NAEP Technical DocumentationDevelopment of Final Student Nonresponse Cells for the 2012 LTT Assessment

Similar to the school nonresponse adjustment, cell and adjustment factor size constraints are in place to prevent unstable nonresponse adjustments or unacceptably large adjustment factors. All initial weighting cells with either fewer than 20 participating students, or adjustment factors greater than 2.0 for the full sample weight, were collapsed with suitable adjacent cells. Simultaneously, all initial weighting cells for any replicate with either fewer than 15 participating students or an adjustment factor greater than the maximum of 2.0 or 1.5 times the full sample nonresponse adjustment factor were collapsed with suitable adjacent cells.

Initial weighting cells were generally collapsed in reverse order of the cell structure; that is, starting at the bottom of the nesting structure and working up toward the top level of the nesting structure. For public schools, race/ethnicity cells within students with disabilities/English language learner (SD/ELL) status and subject, school nonresponse cell, grade, and gender classes were collapsed first. If further collapsing was required, cells were next combined across gender, then grade, and finally school nonresponse cells. Cells for public schools are never collapsed across SD/ELL status and subject. Likewise for private schools, race/ethnicity cells within school nonresponse cell, grade, and gender classes were collapsed first. If further collapsing was required, cells were next combined across gender, then grade, and finally school nonresponse cells.

Last updated 24 September 2014 (JS)

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