Appendix H 2024 NSECE Workforce (Classroom Staff) Survey Respondent Contact Materials

2024 NSECE

Appendix H 2024 NSECE Workforce (Classroom Staff) Survey Respondent Contact Materials

Contents

Workforce (Classroom Staff) Survey Initial Mailing Series - Survey Invitation 1

Workforce (Classroom Staff) Survey Initial Mailing Series - Thank you/Reminder Postcard 3

Workforce (Classroom Staff) Survey Initial Mailing Series - Non-Response Follow-up Contact 4

Workforce (Classroom Staff) Survey Access Email 5

Workforce (Classroom Staff) Prompting Email 6

Workforce (Classroom Staff) Break-off Email 7

Workforce (Classroom Staff) Text Messages 8

Workforce (Classroom Staff) Survey Thank You Contact 9

Workforce (Classroom Staff) Brochure Text 10

Workforce (Classroom Staff) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) 14

Workforce (Classroom Staff) Talking Points 16

Workforce (Classroom Staff) Survey Initial Mailing Series - Survey Invitation: First contact with sampled classroom staff selected from the Center-based Provider Survey inviting them to participate in the Workforce Survey using the self-administered web questionnaire. This contact will be sent by mail and email as sampled classroom staff are identified. This contact will include some additional language for those classroom staff selected for a pre-paid token.

Dear [FNAME] [LNAME]/Classroom Teacher,

We need your help with an important study about how we care for children in the United States. The National Survey of Early Care and Education (NSECE) collects information about early care and education providers and classroom staff, as well as the working families they support. The NSECE has been conducted before at two different timepoints, first in 2012 and again in 2019. Across both efforts we have spoken with more than 10,000 teachers, aides, and assistants to better understand their experiences working directly with children in the classroom. We are now conducting the 2024 NSECE to learn how recent policy and program changes have affected individuals like you. [FOR CLASSROOM STAFF MEMBERS SELECTED TO RECEIVE PRE-PAID TOKEN: We have enclosed a token of appreciation to thank you in advance for your cooperation.]

Please complete the online questionnaire at [SURVEY URL] or scan the QR code access the website.

To access your questionnaire, you will need to enter your unique PIN: [PIN]

To thank you for your participation, you will receive a $10 token of appreciation for completing the questionnaire. An administrator or other leader at your facility has already contributed valuable information to this study. You were randomly selected to participate in order to better understand the experiences of classrooms at your center. Furthermore, your responses will inform how the wide variety of public funds are spent to help support early care and education and related services.

NORC at the University of Chicago is conducting this study on behalf of the Administration for Children and Families, of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Participation is voluntary. The questionnaire will take about 20 minutes, and your responses will be kept private. You have the option to skip any question or end the questionnaire at any time. If you have questions or need help to get started, please call [PLACEHOLDER] or email nsece24prov@norc.org.

Individuals like you play a critical role in caring for our nation’s children. It is important for us to hear from every selected person to get a complete picture of early care and education services in your area.

We need your help to make this study a success!

Thank you,

A. Rupa Datta, Ph.D.

­­2024 NSECE Project Director

NORC at the University of Chicago

Para español por favor llámenos al [PLACEHOLDER]

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number for this information collection is [PLACEHOLDER] and the expiration date is [PLACEHOLDER]. Please send comments regarding the time required for this survey or any other aspect of the described information collection to: NORC at the University of Chicago, 55 E Monroe St, Ste 3000, Chicago, IL, 60603, Attention: A. Rupa Datta

Workforce (Classroom Staff) Survey Initial Mailing Series - Thank you/Reminder Postcard: Second contact with sampled classroom staff encouraging them to complete the Workforce Survey. This mailing occurs one week after the first contact attempt.

You’re Invited!

Dear [FNAME] [LNAME]/Classroom Teacher,

We recently sent you a letter asking you to complete a questionnaire about how we care for children in the United States. Your response will help the Administration for Children and Families, of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and other early childhood stakeholders understand how recent policy and program changes have affected individuals like your who work directly with children in the classroom.

