Supporting Statement B_rev5-21-07 changes tracked

Supporting Statement B_rev5-21-07 changes tracked.doc

Midwest Regional Educational Laboratory Needs Assessment and Focus Groups

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Supporting Statement, Needs Assessment

Revised May 11, 2007

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

FOR PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT SUBMISSION

B. Collection of Information Employing Statistical Methods

Explain sampling methods.

The primary data gathering instrument designed to employ statistical methods is the needs assessment survey. Focus group protocols and interview protocols will also be developed and used with constituents in the region. No incentives, financial or otherwise, will be offered to participantssurvey respondents..

For the district sample, we know that most school districts have Internet access as do the state offices where our state level respondents work. . Often rural districts may have a small number of phones available and find that receiving an e-mail with a link to the online survey is optimal. Our district level sample is provided by MDR and contains e-mail addresses for 15,439 respondents. Nearly all potential respondents in our state sample have e-mail addresses as well.

Please note that we are fielding the questionnaire both online and by phone. The two modes compliment each other and help insure a high response rate, as those who are not always available by phone may be more receptive to online efforts, and those who do not use the Internet may be more receptive to telephone calls.

Describe statistical survey methodology.

REL Midwest’s needs assessment methodology will include a carefully integrated program of quantitative surveys and qualitative research to inform its regional work.

Key themes such as testing, education technology, English language learners, and school programs intended to improve behavior, character, and responsibility will be addressed over the course of the five-year contract period primarily through the following primary quantitative and qualitative approaches.

The quantitative and qualitative research with local and stateschool, district and state educational leaders will take place in 2007, 2008 and 2009. 2008 and 2009 will repeat many questions developed for the basic instrument in 2007 in order to track responses over time. (REL Midwest and Public Agenda expect some questions to be adjusted over time due to changing policies or emerging trends and hypotheses but plan to hold the core of the quantitative work steady in order to effectively track district-level respondents’ changes in opinion.) Additionally, a separate sample of teachers in 2009 will provide opportunities to enrich the data sets with fresh perspectives.

While the methods described above represent the major data collection sources, several other sources will serve to substantiate findings from these methods. Other sources include real time analysis of ongoing commentary, unsolicited requests from the field (stored in the needs and responses database), information on needs and priorities from webcasts, and feedback from training workshops and other technical assistance activities. . The identification, assessment, and analysis will be within and across stakeholder groups to the extent the samples and response rates allow.

Describe procedures for collecting information.

The quantitative questionnaire/survey will be administered to a representative sample of school and district educators and leaders across the region. The survey will only be administered to those who have current experience in K-12 education, and we will conduct focus groups with this population as well. REL Midwest will assess the needs and priorities of state-level policymakers and practitioners in the qualitative component of our data collection, as well as a qualitative component with parents.

Data Collection

The quantitative questionnaire/survey is designed for state and local educational leaders only. The survey will only be administered to those who have either a professional background and current experience in K-12 education settings, or an intensive involvement in education advocacy. Parents will not be administered this survey.

The survey sample will include a total of 2,800 participants, consisting of 100 state level educators and policymakers per state and 300 district and school level education stakeholders per state. A description of the state and district level participants, as well as the methods to be used in randomly sampling state and district participants are described below.

Quantitative Survey. The survey will be administered in fall 2007, spring 2008, and spring 2009. During the first and third year of data collection, REL Midwest will survey 700 superintendents and 700 school board members, with survey administration divided evenly across the seven states. The second year of data collection will consist of 1,400 teachers and 1,400 principals divided evenly across the seven states.

Surveying district level stakeholders in fall 2007 and spring 2009 allows REL Midwest to track potential changes in the needs and priorities of stakeholder groups before and after critical milestones, such as the reauthorization of NCLB and the presidential election. School board presidents and district administrators directly serve both policymakers at the state level, and also work with teachers and students at the school level. Thus, this district group should be knowledgeable about and concerned with the potential changes in state and federal policy, and how these policies ultimately affect teacher practice and student learning. Because they sit at the crossroads between state policy and local practice in this way, REL Midwest believes that resulting changes in needs and priorities will be most easily detected at this level.

