Notification Letters

Appendix A to OMB Clearance Package:

Recruitment Letters

Recruitment Letter to State Directors of the 21^st CCLC Program

Dear [Director Name]:

I am writing to invite [Name of State] to participate in the study of 21^st CCLC state competitions, which is being conducted to identify practices and capabilities that could improve the efficiency and/or quality of state competitions. This study is being sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education’s (the Department) Policy and Program Studies Service and will examine the planning, design, and implementation of nine state 21^st CCLC grant competitions. Policy Studies Associates and American Institutes for Research, under contract with the Department, are conducting the study and are identifying states like yours for the study sample. The sample was chosen to reflect the diversity of 21^st CCLC grant competitions at the state level with respect to the number and type of priorities set for awarding grant dollars; the frequency of grant competitions; the number of new programs receiving grant awards each competition; and the selectivity of the grant competitions. In addition, states were selected to reflect the variation in states’ demographic characteristics, including size—as measured by both their 21^st CCLC funding allocation and their number of PK-12 students enrolled in schools—as well as geographic location.

Data collection for the study will involve a two- to three-day visit to the state—including one day in one district within each state—by two members of the research team. During the visit, the team members will interview up to six members of the SEA staff who have responsibility for and/or are knowledgeable about the 21^st CCLC program and/or other discretionary grants programs. Each interview will last approximately 45 minutes to an hour and will cover issues related to: program staffing and administration; the planning and design of discretionary grant competitions; outreach efforts to eligible applicants; the application review and selection process; program monitoring and evaluation activities; technical assistance to grantees; state administrative capacities; and federal support. At the district level, team members will interview between two and five members of the LEA staff or other sub-grantee organization who have responsibility for and/or are knowledgeable about the 21^st CCLC program. We expect that these local interviews will last approximately 45 minutes to an hour and will focus on topics that include 21^st CCLC program staffing and administration; the grant competition structure and process; program monitoring and evaluation; and technical assistance and support.

In advance of each site visit, the research team will review relevant documents to learn about the state context and support for the 21^st CCLC program as well as other discretionary grants programs. All data collection activities will take place in June and July 2012, with site visits to be scheduled at the convenience of participating states and districts.

Prior to each interview, the research team will explain the purpose of the study, the topics to be covered, and procedures to ensure confidentiality. Responses to this data collection will be used to prepare aggregate findings (across groups of states), or will be used to provide examples of program implementation in a manner that does not associate responses with a specific site or individual. In the report, pseudonyms will be used for each state and district.  The research team may refer to the generic title of an individual (e.g., “project director,” or “OST coordinator”) but neither the site name nor the individual respondent’s name will be used.  All efforts will be made to keep the description of the site general enough so that a reader would never be able to determine the true name or identity of the site or individuals at the site.  We will not provide information that associates responses or findings with a subject, center, district, or state to anyone outside the research team, except as required by law. All data collected through the interviews and review of documents will be maintained in secure files and will be accessible only by members of the study team. All data files will be destroyed once the study is completed.

Upon commencement of the study, we will invite you to designate someone in the state to serve as a liaison to the research team. The research team will work with this person to schedule the interviews, and we will welcome their assistance in helping us to identify and gain access to key documents related to the 21^st CCLC state competition.

Although participation in the study is voluntary, we certainly hope that you will agree to have your state included in the study sample so that state policymakers and leaders from around the country can benefit from your experience and insights. Leslie Anderson, the Study Director from Policy Studies Associates, or Carol McElvain from American Institutes for Research will call you to discuss the study and to answer any questions that you may have. Please do not hesitate to contact Joanne Bogart on my staff if you would like additional information about our plans. Ms. Bogart can be reached at 202-205-7855 or [email protected].

Sincerely,

Stuart Kerachsky

Director

Policy and Program Studies Service

Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number XXXX-XXXX.  Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average approximately 60 minutes per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. The obligation to respond to this collection is voluntary. Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20210-4537 or email [email protected] and reference the OMB Control Number XXXX-XXXX. Note: Please do not return the completed XXXX (cite form or other applicable reporting mechanism) application to this address.

