The High School and Beyond 2021 study (HS&B:21) will be the sixth in a series of longitudinal studies at the high school level conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), within the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) of the U.S. Department of Education. HS&B:21 will follow a nationally representative sample of ninth grade students from the start of high school in the fall of 2021 to the spring of 2024 when most will be in twelfth grade. A field test will be conducted one year prior to the full-scale study. The study sample will be freshened in 2024 to create a nationally representative sample of twelfth-grade students. A high school transcript collection and additional follow-up data collections beyond high school are also planned.
In preparation for the HS&B:21 Base-Year Full-Scale study (BYFS), scheduled to take place in the fall of 2021, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved (OMB# 1850-0944 v.1-5) a request to conduct the HS&B:21 Base-Year Field Test (BYFT) and the BYFS sampling and state, school district, school, and parent recruitment activities, both of which began in the fall of 2019. These activities include collecting student rosters and selecting the BYFS sample. BYFT activities ended in December 2019.
The study initially planned to conduct its BYFS data collection in the fall of 2020 and published all materials for a 60D review in February 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was decided to postpone this collection for one year and pause the review after the 60D period was completed in April 2020. OMB provided approval to adjust the schedule in June 2020 (OMB# 1850-0944 v.6). This submission for 30D review is to request approval for the Fall 2021 BYFS study data collection. A document describing all changes between the documents presented in the 60D review and those presented in the 30D review is attached to this package.
Part A of this submission presents information on the basic design of HS&B:21. Part B discusses the statistical methods employed. Part C presents justification for the questionnaire content. Appendix A provides the communication materials to be used during state, school district, school, and parent BYFS recruitment and data collection activities. Appendix B provides the full-scale data collection instruments. The primary contractor to NCES for this study is RTI International (Contract # 919900-18-R0018).
US Code:
20 USC 9543
Name of Law: Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002
The study initially planned to conduct its BYFS data collection in the fall of 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was decided to postpone this collection for one year. OMB provided approval to adjust the schedule in June 2020 (OMB# 1850-0944 v.6). This submission is to request approval for the Fall 2021 BYFS study data collection.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.