Organization of the Data Collection Staff for the 2001 National Main Assessment

To reduce the burden on the schools participating in the 2001 national main NAEP assessment, data collection staff did most of the field work associated with the assessment. Introductory contacts and meetings were held in the fall of 2000 to explain the assessment procedures to school and district representatives and to set a mutually agreed-upon assessment date. One to two weeks before the assessment date, the NAEP staff visited the schools to select samples of students. These staff also conducted the assessment sessions.

The data collection staff organization was as follows:

Field Director

Field Managers

Field Supervisors

Exercise Administrators (EA)

The field director was responsible for the oversight of all aspects of field procedures. Field managers reported to the field director and managed supervisors who had direct contact with schools. Field managers conducted quality control visits and advised the field staff as appropriate. They also collected information from the supervisors on the status of schools and verified this information in the School Control System.

There were two groups of field supervisors:

• scheduling supervisors who worked to gain the cooperation of schools and schedule the assessments; and

• assessment supervisors who selected student samples, arranged and supervised assessments, and hired, trained and supervised EAs.

All field supervisors reported to a specific field manager.

EAs conducted assessment sessions and assisted with clerical tasks related to the assessments under the direct supervision of a field supervisor. Generally each supervisor hired three to four EAs, although a variety of factors influenced the actual number. The number of schools in the region, the size of the student sample in each school, distances to be traveled, the geography of the area, and expected weather conditions during the assessment period were all factors taken into consideration. Assessment supervisors worked to hire locally and to hire individuals who had both teaching experience and the ability to handle classroom situations.

The scheduling supervisors were only responsible for recruiting EAs. The assessment supervisors were responsible for hiring, training, and supervising the EAs. For the 2001 assessment, three field managers monitored the work of 30 supervisors working to gain cooperation of districts and schools and to schedule assessments. Later, during the assessment period, this group of supervisors was expanded to 50 assessment supervisors and four field managers. Most scheduling supervisors, who worked in the fall of 2000 to gain cooperation, were also assessment supervisors for the spring 2001 data collection.

Last updated 08 May 2008 (MH)

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