Appendix J - Teacher Survey Forms

Advance Letter

NATIONAL TEACHER SURVEY ON CHILDREN

RTI International • P.O. Box 12194 • Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709-2194

Date

«CaseID»

«TeacherName»

«SchoolName»

«Address»

«City» «State» «ZipCode»

Dear <<TeacherName>>:

A few days from now you will receive in the mail a request to fill out a questionnaire for an important research study being conducted by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It concerns one of your students who, along with his or her parent or guardian, are participating in the study.

The National Teacher Survey on Children is currently conducting data collection with participating children and families. ACF has been conducting interviews and assessments with these children in order to examine their cognitive development, social and adaptive behaviors, and language and communication skills. We are now interested in learning more about your assessment of their developmental status and well-being and how these may impact school performance.

You are being contacted because the child's primary caregiver or legal guardian authorized us to contact you to gather additional information for this child. Because of your direct involvement with the child, information you provide will give us a unique perspective on the child's social skills and behavior in school and the formal learning environment. The valuable input you provide will be combined with child and family data recently collected, to create a comprehensive picture of the child's development and well-being.

The questionnaire we are asking you to complete will focus on the child's behavior during class time, social skills, and involvement in school-related activities. The questionnaire will not gather data on your teaching style or practices, or on the school itself.

Thank you for your time and consideration. It’s only with the generous help of teachers like you that our research can be successful.

Sincerely yours,

Mary Bruce Webb, Ph.D.

Project Officer

Administration for Children and Families

P.S. We will be enclosing a small monetary token of appreciation with the questionnaire as a way of saying thanks. We will also enclose a signed permission form from the child’s parent or guardian authorizing you to provide the requested information.

NATIONAL TEACHER SURVEY ON CHILDREN

RTI International • P.O. Box 12194 • Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709-2194

Date

Dear «TeacherName»:

I am writing to ask for your cooperation in a nationwide research study that examines the health and well-being of children. The National Teacher Survey on Children, is being conducted by RTI International (RTI), a not-for-profit research organization in North Carolina. It is being sponsored by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The National Teacher Survey on Children is currently conducting data collection with participating children and families. ACF is conducting interviews and assessments with these children in order to examine their cognitive development, social and adaptive behaviors, and language and communication skills. We are now interested in learning more about your perceptions of their well-being and developmental status, and how these may impact school performance.

You are being contacted because «ChildName»’s parent or legal guardian authorized us to contact you to gather additional information about the child. The signed authorization form is enclosed in this packet. Because of your direct involvement with the child, you provide a unique perspective on the child's social skills and behavior in school. Your contribution to this study is extremely valuable, as you provide an external and objective evaluation of the child's abilities. The input you provide will be combined with child and family data to create a comprehensive picture of the child's development and well-being.

The questionnaire we are asking you to complete focuses on the child's behavior during class time, social skills, and involvement in school-related activities. The questionnaire does not ask about your teaching style or practices, or about the school itself. We would like you to complete the enclosed questionnaire and return it to RTI in the postage-paid envelope or you may complete the questionnaire online. We have enclosed instructions for completing the questionnaire and tips for keeping your survey responses secure. We have enclosed $10 to thank you in advance for your important contribution.

If you have questions about the study, please refer to the enclosed Fact Sheet and Questionnaire Instruction Sheet. If you have any additional questions about the study, you may contact Cheryl Uhrig at Research Triangle Institute, 1-800-334-8571, extension 28559 or [email protected]. If you have any questions about your rights as a study participant, you may call RTI’s Office of Human Research Protections at 1-866-214-2043.

Your help is extremely important to the success of this study, and I thank you in advance for your cooperation.

If you prefer to complete the web version, please go to https://nts.rti.org/

Your user name and password are located on the label that is affixed to the enclosed questionnaire.

Sincerely yours,

Mary Bruce Webb, Ph.D.

Project Officer, Administration

<<CASEID>>

for Children and Families

F ACT SHEET ON THE

NATIONAL TEACHER SURVEY ON CHILDREN

You have been asked to participate in an important study called the National Teacher Survey on Children. Here you will find answers to some of the most common questions that are asked about the survey.

What is the National Teacher Survey on Children? The National Teacher Survey on Children is designed to collect data on the health and well-being of children. Data are being collected from children, caregivers, and teachers. Your contribution to this study is extremely valuable, as you provide an external, professional evaluation of the child's development and abilities. The input you provide will be combined with child and family data to create a comprehensive picture of the child's development and well-being.

