RFIS 2008-09 OMB Section B

U.S. Department of Education

Reading First Implementation Study:

2008-2009

Section B

Office of Management and Budget

Clearance Package Supporting Statement

And Data Collection Instruments

Revised August 8, 2008

Part B. Collection of Information Employing Statistical Methods

As noted in Section A, this Request for OMB approval, focuses on one specific data collection activity that is called for in the study design of the Reading First Implementation Study, interviews with several state-level staff including Reading First Coordinators, Title I coordinators, and state Reading/Literacy Directors (for those states that have one). These interviews are to be conducted with the universe of these respondents, rather than a sample.

B.1 Respondent Universe and Sample Size

Since we plan to collect information from all RF coordinators, Title I coordinators and state Reading/Literacy Directors, there is no sampling plan to discuss with regard to this data collection activity.

B.2 Procedures for Collection of Information

There will be one round of data collection in fall 2008. Telephone interviews will be conducted by senior staff with all Reading First State Coordinators, Title I coordinators and state Reading/Literacy Directors. Advance letters will be sent to all respondents describing the study and its importance. The letter will include contact information if respondents have any questions about their participation in the evaluation. The letter will be followed up by a phone call to schedule the telephone interview.

We anticipate that the interviews with each staff person will take no more than one hour and the number of respondents to be no more than 162 individuals (up to 3 per state).

B.3 Methods for Maximizing Response Rate and Dealing with Nonresponse

We expect to obtain a very high response rate (95 percent) among state-level staff who will be interviewed for two reasons. First, one group of respondents, RF coordinators are required to participate in a national evaluation. Second, our experience in conducting interviews with state RF coordinators from the previous Reading First Implementation Study suggests that we will be able to interview nearly all respondents.

In addition, the advance letters (described above) will be authorized and signed by the U.S. Department of Education. This approach helps to communicate the importance of the evaluation.

B.4 Test of Procedures and Methods

The telephone interview protocol will be field tested with several former state personnel individuals from each group (state RF coordinators, Title I coordinators, and state Reading/Literacy Directors). Based on the results of the field test, revisions to the interview protocol will be made as needed.

B.5 Consultations on Statistical Aspects of the Design

The information for this study is being collected by Abt Associates, a research consulting firm, and its subcontractor Hezel Associates, on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education. With ED oversight, Abt Associates is responsible for the study design, data collection, analysis, and report preparation. Input to the statistical aspects of the design was received from the following individuals:

Department of Education

Beth Franklin, COR, Policy and Program Studies Service, 202-205-5798

Daphne Kaplan, Policy and Program Studies Service

David Goodwin, Policy and Program Studies Service; Director, Program and Analytic Studies

National Evaluation Contractors

Beth Gamse Principal Associate, Abt Associates; Project Director (617-349-2808)

Beth Boulay Associate, Abt Associates (617-520-2903)

Marc Moss Senior Associate, Abt Associates; Project Quality Advisor, (617-349-2825)

Jacob Klerman Principal Associate, Abt Associates, (617-520-2613)

Kathe Simons Senior Research Associate, Hezel Associates (800-466-3512)

Technical Work Group

Howard Bloom Chief Social Scientist, MDRC (212-340-8674)

David Kaplan Professor, University of Wisconsin, Madison (608-262-0836)

J.R. Lockwood Statistician, RAND Statistics Group (412-683-2300)