During the second year, REL Midwest will survey the opinions of principals and teachers, as they are on the front lines and are acutely aware of the obstacles affecting teacher and student performance. While the needs and priorities of local school-level practitioners is critical to examine, REL Midwest believes that school practitioners’ needs are affected less directly, and more slowly, by federal and state policy changes. Thus, surveying this group once during the three year data collection period is adequate for understanding the broader issues that affect teachers over the life of the REL contract. A description of the school (principals and teachers) and district (superintendent and school board presidents) level participants, as well as the methods to be used in randomly sampling school and district participants are described below.

State-Level Sample. The state level sample is a functional group. Each state-level sample will be designed to yield approximately 100 interviews per state, resulting in approximately 700 state-level interviews across the entire REL Midwest region. After extensive background research and planning, REL Midwest has identified and compiled a functional state-level sample that consists of the following categories:

State legislators that sit on one or more education committees
State legislators’ education staff
State Department of Education Professionals and State Board Members
State and local Chamber of Commerce Executives

REL Midwest obtained state-level contact information through web searches, telephone calls to various agencies, and through our longstanding relationships with states in the region. The method for obtaining contact lists for each respondent category is described below. In most cases, lists include respondent name, position, telephone, email address, and mailing address.

State legislators that sit on one or more education committees: Database available through the Education Commission of the States (ECS). A subscription is necessary to access the database.
State legislators’ education staff: Database available through the Education Commission of the States (ECS). A subscription is necessary to access the database.
State Department of Education Professionals: In two states, a database containing information for all DOE staff was available online. In the five remaining states, REL Midwest contacted a representative at each Department of Education, informed them of the Needs Assessment study, and requested a list of all DOE staff. Once the DOE staff list was obtained, REL Midwest selected DOE staff members to include in the state-level database by position title.
State and local Chamber of Commerce Executives: Obtained online, through each state’s Chamber of Commerce website.

The state education leadership sample will be divided into subgroups, which will be defined by respondent type (legislators, Department of Education staff, Chamber of Commerce executives, etc.). Via a random selection process, each subgroup will divide the sample into representative “minisamples” or replicates. Standard best practices of replicate control measures will be employed to ensure highest possible response rates. (We will thoroughly “work” each replicate before opening a subsequent one. In this way, the integrity of the sample will be maintained by allowing only a representative sample to be available for dialing). Quotas will be set for the total number of interviews to be completed in each state. In this way, each state has an adequate number of responses to be individually analyzed.. State subgroups will be proportionately represented in each replicate and in the total sample for each state. These quotas are set to ensure adequate state-level representation of the smaller subgroups in the final sample of completed interviews. When reporting results for the region, state-level results will be weighted to proportionately represent the regional population using the selected strata.

The principaland sample will be purchased through MDR, a division of Dunn and Bradstreet. MDR conducts a census of educational institutions nationwide twice a year and updates their principal directories to include names, position titles, geographic data, physical work address, e-mail address, and phone numbers. The MDR data base covers every district and school in the country.

To ensure regional representation, the school-level survey sampling will begin with stratifying each state in the region based on type of locale, percentage of students who receive free or reduced-price lunch, and student minority status. Schools will be randomly and proportionally selected from these strata. Stratifying the sample in this way will ensure that we will be able to reliably analyze and report on opinions of defined positions both within a state and across the Midwest region.

The teacher sample will be generated by contacting principals by e-mail in the beginning of year 2 and asking them to randomly select teachers from their schools. A random number (n) will be generated prior to contacting the principals and the principals wilI be asked to provide contact information for the n and 2n teacher from their roster to be used. If necessary to increase response, principals will be contacted by telephone as well. By getting the teachers from the principals themselves, we will have a more accurate representation than if we were to rely on purchased sample, as such teacher sample is often derived from purchased lists and other misrepresentative sources.

