Attachment E - Data Collection Team SOOs (7-8).docx

Tasks 7 & 8 (Team Contracts)

Statement of Objectives Data Collection Team NAEP Support and Service Center Data Collection

National Assessment of Educational Progress

(NAEP)

2024-2029

7. The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Support and Service Center The purpose of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) support and service center (NSSC) is to fully support the administration and implementation of the NAEP assessments as well as the partnership between the NAEP program, states and participating large urban districts. The service center will provide the necessary support to these jurisdictions primarily through the training and assistance given to NAEP states and district coordinators. The service center will provide products, processes, materials, and trainings for all phases of the various NAEP assessments. The goal of training is to ensure that the coordinators can complete the responsibilities for the successful implementation of their required activities for NAEP in their respective states. The support and training of NAEP coordinators should extend beyond the operational implementation of NAEP and should provide meaningful training and resources for state level analysis, reporting and dissemination of NAEP results.

NCES works with states and participating districts at many levels to ensure the successful implementation of NAEP assessments, international assessments and other surveys. States and districts play critical roles in NAEP’s ability to administer an assessment, report valid and reliable results and stay at the forefront of large-scale assessment. This mutually beneficial relationship is key to ensuring that NAEP and other NCES activities are supported at both the local and Federal level. The states and large urban districts are seen as partners with NCES.

The service center will also support NCES in the achievement of its goals including overall engagement with states and large urban districts surrounding NAEP, international assessments and other possible surveys. One important goal for NCES is to maintain its ongoing efforts to inform states, districts, researchers, and other key stakeholders regarding the value and purpose of NAEP is in the education and large-scale assessment environment. The service center will support NCES in its understanding of NAEP’s position with key stakeholders at the state and district level as well as support NCES in its outreach to these audiences. The service center will support NCES in understanding the educational assessment landscape and its position within that landscape.

State and district coordinators serve as the liaison between NCES and the state and district education agencies (SEA). NCES utilizes individualized contracts with state education agencies to create the NAEP states and Trial Urban District Assessment (TUDA) coordinator position and to establish a closer link between a United States Department of Education program and the schools and students that are sampled to participate in NAEP assessments. The coordinators are responsible for creating an increased level of awareness, promoting an overall general understanding of NAEP within their agency, districts, schools, and with the public.

NCES provides funding to states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Department of Defense Schools to employ a full time NAEP state coordinator (NSC). The coordinators, while funded by NCES, are considered employees of their respective states, and therefore are integrated into the state departments of education. NSC’s are engaged and supported in NAEP activities for 90 percent of their time. The SEA is responsible for the hiring and maintenance of the coordinator position for their state. This specific location of the position within the SEA can vary from the data and accountability to assessment departments. Each SEA determines the location of the position based on its own organizational structure. There is a predictable amount of turnover in the coordinator position. The training and support provided needs to be reflective of varying level of experience of those holding the position. (A copy of the general performance works statement for the NSC’s outlining the requirements is available in Attachment 3, NCES support and service center technical exhibit) The TUDA program was expanded from five in 2002 to twenty- seven large urban districts in 2017. As a result of this ongoing expansion, the TUDA program is now approximately half the size of the state program; making it essential that the support and training for TUDA districts reflects its emergence as one of the key components of the NAEP program. Funding is not provided for the district coordinators. The TUDA districts volunteer to participate in the program. The TUDA coordinators often hold other positions within their districts and are not solely responsible for the NAEP activities; a team within each district often completes the required tasks.

Therefore, the training and support provided to the districts needs to reflect the complex organizational of the participating districts.

State and district coordinators have a variety of responsibilities as part of the NAEP program. The role of the state and district coordinator includes:

· Ensuring the accuracy of school and sampling information,

· Encouraging and managing the participation of sampled schools,

· Coordinating the NAEP administration in the states and districts,

· Analyzing and reporting NAEP results at the state and district level,

· Coordinating the use of NAEP results to inform policy and program planning,

· Assisting in the recruitment and participation of districts and schools in international assessments including Trends in International Mathematics and Science Survey (TIMSS), the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and others, and,

· Enhancing assessment literacy among educators, policy makers, and the public within the individual states.

