School Contact and Data Collection

1
School Contact and Data Collection in the
Kindergarten Wave The Early Childhood
Longitudinal Study- Birth Cohort (ECLS-B) Jen
Park and Jerry West National Center for Education
Statistics EIMAC, CCSSO May 4, 2005

2
Presentation Overview

• What is the ECLS-B?
• Special issues with kindergarten wave collection
• Plans to address special issues

3
Purpose of the ECLS-B

• To provide information on how
• early home learning experiences and
• early childhood programs
• affect the ways U.S. children are prepared for
  school.

4
ECLS-B Design

• Nationally representative sample of 14,000
  children born during the calendar year 2001
• Data are collected at birth, 9-months, 2 years,
  preschool (4 years), and at kindergarten.
• Oversamples of children who are
• - Asian, Pacific Islander
• - Chinese
• - American Indian or Alaska Native
• - Moderately low, and very low birth weight
• - Twin births

5
ECLS-B Components
Care/ Education Provider
School/ Teacher
Child
Parent
Parent and Child Demographics Parental Health
Physical Mental
Nutrition Marital/Partner Relationship Childreari
ng Behavior and Attitudes Family Processes/
Organization Child Care Arrangements
Health Physical Health Physical
Activity Nutrition Physical Growth Gross
and Fine Motor Cognitive Language/
Communication Socioemotional
Background and Experience Characteristics of
Focal Childs Development Childrens Learning
Environment Teaching Practices
School Demographics Childrens Development School
Programs Educational Goals and Objectives
6
Special Issues with the Kindergarten Wave

• Unique features of the design and sample may
  affect data collection from teachers and schools.
  

7
Sample Dispersion

• High sample mobility at this age range
• No longer clustered as in original sample
• One sample child per classroom/school
• Difficulty in building relationship with school?

8
Data Collection at School Entry

• Sample followed to school entry
• Only one planned wave at school age
• Data collection to take place in Fall
• Difficulty for teachers to report regarding
  child? To report on school year experiences?

9
Age-Based Cohort

• Sample followed to school entry
• Children are followed by age interval
• At Fall 2007, 75 are age-eligible for
  kindergarten
• How to collect data on school entry for all
  children?

10
Plans for Addressing Issues

• Focus on school characteristics as outcomes
• Relevant characteristics? Level of detail?
• Expect some difficulty in gaining school
  cooperation
• What are the most efficient means of contact?
• Treat final data collection point as school
  entry.
• How to capture kindergarten experiences for all?

11
Select Appropriate School Measures

• Since ECLS-B design explores early learning
  experiences and school entry, limit school
  measures accordingly.
• Limit school data to measures to be used as
  outcomes, rather than predictors, of learning
  experiences.
• General measures of school may be more
  appropriate than more detailed measures of school
  curricula.

12
Explore Efficiencies in School Contact

• Determine from whom school data should be
  collected, and the most efficient means.
• Administer a short teacher questionnaire for
  child-level measures.
• Explore whether school-wide information can be
  obtained from sources other than school
  administrators (Eg., Common Core Data, Private
  School Survey).
• Employ methods of easing the approval process
  from school administrators to reduce lag time.
  (Eg., passive consent, advanced mailings)

13
Administer Two Kindergarten Waves

• Collect data at Fall 2006 for all sample children
• For 75 that are age-eligible for kindergarten,
  administer teacher questionnaires in addition to
  other study components.
• For others, administer care provider instrument,
  if applicable, in addition to other components.
• In Fall 2007, collect data only from the 25 of
  sample children who are first-time
  kindergarteners.
• Administer abbreviated parent interview, direct
  child assessments, and possibly an abbreviated
  teacher questionnaire.