Principals contacted will not be the same principals contacted to complete the survey so that the survey questions will not bias their participation levels in furnishing teacher information. The principal information will also be purchased from MDR and will be stratified in the same manner as the principal sample

District-Level Sample. Each state also will have 300 interviews conducted at the district level, which will be divided into three groups: superintendents and assistant superintendents, school board presidents, and K-12 principals.

The district-level leadership sample will be purchased through MDR, a division of Dunn and Bradstreet. MDR conducts a census of educational institutions nationwide twice a year and updates their directories of superintendents, principals, and teachers to include names, position titles, geographic data, physical work address, e-mail address, and phone numbers. The MDR data base covers every district and school in the country.

REL Midwest will collect 100 interviews per state from both superintendents and school board presidents in the first and third year of data collection. This sample will also be purchased from MDR and will be stratified the same way to reliably analyze and report on opinions of defined positions both within a state and across the Midwest region.

Similar to the state-level sample, the district leadership sample will be divided into subgroups, which will be defined by respondent type (principals, superintendents and school board presidents). To ensure regional representation, the district-level survey sampling will begin with stratifying each state in the region based on type of locale, percentage of students who receive free or reduced-price lunch, and student minority status. Districts will be randomly and proportionally selected from these strata. For each state, quotas will be set for the number of interviews to be completed to ensure that the number of completed interviews in each state is large enough for analysis. Within each state, our three subsamples are proportionately represented. Across the seven states, a quota is in place to ensure a significant number for each state, regardless of population size. Stratifying the sample in this way will ensure that we will be able to reliably analyze and report on opinions of defined positions both within a state and across the Midwest region. The number of district-level interviews by subgroup are as follows:

	Illinois	Iowa	Indiana	Minnesota	Ohio	Michigan	Wisconsin
Principals	198	193	222	203	214	226	209
Superintendents	51	54	39	48	43	37	45
School Board Presidents	51	54	39	48	43	37	45
Total	300	300	300	300	300	300	300

In following, the sample selection procedures described above for both the school and district level sample, REL Midwest will select a sample that is an approximate microcosm of the school and district samples as defined above. When we report on the region as a whole, results will be weighted on the population figure rather than sample size. Weight variables will be constructed based upon statewide population estimates for each sample group—teachers, principals, superintendents and school board presidents.

Among district-level survey respondents, an independent random sample will be generated for each data collection period (2007, 2008, 2009).

REL Midwest will work with Princeton Data Source to administer the CATI and online surveys. Princeton Data Source (PDS) is an affiliate of Princeton Survey Research Associates International, located in Princeton, N.J. and Washington D.C. PDS specializes in providing high-quality research by telephone, mail and online from a state-of-the-art facility in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Founded in 1999, PDS provides data for clients who need independent, reliable information about the attitudes, knowledge and behavior of the general public, as well as of defined subgroups.

In following the randomization procedures described above, REL Midwest will select a sample that is an approximate microcosm of the state and district samples as defined above. The number of interviews completed per subsample will correspond to the size of that population for each state as shown above. The margin of error will be based upon a 95% level of confidence. When reporting results for the region, results of the state and district samples will be weighted to proportionately represent the regional population using the selected strata.

A different random sample will be generated for each data collection period (e.g., 2007 and 2008). Because REL Midwest and Public Agenda are generating an independent random sample each time they conduct surveys and focus groups, burden will be minimized by maintaining a low probability that they will speak with the same participants within a set of organizations multiple times over the five-year contract period.