Currently, all but one states have employed a federally funded full-time NAEP coordinator. The remaining state provide a point of contact to serve as a coordinator for required NAEP activities, who is often referred to as a non-funded coordinator. NAEP experience suggests that 20 to 25 percent of coordinators may be replaced in any calendar year. The TUDA coordinator position experiences a greater fluidity in the fulfillment of the role, so the support and training provided needs to meet the continuous turnover of district coordinators. Ongoing turnover is an expectation for the NAEP state coordinator program, and the support and training developed needs to reflect the ever-changing experience and level of familiarity with NAEP of the current and incoming coordinators. Support and service activities need to ensure the successful transition of the NSC in any state and/or district and provide a comprehensive onboarding process.

Additionally, coordination activities are instituted surrounding the recruitment of private schools in the NAEP assessment. The support center will provide training and support of recruitment of private schools through a private school coordinator that will work with a variety of organizations to gain support from the private school community.

Support and Service Center Scope The contractor shall develop and maintain a close working relationship with each state and TUDA coordinator and provide processes and procedures for a virtual work environment. The service center shall be responsible for training and supporting the coordinators in all aspects of their jobs. The contractor shall maintain relationships with TUDA coordinators and as well as members of the districts’ internal NAEP/TUDA assessment teams. Finally, the contractor shall maintain ongoing relationships with private schools and organizations and associations affiliated with the private school community.

The contractor shall fully support all coordinators in the fulfillment of their responsibilities as outlined in their performance work statement. The contractor shall also support non- funded coordinators by providing them the same training and resources as their funded counterparts. The support for non-funded coordinators shall include additional support for operational tasks, continuous outreach, and guidance as well as coverage for travel to all trainings sponsored by NCES. The contractor shall provide the same support for the TUDA coordinators and other contractor staff, specifically those working on the National Indian Education Survey (NIES). The contractor shall cover all costs for travel to NCES-sponsored trainings for the TUDA coordinators.

The SSC will perform each of the following program activities to support the NAEP state and TUDA coordinators.

There are eight major activities in this procurement:

· Task 7.1: Orientation and Training of Coordinators

· Task 7.2: Continuous Training of Coordinators

· Task 7.3: Technical Assistance and Support to States and Districts

· Task 7.4: Conduct Evaluation of Center Products and Services and Conduct Evaluation of States’ Compliance with NAEP

· Task 7.5: Support Private School Recruitment Private School Coordinator

· Task 7.6: State and District Additional Support

· Task 7.7: Annual Reports to NAEP

The contractor shall employ innovative technologies can be used to enhance the usefulness and sustained impact of all trainings and workshops.

7.1 Orientation and Training of Coordinators

The NSSC is the mechanism for providing all the training, orientation, technical assistance and support necessary to make the coordinators successful in their respective states and districts. As previously described, there is a certain level of turnover expected for the NSC position. New NSC’s need to be introduced to the NAEP program and the operational activities required at the point in the NAEP cycle that they begin the position within their state and/or district. Orientation and onboarding are the opportunity to ensure that new coordinators are introduced to their roles and responsibilities as the NAEP coordinator and to ensure the continued and consistent implementation of the NAEP program in states and districts.

Training does not end after the orientation but continues throughout the NAEP assessment cycle and the contractor shall support the coordinators with ongoing training and support.

7.1.1 Orientation for New Coordinators

For new coordinators the contractor shall provide information packets that give the new coordinator an orientation to NAEP and to the job expectations within 30 days of employment of new staff.

The contractor shall hold in-person or virtual orientations for new coordinators to provide them with a comprehensive overview of their position expectations and resources available. The purpose of these orientation workshops is to give new coordinators the information, skills, and resources they need to perform their jobs as well as to give to them the opportunity to meet and begin to network among their colleagues.

In the past, orientations have in the past been three days in length but should be flexible enough to meet the needs of new coordinators. Whenever possible, NCES staff will attend and participate in orientation training, and will provide an overview of NAEP contractual activities. The contractor shall work with the other members of the Functional Team to provide the necessary resource materials and technical support for these meetings.

TUDA orientations should occur when new districts are added to the TUDA program. The contractor shall conduct a separate, TUDA-specific orientation to discuss the unique needs and challenges of participating districts. The orientation will provide an overview of the NAEP program, the requirements for participation and an outline of the major roles and responsibilities of the TUDA coordinator and any district level team they establish. The contractor shall provide new TUDA coordinators with an onboarding experience or virtual orientation when joining their respective district teams to allow for a gap in timing from start date to an in- person orientation.

