Appendices U-X

OMB Control Number: ______

Expiration Date: _______

APPENDICES U-X

Appendix U: FPRQ Pilot Test – Center Director Cover Letter and FAQs

Appendix V: FPRQ Pilot Test - Study Advertisements

Appendix W: FPRQ Pilot Test – Parent Cover Letter and FAQs

Appendix X: FPRQ Pilot Test – ECE Provider Letter and FAQs

APPENDIX U:

FPRQ Pilot Test – Center Director Cover Letter and FAQs

2/1/12

[DIRECTOR NAME]

[ADDRESS]

[CITY], [STATE] [ZIP]

[DATE]

Dear [DIRECTOR]:

I am pleased to invite you and your program to take part in a new study. It is called the Family and Early Care and Education Provider Relationship Quality Study. It will look at the way families and their children’s early care and education providers work together to care for and educate children. The results will help us develop a survey that child care providers, educators, and policy makers can use to improve children’s care and education.

The study is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and is conducted by Westat, a research firm in Rockville, Maryland. Your and your program’s participation is voluntary, but I encourage you to participate. Your participation will help improve child care and early education in the United States. In appreciation for you and your program’s participation, we will give you a check for $50.

All information collected will be kept private and confidential. No information that identifies you or your program will be included in any reports. No information you provide will be shared with parents or others in your program. No information that parents give us will be shared with you or anyone else.

A brochure, a flyer with frequently asked questions, and the program director questionnaire are enclosed in this packet. The enclosed materials should answer your questions and give you more detailed information about this study and what is involved in participating. If you have further questions about the study, please feel free to call Westat toll free at 1-800-xxxx or send an email to _____. More information about this study is available at the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) website at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/other_resrch/fprq/overview.html#overview

Sincerely,

XXXXXXXXX

Family and Early Care and Education Provider Relationship Quality Study

Answers to Center Directors’ Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Family and Early Care and Education Provider Relationship study?

The study is about the relationship between parents and their children’s early care and education providers. The study is interested in how families and early care and education providers work together to care for and educate children ages birth to 5 years. A survey is being developed to examine this relationship from both parents’ and providers’ points of view. The results will help childcare providers, educators, and policy makers to improve young children’s care and education. To find out more about the study visit the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation’s (OPRE) website at: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/other_resrch/fprq/overview.html#overview

Who conducts the Family and Early Care and Education Provider Relationship Study?

The study is sponsored by the Office of Head Start (OHS) and the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE), both of which are in the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Westat and Child Trends, two research firms in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, are conducting the study. Westat is collecting the data.

What will be asked?

You will be asked to fill out a 15-minute survey about your early care and education setting. Examples of questions include: the number and ages of children enrolled; whether parents and families members are allowed to visit the program at any time; and whether your program provides opportunities for families to get together. To thank you for your time, we will give you a check for $50 after we receive your completed survey.

We are also recruiting individual teachers/childcare providers to fill out a survey about their experiences teaching and caring for children. This survey will take about 30 minutes to complete and, to thank them for their time, we will send each provider a check for $25 after receiving their survey. You will be asked to help by giving us the names of teachers, aides, and/or child care providers in your program who might be interested in completing this survey.

We will also be recruiting parents to complete a survey about how they work with their children’s providers/teachers. We will leave brochures and flyers containing important information about the study in the providers’ classrooms for parents to view.

Will the childcare providers/teachers or the parents of children in my care setting see my answers?

No. Your responses will remain private and confidential.

Do I have to participate?

Your participation in this survey is voluntary. By taking part in this study, you will provide important information that isn’t available anywhere else. This information will help childcare providers, teachers, and policy makers improve children’s early care and education.

APPENDIX V:

FPRQ Pilot Test – Study Advertisements

2/1/12

Attention Parents, Teachers, and Child Care Providers

The Family and Early Care and Education Provider Relationship Quality Study Needs your Help

What is the Family and Early Care and Education Provider Relationship study?

The study is about how families and their children’s childcare and early education providers/teachers work together to care for and teach children.

Who conducts the Family and Early Care and Education Provider Relationship Study?

The study is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Westat and Child Trends, two research firms in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, are conducting the study.

What will I be asked to do?

Teachers and child care providers will be asked to complete a 30-minute survey about their experiences teaching and caring for children aged 5 and younger.

Parents with a child aged 5 or younger who is taught or cared for by a participating teacher/provider for 15 or more hours per week will be asked to complete a 30-minute survey about their relationship with their child’s teacher/child care provider.

All answers will be kept private and confidential. Survey answers will be used by study staff to improve the surveys for a larger field test to be conducted next year. Everyone who participates will be given a check for $25 after they return their completed survey to thank them for their help.

Who is eligible to participate?

Teachers and child care providers who work with children aged 5 and younger

and

Parents who have a child age 5 or younger who is taught or cared for by one of the participating teachers for 15 or more hours per week may also be eligible to participate as long as their child’s teacher/child care provider is not related to the child.

To thank you for your help, we will give you a check for $25.00

To enroll, please call XXX-XXX-XXXX.

APPENDIX W:

FPRQ Pilot Test – Parent Cover Letter and FAQs

2/1/12

Dear Parent,

I am pleased to invite you to take part in a new study. It is called the Family and Early Care and Education Provider Relationship Quality Study. It will look at the way families and their child care providers and teachers work together to care for and educate children. What we learn from this study will help us develop a survey that child care providers, educators, and policy makers can use to improve the quality of young children’s care and education.

