School Pulse Panel: Surveying high-priority, education-related topics

What is the School Pulse Panel?

The School Pulse Panel (SPP) provides a monthly sample survey of vital information in public K-12 schools in the United States. The SPP is now in its fifth school year of surveying K-12 public schools on high-priority, education-related topics. SPP collects timely information that has relevance for federal policymakers, stakeholders within the U.S. Department of Education, public school leaders across the country, and the general public.

How is the School Pulse Panel different from other education surveys?

The School Pulse Panel (SPP) is unique within NCES and is a Federal Statistical Rapid Response Survey. Rapid Response Surveys are fielded quickly and frequently. While surveys like the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and the National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS) produce benchmark statistics critical to monitoring progress over time, they are not designed to capture the rapid pace at which schools adapt to new or emerging challenges. The SPP can be adapted to collect information as data needs arise. By getting data quickly to federal policymakers, stakeholders within the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. public school leaders, and the general public, the SPP is accelerating dissemination of public education information in the U.S.

SPP releases experimental data products, NCES's innovative approach to delivering timely information. Experimental data products are innovative statistical tools created using new data sources or methodologies. Experimental data may not meet all of NCES's quality standards but are of sufficient benefit to data users in the absence of other relevant products to justify release.

How many schools were surveyed and what is the sample size of the School Pulse Panel?

The School Pulse Panel (SPP) provides a Source and Accuracy Statement (see Methodology) for each month of data collection. The number of schools sampled and the count of schools that responded are included in each monthly report.

Where can I find questions asked in previous School Pulse Panel surveys?

The School Pulse Panel (SPP) provides questionnaires (see Methodology) for each month of data collection.

Where can I find the results?

The results from past School Pulse Panel data collections are available in Interactive Results.

Why are some School Pulse Panel results suppressed?

By federal law, NCES is required to protect the responses of all schools included in the School Pulse Panel (SPP) survey. Thus, the NCES takes steps to protect respondent's privacy. Specifically, small data values are suppressed in some circumstances. Suppression is a method used to prevent revealing information that may identify specific schools. Estimates and corresponding standard errors are not released when select criteria are not met. Each data download includes an “About” tab that explains the differences between suppressed and unreliable estimates and provides additional details specific to that data release.

Other questions?

If you are a school that was contacted about participating in SPP and have questions about your participation, contact the U.S. Census Bureau at 1-844-868-3661 or via email at [email protected]. The U.S. Census Bureau collects data on behalf of NCES.

For all other questions about SPP, please email [email protected].