Getting Started with SASS Data

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Getting Started with SASS Data

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Module Objectives

● Introduce users to the data collected through SASS and the resulting micro-level data files

● Describe public-use data available: reports, tables, and PowerStats ● Describe the resources available to learn more about the survey data documentation

and data files ● Describe the contents of SASS data files, their variables, and variable naming

conventions

Getting Started with SASS Data

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Collecting Data for the 2011-12 SASS

● Principals were asked to designate a School Coordinator to pass out questionnaires, send reminders, and collect completed questionnaires

● School coordinators could have been the principal, vice principal or other administrator

● School coordinators were asked to fill out the Teacher Listing Form

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SASS Respondents, Questionnaires, and Data Files

http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/sass/pdf/1112/SASS16.pdfhttp://nces.ed.gov/surveys/sass/pdf/1112/SASS16.pdfhttp://nces.ed.gov/surveys/sass/question1112.asp

Getting Started with SASS Data

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Data File Basics

● Public-use descriptive statistics are available in reports, tables, or through PowerStats ● The 1999-2000 SASS and 2000-2001 TFS can be downloaded as public-use datasets

from eDAT ● Raw data are ONLY available in restricted-use format only that requires use of a

statistical software package for proper analysis ● All questionnaire responses are available as reported on the restricted-use files ● Researchers who are uncertain of which data file is right for their analytic purposes

should first examine the public use descriptive statistics provided in PowerStats

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Accessing SASS Public-Use Descriptive Statistics in Reports

Reports are available for 2011-12 SASS data ● Characteristics of Public School Districts in the United States: Results From the 2011–

12 Schools and Staffing Survey ● Characteristics of Public and Private Elementary and Secondary School Principals in

the United States: Results From the 2011–12 Schools and Staffing Survey ● Characteristics of Public and Private Elementary and Secondary Schools in the United

States: Results From the 2011–12 Schools and Staffing Survey ● Characteristics of Public and Private Elementary and Secondary School Teachers in

the United States: Results From the 2011–12 Schools and Staffing Survey ● Characteristics of Public Elementary and Secondary School Library Media Centers in

the United States: Results From the 2011–12 Schools and Staffing Survey

http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/getpubcats.asp?sid=003http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/sass/tables_list.asp#2012http://nces.ed.gov/datalab/http://nces.ed.gov/edat/index.aspx?agrmnt=1http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2013311http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2013311http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2013313http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2013313http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2013312http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2013312http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2013314http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2013314http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2013315http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2013315

Getting Started with SASS Data

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Accessing SASS Public-Use Descriptive Statistics in Tables

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Accessing SASS Public-use Descriptive Statistics in PowerStats

http://nces.ed.gov/datalab/

Getting Started with SASS Data

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Accessing SASS Public-use Descriptive Statistics in PowerStats (Continued)

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Accessing SASS Public-use Descriptive Statistics in PowerStats (Continued)

Getting Started with SASS Data

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Major Differences Between Public-Use and Restricted-Use Data

● Public-Use data (accessible via PowerStats) allows users to generate custom tables with some limitations

● Restricted-Use data files allow the user to manipulate response categories and combine items into new variables

● TFS, PFS, and BTLS data are not available in PowerStats

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Accessing the 2011-12 SASS Restricted-Use Data Files DVD

● Applying for Restricted-Use Data Licenses

● Additional security measures apply when using Restricted-Use data

http://nces.ed.gov/statprog/instruct.asphttp://nces.ed.gov/statprog/instruct.asp

Getting Started with SASS Data

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Contents of the 2011-12 SASS Restricted-use Data Files DVD

● README file ● Data files ● Syntax code for SAS, Stata, and SPSS ● PDFs of questionnaires ● Data Documentation

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Questionnaire Variable Naming

● Questionnaire variables start with an alphabetic prefix letter that designates the data file type o “A” for Administrator (or Principal) o “D” for District o “S” for School o “T” for Teacher o “M” for Library Media Center

● After the prefix letter, a four-digit code called the source code completes the variable name

● Each source code is assigned to a particular questionnaire item response ● There may be one or more source codes for any given questionnaire item – check the

PDF of the questionnaire

Getting Started with SASS Data

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Variable Labels

● Short text is used as a brief variable label name ● T0030, “In what school year did you begin teaching in THIS school?”

● The variable label associated with ‘T0030’ is ‘Tchfrstyr’ which is a shortened version of

“Teacher first year”

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Variable Naming Convention Examples

● TOTINCOME ● S0250 ● A0247 ● D0523 ● T0330 ● M0065 ● TFNLWGT ● AREPWT1

Getting Started with SASS Data

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Frame and Derived Variables

● Frame variables come from the sampling frame (CCD or PSS) o ENRKG12 o LOWGRADE

● Derived variables are recoded variables or variables based on more than one questionnaire item o URBANIC

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Edit Flags, Imputation and Weighting Variables

Getting Started with SASS Data

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Examples of Imputation and Weighting Variables

● F_T0030 ● TFNLWT

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Other SASS Resources

● Online Bibliography Search Tool ● Methods and Procedures

http://nces.ed.gov/bibliography/http://nces.ed.gov/SURVEYS/SASS/METHODS.ASP

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Module Summary

● Introduced users to the data collected through SASS and the resulting micro-level data files

● Described public-use data available: reports, tables, and PowerStats ● Described the resources available to learn more about the survey data documentation

and data files ● Described the contents of SASS data files, their variables, and variable naming

conventions

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Module Resources

● Teacher Listing Form ● Questionnaires ● Reports ● Tables ● PowerStats ● eDAT ● Restricted-Use Data Licenses ● Online Bibliography Search Tool ● Methods and Procedures

http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/sass/pdf/1112/SASS16.pdfhttp://nces.ed.gov/surveys/sass/question1112.asphttp://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/getpubcats.asp?sid=003http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/sass/tables.asphttp://nces.ed.gov/datalab/http://nces.ed.gov/edat/index.aspx?agrmnt=1http://nces.ed.gov/statprog/instruct.asphttp://nces.ed.gov/bibliography/http://nces.ed.gov/SURVEYS/SASS/METHODS.ASP

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