The study is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and is conducted by Westat, a research firm in Rockville, Maryland. Your participation is voluntary, but I encourage you to participate. Your participation will help improve child care and early education in the United States. To thank you for your taking part in the study, we will send you a check for $25 when you return the completed questionnaire in the postage-paid envelope.

All information collected will be kept private and confidential. No information that identifies you or your child will be included in any reports. No information you give us will be shared with your child’s child care or education program. Your participation will not affect you or your child’s standing with your care or early education program or provider.

A study brochure, a flyer with frequently asked questions, and a copy of the parent questionnaire are enclosed in this packet. These materials should answer your questions and give you more detailed information about this study and what is involved in participating. If you have further questions about the study, please feel free to call Westat toll free at 1-800-xxxx or send an email to _____. More information about this study is also available at the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) website at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/other_resrch/fprq/overview.html#overview

Sincerely,

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Family and Early Care and Education Provider Relationship Quality Study

Answers to Parents’ Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Family and Early Care and Education Provider Relationship study?

The study is about how families and their children’s childcare and early education providers/teachers work together to care for and teach children. A survey is being developed to examine this relationship from both parents’ and providers’ points of view. The results will help childcare providers, educators, and policy makers to improve children’s care and early learning experiences.

Who conducts the Family and Early Care and Education Provider Relationship Study?

The study is sponsored by the Office of Head Start (OHS) and the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE), both of which are part of the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Westat and Child Trends, two research firms in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, are conducting the study. Westat is collecting the data. To find out more about the study visit the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) website at: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/other_resrch/fprq/overview.html#overview.

What will be asked?

You will be asked about your relationship with your child’s care provider or teacher. Examples of questions include: how often you and your provider talk about your child’s experiences in his or her education and care setting; how often does your provider listen to your ideas about ways to change or improve the education and care your child receives; and how often does your provider offer you books and materials to support your child’s learning at home?

How long will the survey take to complete?

The survey will take about 30 minutes complete. To thank you for your time, we will send you a check for $25 after we receive your completed survey. You will be given a pre-paid and pre-addressed envelope in which to mail your survey back to Westat.

Will my child’s teacher/childcare provider see my answers?

No. Your responses will remain private and confidential.

Do I have to participate?

Your participation in this study is voluntary. By taking part in this study, you will help us learn more about how families like yours work with their young children’s teachers and child care providers. This information will help childcare providers, teachers, and policy makers improve children’s care and early education.

APPENDIX X:

FPRQ Pilot Test – ECE Provider Cover Letter and FAQs

2/1/12

Dear Child Care Provider or Early Educator,

I am pleased to invite you to participate in a new study. It is called the Family and Early Care and Education Provider Relationship Quality Study. It will look at the way child care and early education providers and the families of children they support work together to care for and educate children. The goal of the study is to develop a measure that child care providers, educators, and policy makers can use to improve the quality of young children’s care and education.

The study is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and is conducted by Westat, a research firm in Rockville, Maryland. Your participation is voluntary; however, I encourage you to participate. You and the families you work with have the opportunity to provide information that will help improve child care and early education in the United States. To thank you for taking part in the study, we will send you a check for $25 when you return the completed questionnaire in the postage-paid envelope.

All information collected will be kept private and confidential. No information that identifies you will be included in any reports. Your care setting will not receive any of the information collected from you. Participation will not affect you or your standing with your care or early education program.

A brochure, a flyer, a list of answers to frequently asked questions, and a copy of the questionnaire are enclosed in this packet. The enclosed materials should answer your questions and give you more detailed information about this study and what is involved in participating. If you have further questions about the study, please feel free to call Westat toll free at 1-800-xxxx or send an email to _____. More information about this study is available at the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) website at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/other_resrch/fprq/overview.html#overview.

Sincerely,

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Family and Early Care and Education Provider Relationship Quality Study

Answers to Child Care Provider and Teachers’ Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Family and Early Care and Education Provider Relationship study?

The study is about how families and their children’s child care and early education providers/teachers work together to care for and teach children. A survey is being developed to examine this relationship from both parents’ and providers’ points of view. The results will help childcare providers, educators, and policy makers to improve children’s care and early learning experiences.

Who conducts the Family and Early Care and Education Provider Relationship Study?

The study is sponsored by the Office of Head Start (OHS) and the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE), both of which are part of the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Westat and Child Trends, two research firms in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, are conducting the study. Westat is collecting the data. To find out more about the study visit the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) website at: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/other_resrch/fprq/overview.html#overview.

What will be asked?

You will be asked about your experiences teaching and caring for children from birth to 5 years of age. Examples of questions include: how often do you talk with parents about their children’s experiences in your care/education setting; how often are you able to help children settle in when they are dropped off; and, how often are you able to use parents’ feedback to adjust the care and education provided to their child?

As part of the study, we are also recruiting families to take a brief survey. We will leave brochures and flyers containing important information about the study in participating classrooms for parents to view.

How long will the survey take to complete?

The survey will take about 30 minutes to fill out. To thank you for your time, we will send you a check for $25 after we receive your completed survey. You will be given a pre-paid and pre-addressed envelope in which to mail your survey back to Westat.

Will my supervisors, the other providers/teachers, or the parents of children in my care see my answers?

No. Your responses will remain private and confidential.

Do I have to participate?

Your participation in this survey is voluntary. By taking part in this study, you will provide important information that isn’t available anywhere else. This information will help childcare providers, teachers, and policy makers improve children’s early care and education.

FPRQ Pilot Test – Center Director Cover Letter and FAQs