Qualitative data collection will be conducted with a cross section of education stakeholders, including state and local policymakers, K-12 teachers and administrators, and parents. The focus group moderators and interviewers are either staff members of Public Agenda or consultants that Public Agenda have worked with extensively in the past. These moderators have extensive experience in working with stakeholders on education policy topics. The focus group questionnaire for parents contains open-ended questions that are qualitatively different than those designed for teachers, administrators, and policymakers. These questions are geared toward parents that have diverse levels of experience working as professionals or volunteers at the district and school level.

We believe that we can attain an 80% response rate with the sample as noted in the revised table 4 below and the indicated number of interviews. Our mixed mode design of phone and online interviews, coupled with our prenotification letters and letters of encouragement as well as successive reminder phone calls (up to 15) will increase our response rates to the proper level.

We believe that we can attain an 80% response rate with the sample as noted in the revised table 4 below and the indicated number of interviews. In order to maintain cost efficiency, we do not intend to go beyond the number of completes indicated.

Table 4 provides subgroup sample sizes, response rates, target completion rates and confidence intervals.

Table 4 provides subgroup sample sizes, response rates, and target completion rates.

Table 4. Participants’ Subgroup Sample Sizes, Response Rates, and Target Completions

Subgroup	Estimate Population Size	Sample Selected	Expected Response Rate	Target Completions
State level survey respondents	3,500	875	80%	700
District level survey respondents	15,000	2625	80%	2100
Total	18,500	3,500	80%	2,800

Table 4. Participants’ Subgroup Sample Sizes, Response Rates, Target Completions, Confidence Intervals

		Illinois	Indiana	Iowa	Michigan	Minnesota	Ohio	Wisconsin
Principals	Population¹	4,330	1,985	1,541	4,066	2,624	3,902	2,279
	Sample Size	250	250	250	250	250	250	250
	Response Rate	80%	80%	80%	80%	80%	80%	80%
	Interviews	200	200	200	200	200	200	200
	Confidence Interval²	±6.77	±6.57	±6.47	±6.76	±6.66	±6.75	±6.62
Superintendents	Population³	964	321	367	816	484	861	440
	Sample Size	125	125	125	125	125	125	125
	Response Rate	80%	80%	80%	80%	80%	80%	80%
	Interviews	100	100	100	100	100	100	100
	Confidence Interval	±9.28	±8.14	±8.37	±9.19	±8.74	±9.22	±8.62
School Board Presidents	Population³	964	321	367	816	484	861	440
	Sample Size	125	125	125	125	125	125	125
	Response Rate	80%	80%	80%	80%	80%	80%	80%
	Interviews	100	100	100	100	100	100	100
	Confidence Interval	±9.28	±8.14	±8.37	±9.19	±8.74	±9.22	±8.62
Teachers	Population⁴	129,620	59,735	34,208	99,288	52,090	112,663	60,251
	Sample Size	250	250	250	250	250	250	250
	Response Rate	80%	80%	80%	80%	80%	80%	80%
	Interviews	200	200	200	200	200	200	200
	Confidence Interval	±6.92	±6.92	±6.91	±6.92	±6.92	±6.92	±6.92

¹Population figures for principals are estimates based upon the number of schools, with enrolled students, documented by the National Center for Education Statistics for the 2004-2005 school year.

²Margin of error is calculated at the 95% confidence level.

³ Population figures for superintendents and school board presidents are estimates based upon the number of school districts, with enrolled students, documented by the National Center for Education Statistics for the 2004-2005 school year.

⁴ Population figures for teachers are drawn from data reported by the National Center for Education Statistics for the 2004-2005 school year.

We believe that doing a mixed mode design of phone and online interviews, coupled with our prenotification letters and letters of encouragement, we can achieve a response rate of 80%.

