A couple notes on the numbers, which I might have muddled a bit as I was rambling through that timeline. The summer ‘05 pilot involved only two students. Eight is actually the number of interviewees in the current (non-pilot) high school year. All of the other numbers you mention are correct.

You’re right about the scope — that’s our biggest concern as well as that of practically everyone who comes in contact with the study. It’s just too broad, they say. But I think we’ve become pretty good at post hoc focusing. I’m fond of referring to the study as journalism: we’re examining a huge set of phenomena, events and patterns and (hopefully) making good decisions regarding the fraction of them we choose to highlight and develop.

Thanks for the review.