Followed a cohort of beginning public school teachers initially interviewed as part of the 2007–08 Schools and Staffing Survey through the 2011–12 school year. The study was intended to create an unfolding "story" by following this cohort of first-year teachers for 5 years. Although most teacher surveys provide a momentary "snapshot" of the group they are surveying, this longitudinal survey followed a cohort of teachers over a longer time period. To accomplish this, interviews took place over the course of several years. By collecting data from the same group of teachers over an extended period of time, NCES hoped provide an in-depth examination of the career development of beginning teachers as they continue with teaching or transition into a different career.