The questionnaire will take about 20 minutes. To thank you for your participation, you will receive a $10 token of appreciation for completing the questionnaire.

If you have already completed this questionnaire, thank you! If not, we ask you complete it as soon as possible. You can access the questionnaire by typing the secure URL into the browser of any computer or mobile device and entering your PIN.

If you have any questions, please contact us at nsece24prov@norc.org or [PLACEHOLDER].

Thank you!

Thank you for helping [state] kids!

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number for this information collection is [PLACEHOLDER] and the expiration date is [PLACEHOLDER]. Please send comments regarding the time required for this survey or any other aspect of the described information collection to: NORC at the University of Chicago, 55 E Monroe St, Ste 3000, Chicago, IL, 60603, Attention: A. Rupa Datta

Para español por favor llámenos al [PLACEHOLDER]

Complete the survey in three easy steps!

1. Visit our us at: [SURVEY URL] or scan the QR code access the website.

2. Enter your pin [Scratch off]

3. Complete the questionnaire

Workforce (Classroom Staff) Survey Initial Mailing Series - Non-Response Follow-up Contact: -Third contact with sampled classroom staff who have not completed the Workforce Survey. This mailing occurs approximately two weeks after the second contact attempt.

Dear [FNAME] [LNAME]/Classroom Teacher,

We have been trying to reach you about participating in the 2024 National Survey of Early Care and Education. This study will help expand upon the previous rounds of data collection conducted in 2012, 2019, and during the COVID-19 pandemic. These studies have helped to highlight what a critical role individuals like you play in families’ lives and the economy. We need reliable and accurate information collected from individuals like you to help support the improvement of early care and education across the nation.

To contribute to this effort, please take 20 minutes to complete this questionnaire. To thank you for your participation, you will receive a $10 token of appreciation for completing the questionnaire.

Please complete the online questionnaire at [SURVEY URL] or scan the QR code access the website.

To access your questionnaire, you will need to enter your unique PIN: [PIN]

If you have any questions or need assistance, please call [PLACEHOLDER] or email nsece24prov@norc.org. A professional interviewer will be contacting you in the near future regarding your participation.

Individuals like you play a critical role in caring for our nation’s children. It is important for us to hear from every selected person to get a complete picture of early care and education services in your area.

We need your help to make this study a success. Your experiences are unique and you cannot be replaced by anyone else.

Thank you,

A. Rupa Datta, Ph.D.

­­2024 NSECE Project Director

NORC at the University of Chicago

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number for this information collection is [PLACEHOLDER] and the expiration date is [PLACEHOLDER]. Please send comments regarding the time required for this survey or any other aspect of the described information collection to: NORC at the University of Chicago, 55 E Monroe St, Ste 3000, Chicago, IL, 60603, Attention: A. Rupa Datta

Para español por favor llámenos al [PLACEHOLDER]

Workforce (Classroom Staff) Survey Access Email - Email text included in the NSECE Case Management System. Field interviewers will send email to sampled classroom staff as needed to share survey access information.

Dear Classroom Teacher/[FNAME] [LNAME],

Thank you for your assistance with the 2024 National Survey of Early Care and Education (NSECE). An administrator or other leader at your facility has already contributed valuable information to this study. In order to better understand the experiences of classroom staff, you were randomly selected to participate in this study as well. Your participation will help local agencies better understand the experience of child care workers and offer opportunities for them to improve their knowledge and skills.

To access the web questionnaire, please type the URL into any computer or mobile device's web browser and enter the unique PIN:

Please complete the online questionnaire at [SURVEY URL] or scan the QR code access the website.

To access your questionnaire, you will need to enter your unique PIN: [PIN]

NORC at the University of Chicago is conducting this study on behalf of the Administration for Children and Families, of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Your participation is voluntary. The questionnaire will take about 20 minutes, and your responses will be kept private. You have the option to skip any question or end the questionnaire at any time. If you have questions, please call us toll free at [PLACEHOLDER] or email nsece24prov@norc.org.

