DHA_DanyaLetter (2) Dec 22 2008

September 29, 2008
Ms. Greta Tessman
Danya International
8737 Colesville Road, Suite 1100
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Dear Greta,
I’m writing to respond to your question about pilot site recruitment: specifically, whether
schools will participate in pilot initiatives out of interest and a sense of civic responsibility, or
whether incentives are required to ensure their participation.
We have been involved in community/school engagement for several years, including
helping firms (including Danya) to recruit schools for pilot testing initiatives. Based on my
conversations with teachers and principals, and my general understanding of the K-12
education market, I believe that the only way to attract reasonable participation among
educators for experimental tests such as these, whether in a test or control capacity, is by
offering financial incentives.
Teachers and principals carry just as much a sense of civic duty as the rest of us, and I’m
sure they would want to support experimental efforts if they were in a position to do so.
However, they are confronted with very high demands that have very real stakes: they are
being asked to successfully teach a great deal of content each year in each grade, and if they
fail to do so (as measured by state assessments) they can face serious penalties. For them to
agree to interrupt classroom instruction with materials that carry no proof of effectiveness,
we must be able to provide them with incentives for the extra work and the extra risk that
we are asking them to undertake.
I would be happy to discuss this issue further with you or with anyone attached to the
project; please call (704-940-3201) or email ([email protected]) at your
convenience.
Best,

Brett Pawlowski
President

9700 Research Drive, Suite 123

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Charlotte, NC 28262

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Phone 704.940.3201

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Fax 704.940.3202

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www.dehavillandassociates.com