7.1.2 Develop and Conduct In- Person Training Activities

The contractor shall hold the three main types of in-person trainings required for the coordinators to successfully implement the NAEP program in their respective state/district:

· NAEP Report Card Pre-release meetings to prepare coordinators for the release of district, state and national NAEP results,

· Training to support use of NAEP tools, processes and procedures related to operational activities including recruitment of schools and data collection activities and

· In-depth training designed to improve coordinators’ abilities to report, analyze and communicate about NAEP results to key stakeholders within their respective jurisdictions effectively and efficiently.

The scheduling of these meetings is dependent on the NAEP assessment cycle. A schedule of the expected NAEP assessments is included in Exhibit C and should be referenced in determining the required number of workshops. Funding for the travel to these training sessions is included in the budgets provided to the states except for the orientation session. Most of these trainings, when possible, should be in the Washington DC metro area to ensure the inclusion of NCES staff.

7.1.2.1 Conduct NAEP Report Card Pre-Release Workshops

The contractor shall hold a workshop prior to the release of the state and district level NAEP data. The purpose of this type of workshop is to give state and district coordinators the opportunity to learn more about the assessment(s), to review their state/district NAEP results prior to the official U.S. Department of Education’s release, to prepare for their states/districts own release activities and to help states/districts plan to conduct their own analysis of their data using NAEP data and tools. These workshops are typically attended by the coordinators and up to two additional state education agency staff and three district staff. The contractor shall support the coordinators and additional staff at the workshop; including providing the funding for the two additional staff members to attend. Report Card pre-release workshops will be scheduled in conjunction with the release of Nation’s Report Card reports that contain state and district-level data.

The release of TUDA results has been streamlined to occur at the same time as the release of the national and state report cards. The contractor shall conduct the pre-release workshop for the participating TUDA districts prior to the release of the TUDA results. For the district workshops the NSSC will be responsible for the total funding for all participants.

7.1.2.2 Conduct Assessment Operations Training

Prior to NAEP assessments with state and district level components, the contractor shall provide training to support state and TUDA coordinators in the operational components of NAEP. The contractor shall conduct the operations training to prepare state and district coordinators on the variety of tasks associated with the administrative implementation of a large state/district year of NAEP. The contractor shall prepare all presentations, resources and activities that will be used during the workshops. Coordinators need to understand and be able to complete required communications to districts and schools, understand the systems that will be used for communication with participating districts and schools and understand their overall role in the preparation for a NAEP state/district year.

As described in the Sampling and Weighting (SW) and Data Collection (DC) portions of the performance work statement , the expectation is that the NSSC and SW and DC contractors will work together to train the coordinators on the following procedures used for all NAEP data collections covered by this procurement: notifying and transmitting lists of sampled schools to districts; securing participation of the schools; ensuring the complete and accurate student list submission for each eligible sampled school; and corresponding with schools and field staff regarding NAEP assessment issues. Additional support shall be provided (as needed) to states with a large sample of schools and for states without a full-time and/or permanent NAEP state coordinator.

7.1.2.3 Professional Development Workshops

The contractor shall provide the coordinators with training to further enhance their understanding of large-scale assessment and provide them the skills and resources to successful analyze, interpret and report NAEP data. The focus of these workshops is much broader than the operational assessment trainings. Topics for the sessions fall under the broad category of assessment literacy such as a broader understanding of assessment design, sampling, data collection, analysis, and reporting. The contractor shall identify and draw upon other members of the Functional Team for support and assistance in preparing for these trainings. Sessions should also be included that target the varying needs of more and less experienced coordinators and TUDA coordinators whose needs may be different from newer state coordinators.

In the past these workshops have typically been two to three days in length. They have included whole group sessions and concurrent breakout sessions designed to provide participants with guided practice and application in small group settings. Typically, there have been many opportunities for participants to report out and present their work to the larger group. coordinators should be encouraged to share and present on their own development of products or strategies for the successful implementation of NAEP in their respective jurisdictions.

7.2 Continuous Training of Coordinators

The contractor shall provide directed training activities beyond the large group sessions previously described that will, in effect, be ongoing training experiences for both state and TUDA coordinators. These training should occur more frequently for the first two years of a new coordinator’s work. For experienced coordinators the frequency may possibly decrease. These directed training activities may take any number of formats and may, in fact, be distance learning, with NAEP as the focus. The contractor shall provide continuous training to state and district coordinators with just in time training that addresses the required activities within any given point of the NAEP cycle. In the past, continuous training has addressed areas such as updates on NAEP assessment years, overview of NAEP policies on Students with Disabilities and English Learners, review of NAEP assessment observations protocols, training on communication letters to districts, schools’ parents, and many others.