Individuals like you play a critical role in caring for our nation’s children. It is important for us to hear from every selected person to get a complete picture of early care and education services in your area.

We need your help to make this study a success.

Thank you,

A. Rupa Datta, Ph.D.

2024 NSECE Project Director

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number for this information collection is 0970-0391 and the expiration date is [PLACEHOLDER - MM/DD/YEAR]. Please send comments regarding the time required for this survey or any other aspect of the described information collection to: NORC at the University of Chicago, 55 E Monroe St, Ste 3000, Chicago, IL, 60603, Attention: A. Rupa Datta

Para español por favor llámenos al [PLACEHOLDER]

Workforce (Classroom Staff) Prompting Email - Email text for non-response prompts to sampled classroom staff.

Dear Classroom Teacher/[FNAME] [LNAME],

We have been trying to reach you about participating in the 2024 National Survey of Early Care and Education (NSECE). We need reliable and accurate information to provide effective support for early care and education and individuals like you who work directly with children.

You represent many other early care and education teachers and aides across the nation and cannot be replaced by someone else. Your response will inform efforts to support other classroom staff. We hope you choose to participate.

To contribute to this effort, please take 20 minutes to complete the 2024 NSECE questionnaire.

You will receive a $10 token of appreciation for taking the time to answer the survey questions.

Please complete the online questionnaire at [SURVEY URL] or scan the QR code access the website.

To access your questionnaire, you will need to enter your unique PIN: [PIN]

NORC at the University of Chicago is conducting this study on behalf of the Administration for Children and Families, of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Your participation is voluntary, and your responses will be kept private. You have the option to skip any question or end the questionnaire at any time. If you have questions, please call us toll-free at [ PLACEHOLDER] or email nsece24prov@norc.org.

Sincerely,

A. Rupa Datta, Ph.D.

2024 NSECE Project Director

NORC at the University of Chicago

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number for this information collection is 0970-0391 and the expiration date is [PLACEHOLDER - MM/DD/YEAR]. Please send comments regarding the time required for this survey or any other aspect of the described information collection to: NORC at the University of Chicago, 55 E Monroe St, Ste 3000, Chicago, IL, 60603, Attention: A. Rupa Datta

Para español por favor llámenos al [PLACEHOLDER]

Workforce (Classroom Staff) Break-off Email - Email text for prompts to sampled classroom staff that began the questionnaire but did not finish.

Dear Classroom Teacher/[FNAME] [LNAME],

We need your help!

Thank you for your interest in the 2024 National Survey of Early Care and Education (NSECE) study. Please take a few minutes today to finish your questionnaire and receive your $10 token of appreciation for participating.

We know that you’re busy, but your participation will provide reliable and accurate information that will provide effective support for early care and education and individuals like you who work directly with children.

Please complete the online questionnaire at [SURVEY URL] or scan the QR code access the website.

To access your questionnaire, you will need to enter your unique PIN: [PIN]

Your complete response will help ensure that the results of this study are valid and accurate. If you experienced technical difficulties that prevented you from completing the questionnaire, let us know by replying to this message or calling toll-free at [PLACEHOLDER]. We will resolve the issue right away.

We need your help to make this study a success!

Thank you,

A. Rupa Datta, Ph.D.

2024 NSECE Project Director

NORC at the University of Chicago

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number for this information collection is 0970-0391 and the expiration date is [PLACEHOLDER - MM/DD/YEAR]. Please send comments regarding the time required for this survey or any other aspect of the described information collection to: NORC at the University of Chicago, 55 E Monroe St, Ste 3000, Chicago, IL, 60603, Attention: A. Rupa Datta

Para español por favor llámenos al [PLACEHOLDER]

Workforce (Classroom Staff) Text Messages – Cell phone text for prompts to sampled classroom staff.

