Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS)

The Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS), conducted by NCES in 1987-88, 1990-91, 1993-1994, 1999-2000, and 2003-04, collects data from about 13,000 public and private schools. The SASS contains many different components including school, district, and principal surveys. The principal components asks principals about their view of problems in their schools. This national survey includes questions about the extent to which principals think these are problems at their schools:

• Parental involvement;
• Poverty;
• Parental alcoholism;
• Student apathy and absenteeism; and
• Student alcohol use, drug abuse, and weapons possession.