The contractor shall also provide one-on-one training and support for state and district coordinators to address specific needs. This support should be in the form of on-line training and/or on-line support including web conferencing. Group trainings and/or one-on-one trainings via computer should be developed and planned as a method for offering ongoing content delivery.

The contractor shall provide data analysis support to the NAEP coordinator using the currently available NAEP on-line tools to build the coordinators’ capacity to analyze data. The contractor shall provide the training and support of the coordinators in the use of tools such as the NAEP Data Explorer (NDE), the NAEP Questions Tool (NQT), and the State/District Profile tool. In addition to the NAEP tools, the contractor shall support the coordinators’ use of non-NAEP on-line tools. The Design, Analysis and Reporting (DAR) contractor will participate in training activities related to analysis and reporting. The training and support should be part of the curriculum of study and should be incorporated into the continuous learning activities.

For more extensive secondary data analysis requests requiring further analytical support, the contractor shall serve as the liaison between NCES and NAEP Functional Team contractors. The contractor shall develop a process for handling secondary data requests including notification to the COR. NCES will make the decision whether to pursue the request. If the decision is made to pursue the request, the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) will forward those requests to the appropriate NAEP contractor (s). In addition, the contractor shall provide, in conjunction with NAEP staff and/or NAEP contractors responsible for sampling and data collection and for design, analysis, and reporting, all necessary support to handle state requests concerning technical issues related to NAEP assessment administration and reporting and the NAEP assessment design.

7.3.2 NAEP Support and Service Center Help Desk

The contractor shall create a help desk that will facilitate the ongoing support and training of the NAEP state and district coordinators. The NSSC is responsible for responding to all requests for information and service regarding NAEP and the full range of their roles as coordinators. The help desk will serve as the primary mechanism for coordinators to elicit feedback, submit NAEP related questions, make requests regarding NAEP provided equipment, etc. The help desk must be open to support the states and districts across the country, potentially including extended hours if needed. The help desk will determine the appropriate service center staff to handle any particular response to questions. If necessary, the NSSC shall make a request, through NCES, for assistance from other NAEP contractors. The contractor must ensure that all information given to states and districts is accurate and is consistent with NAEP policies.

The contractor shall provide helpdesk support to ensure that states receive feedback within twenty-four hours for operations-related issues and for general secondary analysis support using all the NAEP online data tools and within one week of the initial requests for extensive analytical/technical support. The contractor shall track all analysis requests through to completion. In the past this has been completed using a secure website as developed by the web contractor.

7.3.3 Support the NAEP Network

The contractor shall work with the NAEP web contractor to update the NAEP Network website to include a page where the primary audiences, the NSC’s and state testing directors from all states or jurisdictions, as well as private school organization representatives, Department of Defense schools, and Bureau of Indian Education schools. The contractor shall work with other Functional Team contractors to coordinate page development and ensure that they work with the rest of the website and are consistent with NAEP design standards.

The NAEP Network is a website developed to provide state and district coordinators with easy access to the information and resources necessary for them to complete the requirements of their positions. The NAEP Network is a site that allows NCES and the service center to easily communicate and disseminate information to all state and district coordinators from one location. The site usually includes a calendar of relevant events, trainings and workshops, current news and updates pertaining to the coordinator position, current and historical information about the position about NAEP as well as many other resources for the coordinators.

The pages shall also include a feature that allows state and TUDA testing directors to submit questions by e-mail, phone, or fax. This feature can synchronize with the questioning feature for the overall website. Questions should be responded to within 24 hours. The contractor shall keep an official log of all questions and responses.

The contractor shall work to make this design and usability of the NAEP Network as up to date with current platform designs and usability to ensure a high functioning and useful platform. The NAEP Network should be tailored to audiences such as NAEP state coordinators, TUDA coordinators and state assessment directors, allowing each to easily access the necessary resources.

NAEP currently maintains a state participation tracking system to document inquiries, problems and comments from states and districts and to track and document how each event is resolved. The goal of this system is to keep records of current and historical issues regarding state and district participation in NAEP. The contractor shall maintain a system to assist in the tracking and recording of issues that arise for the states and districts. The system should allow for the entering, tracking and analysis of potential patterns in issues pertaining to states involvement in NAEP. The contractor shall determine with the COR the appropriate mechanism for notification and communication to NCES about these issues and the use of the system.