Initial Invite: 2024 National Survey of Early Care and Education: Thanks for agreeing to receive text reminders. To participate, visit [LINK] and enter [PIN]. Learn more at http://nsece.norc.org. Questions? Contact NORC at [PLACEHOLDER] or [PLACEHOLDER]. Reply STOP to opt-out of texts.

Follow up: Complete the 2024 NSECE today! To participate, visit [LINK] and enter [PIN]. Learn more at http://nsece.norc.org. Questions? Contact NORC at [PLACEHOLDER] or [PLACEHOLDER]. Reply STOP to opt-out of texts.

Follow up: Make a difference and receive $10! Complete the 2024 National Survey of Early Care and Education today. Learn more at http://nsece.norc.org. Contact NORC at the at [PLACEHOLDER] or [PLACEHOLDER] to schedule a time to complete your questionnaire. Reply STOP to opt-out of texts.

Workforce (Classroom Staff) Survey Thank You Contact – Sent to classroom staff respondents after completion of the interview to thank them for participation and provide the honorarium. This may be sent by mail or email as needed.

Subject [FOR EMAIL]: Thank You from the NSECE – Code Enclosed

Dear Classroom Teacher/[FNAME] [LNAME],

We are writing to thank you for your recent participation in the 2024 National Survey of Early Care and Education. The survey you completed will provide important information about how recent policy and program changes have affected individuals like you who work directly with children in the classroom.

In appreciation for the time and effort spent answering our questions, we have enclosed a $10 token of appreciation.

If you have any additional questions, you may contact us toll-free at [PLACEHOLDER] or by email at nsece24prov@norc.org.

Thank you again for your help with this important research.

The NSECE Study Team

Workforce (Classroom Staff) Brochure Text: As needed – Available for any sampled classroom staff to provide a general study overview, explain benefits of participation, answer questions, and serve as a refusal conversion tool.

BROCHURE EXTERIOR

LEFT PANEL

Why was I selected?

The center where you work was selected for our study from a list of providers based on geographic and program criteria. An administrator or other leader at your facility has already provided us with valuable information. You have been randomly selected from a list of classroom staff to help us better understand the experiences of individuals working with children. It is important for us to hear from you to get a complete picture of early care and education (ECE) classroom staff. You represent many other providers across the nation.

Your participation will help to ensure that policy makers, practitioners, and parents have an accurate understanding of our nation’s early care and education landscape.

Will my responses be private?

All the information that you and others share will be used for statistical purposes only. The identities of programs and individuals will not be disclosed except as required by law. All project staff who handle information collected for the study must sign a privacy agreement that provides for criminal and civil penalties if privacy is not kept.

The National Survey of Early Care and Education (NSECE) has also obtained a federal Certificate of Confidentiality from the Administration for Children and Families, of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in order to further protect your privacy. With this Certificate, NORC cannot be forced (for example by court order or subpoena) to disclose information that may identify you in any federal, state, local, civil, criminal, legislative, administrative, or other proceedings.

BROCHURE EXTERIOR

CENTER PANEL

How can I participate?

Participating in the NSECE is easy. The survey will take about 20 minutes to complete. In an effort to make this as convenient for you as possible, NORC offers multiple ways for you to complete your survey. Contact us at [EMAIL] or at [PHONE] and we will find the best option to suit your schedule.

What questions this study will help to answer?

Who is caring for and teaching America’s children when they are not with their parents?

• How do teachers plan activities for the children in their care?

• What opportunities are available for classroom staff to build knowledge and skills?

• How can we better support the early care and education workforce and help them improve the care they provide children?

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number for this information collection is [PLACEHOLDER] and the expiration date is [PLACEHOLDER]. Please send comments regarding the time required for this survey or any other aspect of the described information collection to: NORC at the University of Chicago, 55 E Monroe St, Ste 3000, Chicago, IL, 60603, Attention: A. Rupa Datta

Questions about NSECE? [PHONE]

Para español por favor llámenos al [PLACEHOLDER]

BROCHURE EXTERIOR

RIGHT PANEL

[Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children & Families LOGO]

BROCHURE INTERIOR

LEFT PANEL

What is the NSECE?

