Appendix A.2. Fast Response Survey System

The Fast Response Survey System (FRSS) was established in 1975 to collect issue-oriented data quickly, with a minimal burden on respondents. The FRSS, whose surveys collect and report data on key education issues at the elementary and secondary levels, was designed to meet the data needs of Department of Education analysts, planners, and decisionmakers when information could not be collected quickly through NCES's large recurring surveys. Findings from FRSS surveys have been included in congressional reports, testimony to congressional subcommittees, NCES reports, and other Department of Education reports. The findings are also often used by state and local education officials.

Data collected through FRSS surveys are representative at the national level, drawing from a universe that is appropriate for each study. The FRSS collects data from state education agencies and national samples of other educational organizations and participants, including local education agencies, public and private elementary and secondary schools, elementary and secondary school teachers and principals, and public libraries and school libraries. To ensure a minimal burden on respondents, the surveys are generally limited to three pages of questions, with a response burden of about 30 minutes per respondent. Sample sizes are relatively small (usually about 1,000 to 1,500 respondents per survey) so that data collection can be completed quickly.

Further information on the FRSS may be obtained from

Jared Coopersmith
Early Childhood, International, and Crosscutting Studies Division
Data Development Program
National Center for Education Statistics
1990 K Street NW
Washington, DC 20006
/surveys/frss/

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Condition of America's Public School Facilities: 1999

This report (NCES 2000-032) provides national data about the condition of public schools in 1999 based on a survey conducted by NCES using its Fast Response Survey System (FRSS). Specifically, this report provides information about the condition of school facilities and the costs of bringing them into good condition; school plans for repairs, renovations, and replacements; the age of public schools; and overcrowding and practices used to address overcrowding. The results presented in this report are based on questionnaire data for 900 public elementary and secondary schools in the United States. The responses were weighted to produce national estimates that represent all regular public schools in the United States.

Further information on the contents of this report may be obtained from

Jared Coopersmith
Early Childhood, International, and Crosscutting Studies Division
Data Development Program
National Center for Education Statistics
1990 K Street NW
Washington, DC 20006
/surveys/frss/

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Public School Principals Report on Their Facilities

This report presents current information on the extent of the match between the enrollment and the capacity of the school buildings, environmental factors that can affect the use of classrooms and school buildings, the extent and ways in which schools use portable buildings and the reasons for using them, the availability of dedicated rooms for particular subject areas (such as science labs or music rooms), and the cleanliness and maintenance of student restrooms.

The survey was mailed to school principals, who were asked to complete it themselves. The sample included 1,205 public schools in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The sample was selected from the 2002–03 Common Core of Data (CCD) Public Elementary/Secondary School Universe File, the most current available at the time of selection. The sampling frame includes approximately 84,500 elementary/secondary schools. Of the 1,205 schools surveyed, 47 were determined to be ineligible. Of the remaining 1,158 schools, responses were received from 1,045. Data have been weighted to yield national estimates of public elementary/secondary schools. The unweighted response rate was 90 percent, and the weighted response rate was 91 percent.

Further information on this survey may be obtained from

Jared Coopersmith
Early Childhood, International, and Crosscutting Studies Division
Data Development Program
National Center for Education Statistics
1990 K Street NW
Washington, DC 20006
/surveys/frss/

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Internet Access in U.S. Public Schools and Classrooms

The Internet Access in U.S. Public Schools and Classrooms survey is part of the NCES Fast Response Survey System (FRSS). It was designed to assess the federal government's commitment to assist every school and classroom in connecting to the Internet by the year 2000. In 1994, NCES began surveying approximately 1,000 public schools each year about their access to the Internet, access in classrooms, and, since 1996, their type of internet connections. Later administrations of this survey were expanded to cover emerging issues. The 2003 survey was designed to update the questions in the 2002 survey and covered the following topics: school connectivity, student access to computers and the Internet, school websites, technologies and procedures to prevent student access to inappropriate websites, and teacher professional development on how to incorporate the Internet into the curriculum.

In 2005, respondents were asked about the number of instructional computers with access to the Internet, the types of internet connections, technologies and procedures used to prevent student access to inappropriate material on the Internet, and the availability of handheld and laptop computers for students and teachers. Respondents also provided information on teacher professional development in integrating the use of the Internet into the curriculum and using the Internet to provide opportunities and information for teaching and learning.

For fall 2008, this technology study was redesigned as the report, "Education Technology in Public School Districts: Fall 2008," and expanded to incorporate surveys at the district, school, and teacher levels. These three surveys provide complementary information and together cover a broader range of topics than would be possible with one survey alone. The set of 2008 surveys collected data on availability and use for a range of educational technology resources, such as district and school networks, computers, devices that enhance the capabilities of computers for instruction, and computer software. They also collected information on leadership and staff support for educational technology within districts and schools.

Further information on internet access in public schools and classrooms may be obtained from

Jared Coopersmith
Early Childhood, International, and Crosscutting Studies Division
Data Development Program
National Center for Education Statistics
1990 K Street NW
Washington, DC 20006
/surveys/frss/