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!
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