The National Survey of Early Care and Education (NSECE) is sponsored by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation within the Administration for Children and Families, and conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago.

In 2019 the NSECE team collected vital information from home-based and center-based providers including individuals working directly with children in the classroom to paint a national picture of ECE services. This much-needed information helped inform funding decisions and other initiatives designed to improve early care and education across the country. In January 2024, we will be contacting over 16,000 centers to collect updated information to learn how the ECE landscape has changed since that time and how public agencies might better support ECE teachers, aides, and classroom assistants.

What is the Administration for Children and Families?

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that administers Head Start and the Child Care and Development Fund (which funds child care subsidy) programs, and sponsors ECE research. ACF helps more children in low-income families access high-quality care and supports coordination efforts across multiple early childhood development programs throughout HHS and across the federal government. Through its direct work and in coordination with others, ACF supports efforts to build professional development systems and workforce initiatives to help ECE professionals pursue better training and higher education, moving up career ladders to higher compensation. The NSECE will assist ACF in its overall mission to improve the availability of high-quality ECE programs.

BROCHURE INTERIOR

CENTER PANEL

Why is the NSECE so important?

In 2012 the NSECE provided the first national profile of individuals working directly with children in the classroom, describing who they are, their qualifications, their compensation, and what motivates them to do this work. In 2019, we collected new information to update this profile. Both of these efforts highlighted the critical role teachers, aides, and assistants play in ECE services and the professional challenges they face. They have helped agencies understand the kind of support classroom staff need in order to increase the quality of care offered and informed initiatives to better support the ECE workforce, from professional development programs to improved pay and benefits.

Since 2019, new legislation, funding opportunities, and program standards have been introduced in an effort to better support center-based providers and make quality care more accessible to all families. The COVID-19 pandemic also affected the provision of ECE. As a result, it is critically important that we collect updated information from you so we can examine what impact these changes have had on ECE services in general and on those working with children in the classroom in particular.

Who are you surveying?

This study focuses on early care and education providers and workforce, as well as the working families they support. We will implement four integrated surveys of:

1. Centers, schools, and other programs: The survey will sample all types of organizational providers including license-exempt providers, Head Start and providers in school-based settings, and for-profit and non-profit community-based pre-school providers.

2. Classroom staff: Teachers, assistant teachers, or aides working in early care and education ECE classrooms will be selected to provide information about their professional experiences and classroom activities.

3. Providers of home-based care: Individuals who provide care for children under age 13 (who are not their own) in a home-based setting will be surveyed.
   Families with children: Parents or guardians of children under age 13 will be interviewed to learn more about their early care and education use and needs.

BROCHURE INTERIOR

RIGHT PANEL

Why should I participate?
Your survey responses will be combined with others to produce a rich data source that has the potential to benefit federal, state, and local or community-level child care policies. The data collected from this survey will be used to:

• Create a comprehensive description of the range of individuals working directly with children in the classroom, describing who they are, their qualifications, their compensation, and what motivates them to look after children.

• Help develop initiatives to support caregivers through such things as educational assistance, training, and improved pay and benefits.

• Better understand the experiences of the early care and education workforce and offer opportunities for them to improve their knowledge and skills.

Workforce (Classroom Staff) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): This document provides responses to the most frequently asked questions from classroom staff. These FAQs are used by field interviewers to answer questions and are included in mail and email contacts.

What is the NSECE?

The National Survey of Early Care and Education is the only study aimed at better understanding the people and programs throughout the country that take care of America’s children and the services that they provide. The study was first conducted in 2012 and again in 2019. We are now collecting new information to help understand how the early care and education landscape has changed since then.

Who is NORC at the University of Chicago?

NORC at the University of Chicago (NORC) is conducting this study. NORC is an independent, non-partisan research institution that helps federal agencies, decision-makers, and nonprofits make better decisions through data and analysis. For more information about us, please visit www.norc.org.

Who sponsors the study?

