Letter to Principals

[DATE]

Dear Principal:

Your school has been selected as one of 2,000 schools to participate in a major national study of service-learning in public K-12 schools conducted by the Corporation for National and Community Service. In [March], your superintendent received an advance letter (enclosed) and an advance copy of the survey.

The current survey is a follow-up to studies conducted in 1999 and again in 2004 to determine the extent to which public schools are engaging their students in service-learning activities. The findings from 2004 demonstrated that 30% of K-12 public schools had formal service-learning, and 69% of K-12 public schools involved their students in community service projects. These findings were similar to 1999. The current study will examine trends in these important endeavors.

For your convenience, we have enclosed a fact sheet about service-learning and this current study. The American Association of School Administrators (AASA) adds its endorsement of this effort, as the enclosed letter indicates.

Even if your school does not practice service-learning, your response is equally important in determining the scope and scale of service-learning! For schools without service-learning, the survey can be completed in a matter of minutes. For schools with service-learning, the survey should take no more than 30 minutes. Responses will be kept confidential and will only be reported in conjunction with results from other schools. In appreciation for your participation, you will receive a copy of the completed study report.

The enclosed survey should be completed by you or someone in your school who is most knowledgeable about service-learning in your school. We ask that the survey be completed by [DATE]. Please return it to our survey research contractor, Westat. For surveys that haven’t been returned by then, a Westat staff member will follow up with you.

If you have any questions about this survey, please contact Ellen Tenenbaum, the Westat survey manager, at 1-800-937-8281, ext. 3617 (e-mail: [email protected]).

Thank you for helping to achieve a high level of participation in this study. Results of this study will be of widespread public interest and contribute to a deeper understanding of possible strategies to promote youth civic engagement, school engagement and academic excellence.

Sincerely,

[CNCS Signature/Contact]