Recruitment Letter to District Superintendent or

Director of Sub-Grantee Organization

Dear [Superintendent/Director of Sub-Grantee Organization]:

I am writing to invite [Name of District/other sub-grantee organization] to participate in the study of 21^st CCLC state competitions, which is being conducted to identify practices and capabilities that could improve the efficiency and/or quality of state competitions. This study is being sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education’s (the Department) Policy and Program Studies Service and will examine the planning, design, and implementation of nine state 21^st CCLC grant competitions. Policy Studies Associates and American Institutes for Research, under contract with the Department, are conducting the study and are identifying states and districts like yours for the study sample. The sample was chosen to reflect the diversity of 21^st CCLC grant competitions at the state level with respect to the number and type of priorities set for awarding grant dollars; the frequency of grant competitions; the number of new programs receiving grant awards each competition; and the selectivity of the grant competitions.

In addition to nine states, the study sample includes one [district/other sub-grantee organization] in each of the states. A sample of 21^st CCLC sub-grantees are included in the study sample for purposes of better understanding local experiences with state competitions as well as to shed light on the consequences to districts and other 21^st CCLC sub-grantee organizations of state-level policies and practices. The 21^st CCLC sub-grantees were selected to reflect their variation with respect to type and size, number of centers, number of students served, number of years receiving 21^st CCLC grant awards, and services provided.

Data collection for the study will involve a two-day visit to the state and a one-day visit to the district by two members of the research team. During the visit, the team members will interview between two and five members of the [district/other sub-grantee organization] staff who have responsibility for and/or are knowledgeable about the 21^st CCLC program. We expect that these interviews will last approximately 45 minutes to an hour and will focus on topics that include: 21^st CCLC program staffing and administration; the grant competition structure and process; program monitoring and evaluation; and technical assistance and support.

In advance of each site visit, the research team will review relevant documents to learn about the local context and support for the 21^st CCLC program as well as other after-school programs operating at the local level. All data collection activities will take place in June and July 2012, with site visits to be scheduled at the convenience of participating states and districts.

Prior to each interview, the research team will explain the purpose of the study, the topics to be covered, and procedures to ensure confidentiality. Responses to this data collection will be used to prepare aggregate findings (across groups of states), or will be used to provide examples of program implementation in a manner that does not associate responses with a specific site or individual. In the report, pseudonyms will be used for each district.  The research team may refer to the generic title of an individual (e.g., “project director,” or “eighth-grade teacher”) but neither the site name nor the individual respondent’s name will be used.  All efforts will be made to keep the description of the site general enough so that a reader would never be able to determine the true name or identity of the site or individuals at the site.  We will not provide information that associates responses or findings with a subject, center, district, or state to anyone outside the research team, except as required by law. All data files will be destroyed once the study is completed.

Upon commencement of the study, we will invite you to designate someone in the [district/other sub-grantee organization] to serve as a liaison to the research team. The research team will work with this person to schedule the interviews, and we will welcome their assistance in helping us to identify and gain access to key documents related to the 21^st CCLC state competition.

Although participation in the study is voluntary, we certainly hope that you will agree to have your district included in the study sample so that local policymakers and leaders from around the country can benefit from your experience and insights. Leslie Anderson, the Study Director from Policy Studies Associates, or Carol McElvain from American Institutes for Research will call you to discuss the study and to answer any questions that you may have. Please do not hesitate to contact Joanne Bogart on my staff if you would like additional information about our plans. Ms. Bogart can be reached at 202-205-7855 or [email protected].

Sincerely,

Stuart Kerachsky

Director

Policy and Program Studies Service

Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number XXXX-XXXX.  Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average approximately 60 minutes per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. The obligation to respond to this collection is voluntary. Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20210-4537 or email [email protected] and reference the OMB Control Number XXXX-XXXX. Note: Please do not return the completed XXXX (cite form or other applicable reporting mechanism) application to this address.