The NSECE is sponsored by the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children & Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Administration for Children & Families administers the Head Start program, federally-funded child care subsidies, and a variety of other programs to help regulate and improve child care across the country.

How can I learn more about the NSECE and how the 2012 and 2019 survey data has been used?

More information about the 2012 and 2019 NSECE data and findings can be found at: http://nsece.norc.org.

How was I selected for this survey?

The administrator or other leader at your facility completed a similar survey geared towards administrators, which included listing out classroom staff at the facility. You have been selected from this list. We need to hear from you as you represent other staff at your facility and at similar child care centers across the country. You cannot be replaced by someone else.

How long does the survey take?

The survey takes about 20 minutes to complete.

What kinds of questions this study will help to answer?

• Who is caring for and teaching America’s children when they are not with their parents?

• What are their characteristics and background

• How can policies better support the early care and education workforce?

What kinds of questions will you ask me?

The survey asks questions about the classroom you usually work in and your personal experiences with providing care, including:

• The type of activities and people present in the classroom

• Your education and training in child care

• Your thoughts about different aspects of child care

How do I know my information will be kept safe and private?

Answers that could identify you or your program in any way are separated from your other responses. Survey findings are put into summary reports that contain no names or other identifying information. Your name or any identifying information will never be released to the public. This study also has a Federal Certificate of Confidentiality from the government which protects researchers and other staff from being forced to release information that could be used to identify participants in court proceedings. The administrator at your facility will not be able to see your survey responses.

How do you protect my answers?

We use computing systems, staff training, and strict data access requirements to protect your identity and keep your responses private.

• Questionnaire responses and respondent identifying information are stored on a secure server with restricted access.

• Only authorized personnel associated with the study will have access to questionnaire responses and respondent identifying information. This access is granted on a need-to-know basis. When this information is no longer needed, then access is shut off.

• NORC computing systems use two factor authentication. NORC staff must change their passwords on a regular basis to comply with security requirements.

• All NORC staff must pass annual trainings on data security and privacy.

• All NORC staff, including interviewers, must sign a pledge to protect your information. If this pledge is broken an employee can lose his/her job and face legal action.

All information that you provide will be kept private to the fullest extent provided by the law. If you have questions about your rights as a study participant, you may call the NORC Institutional Review Board Administrator at 1-877-309-0542.

How do I know this is legitimate?

NSECE has a variety of resources available to verify the legitimacy of the study.

1. Visit us online at http://nsece.norc.org or at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/project/national-survey-early-care-and-education-2024.

2. The U.S. Office of Management and Budget has approved this survey ([PLACEHOLDER]). Without this number we could not conduct this survey.

3. Interviewers visiting in-person will have an NORC badge with a hologram on the back.

4. Anyone may visit the web page below where the option ‘How to Identify NORC Interviewers’ allows them to type in the NORC interviewer’s ID number to see a photograph of the interviewer: http://www.norc.org/WorkingWithNORC/Pages/survey-participants.aspx.

Participation is voluntary. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number for this information collection is [PLACEHOLDER] and the expiration date is [PLACEHOLDER]. Please send comments regarding the time required for this survey or any other aspect of the described information collection to: NORC at the University of Chicago, 55 E Monroe St, Ste 3000, Chicago, IL, 60603, Attention: A. Rupa Datta

If you have any other questions, call us toll-free [PLACEHOLDER] or email us at nsece24prov@norc.org

Para español por favor llámenos al [PLACEHOLDER]

Workforce (Classroom Staff) Talking Points: We expect that some participants will require several contacts before they complete the questionnaire. The talking points below allow us to provide respondents with additional information about the study and communicate the importance of their participation. We may use the text below to create emails and letters to prompt sampled workforce members to participate in the study or to address reasons for refusal. Interviewers may also use these talking points in conversations with sampled workforce members to address respondent concerns or provide motivation to complete the questionnaire.

The 2024 National Survey of Early Care and Education will be used to:

• Create a comprehensive description of the range of individuals working directly with children in the classroom, describing who they are, their qualifications, their compensation, and what motivates them to look after children.

