Challenges of the New Era of Longitudinal Studies: The Perspective from HSLS

Laura LoGerfo

June 29, 2010

Objectives of HSLS:09

• Understand students’ trajectories from the beginning of high school to postsecondary education and/or the workplace and beyond

• Understand how students make decisions about and prepare for secondary and postsecondary courses, majors, careers

• Understand what factors influence students’ persistence in STEM

HSLS:09 Overview

• 944 schools760+ public schools~100 Catholic schools> 70 other private high schools

• ~ 21,000 9th graders

• 75% of students have parent data• 90% have school counselor data• 93% have school administrator data• 85% have math or science teacher data

Challenge #1: Fall Data Collection

• First time among secondary longitudinal studies

• Staffing unstable during summer and fall

• Student rosters unstable in early fall

• Reduced time to set logistics

• Schools face busy fall schedules

Solution: Fall Data Collection

• Begin school recruitment early

• Enlist knowledgeable staff to work as School Coordinator

• Prompt school staff for info frequently

• Minimize interruption, maximize support

Challenge #2: School Reluctance

• Very low school response rate

• Schools cited barriers to participation:– Economy

– NCLB exhaustion

– Competing studies

– Cost/burden

Solution: School Reluctance

• Persist and persevere

• Minimize burden on school staff

• Accommodate and be very flexible

• Collaborate with locals

• Knock on school doors – Show up!

• Offer school report

Challenge #3: Computer Reluctance

• Use school computer labs

• Fraught with perilous problems to security

• Diverse technology requirements / resources

• Unfamiliarity with computer-based testing

Solution: Computer Reluctance

• Sojourn

• Work with IT coordinator in advance

• Students naturals at computer-based testing

• Staff simply respond Y/N to questions for set-up

• Back-up laptops offered to reluctant schools

Challenge #4: Incomplete Student Surveys

• In ELS, students did not complete all survey questions

• Missing data were not randomly distributed

• Timing tightly constrained

Solution: Incomplete Student Surveys

• Randomize presentation of 3 survey sections

• Start with survey to collect contact information

• Incomplete surveys presented again

• 98% of students completed entire survey

Challenge #5: Parent Reluctance

• Very low parent response rate

• More difficult to reach parents

• Parents questioned purpose of Government survey

• No incentives

Solution: Parent Reluctance

• Persist and persevere

• Implement complex parent incentive experiment

• Offer parents multiple modes of participation

Challenge #6: Data Security

• Schools more reluctant than ever to provide PII

• Moderate-Risk level prohibited HSLS from advertising

Solution: Data Security

• Persistence and perseverance

• Enhanced security procedures

• Emphasize U.S. Department of Education involvement

• Data security issues also emerge with states

Challenge #7: State Reluctance (Kinda)

• Working with 10 states to merge state data

• Data sharing of this nature is a new frontier

• Understanding state and federal legal requirements and approval processes

• Limited staff time

• Delayed reward

Solution: State Reluctance (Kinda)

• Persist and persevere

• Work with state and federal SLDS staff

• Make presence known, repeatedly

• Make intangible benefit more tangible

• Privacy! Confidentiality! Security!

Questions?

Now

(or Later):Laura.LoGerfo@ed.gov

202-502-7402