachers’ instructional practices, and adds one new item to the cover page of each questionnaire measuring the impact of the coronavirus pandemic at the time of data collection.

The revisions made to the last approved NTPS 2020-21 clearance documents (OMB# 1850-0598 v.32) are reflected below. Black font demarks the text that remains unchanged from the last approved, while text in red font shows the revisions that were made.

Modifications to the Questionnaire

Principal Questionnaire and School Questionnaire (Part B p.51, p.67, p.83, p.108; Part C p.4, p.21, p.41)

The coronavirus pandemic has affected the way many schools provide instruction. To help us understand your responses to this survey, please select the option that best describes the current effect of the coronavirus pandemic on instruction at THIS school:

• We are currently offering only distance-learning instruction because of the coronavirus pandemic.

• We are currently offering a hybrid of in-person and distance-learning instruction (some students or classes may be remote while others are in person) because of the coronavirus pandemic.

• We are currently offering only in-person instruction with additional safety precautions because of the coronavirus pandemic.

• There is currently no effect on the instruction we offer because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Teacher Questionnaire (Part B p.137, p.177; Part C p.68)

The coronavirus pandemic has affected the way many schools provide instruction. To help us understand your responses to this survey, please select the option that best describes the current effect of the coronavirus pandemic on your teaching at THIS school:

• I am currently only teaching with distance-learning instruction because of the coronavirus pandemic.

• I am currently teaching with a hybrid of in-person and distance-learning instruction (some students or classes may be remote, while others are in person) because of the coronavirus pandemic.

• I am currently teaching only in person with additional safety precautions because of the coronavirus pandemic.

• There is currently no effect on how I deliver instruction because of the coronavirus pandemic.

• I am not currently teaching because of the coronavirus pandemic.

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