7.3.4 Administer the NAEP Ambassadors Program

The contractor shall administer and manage the NAEP ambassadors’ Program and shall determine the appropriate number of ambassadors needed to complete annual visits to states and participating large urban districts.

NCES values its ongoing relationship with states and districts and the value it brings to implementing the NAEP program across the country. One mechanism for ensuring ongoing communication to states and districts is the implementation of the NAEP Ambassador program. NAEP ambassadors annually visit with state chiefs and district superintendents to seek input and provide updates about current facets of the NAEP program.

NAEP ambassadors are former (retired) chief state school officers and district superintendents. NCES must be actively involved in the selection of the ambassadors. Currently, there are five ambassadors, with one designated as the lead. NAEP ambassadors are nationally regarded leaders in the field of education. They are regularly sought out for their opinions and expertise. Thus, it is essential that they are kept well-informed and up to date about NAEP activities, positions, programs, and reports.

Based on the service center’s evaluation of the needs of the NAEP program and the states, the ambassadors shall provide direct outreach from NAEP to current chief state school officers, provide updates and gather feedback about NAEP. The Ambassador’s shall contact state and district superintendents’ offices and decide for the visits and to oversee and manage the ongoing relationship between superintendents and ambassadors.

Prior to each year set of visits, the contractor shall coordinate and conduct planning meetings between NCES and the service center to develop the protocol and agenda for the visits. A separate protocol is needed depending on the type of visit (e.g., New Chief protocol and an issue-specific protocol). At the conclusion of each visit, the service center shall obtain a written report about each visit/call, and prepare a summary of all visits, including an analysis of the finding from the visits and recommendations for NCES. The service center is accountable for the ambassadors’ visits and should conduct ongoing process and formative evaluation of ambassadors’ visits and accompanying communication and feedback. The contractor shall anticipate up to 75 visits or phone calls to states and/or districts, per year. The contractor shall provide an interview protocol and materials for them for each visit/call. The contractor shall summarize findings from the Ambassador reports and provide NCES summary reports of those findings.

NAEP ambassadors shall, on an as-needed basis, provide support and serve as a resource to superintendents. When this situation arises, communication may take place exclusively by phone and/or e-mail. Ambassadors are asked to submit a brief written summary of these activities.

7.3.5 NAEP State and TUDA Coordinators Attendance at Other NAEP Meetings and National Conferences in Large Scale Assessment The contractor shall support the attendance and participation of NAEP state coordinators at meetings such as the Council of Chief State School Officer’s Annual Large-Scale Education Assessment Conference and the American Educational Research Association annual meeting. The coordinators can attend up to one other NCES sponsored workshop or training on an annual basis. Coordinators attend these workshops to expand their knowledge of large-scale assessment and participate in the community of practice surrounding assessment. Occasionally, coordinators will present at these other workshops and trainings.

NCES also convenes other groups and advisory committees to support the continued development and analyses of NAEP results and reporting; these include the Design and Analysis Committee (DAC) and the NAEP Validity Studies Panel (NVS). Each of these committees meets in the Washington DC area. The contractor shall support a NAEP coordinator that represents the entire group of coordinators at DAC and the NVS meetings. The contractor shall work with NCES to identify the coordinator representative and will arrange and manage the coordinators’ travel, lodging, per diem and incidentals for each meeting.

The contractor shall attend and report on the annual meeting of the Council of Great City Schools which is held every fall. Most, if not all NAEP TUDA districts are members of the Council of Great City Schools (CGCS). Attendance at the meeting supports the districts and is a source of useful information for the support service center. The support and service center shall also support TUDA districts in attendance of the Council of Great City Schools annual meeting. The contractor shall develop a plan for supporting districts in the development of potential topics and presenting at the CGCS annual conference on NAEP. The support and service center shall assist and provide support to the TUDAs including travel expenses for those with accepted presentations for up to five districts.

7.3.6 Provide Administrative Support Packages and NAEP Products The NAEP state and district coordinators shall perform several administrative duties in coordinating the NAEP assessment administration and the release of NAEP findings including developing press releases, developing presentations for briefings, and sending letters to districts and schools regarding NAEP participation.

The contractor shall support the coordinators in the implementation of these activities. In conjunction with the COR the contractor shall develop a series of materials and resources the coordinators can use in fulfilling these requirements.

The contractor shall develop ready-made materials (i.e., support package) to assist the NAEP coordinator and ensure quality and consistency across states and districts. These materials shall include presentation templates, table shells, state and district report templates, and informational CDs, DVDs, websites, and form letters regarding NAEP.