During OMB review of the survey and focus group protocol in 2006, a total of three informal focus groups and three individual interviews will be conducted with state policymakers and local educators. Focus groups will be designed to probe into the thinking of respondents and uncover the dynamics underlying priority areas that were identified in needs sensing reports from 2005 and focus groups with the REL Midwest Board in early 2006. Specifically, five to six major questions will be explored in each group (with sub-questions and free-form probes to be administered as well). In addition to question themes, Public Agenda may employ other proven focus group techniques such as asking respondents to make lists, create report cards, sort pictures, draw, or participate in a minidebate. Additional formal focus groups may be conducted during 2006, depending on when OMB approves the survey and focus group protocol.

The purpose of the informal focus groups was to monitor regional needs while waiting for OMB approval to implement the proposed needs assessment scope of work. Originally, REL Midwest’s interpretation of ED’s data collection requirements was that data collected from less than 10 people per state was not subject to OMB review. In the fall of 2006, ED disseminated a document that clarified data collection requirements, indicating that data collected from 10 or more people across the REL Midwest region was subject to OMB review. REL Midwest has since discontinued these focus groups.

School-level sample. REL Midwest will collect 200 surveys per state from both K-12 principals and K-12 teachers (total surveys= 2,800) during the second year of data collection.

The principal sample will be purchased through MDR, a division of Dunn and Bradstreet. MDR conducts a census of educational institutions nationwide twice a year and updates their principal directories to include names, position titles, geographic data, physical work address, e-mail address, and phone numbers. The MDR data base covers every district and school in the country.

Teacher sample

District-level sample. REL Midwest will collect 100 interviews per state from both superintendents and school board presidents in the first and third year of data collection. This sample will also be purchased from MDR and will be stratified the same way to reliably analyze and report on opinions of defined positions both within a state and across the Midwest region.

Weighting the sample

In following the sample selection procedures described above for both the school and district level sample, REL Midwest will select a sample that is an approximate microcosm of the school and district samples as defined above. When we report on the region as a whole, results will be weighted on the population figure rather than sample size. Weight variables will be constructed based upon statewide population estimates for each sample group—teachers, principals, superintendents and school board presidents.

Among district-level survey respondents, an independent random sample will be generated for each data collection period (2007, 2008, 2009).

Response rate and call design

Confidence Intervals

Table 4 provides subgroup sample sizes, response rates, and target completion rates.

Data analysis.

For the quantitative analyses, Public Agenda will thoroughly clean datasets through use of a computer validation program. Upon completion of data checks, Public Agenda will run simple summary statistics and look at emerging relationships. Public Agenda analyzes the quantitative survey data by applying a mix of descriptive statistics, cross-tabulations, t-tests and correlations as relevant to the question structure and number of responses. The frequency of each response category for total respondents, selected target subpopulations, and other meaningful points of analysis are identified. Additional t-tests and correlations are run depending on the question structure. Analysis of the quantitative survey will explore significant outcomes by parceling results by state, stakeholder group, and other demographic characteristics. Relationships within and between groups will be explored using tests of significance when applicable.

Public Agenda’s inductive approach to qualitative analysis and reporting incorporates systematic methods of managing data through reduction, organization, and connection (Dey, 1993; LeCompte, 2000). Public Agenda begins by summarizing interview and focus group transcripts, highlighting the common and unique experiences that diverse stakeholder groups report. Individual interview summary reports are then compared and synthesized to identify common themes and divergent cases. Descriptive findings are included in the final report to add depth and context and to enhance understanding of various stakeholders’ beliefs reported in the quantitative survey.

The findings from both focus groups and leadership interviews will help to illuminate broader research topics and answer questions about how and why education leaders hold certain beliefs. Insights from focus groups and interviews also can contribute to the design of future surveys and track changes in public attitudes in a timely and cost-efficient manner.

Reports from qualitative focus group and interview data will be designed to be descriptive rather than predictive, revealing a range of attitudes and beliefs about the issues that emerge and the perceptions that drive them. Analyses will be written up as narratives that detail the findings and incorporate direct quotes when appropriate.

