NAEP RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

The 2023 NAEP High School Transcript Study Data Training Workshop will take place on June 21-23, 2023, in Arlington, VA. This workshop is for quantitative researchers with strong statistical skills who want to learn to conduct data analysis using National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) High School Transcript Study (HSTS) data. The training is aimed at advanced graduate students, educational researchers at universities or other research organizations, analysts from state and local education agencies, and those interested in analyzing large-scale assessment data. The training will introduce the HSTS and its relationship to the NAEP as well as provide guidance and practice in the data analysis strategies required when using HSTS data.

The training will provide participants with hands-on practice in analyzing 2019 HSTS data files using the R program. During the training, participants will:

• get an overview of the HSTS purpose and schedule, sample design and composition, and HSTS lifecycle;
• be introduced to the relationship between HSTS and NAEP including psychometric models used in NAEP and sampling concepts for NAEP analysts;
• learn about highlights from the 2019 HSTS data;
• get an introduction to 2019 HSTS Restricted-Use data files;
• receive instruction on how to use the NAEP Data Explorer and EdSurvey (an R statistical package) to analyze HSTS data;
• conduct and share statistical analysis projects using HSTS data; and
• learn about funding opportunities for education research.

A draft agenda for the 2023 data training can be found here.

Financial Support

There is no fee to attend. The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) will provide the training materials, computers, software, and data for the hands-on training. NCES will also pay for transportation to Arlington, VA¹, three nights of hotel accommodations, and a fixed per diem for meals and incidental expenses during the training. Accepted applicants are expected to be on time and to attend all sessions; financial support will be dependent on their attending and completing the training.

Please note that individuals employed by a holder of a prime or subcontract under the Education Statistics Services Institutes Network (ESSIN) or NAEP Alliance contracts are ineligible to receive lodging, travel, or per diem reimbursement for this workshop.

¹For international applicants only, financial support for transportation is capped at $500.

Application Process

Qualifications

Applicants should have a solid understanding of basic statistics and some topics in advanced statistics, such as the procedures used to analyze complex survey data. They should have some familiarity with measurement theory, including item response theory.

Please note that R will be used during training activities, so participants are expected to have a basic knowledge of using R to perform statistical analysis.

Timeline

The application period opens April 14 and closes May 14.

Notifications to accepted applicants will be sent no later than May 26.

Application

Evaluation

Applicants will be evaluated on the following criteria:

• Match between their area of research interest and the HSTS (applicants are encouraged to explore the HSTS Research Resources website prior to developing their area of research interest statement);
• Potential for both applicant and the HSTS special study to benefit from the applicant's participation; and
• Knowledge and skills in statistical analyses, including familiarity with R.