The contractor shall provide training and support to states and TUDA districts in using the reporting software as well as the analysis tools, listed previously. The contractor shall make these templates and materials available to the coordinators via their internal website.

The materials should be updated each year of the contract to address the different needs of NAEP. The contractor shall be prepared to meet ad hoc requests for support materials.

7.3.7 Support NCES Requests for State and District Information NCES is often asked to collect information from states and districts on a variety of issues or topics in education. Requests like these have come from within NCES as well as from other parts of the Department of Education. NCES’s expectation is to have a process and mechanism for easily and efficiently requesting this information from states and districts. The contractor shall be responsible for coordinating the collection of the responses, compiling summary information, analysis of the finding to look for patterns or trends in the information collected.

The contractor shall develop a systematic process for the submission of requests and polls to the states. The system should allow for any request from NCES to be easily submitted and administered to the states and TUDA districts.

7.3.8 Supply and Maintain NAEP State Coordinator Equipment

The contractor shall provide support for all equipment including laptops, desktop computers, printers, and projectors purchased for the NAEP state coordinators by the U.S. Department of Education. The contractor shall service, maintain, and replace equipment, as needed, at no cost to the states. The contractor shall provide general servicing of equipment periodically to ensure equipment operates at maximum efficiency. The contractor shall provide the necessary software upgrades and training on software applications. Purchasing of any hardware, software, and repairs exceeding $15,000.00 must be approved by the Contracting Officer (CO). It is anticipated that every software program will include training on software or web products.

7.4 Conduct Evaluation of Center Products and Services and Conduct Evaluation of States’ Compliance with NAEP

7.4.1 Conduct Evaluation of Center Products and Services

The contractor, in ongoing consultation with the COR, shall conduct periodic in- depth evaluations of its processes, products, programs, and services. The evaluation shall assess not only the quality of the center’s products and services, but also the processes involved in their development and delivery, as well as the impact of the product and services. The service center, in conjunction with NCES, will work to develop an annual evaluation plan that will be implemented.

The contractor shall conduct formative and summative evaluations of the center’s products and services. The contractor shall establish a set of progress benchmarks that can be assessed in the formative and summative evaluations. The evaluations shall also examine the responses of the NAEP state and TUDA coordinators to products and services. The contractor shall conduct an evaluation of its efforts to provide support to the NAEP coordinators through technical assistance, training, workshops, and available resources and assessment materials. The contractor shall provide to the COR a brief report documenting all the processes and steps involved in fulfilling each activity described in this Statement of Objectives.

The contractors shall include in the summary of each evaluation, the methods, and strategies for how the gathered feedback will be incorporated into future planning of trainings and workshops.

7.4.2 Conduct Evaluation of States Compliance with NAEP

The Contractor shall implement a state Program Review to monitor state implementation of the state performance work statement (contract) requirements. It includes a one-day visit to states with a minimum of two monitors: one with federal program experience and one with state program experience. NAEP coordinators from each state being visited provided supplemental information to highlight their unique accomplishments. The visits include interviews with the state assessment directors, the NAEP coordinators, as well as other staff in the agency with close ties to the NAEP program. A site visit report will be completed within two weeks of the visit and sent to the state testing director. A full monitoring report will be prepared and sent to the testing director within six weeks of the visit. States are encouraged to provide written responses to their monitoring reports that became part of the report.

7.5 Support Private School Recruitment Private School Coordinator NCES has an ongoing interest in increasing participation of private schools selected for the NAEP samples. One way to facilitate the efforts to increase participation is by establishing solid relationships and partnerships with the private school associations that support this population of schools. The contractor shall designate a private school coordinator to act as a liaison between the private school associations and NCES.

A private school coordinator shall act as a liaison between the private school associations (such as CAPE and NCEA). The private school coordinator shall coordinate recruitment, communication, and outreach activities for the purpose of increasing private school participation in NAEP. Additionally, the private school coordinator shall maintain positive relationships with private school associations, provides training opportunities through conferences and workshops, and writers articles for journals, magazines, and web sites.

About private school recruitment activities, the contractor shall obtain endorsement letters from private school associations to use to recruit private schools.

The contractor shall develop and implement a mentoring program to support state and district coordinators in their position and to understand the responsibilities of the position and the navigation of the position within a state education agency. The contractor shall employ the expertise of consultants with experience within a state education agency for example former state assessment directors. The mentoring program should be a combination of efforts and resources to ensure the state and district coordinators are supported in their roles.