Quantitative Data Analysis. For the quantitative analyses, Public Agenda will thoroughly clean datasets through use of a computer validation program. Upon completion of data checks, Public Agenda will run simple summary statistics and look at emerging relationships. Public Agenda analyzes the quantitative survey data by applying a mix of descriptive statistics, cross-tabulations, t-tests and correlations as relevant to the question structure and number of responses. The frequency of each response category for total respondents, selected target subpopulations, and other meaningful points of analysis are identified. Additional t-tests and correlations are run depending on the question structure. Analysis of the quantitative survey will explore significant outcomes by parceling results by state, stakeholder group, and other demographic characteristics. Relationships within and between groups will be explored using tests of significance when applicable.

The majority of our analysis will be conducted at the state level in order to highlight the distinct needs of individual states. When we report on the region as a whole, results will be based on the population figure rather than sample size. Weight variables will be constructed based upon statewide population estimates for each sample group—teachers, principals, superintendents and school board presidents.

Describe rates of response.

REL Midwest and Public Agenda anticipate an 80% response rate and plan to take several steps to ensure that they meet their target. REL Midwest’s plan includes a very extensive pretest in order to more closely predict response rates to the studies. REL Midwest’s multimodal contact strategy includes multiple attempts to reach each individual sampled. This approach is designed to increase response rates—to give respondents many opportunities to participate in the survey either by phone or e-mail. As stated earlier, up to five to seven attempts will be undertaken to reach an individual, and this technique has been shown to increase overall response rates. Once those attempts have been exhausted in a particular replicate of sample, a new replicate will be issued. In addition, survey participants will receive a prenotification letter that includes a clear statement of the purpose and benefits of this research. When possible, letters will contain appropriate state department of education insignia, and a letter of encouragement to participate from the chief state school officer. Copies of the pre-notification letter and letter of encouragement are provided in Appendix A and B.

Discuss tests of procedures.

Public Agenda adheres to the Total Design Method of data collection, the highest professional standard of quality for survey research, and will use established design principles to ensure that the survey questionnaire functions as intended.

After OMB approval is granted, Public Agenda will again pretest the survey with individuals who are representative of the population to be surveyed, using cognitive-testing procedures in which draft versions of questionnaires are tested in individual interviewing sessions by specially trained interviewers. Following the iterative pretest process, Public Agenda will conduct a pilot study of no more than 100 subjects (including pretest respondents). Steps will be taken to promote intra-subject validation, and the questionnaire will be revised to reduce confounding mode effects.

Public Agenda will develop and test the interview and focus group protocol by conducting four focus groups on discrete topics, with fewer than nine participants. These focus groups will occur in diverse settings with principals, school board members, community and business leaders, and educational advocates (such as state DOE staff and legislators’ education staff). Results from these focus group sessions will be used to inform revisions to the formal interview and focus group questions, and to inform the 2006 Needs Sensing Final Report.

Describe any consulting services that will be used.

REL Midwest proposes to continue to assess the needs of its region in collaboration with Public Agenda, one of the well-respected survey, research, and communications firms in the country. Continuous needs sensing and reporting will ensure that the applied research and technical assistance activities conducted are indeed on target and meet the specific needs of the Midwest region.

Public Agenda

Founded in 1975, Public Agenda is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization providing unbiased, highly rigorous research that bridges the gaps between the public and those who formulate policy. Perhaps best known for its decades of thorough work in the education realm, Public Agenda’s research on topics ranging from foreign policy to religion, and from parenting to immigration brings greater clarity and understanding to complex issues. Public Agenda’s two-fold mission is to help American leaders better understand the public’s point of view and to help citizens know more about critical policy issues so they can make thoughtful, informed decisions.

Public Agenda has three decades of experience conducting large-scale research with expertise in all major opinion research methodologies, including surveys, focus groups, expert interviews, leadership surveys, tracking surveys, and one-on-one interviews.