• Help develop initiatives to support caregivers through such things as educational assistance, training, and improved pay and benefits.

• Better understand the experiences of the early care and education workforce and offer opportunities for them to improve their knowledge and skills.

Text explaining why NSECE is important to the early care and education in general and workforce members in particular

• In 2012 the National Survey of Early Care and Education (NSECE) created the first national profile of individuals who work in the classroom directly with children. Before this effort, there had been comprehensive understanding of the characteristics and experiences of individuals working with children in the classroom.

• The 2012 NSECE provided the first national picture of individuals working directly with children in early care and education settings describing who they are, their qualifications, their compensation, and what motivates them to do this work. This highlighted the critical role of teachers and caregivers in early care and education and what kinds of challenges they face in their jobs.

• This study is unique. The NSECE collects information from families, early care and education providers, and classroom staff in the same community so that we can understand what early care and education options are available to families in particular areas and who is providing that care. While the NSECE is able to look at communities one by one, it also allows us to situate communities within a larger national context.

• The NSECE serves as a valuable resource for organizations like the Administration for Children and Families (ACF). They rely on information collected from teachers and aides like you to understand how current programs are helping classroom staff and what is needed to strengthen support for early care and education across the nation.

• The NSECE has served as a valuable resource for policy makers and public agencies. We last talked with teachers and aides in 2020 and 2021 in an effort to learn how well pandemic relief and assistance programs were helping individuals working with children in the classroom.

• The NSECE has helped clarify the kind of support classroom staff need in order to increase the quality of care offered. This has informed initiatives to better support teachers and aides, from professional development programs to improved pay and benefits.

Participation in the study brings many benefits for early care and education, families, communities, etc.” study for many reasons:

• Your responses will be combined with others to create a rich data source that has the potential to benefit federal, state, and community-level child care policies.

• Your responses will help create a comprehensive description of the range of individuals working directly with children in the classroom. This will help describe who our child care workers are, their qualifications, their compensation, and what motivates them to look after and teach children.

• Your responses will help inform initiatives and policies to support child care workers through things like educational assistance, trainings, and improved pay and benefits.

• Your responses will improve support for the early care and education workforce and help them improve the care they provide children.

• The NSECE contributes to improving children’s readiness to learn in school. Policymakers and researchers know that high-quality early childhood experiences dramatically increase children’s readiness to learn in elementary school, but little is known about how programs vary in terms of their instructional staff, the support offered to them, and the activities in the classroom. NSECE results will help communities invest private and public resources wisely so that children’s access to quality programs and overall quality of care can be improved.

• The NSECE is the only nationwide study aimed at better understanding the people and programs that take care of America’s children and the services that they provide.

• Your responses will help shape initiatives to better support caregivers through such things as educational assistance, training, and improved pay and benefits.

• Your responses will contribute to a greater understanding of the challenges facing the ECE workforce and how to help solve them.

• Your responses will be combined with others to help show what challenges teachers and aides face when working to provide a safe and nurturing learning environment for children in their care.

• The NSECE has shown that the majority of preschool age children are cared for by someone other than their parents.

• The NSECE collected detailed information on the conditions in which classroom staff were working since the start of pandemic between 2020 and 2022.

Reasons why we need to hear the sampled workforce member (and not someone else): Sometimes sampled classroom staff say they are too busy to participate and tell us to talk to someone else who works at the center. The items below may be used as a response to these kinds of refusals.

• You were selected through a scientific sampling. Because you represent so many others, you cannot be replaced.

• The center where you work was selected from a list of child care providers in your area. An administrator or leader at your workplace has already contributed valuable information to this study. In order to get a full picture, we want to hear from individuals who are working directly with children in the classrooms. You have been randomly selected from a list of classroom staff to participate and cannot be replaced by someone else.

• It is very important for us to hear from each individual selected so that we may get a complete picture of early care and education from classroom staff. Your voice represents many others like you across the nation.

