The HSLS:09 project team is grateful for researchers’ interest in analyzing the HSLS:09 dataset. Many users send similar questions about data access and content. This page provides answers to such Frequently Asked Questions and will be updated as additional questions emerge.
Are the HSLS:09 data released yet?
Yes, the baseline data were released in August 2011.
Is there a restricted-use dataset?
Yes, there are both public-use and restricted-use datasets available to data users.
How do the public-use and restricted-use data differ?
The public-use data files reflect alteration or suppression of some of the original data. Such edits minimize the risk of disclosing the identity of responding schools and the individuals within them. The restricted-use data provide school information, most of which had to be suppressed on the public-use dataset, along with more student-level variables with less alteration or suppression.
Which data should I get – public-use or restricted-use?
It depends on your variables of interest! Review the complete list of variables on the EDAT. Then determine from those variables’ frequencies whether any of the values are suppressed, thus requiring you to analyze the restricted-use data. Appendix L in the Data File Documentation compares public-use data with restricted-use data and presents which variables have been altered or suppressed and how: http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/hsls09/pdf/2011328_2.pdf.
How do I get the restricted-use data?
You must apply for a restricted-use data license through the NCES website. To apply for this license, you must swear to adhere to all regulations, rules, guidelines, policies, etc. that govern the use of HSLS:09 restricted-use data.
Whom do I contact for the restricted-use data?
The HSLS:09 project team and project officer are not involved with the restricted-use data license application process. This is a separate department at NCES (iesdata.security@ed.gov).
How long does it take to get a restricted-use data license?
Typically, three weeks, provided there is no problem with your application.
What if my project changes?
Licenses can be amended to obtain additional HSLS:09 restricted-use data or restricted-use data from other NCES surveys.
How can I access the public-use data?
There are multiple ways to receive the public-use data, two of which provide instant gratification and one of which requires a short wait.
You can tag which variables you would like to download from the vast HSLS:09 public-use dataset by using the EDAT, a data analysis tool operated on the NCES website. Agree to the terms of EDAT usage, select HSLS:09 base year when asked, and explore the variables and frequency distributions of the public-use data. Once you choose the variables you wish to download, select in which statistical software package format you would like to download the data, and follow the on-screen directions. The data will be downloaded to your hard drive almost instantaneously.
You can download zip files of the data on the HSLS:09 home page of the NCES website. These zipped files are available in SAS, SPSS, and Stata formats. Again, the data will be downloaded to your hard drive almost instantaneously.
You can request a DVD with the public-use data from Laura LoGerfo, project officer for HSLS:09, at her email address: laura.logerfo@ed.gov. This approach requires a few days’ wait.
I’ve downloaded the data on the EDAT, but it’s not working. Why?
You must edit the syntax file you download for your specific statistical software package to indicate where on your hard drive you want the data to be stored. NCES cannot predict the name of your computer’s hard drive, so we leave that editing to you. You must direct your computer where to load and store the data through revising that syntax file before running it.
This document provides more detailed instructions on using the EDAT to download data:
HSLS EDAT Instructions 
(16 KB)
EDAT instructions for Stata.zip (24 KB)
If you still experience trouble, please contact the HSLS:09 project team. We can help troubleshoot and offer more specific solutions.
So I have the data. Now what?
First, download the Data File Documentation. This documentation provides critical, valuable information for understanding and analyzing the data. The Data File Documentation also includes a codebook with the frequencies for all variables in the public-use dataset. Read through this document to familiarize yourself with the sample, the data structure, the research questions which the variables are designed to address, the potential for addressing other research questions, and so much more.
Then, explore! Examine the frequency distributions of your variables of interest, start running analyses to learn how the variables work together.
What are weights? Should I use them?
Analytic weights are used in combination with software that accounts for HSLS:09’s complex survey design to produce estimates for the target population, with appropriate standard errors. In addition, because of the comparatively low unit response rates for parents and teachers, special student weights—adjusted for parent, mathematics teacher, and science teacher nonresponse—were also produced. Five sets of analytic weights were computed for HSLS:09:
Variance estimation is provided through two means: BRR (Balanced Repeated Replication) provided on both public- and restricted-use files and a Taylor series linearization (available on the restricted-use file). The BRR approach to calculating HSLS:09 standard errors is recommended, although both methods give similar results.
More information is available from the project officer or the HSLS:09 project team at HSLS09@ed.gov.
Why do I get only 21,444 cases when you say the sample includes 24,000 students?
The Basic Documentation has a discussion in the Executive Summary of the process by which we statistically adjust for the fact that 21,444 students responded out of the 24,000 drawn as a representative sample. The documentation also discusses the need to incorporate the weights we provide in the dataset to make that adjustment in your analysis.