Princeton Data Source LLC

Princeton Data Source LLC is a state-of-the-art telephone interviewing facility located in Fredericksburg, Va. With 90 CATI-equipped interviewing positions, PDS conducts surveys for a wide variety of clients across the country. The focus at PDS is on quality. The facility was built to PDS specifications and is outfitted with the latest in computer and telephone technology to smooth the daily work of telephone interviewing. Using SPSS-MR Quancept CATI software, PDS produces excellent fieldwork 52 weeks a year.

PDS meets and exceeds client expectations every day, whether interviewing members of the general public or members of specific professional groups, such as doctors or journalists. As required by the project, interviewing is conducted both during the day and at night – seven days a week. The field house conducts both long-term fieldwork under contract, as well as short-term polling assignments. PDS clients include the Pew Research Center, Bloomberg News Service, Kaiser Family Foundation and the Commonwealth Fund. PDS regularly conducts surveys of the general population, plus various elite populations. With the rise of the internet as an option for surveys using previously identified individuals, PDS has successfully conducted multimode surveys of lawyers, doctors, journalists, think-tank staff, government officials, teachers, school superintendents and many others.

Appendix A

Prenotification Letter

February 5, 2021

Dear :

REL Midwest and Public Agenda would like to invite you to become part of a select group of educators, education experts and other stakeholders to participate in a survey designed to understand your views on the challenges faced by school districts in your state. The results of this survey will be used to help gain a fundamental understanding of which education programs, practices, policies and approaches are effective.

The survey is brief ; Responses to this data collection will be used only for statistical purposes. The reports prepared for this study will summarize findings across the sample and will not associate responses with a specific district or individual. We will not provide information that identifies you or your district to anyone outside the study team, except as required by law.your responses will be used only for statistical purposes. The reports prepared for this study will summarize findings across the sample and will not associate responses with a specific district or individual. We will not provide information that identifies you or your district to anyone outside the study team, except as required by law.

your responses are completely confidential and will be used only for statistical purposes and will not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law.

To take the survey online, please go to [INSERT WEB ADDRESS]

If you prefer to be interviewed by telephone, please call our interviewing center toll-free at 1-888-310-0547

In order to ensure that each person takes the survey once you will be asked for the ID code below:

ID CODE: [INSERT ID CODE]

REL Midwest is part of a federally funded network of 10 regional educational laboratories. The regional laboratory program is administered by the Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences' National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, and they exist to bring the latest and best research and proven practices into school improvement efforts. Serving the seven states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin, REL Midwest provides policymakers and practitioners with resources based on the highest quality evidence as defined by scientifically valid research principles. You can find out more at www.learningpt.org

Public Agenda has over 30 years of experience in engaging the public in productive and meaningful dialogue, conducting qualitative and quantitative public opinion studies, and producing high quality citizen education materials. Over the last decade, Public Agenda has acquired an unmatched understanding of the viewpoints different groups bring to public school reform and our reputation for fairness, balance, and quality has stood the test of time. Our research is cited by groups with very different perspectives on reform ranging from The American Enterprise Institute, Manhattan Institute and Fordham Foundations to the American Federation of Teachers, Public Education Network (PEN) and Learning First. You can find out more information about Public Agenda at www.publicagenda.org

We hope you will take a few minutes to share your perspectives and respond to our questions. Your participation in our survey is completely voluntary. If you have any questions about Public Agenda or this research project, please contact Jon Rochkind at 212-686-6610, ext. 43 or send an email to [email protected] If you have technical questions or have difficulty with the web form, please call Samantha Daugherty at 1-888-310-0547or e-mail her at [email protected].

Sincerely:

Appendix B

Letter of Encouragement

February 5, 2021

Dear :

Recently, REL-Midwest and Public Agenda contacted you to become part of a select group of educators, education experts and other stakeholders to participate in a survey designed to understand your views on the challenges faced by school districts in your state.

We understand that your time is very valuable, yet we hope that you can participate in this important project; the results of which will be used to help gain a fundamental understanding of which education programs, practices, policies and approaches are effective.