How will I be involved? We would like for you to complete a short questionnaire. The questions will focus on your student’s school achievements, development, behavior in school, social skills, relationships with classmates and teachers, and participation in school activities. Additional questions ask about any physical, emotional, or mental conditions that interfere with or limit the student’s ability to do regular school work.

Who is doing this study? The study is being sponsored by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. RTI International (RTI) is conducting the study.

Who is RTI International? RTI International (RTI) is a not-for-profit research organization located in North Carolina. RTI conducts research projects for a wide variety of government agencies, universities, and private companies. Researchers at ACF have retained RTI to conduct data collection for the National Survey on Children.

Why does the Legal Guardian’s signature not look familiar?

For this study, legal guardians usually sign an electronic version of the “Caregiver Authorization for Teacher to Release Information” using a signature pad similar to those used in grocery and other large chain stores. Using electronic documents and signatures is a more secure way to protect respondents’ information. However, due to the nature of the device, the signatures might not look quite the same as one written directly onto a piece of paper.

How did you get my name? One of your students and his/her caregiver are participating in the study. We are contacting you because they gave us your name, because you are the child’s primary teacher, or because you instruct the child in English/language arts. Your student’s legal guardian gave us written approval to contact you to collect information about the student, as indicated on the signed permission form enclosed in your packet of information about the study.

Will my student or his/her caregiver know my answers? No. The information you provide is considered strictly private and confidential. Your student and his/her caregiver will not see the questionnaire you complete or know any of your responses to the questions. The information you provide will be used for research purposes only and your name will be kept separate from the data.

How long will it take? We offer two methods of completing the questionnaire. The paper questionnaire will take approximately 30 minutes to complete; using the online version will likely take less than 30 minutes. Because your participation is critical to obtaining a complete picture of the student, we had enclosed $10 with the 1^st questionnaire packet (sent earlier) to thank you in advance for your assistance.

What happens to the information? After completing the questionnaire and returning it to RTI the information will be combined with data from child, caregiver, and service provider interviews and reported in summary form. All information collected as part of the study will be held in strict confidence.

Where do I get more information about the study? If you have other questions about this survey, you may contact Cheryl Uhrig at RTI, 1-800-334-8571, Ext. 28559 (toll-free), or [email protected]. If you have questions about your rights as a study participant, call toll-free: RTI’s Office of Human Research Protections at 1-866-214-2043.

I nstructions for Completing the National Teacher Survey on Children Questionnaire

• If you no longer teach the student but did for at least 60 days in the past 12 months, please fill out the survey based on the time you spent with the student. We are interested in the time period in which the student was in your class. You do not have to be currently teaching the student to fill out the questionnaire.

• Please note that in completing the questionnaire, input from more than one teacher is acceptable. If you are completing the questionnaire on the web (see below), there is an option for you to complete part of the questionnaire, save your answers, and log in at a later time to finish the questionnaire.

• Occasionally, we receive an incorrect teacher name from a parent/guardian. If you have not taught the student during the past 12 months but know the student attends your school, please forward the questionnaire to the appropriate teacher.

• If the student has transferred to another school or school district, please try to complete the questionnaire and return it to RTI. If the absence of school records makes this impossible, please return the questionnaire to us along with any information you can provide about the student’s current school assignment.

• If the student has never attended your school, please make a note to that effect on the questionnaire and return it to RTI in the enclosed envelope.

Instructions for Completing the Web Version of the Questionnaire

1. Go to https://nts.rti.org. You will need Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 or higher.

2. Enter your Username and Password (located on the cover of the paper questionnaire) and click ‘Continue’

3. Next, select a security question by clicking on the field located directly below the words ‘Security Question’ (a list of questions will appear) and then type your answer to that question. If you have to break off and return to the questionnaire at a later time, you will have to answer this same question in addition to entering your Username and Password.

4. Click ‘Continue’ to begin the questionnaire

If you choose to complete the questionnaire on the web using a computer accessible to others, we encourage you to complete the questionnaire in one session and to close your browser’s window upon completion. If you do need to complete the questionnaire in more than one session, please safeguard your hardcopy questionnaire between sessions as it contains the username and password for accessing the web version of the questionnaire.

Please be assured that your online responses are completely secure and are protected by the same technology used by businesses to secure credit card numbers for purchases on the web.

If you have any problems accessing the web site, or if you have any other questions about the survey, please contact Cheryl Uhrig at RTI at 1-800-334-8571, ext. 28559 or [email protected].

Thank You!

