Briefly describe how your state attempts to increase the response rate (including dropouts).
14 states answered
Washington:
The Center disseminates information on the reporting requirements via our website as well as directly to special education directors, teachers, and the special education community through email, presentations, and telephone contact. We have developed a suggested timeline for collecting data on all leavers for 2007 in the hopes this will help districts devise a system for tracking their dropouts - which in turn will make it easier for them to reach their dropouts in 2008. We share this data at the ESD Special Education Director's meetings (we have 9 Educational Service Districts). We also disseminate this information at Transition Specialist Network Meetings (through the Puget Sound ESD). We have developed a form and process in examining the data for program improvement.
New Mexico:
Native Americans were underrepresented in the survey. To address this, interviewers from various tribes and Pueblos were recruited to contact former students by phone and in person to collect additional responses. Planning is in process to increase responses from drop-outs for next year's survey.
North Dakota:
By getting more complete contact information for all exiters
Oklahoma:
multiple contacts, solicit help from teachers in reaching dropouts, providing postage-paid envelopes, distributing a high school exit survey to all juniors
Oregon:
All districts will be provided with a list of leavers from the previous year, including dropouts,
California:
Not determined yet
Indiana:
The project staff provide the following information to assist in locating hard to reach students: 1) Contact information from the state's special education database; 2) additional contact information obtained during the exit interview process (cell phone, relative/friend phone number); 3) updated address listing provided via batch file ran through the Department of Motor Vehicles; and 4) Updated phone numbers provided through internet white pages.
West Virginia:
• Districts are encouraged to facilitate completion of the exit survey by the parent and student at or near the time the student exits. Students and parents of students who drop out are asked to complete a Dropout Supplement Form in addition to the Exit Survey. Exiting students and parents are advised at the time of exit that a Follow-Up Survey will be sent in one year. Some districts coordinate with local colleges to obtain individuals to assist with interviews. One district provides an incentive to the former student or parent for the follow up survey.
Connecticut:
Moving from 2 years out to one year out; encouraging districts to discuss post-school follow up survey at the SOP review and/or exit interview/IEP Meeting
Nebraska:
The State and districts are working together to increase response rates. Districts are provided various resources to assist them in promoting the project (e.g. prenotifcation letters can be shared with students/families before the student leaves school so that the contractor's letterhead is recognizable when received in the mail, Summary of Performance forms have included details about Nebraska's Post-School Outcomes Project, etc.).
Hawaii:
In addition to phone surverys of all leavers, including dropouts, we are now giving respondents the option of responding in writing (anonymous responses)
Montana:
Training for data collectors
Delaware:
This year has been the first year of collection. The state will work with the National Post-School Outcomes Center and the National Dropout Prevention Center for Students with Disabilities to develop a series of strategies to increase the response rate for all school leavers.
Arizona:
We will use our first year data to establish baselines and work with stakeholders to establish training to increase response rates.