Our survey administration process offers schools flexibility in how they administer the surveys, while also offering the assurance to schools and parents that our administration process protects students’ rights and data. Some highlights of our administration process:
Administration information for NAIS schools
Anonymous surveys
All online surveys are conducted through anonymous links. The only information we collect about students is what students chose to share in their survey responses.
Informed students and parents/guardians
Students and their parents/guardians MUST be informed about HSSSE and MGSSE AT LEAST 3 DAYS prior to administration to ensure that they understand the survey administration process and their rights.
Flexible distribution
Schools have flexibility in how they distribute the anonymous survey link! Common choices include emailing the link to students or posting/displaying it in a common location for students to open.
Voluntary participation
Surveys are completely voluntary. Students can choose to not participate and can withdraw from participating by simply exiting the survey before it completes (incomplete surveys are deleted and not included in reporting).
Overview of the administration process
Our four-step process
Step 1: Register for the Surveys and Prepare to Administer
After our team processes schools’ registrations for HSSSE or MGSSE, schools receive all necessary instructions (see download buttons above), information sheets (see download buttons above), and the anonymous survey links via email. Invoices for survey costs are emailed separately following registration. Schools decide how they want to distribute the anonymous survey link to students.
Step 2: Inform Students, Parents/Guardians, Teachers, and the School Community
To ensure students are protected, schools are REQUIRED to inform all students being invited to participate in HSSSE and MGSSE and their parents/guardians by directly providing or providing access to information sheet provided by our team. Teachers who are administering HSSSE and MGSSE must also be informed about the surveys, how schools have chosen to administer, and what information they must tell students. Our team also recommends sharing with your school community that students have this opportunity to share about their engagement!
Step 3: Students Take HSSSE or MGSSE
Schools can choose during registration whether all students or just some students will be invited to participate in HSSSE or MGSSE (most schools chose to invite all students). Students being invited to take the survey are typically given time in school to complete the survey but we also recommend allowing and telling students that they can complete the survey outside of school.
Step 4: Our Team Analyzes Data and Sends Reports to Schools
Surveys for all schools are closed at the same time at the end of the survey administration timeframe (typically end of May for Spring surveys and mid-December for Fall surveys; see the Administration Timeline for the current administration’s end date). Our team then analyzes students’ survey responses and prepares all reporting materials for schools. Report materials are sent electronically approximately 2-3 months following the end of survey administration (see the Administration Timeline for the anticipated delivery of reports for the current administration)
Questions about HSSSE & MGSSE survey administration? Email our team at hssse@iu.edu.
Institutional Review Board (IRB) approved
Our administration process for HSSSE and MGSSE treats students as research participants and is fully approved by Indiana University’s Institutional Review Board (IRB; Study Number 901000068). IRB approval provides students, parents/guardians, and the school community the assurance that the administration process has been designed to protect students’ rights and protect information that they provide in the surveys.