Date

NAME

Address

City, State Zip

Dear [NAME]:

Recently, we mailed you a questionnaire and asked you to take part in the National Teacher Survey on Children. One of your students, (CHILD), along with his or her parent or legal guardian, is participating in this important study of children. We need your help to obtain a more complete and accurate picture of the educational and service needs of students across the nation.

Our deadline for completing this wave of the study is fast approaching.

We want to give you one final opportunity to take part.

We would like to emphasize how important your contributions are to our study.

• You provide a unique perspective on the child's social skills and behavior in school.

• You provide an external and objective evaluation of the child's abilities.

• The valuable input you provide will be combined to help create a comprehensive picture of the child's development and well-being.

We understand you are very busy and want to assure you that this questionnaire will take only 30 minutes of your time to complete. Please note that your participation in the study is completely voluntary and you may refuse to answer any questions. The information you provide will be used for research purposes only, and your name will be kept separate from all of the data. The information we collect will be kept strictly confidential, and your student and his or her parents/guardians will not know your answers.

If you have already taken part in the study, thank you for your valuable assistance. If you have not, I hope that you will reconsider and take time to complete and return the questionnaire. If you prefer, you may complete the questionnaire on the web instead. We have enclosed instructions for completing the questionnaire and tips for keeping your survey responses secure. You may contact Cheryl Uhrig at Research Triangle Institute, 1-800-334-8571, extension 28559 or [email protected], if you have any questions about the study.

Thank you for your help with this very important study.

If you prefer to complete the web version, please go to https://nts.rti.org/

Your user name and password are located on the label that is affixed to the enclosed questionnaire.

Sincerely yours,

Mary Bruce Webb, Ph.D.

Project Officer, Administration for Children and Families

<<CASEID>>

National Teacher Survey on Children

Recently, we mailed you a questionnaire asking you to take part in the National Teacher Survey on Children. The study is being sponsored by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The questionnaire we are asking you to complete focuses on the child's behavior during class time, social skills, and involvement in school-related activities. The questionnaire does not ask about your teaching style or practices, or about the school itself.

If you have already completed and returned the questionnaire to us, please accept our sincere thanks. If not, we would be grateful for your help as your contribution will help us complete a more accurate picture of the educational and service needs of students across the nation.

If you did not receive a questionnaire, or if it was misplaced, please call us toll-free Cheryl Uhrig at 1-800-334-8571, extension 28559 and we will send another one in the mail to you today.

Kathryn Dowd, Project Director

Research Triangle Institute

National Teacher Survey on Children

RTI International

ATTN: Cheryl Uhrig (0210409.293)

PO Box 12194

Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2194

Date:
To:	«teacherfirst» «teacherlast», «schname»
From:	Cheryl Uhrig, RTI International
Subject:	National Teacher Survey on Children Regarding Student: «chfirst» «chlast»
FAX:	«Fax»

Recently, we mailed you a questionnaire and asked you to take part in the National Teacher Survey on Children. One of your students, «chfirst» «chlast», along with his or her legal guardian, is participating in this important study of children. We need your help to obtain a more complete and accurate picture of the educational and service needs of students across the nation.

If you have already taken part in the study, thank you for your valuable assistance. If you have not, I hope that you will reconsider and take time to complete and return the questionnaire. You may contact Cheryl Uhrig at RTI International, 1-877-254-1953, extension 58, if you have any questions about the study.

Thank you for your help with this very important study.

Mr./Ms.[teacher last name],

 

A few weeks ago, we mailed you a questionnaire asking you to take part in the National Teacher Survey on Children. The study is being sponsored by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The questionnaire we are asking you to complete will focus on the child's behavior during class time,

social skills, and involvement in school-related activities. The questionnaire will not gather data on your teaching style or practices, or on the school itself.

 

If you have already completed and returned the questionnaire to us, please accept our sincere thanks. If not, we would be grateful for your help, as your contribution will help us complete a more accurate picture of the education and service needs of students across the nation.

 

You can complete the questionnaire online if you prefer. To do so, log onto https://nts.rti.org and enter your username and password. These can be found on the cover of the paper questionnaire, or you can call and we’ll provide them to you.

If you did not receive a questionnaire, or if it was misplaced, please contact us toll-free at 1-800-334-8571, extension Cheryl Uhrig or email [email protected] and we will send another questionnaire package today. Please also use this telephone number if you need your username or password to access the online version of the questionnaire; username and password cannot be provided in email for security reasons.

Thank you again for your assistance with this important research.