7.6.2 Annual NCES and State Engagement Meeting (Option)

Develop and Provide Workshops and/or Trainings for Additional State and TUDA Education Agency Personnel The contractor shall conduct one symposium per year for additional state education personnel to gather and disseminate information related to the most current NAEP issues. The symposia shall focus on cutting-edge issues about large-scale education assessment including but not limited to the uses of technology in assessment, development and implementation for students with disabilities (SD) and English language learners (ELL) students, and technical support in adaptive testing amongst others. The symposium will allow state officials to come together and discuss NAEP-related topics that are not typically covered during pre-release workshops and other training. The contractor shall work with NAEP staff to identify topics, develop the meeting agenda, and develop materials.

7.6.3 Quarterly Update On Assessment Environment

Understanding the educational and assessment environment is critical for NCES to remain engaged and relevant in the delivery of large-scale assessment. The contractor shall provide a quarterly analysis of the current assessment landscape for states and districts. The analysis shall describe current opportunities, concerns, innovations etc. in the state and district assessment communities. The analysis shall also include recommendations for continued engagement, innovation and stakeholder engagement that will support NCES’s role in the large-scale assessment community.

7.7 Annual Reports to NAEP

7.7.1 Submit Yearly Work Plan for NAEP Support Service Center Activities The contractor shall submit a yearly plan regarding center activities. The plan should include proposals for upcoming center activities (i.e., training, workshops, products, and/or system development) to support emerging needs of the NAEP state and TUDA coordinators. The plan should outline for NCES the curriculum of study that the service center intends to implement for a given year based upon issues and topics that are relevant to that given year. The support and service should provide an annual plan that provides the plan for the year and the details for implementation.

The contractor shall submit both a draft and final version for approval from NCES prior to implementation of the annual work plan.

7.7.2 Submit Bi-Annual Performance and Progress Report to NCES The contractor shall submit a bi-annual performance report on center activities at six and twelfth months of each year. This report should describe accomplishments of the center for the year and reflect progress toward meeting the goals described in the evaluation plan. The six-month report should provide a progress report of the first half of the year and any necessary adjustments for the final six months of each given year.

8. Data Collection The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Data Collection (DC) contractor conducts the data collection activities (including the development, printing, and distribution of all assessment materials) for the operational assessments, pilot and field tests, and special studies required by NAEP. These activities shall be performed by the DC contractor during the 2024-2029 contract period. These activities must continue to be maintained per industry standards and best practices while other competing issues will demand constant attention such as decreasing private school participation rates, adequate representation of minorities in NAEP results both at the national and subgroup levels, linking with other state, national, and international assessments and developing and delivering a state-of-the art student assessment using NAEP provided equipment, using school equipment or both through a hybrid model. Since the potential benefits and new opportunities are enormous as NAEP continues the transition to using school provided equipment (e.g., Chromebooks, internet) to collect data the DC contractor must be flexible and innovative enough to overcome the challenges (e.g., relying more on school staff to administer the assessment) inherent during this time of transition.

Scope The expected scope of the NAEP Data Collection work primarily falls into two types of activities:

· Collect Data (section 8.1) for all operational assessments, pilot and field tests and special studies including coordinating with international assessment governing bodies, state education agencies, school districts and schools. Areas for innovation include creating an infrastructure that will maintain NAEP’s electronic delivery system using school-based equipment and transitioning from an exclusive NAEP field staff data collection model to a hybrid field staff/school staff model.

· Materials, Distribution and Processing (section 8.2) for the printing, distribution and processing of all paper and pencil forms, auxiliary documents and bulk supplies for the operational and pilot assessments and special studies.

8.1 Collect Data

8.1.1 Participation and Assessment Support Securing School and Student Participation The contractor shall secure the participation of public and private schools selected for all NAEP operational assessments, pilot and field tests, and special studies and coordinate the school recruitment efforts with the NAEP state coordinators (NSCs).

School participation is mandatory in the biennial state-level NAEP 4th and 8th grade mathematics and reading assessments for all states and school districts receiving Title I funding including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico (mathematics only).

Participation in the national-level assessments and the state-level assessments in all other subjects and grades remains voluntary. All NAEP assessments are voluntary for students.

