Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is this study about?
On behalf of the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), EurekaFacts, a research company based in Rockville, MD, is administering interviews with teenagers and one of their parents/legal guardians to evaluate some survey questions for the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2022 (HS&B:22). This study will look at how students progress through high school to postsecondary education and/or into the workforce. Participants’ feedback will help NCES improve the questions, so they are clear and can be easily understood and answered by thousands of other individuals across the country.
Who is eligible to participate?
Current 12th-grade students and teenagers of the same age who are no longer attending high school may participate. In addition, one parent/legal guardian of the teenager will also participate in a separate interview.
Where will the research interview take place?
Interviews will be held online via Zoom meeting platform and will be scheduled at a time of your convenience, including evenings and weekends.
What will happen during the research interview?
During the interview, participants will complete a set of survey questions and be asked how they interpreted each question and how they came up with each answer. These follow-up questions will focus on the participant’s understanding of the questions. All interviews will be audio and video recorded. Additionally, HS&B:22 study staff including representatives from NCES may observe the research interview.
Will information be kept private?
Each participant will be assigned a unique identifier (ID), and their name will not be linked to their answers. All of the information provided by participants may be used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law (20 U.S.C. §9573 and 6 U.S.C. §151). Audio and video from the session will be recorded only for analysis. NCES is authorized to conduct this study by the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (ESRA 2002, 20 U.S.C. §9543).
How long will the research interview last and when will it take place?
The teenager and parent/legal guardian interviews will each last 40 minutes on average.
Will the results go to the participant’s school or place of work?
Participants’ responses will not be disclosed to their school or place of work and will not be linked to any personally identifiable information.
Is there an incentive for participating?
Yes. Each respondent (both teenager and parent) will receive $30 in the form of e-gift cards from a major credit card company as a thank you for participating. The gift cards will be sent via email from Virtual Incentives. Please note that the e-gift cards expire after 6 months.
What are the possible risks of being in the study?
There are no known risks to participating in this voluntary study.
Who can I contact with questions or for further information?
If you have any questions about the study, you can call Esther Cortez, the Project Lead at 240-403-1650. If you have questions about your rights as a study participant, you can review the EurekaFacts, LLC Privacy Policy for details on our policies and procedures.
Can participation end early?
Participation in this study is completely voluntary. The participant has the right to refuse to answer particular questions. The participant may elect to withdraw from this study at any time and can leave the interview early if they wish.