Main Study 2010/11, Study Number A28/A56/B20

1.1 Target persons: Grade 5 students at regular schools

• Sample: Multistage stratified cluster sampling with the following selection stages: 1. Random sampling of regular schools at lower secondary level. During this stage the regular schools already drawn upon in Starting Cohort 4—Grade 9 are returned to. With the help of a size-proportional random selection, regular schools are selected from this pool for Grade 5. In addition, we draw on schools that teach students in Grade 5, but not Grade 9. 2. Random selection of Grade 5 classes within the selected schools. Two Grade 5 classes are selected per school. 3. All students of the selected classes are invited to participate in the study.

1.2 Target persons: Grade 5 students attending special schools

• Sample: Multistage cluster sampling with the following selection stages: In the first stage, a random sample of special schools is taken. During this process, the special schools already drawn upon in Starting Cohort 4—Grade 9 are returned to. With the help of a simple random selection, special schools are selected from this pool for Grade 5. In the second stage, all students attending Grade 5 at selected schools are invited to participate (= full sample survey of Grade 5).

1.3 Context persons: Parents

• Definition: All parents of the selected students are invited to participate.

1.4 Context persons: Teachers

• Definition: All class, German, and mathematics teachers of the selected students are invited to participate in the study.

1.5 Context persons: School principals

• Definition: All principals of the selected schools are invited to participate.

Field time: Fall/winter 2010

Data collection: IEA DPC – IEA Data Processing and Research Center, Hamburg (responsible for testing and questioning in schools) and infas – Institute for Applied Social Sciences, Bonn (responsible for the parent CATI)

Mde of survey: Written questionnaire for students, teachers, and school principals (PAPI), competence tests for students (PAPI) and computer-assisted telephone interview of the parents (CATI)

Main Study 2011/12, Study Number A29/A57/B21

1.1 Target persons: Grade 6 students at regular schools

• Sample: Panel sample. Follow-up survey and testing of selected students from regular schools of the main study 2010 who were prepared to participate.

1.2 Target persons: Grade 6 students attending special schools

• Sample: Panel sample. Follow-up survey and testing of students from special schools of the main study 2010 who were prepared to participate.

1.3 Context persons: Parents

• Definition: All parents of the selected students who were prepared to participate in the parent CATI in 2011 are invited to a new questionnaire in 2012.

1.4 Context persons: Teachers

• Definition: All class, German, and mathematics teachers of the selected students are invited to participate in the study.

1.5 Context persons: School principals

• Definition: All principals of the selected schools are invited to participate again.

Field time: Winter 2011/2012

Data collection: IEA DPC – IEA Data Processing and Research Center, Hamburg, (responsible for testing and questioning at schools) and infas – Institute for Applied Social Sciences, Bonn (responsible for the parent CATI)

Mode of survey: Written questionnaire for students, teachers, and school principals (PAPI), competence tests for students (PAPI) and computer-assisted telephone interview of the parents (CATI)

Main Study 2012/13, Study Number A30/A30A/A58/B22

1.1 Target persons: Grade 7 students at regular schools

• Sample: Panel sample. Follow-up survey and testing of selected students from regular schools of the main study 2010 who were prepared to participate.

1.2 Target persons: Grade 7 students attending special schools

• Sample: Panel sample. Follow-up survey and testing of students from special schools of the main study 2010 who were prepared to participate.

1.3 Context persons: Parents

• Definition: All parents of the selected students are invited to a new questionnaire.

1.4 Context persons: Teachers

• Definition: All class, German, and mathematics teachers of the selected students are invited to participate in the study.

1.5 Context persons: School principals

• Definition: All principals of the selected schools are invited to participate again.

Field time: November 19, 2012 to January, 18, 2013

Data collection: IEA DPC – IEA Data Processing and Research Center, Hamburg, (responsible for testing and questioning at schools) and infas – Institute for Applied Social Sciences, Bonn (responsible for the parent CATI)

Mode of survey: Written questionnaire for students, teachers, and school principals (PAPI), competence tests for students (PAPI) and computer-assisted telephone interview of the parents (CATI)