Public School Participation The DC contractor shall support the work of the NSCs to secure participation of public schools selected for the NAEP operational assessments, pilot and field tests, and special studies covered by this procurement. As part of the data collection activities, the DC contractor shall work with the NAEP support service center (NSSC) to train the NSCs, TUDA coordinators, school staff and other parties responsible for participation on the following procedures used for all NAEP data collections covered by this procurement: notifying and transmitting lists of sampled schools to districts; securing participation of the schools; ensuring the complete and accurate student list submission for each eligible sampled school; communicating with schools and field staff regarding NAEP assessment issues and collecting data regarding the internet connectivity in individual schools and types of computer hardware students have access to and can use to be assessed on. Additional support shall be provided (as needed) to states with a large sample of schools and for states without a full-time and/or permanent NAEP state coordinator.

Private School Participation The DC contractor shall secure the participation of sampled private schools. Securing private school participation continues to be a challenge for the NAEP program. For example, since the 2015 Nation’s Report Card release, overall private school results have not able to be reported at the national level due to low school participation rates. Current strategies to effectively engage private schools include an understanding of the mission of each individual private school and being able to communicate to them how the NAEP assessment is relevant to the private school’s own mission and goals; and the development of individual Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs; in consultation with the NSSC contractor) with private school associations allowing for the transfer of NAEP information that allows for timely and innovative outreach to select private schools.

For private schools, the contractor shall attempt wherever possible to convert schools to participate in NAEP that initially refused. To this end, if a private school has not provided requested materials indicating participation or otherwise indicating a positive response to the request to participate in the assessment within a time limit to be established by the contractor, follow-up efforts shall be initiated to obtain the participation of the school.

Communication with Schools The DC contractor shall use the recently developed Assessment Management System (AMS; managed developed and maintained by the NAEP Platform Development, or NPD, contractor) to communicate with all participating schools throughout the pre-assessment and assessment periods and to ensure that important school information is relayed to these schools. The DC contractor, in coordination with the NSSC and NPD staff, shall ensure the thoroughness and quality of information posted on the AMS to fully inform schools (via their school coordinator) of NAEP and their participation in the various NAEP activities. When a school principal agrees to participate, the contractor shall secure rosters of all students of the target ages and in the target grades in the participating schools. The contractor shall acquaint the appropriate school staff (e.g., principal, school coordinator, etc.) with the NAEP procedures for including students with disabilities and English learners in the assessment and provide NAEP’s criteria for student inclusion.

Developing Outreach Materials to Secure Participation To ensure the quality of the collected data the DC contractor shall coordinate the development (in collaboration with the other NAEP contractors) and distribution of all data collection field materials (e.g., administration forms, parental notification letters, etc.) for public and nonpublic schools. Even though individual materials may be authored by the different NAEP contractors, DC’s primary role is to coordinate the development of these field materials throughout their life cycles. These field materials do not receive an official NCES publications number since they are intended for the public.

To coordinate the numerous field materials developed to secure school and student participation for each assessment cycle the DC contractor shall convene a field publications working group tasked with supporting the development of the recruitment and data collection materials. All field materials and associated procedures shall be designed to insure that sampled students, their parents/guardians, and appropriate school staff are given full information about the voluntary basis of the NAEP assessments before participating.

The distribution of some field materials shall be the responsibility of other NAEP contractors depending on the administrative context. For example, the parental notification letters are the responsibility of the individual NSCs.

The State Participation Tracking System (SPTS), maintained and enhanced by the DC contractor, is a tool for the NAEP contractors to use to track what is happening in the states and districts especially when wide-spread issues effecting participation arise. Information from the SPTS is used to brief NCES on participation issues effecting data collection. Additionally, the DC contractor will use the SPTS to log issues related to data collection concerns, requests and complaints including maintaining a log of issue resolutions.

NAEP Help Desk The DC contractor shall establish and maintain an easily accessible real-time multi-tiered help desk during the data collection phases of all operational assessments, pilot and field tests and special studies. Survey administrators, school administrators, respondents (as appropriate), and others having a role in data collection shall be authorized to contact this help desk to discuss data collection problems or problems in filling out field materials. The contractor shall provide a help desk monitoring tool that provides timely feedback (e.g., average length of wait times for help desk calls) reports, information on recurring problems encountered and methods of coping with them, and documents problems and their resolution. The contractor shall document all problem reports and substantive comments received during data collection and provide this information to the DC Contracting Officer Representative (COR) on an as-needed basis.

Conduct Pre-Assessment Visits In preparation for data collection activities, the contractor shall conduct a pre-assessment visit (PAV) either virtually (preferred) or in-person (on an as-needed basis) with the school coordinator at each participating school.