SAC Data Analysis & Reporting 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under FERPA, a student assistance counselor may share student data with which party WITHOUT parental consent?
- A local newspaper publishing a district report
- School officials with a legitimate educational interest (Correct answer)
- Community mental health agencies conducting research
- Employers requesting student background information
Correct answer: School officials with a legitimate educational interest
FERPA permits disclosure to school officials who have a legitimate educational interest in the records without requiring parental consent.
Question 2: A counselor conducting a universal screening for substance use risk should FIRST ensure which of the following?
- The screening tool has been validated for the student population being assessed (Correct answer)
- All parents have completed written consent forms before any data is collected
- The screening is administered only to students referred by teachers
- Results are shared with law enforcement if any risk is identified
Correct answer: The screening tool has been validated for the student population being assessed
Using a validated, psychometrically sound screening tool is essential to ensure the data collected is reliable and appropriate for the specific population.
Question 3: Which data collection method is MOST appropriate for gathering information about student perceptions of school climate?
- Reviewing attendance and discipline records
- Analyzing standardized test score trends
- Administering anonymous student surveys (Correct answer)
- Examining teacher observation logs
Correct answer: Administering anonymous student surveys
Anonymous surveys allow students to report their perceptions honestly without fear of identification or retaliation, making them ideal for climate data.
Question 4: When disaggregating data by subgroup, a counselor discovers that one demographic group shows significantly higher substance use rates. The BEST next step is to:
- Increase random drug testing for students in that demographic group
- Investigate risk and protective factors specific to that subgroup before intervening (Correct answer)
- Report the finding immediately to local media to raise community awareness
- Assume the screening instrument was biased and discard the data
Correct answer: Investigate risk and protective factors specific to that subgroup before intervening
Disaggregated findings should prompt deeper inquiry into contextual risk and protective factors before designing targeted, equitable interventions.
Question 5: Which type of data is considered QUALITATIVE in a student assistance program evaluation?
- Number of students who completed a prevention curriculum
- Focus group transcripts describing student experiences (Correct answer)
- Percentage of students who passed a post-test
- Attendance rates before and after an intervention
Correct answer: Focus group transcripts describing student experiences
Qualitative data consists of non-numerical information such as narratives, interviews, and focus group transcripts that capture depth of experience.
Question 6: A student assistance counselor wants to assess NEEDS before designing a new prevention program. The MOST comprehensive approach would be to:
- Rely solely on referral counts from teachers
- Use a single annual survey administered to all students
- Triangulate data from surveys, existing records, and stakeholder interviews (Correct answer)
- Adopt a program used by a neighboring district without local data review
Correct answer: Triangulate data from surveys, existing records, and stakeholder interviews
Triangulation—using multiple data sources—provides the most comprehensive and valid picture of student needs for program planning.
Question 7: In data reporting, 'dosage' refers to:
- The amount of medication prescribed to students in a health intervention
- The frequency and duration of a student's participation in a program or service (Correct answer)
- The severity level of a student's identified risk factors
- The number of staff members delivering an intervention
Correct answer: The frequency and duration of a student's participation in a program or service
Dosage in program evaluation refers to how much of an intervention a participant received, including the number of sessions and total time.
SAC Data Analysis & Reporting 2
Under FERPA, a student assistance counselor may share student data with which party WITHOUT parental consent?