1. A list of all students in the school should be compiled.

2. Randomly select students from this list whose parents will be sampled. 
   º If the school has less than 125, students select 25 students. 
   º If the school has between 126 and 150, students select 30 students.
   º If the school has more than 150 students, select 35 students. 

3. When selecting the students, keep the following points in mind.
   º These students should not be from the same families, since this would result in sending 
      two or more questionnaires to the same family (have someone at the school review the 
      list).
   º An equal number of students should be selected from each grade level in the school.
   º An attempt should be made to include students from as many different classrooms as 
     possible.

4. A checklist should be prepared with the names of all the students whose parents/
    guardians will be asked to complete a questionnaire.  A checklist is included on the 
    following pages.

5. Prepare a “survey package” for each sampled family.  This should include an addressed 
    (home address can be obtained from the school) and stamped envelope that contains 
    the following items:
    º A return envelope (tri-folded size 10 envelope) addressed to the school with the family 
      name written on the lower left hand corner of the return envelope.
    º A cover letter.   Write the name of the person at the school who should receive the 
      surveys in the appropriate slot.  Encourage the school to add its own cover letter or to 
      write a personal message on our standard cover letter. 
    º The light pink colored Parent Charter School Survey (tri-folded)

6. The questionnaires can be sent home with the students or delivered to the parents by 
    another appropriate method (i.e., mail, handed directly to parents, etc.).  Consult with 
    each school and prepare the survey packages accordingly.

7. One parent or guardian from each selected family should complete the survey and 
    return it to the designated person at the school.

8. The parent/guardian should not write his/her name on the survey, although it should be 
    written on the outside of the return envelope.  When the questionnaires are completed 
    and returned to the designated person at the school, the name of the family/student 
    should be checked off the list to denote that the survey was completed and returned.

9. The envelopes should not be opened at the school, since we have assured parents that 
    their responses would be confidential.  If envelopes are opened at the school, the 
    surveys will be thrown out. 

10. The designated person responsible for this survey at each school is encouraged to 
      follow up with nonresponding families.  If the number of nonresponding families is high, 
      we will have to re-sample the school.

11. After seven to ten working days, the designated person at each school should return
      to The Evaluation Center (i) all the surveys, (ii) a copy of the checklist of names, 
      and (iii) a list with the total number of students at each grade level in the school. 
      A large addressed envelope is included for this purpose.

12. The Field Researcher should make a copy of the check list of teacher/staff names 
      before leaving the school which should be returned immediately to The Evaluation 
      Center to assist in follow-up.

A summary of the results for each school will be returned to the school after the data analysis is completed.  Additionally, the total results from the Pennsylvania charter schools will be provided to each school so that each school can examine its relevant standing.
 

Any questions concerning the sampling or data collection can be addressed to Gary Miron at The Evaluation Center, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI 49008-5178.  Tel. (616) 387-5895, fax. (616) 387-5923,  or  e-mail  <gary.miron@wmich.edu>.

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