Attachment D: Teacher Info and Informed Consent

Attachment D: Teacher Information and Informed Consent

Name of Research Study: Evaluating the Retired Mentors for New Teachers Program

Protocol Number: CE 4.4.3

Sponsor: U.S. Department of Education

Principal Investigator: Dale DeCesare

Address: REL Central

9000 E. Nichols Ave., Ste. 112

Centennial, CO 80112

303-766-9199

Introduction

You are being asked to participate in data collection activities as part of a research study conducted by Aurora Public Schools (APS) and the Regional Education Laboratory for the Central region of the country (REL Central). The study is jointly funded by APS and the U.S. Department of Education and focuses on the mentoring experiences of probationary teachers in selected elementary schools. Please read the following information. If you have questions that are not answered in this form, contact information is provided so that you may ask as many questions as needed and REL Central staff will be happy to answer your questions.

Purpose of the Study

APS, like many districts across the country, is seeking to identify effective methods of providing support to new and probationary teachers. We are conducting this study with APS in order to gather information on the characteristics of mentoring support that probationary teachers receive in APS elementary schools and to evaluate the district’s “Retired Mentors for New Teachers” program. This program provides two years of added mentoring support to probationary teachers using retired, master APS educators.

The results of the study, which will estimate impacts on students and teachers, will be of interest not only to urban districts, such as APS, but to suburban and rural districts across the country. Most districts, like APS, grapple with how best to support new teachers in an environment of increasing demands placed on educators and reduced budgets for districts and schools. The use of retired master educators represents an untapped but valuable resource for such districts to draw upon in supporting their newest educators.

Description of the Research Study and Data Collection Activities

This study will involve approximately 100 probationary teachers in 14 APS elementary schools. For purposes of the research, half the teachers will be randomly assigned to either a “control” group (where they will receive the district’s normal mentoring support) or a “treatment” group (where they will receive two years of added support from a retired, master APS educator). You will be randomly assigned to one of these two groups.

Teachers in both the treatment and control groups will be asked to complete one short online survey per school year in 2013-14 and 2014-15. The surveys will take approximately 10 minutes to complete for control group teachers and approximately 20 minutes to complete for treatment group teachers. The surveys include questions about the intensity and types of mentoring received, and your opinion on the value of the mentoring activities. The survey also includes questions about background information, such as grade level and prior teaching experience. The district will compensate teachers $25 for each fully completed survey.

Treatment group: If you are assigned to the treatment group, you may also be asked to participate in focus groups in the 2013-14 and 14-15 school years with approximately 6-10 other probationary teachers who receive added mentoring under the Retired Mentors for New Teachers Program. The focus groups will take 60 minutes and will ask questions about the types of mentoring received and your opinion on the value of that mentoring. The district will compensate each focus group participant $25.

Additional district data will be collected and shared with researchers, including: student performance data on district benchmark assessments; teacher turnover data to track differences in teacher retention across control and treatment groups; data from teacher evaluation rubrics recorded by school administrators; and records of support created by the retired mentors to track the dosage and content of mentoring support they provide to teachers.

Risks or Discomforts

There are no foreseeable risks to participants.

New Findings

The research staff will inform you of any information learned that might cause you to change your mind about participating in data collection activities.

Benefits of Participation

The district will compensate teachers $25 for each fully completed survey and for each focus group participant. The study has the potential to provide useful information for the development and refinement of teacher mentoring systems in APS and for others across the United States. Teachers, schools, and the district can ultimately benefit if this information is used to inform future mentoring programs, including expanded use or targeted use of retired mentors.

Confidentiality

Information collected for this study comes under the confidentiality and data protection requirements of the Institute of Education Sciences (The Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002, Title I, Part E, Section 183). Responses to this data collection will be used only for statistical purposes. The reports prepared for the study will summarize findings across the sample and will not associate responses with a specific district, school, or individual. We will not provide information that identifies you, your district or your school to anyone outside the study team, except as required by law. Any willful disclosure of such information for non-statistical purposes without the informed consent of the respondent, except as required by law, is a class E felony.

Paperwork Burden Statement

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. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1850-NEW. Public reporting burden for this collection is estimated to average one hour per focus group and 15 minutes per survey response, including the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collection. The obligation to respond to this data 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 Avenue, S.W., LBJ, Room 2E117, Washington, DC 20210-4537 or send electronically through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov by selecting the Docket ID number.

Contact for Questions

If you have any questions about this REL Central study, you may contact Dale DeCesare at 1120 Lincoln, Suite 110, Denver, CO 80203, 720-227-0089 or at [email protected].

If you have any concerns regarding this project, dissatisfaction with any aspect of this study, or questions about your rights as a research subject, you may contact Liberty IRB, 2024 Larchmont Drive, Deland, FL 32724, (386) 740-9278.

Voluntary Participation

Taking part in the research study and its survey and focus groups is voluntary. There will not be any penalty or loss of benefits if you decide to withdraw from these activities.

Cost

There are no costs to you associated with your participation.

Consent

I have been informed of the data collection activities associated with this research project and choose to participate. I have read all of the above or it has been discussed with me. I have had the chance to ask questions about this study, and my questions have been answered. After I sign this form, I will be given a blank copy of it for my own records. I do not give up any of my legal rights by signing this form.

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Signature of Participant E-mail address Date

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Signature of Person Obtaining Consent Date

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