The survey is brief.; Responses to this data collection will be used only for statistical purposes. The reports prepared for this study will summarize findings across the sample and will not associate responses with a specific district or individual. We will not provide information that identifies you or your district to anyone outside the study team, except as required by law.

your responses will be used only for statistical purposes. The reports prepared for this study will summarize findings across the sample and will not associate responses with a specific district or individual. We will not provide information that identifies you or your district to anyone outside the study team, except as required by law.your responses are completely confidential and will be used only for statistical purposes and will not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law.

To take the survey online, please go to [INSERT WEB ADDRESS]

If you prefer to be interviewed by telephone, please call our interviewing center toll-free at 1-888-310-0547

In order to ensure that each person takes the survey once you will be asked for the ID code below:

ID CODE: [INSERT ID CODE]

Sincerely:

Appendix C

NCREL Regional Needs Assessment Budget

Staff - % of annual salary	2006
Permanent Full-Time Project Staff
Director of Research		25%
Research Associate		25%
Executive Editor/Web master	13%
Technology Manager		13%
Assistant Editor		13%
Director, Education Insights	8%
Director of Public Engagement	25%
Manger of Public Engagement	25%
Vice President of Communications	4%
Director of Communications/Writer	4%
President			8%
Executive Assistant		8%
Administrator/Contract Manager	17%
Receptionist		8%
Sub-total			194,872
Benefits at 25%		48,718
Total			243,590

Consultants @ $1,000 per day
Regional Manager		30,000
Research consultant		10,000
Copy editor/proofreader	3,000
Online research consultant	5,000
Sub-total			48,000

Focus Groups
Focus Groups @ $3,000 per	27,000
Transcribing @ $260 per	4,160
Roper			500
Sub-total			31,660

Survey
Survey			10,000
Software			5,000
Sub-total			15,000

Travel @ $1,500 per trip	13,500

Production and Publication	10,000

Interactive Online Distribution	10,000

Miscellaneous		1,000

Sub-total direct costs	372,750

Overhead @ 20%		74,550
of direct costs

*Rent/Utilities/RE taxes @**	35,000
17% of annual budget

*Technology @ 17% of**	7,000
annual budget

Total			489,300


*This percentage represents the ratio of the project budget to the annual rent and technology budgets.

Reminder Call Script

Hello, my name is__________ calling on behalf of Public Agenda and REL-Midwest. Recently we contacted you about an important study we are conducting with (FILL IN SAMPLE TYPE) like yourself in the Midwest region to better understand what you think are the greatest needs in your school district. Your answers will help illustrate where more research and funding should go in your district.

Responses to this data collection will be used only for statistical purposes. The reports prepared for this study will summarize findings across the sample and will not associate responses with a specific district or individual. We will not provide information that identifies you or your district to anyone outside the study team, except as required by law.

We would love to do the survey with you know if you have a moment (IF NECESSARY: This should take about 15 minutes). (IF NOT SET CALLBACK OR GIVE 1800 # AND/OR WEBSITE).

Revise Race and Ethnicity Question

Are you Hispanic or Latino? [READ RESPONSES ENTER ALL THAT APPLY]

No, I am not Hispanic or Latino

Yes, I am Mexican, Mexican American, or Chicano

Yes, I am Puerto Rican or Puerto Rican American

Yes, I am Cuban or Cuban American

Yes, I am from some other Hispanic or Latino background

[DO NOT READ] Don’t know

[DO NOT READ] Refused

Which one of the following best describes you? [READ RESPONSES ENTER ALL THAT APPLY]

White

Black or African American

Asian

American Indian or Alaska Native

Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander

[DO NOT READ] Don’t know

[DO NOT READ] Refused

File Type	application/msword
File Title	SUPPORTING STATEMENT
Author	NCERL
Last Modified By	Sheila.Carey
File Modified	2007-06-05
File Created	2007-06-05