• Your participation is critical. We need to hear from as many classroom staff selected for this study as possible to ensure that the results of the study are accurate and reliable.

• The NSECE is interested in talking to staff at all levels in centers, even if they are part time, only assist with certain activities, or even are temporary employees. Each person has different viewpoints that will be important to understanding early care and education. Our scientific selection process ensures that nationwide, we will talk with a wide range of staff at all levels.

Responses to concerns about privacy: We expect that some workforce respondents may have privacy concerns about participation. The following talking points will be used by field interviewers to communicate with respondents to address those concerns. The talking points will also be included in ad hoc refusal conversion or prompting contacts.

We understand that you may have concerns about sharing information about yourself. We want to reassure you that all information you provide is kept private, and your answers and identity are protected. Here are just a few of the many steps we take to protect your information:

• Your name is never kept with your survey answers so no one can know how you responded. Likewise, your individual responses will not be shared with any other childcare organizations. Survey findings are put into summary reports that contain no names or other information that identifies you or the organization where you work.

• All NSECE staff who handle the information collected for the study must sign an agreement that provides for criminal and civil penalties if privacy is breached.

• The NSECE has a federal Certificate of Confidentiality that helps us further protect the privacy of our participants. With this Certificate, we cannot be forced (for example by court order or subpoena) to disclose information that may identify you in any federal, state, local, civil, criminal, legislative, administrative, or other proceedings.

• The U.S Department of Health and Human Services that funds the study does not have any way to identify you from your answers.

• We do not sell or provide your name to any mailing lists, organizations, or public agencies.

• The tablets used by the field interviewers have several levels of security. Once you give us your information, it is encrypted and then sent by a secure connection to our data bank, which is also protected by multiple layers of security.

• Your survey responses are not shared with the people who run the center where you work or any other administrative staff.

General

• We understand that you are busy, and our interviewers are willing to do whatever is necessary to reduce the burden of this interview on you. We are able to conduct the interview over the phone and can do it in several shorter sessions instead of all at once if this suits your schedule better.

• We know you are busy, but the best way to understand how to assist classroom staff is to go to people like you who work directly with children. Access to child care is an essential ingredient for healthy communities and supporting families. We need your help to learn what is needed most as we work to provide reliable data for policy makers trying to improve resources for early care and education.

• The last two decades have seen a tremendous expansion in the availability and use of programs for children not yet in kindergarten. That expansion has been based on compelling research evidence that birth to age five is a critical time for children’s development. By looking closer at individual classrooms and the staff working in them, the 2024 NSECE offers a significant opportunity to continue to build on that knowledge about children’s experiences.

• We are asking individuals to complete this questionnaire to help learn about how recent policy initiatives and changes in early care and education have impacted individuals working with children in the classroom. Many states collect information to learn what services are available to families locally. This study will be used to update the national profile created by the NSECE in 2019 and shed light on how classroom staff have been affected overall across the nation. This profile will serve as a valuable resource for public agencies and policy makers who are trying to help support the people who care for and educate young children.

Text for sharing letters of support and other communications

• ACF has funded the NSECE since 2012. The NSECE study data has been a critical resource for ACF as they have worked to improve the well-being of children, families, and communities. They asked the NSECE to collect updated information in 2024 to help them understand how the early care and education landscape has changed in the past five years.

• ACF is one of the largest sources of public support for early and school age care in our country. You can access the letter from ACF through [PLACEHOLDER].

• The NSECE is so important that [PLACEHOLDER ORG NAME] has written a letter of support that we would like to share with you.

• We wanted to take a minute to share some exciting news with you about the National Survey of Early Care and Education. This month the NSECE released a publication about individuals who work with children in the classroom from the [2019 survey/NSECE COVID Longitudinal Follow-up Study]: [include title]. (Click the link to view the publication) This [PLACEHOLDER] provides an overview of [DESCRIPTION OF CONTENT]. Before the NSECE began in 2012, there had been no national source of information on early care and education in more than 20 years. Thank you for making this important effort a success!