Briefly describe how your state attempts to increase the response rate (including drop outs).
9 states answered
Texas:
Texas uses a multi-modal apporach to collect post-school outcome data.
Wisconsin:
Contact information is collected while the students are in their senior or last year of school or when they drop out; contact information is updated early in the following year; the students receive a letter from their former high school approximately 2 weeks before they receive the interview phone call.
Kentucky:
We have not yet followed up with the first wave of school leavers. We will do so in Spring '07. We are contemplating doing a purposeful sampling of students whose anticipated manner of exit in Spring of '06 was dropping out.
New York:
Last spring, districts sent letters home to inform student and their families about the SPP reporting and the follow-up survey. It explained why their participation is important, and that participation was confidential and voluntary. This initial letter provided the name of district staff who could be contacted for more information. Districts were asked to submit up to three sets of contact information including the student, their family, and an alternate contact, for each exiter.
The contractor also sends several letters to the former students and their families. In addition to informing/reminding them about the survey and why they should participate, these letters test the accuracy/currency of the address that was provided. These letters are sent with "Address Service Requested "under the return address. Because of this service request the post office will send us the forwarding address for forwarded mail. There are fees associated with this service. (See http://www.usps.com/businessmail101/addressing/specialAddress.htm ). New addresses are followed up on. The letter request updated phone numbers. Where no addresses or phone numbers reach the former student or their family, their district is asked for updated contact information.
To increase convenience for respondents, three response modes are available: phone, mail, and web. A toll-free number is provided to call back with. The contractor's Call Center is staffed seven days per week to increase the chances of contacting and interviewing former students.
Wyoming:
we will inform the student early in transition planning that they will be contacted after they leave school, obtain contact information. Letters and phone calls will be made to collect data and follow-up with students.
Ohio:
We first are using an exiting survey process to gather accurate information on how to contact the student after they have left high school, at the same time we are working with our regional technical assistance provides, our professional and parent advocacy association to promote the post school data collection efforts, including capturing the status of drop outs.
Pennsylvania:
Continued efforts to work with our state's county based Intermediate Unit Special Education Transition Consultants and District Transition Coordinators and Special Education Staff
Utah:
A statement about the post-high survey is included on the model transition plan
. In addition, LEAs are encouraged to update student information at the time of the Oct.1 and Dec. 1 child counts. More formal measures may be added, depending on the survey response rate.
Illinois:
We are examining the use of incentives to encourage increased response rates, especially with regard to our dropout population.