Evaluator correspondance letters

Appendix B:

National Evaluation of i3 (NEi3) Evaluator Correspondence

ADVANCE NOTIFICATION TO NEi3 EVALUATORS

Subject: The NEi3’s Upcoming Findings Survey

Dear [First Name],

The National Evaluation of Investing in Innovation (NEi3) is being conducted by Abt Associates Inc. on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education (ED) Institute of Education Sciences (IES). A primary goal of the NEi3 is to assess the strength of evidence generated by independent local evaluations of i3 grants and to provide summaries of evaluation findings. As part of this evaluation, the NEi3 is conducting a data collection to collect information from evaluators like you regarding the findings of your i3 independent evaluation.

This email message is to inform you of the upcoming survey. Grantees and their independent evaluators are required to comply with the requirements of the NEi3. Participation in at least one of the NEi3’s data collection periods is required. Your response is critical for producing valid and reliable data.

At this time, no reply is necessary, unless you would prefer that we use an alternate email instead of this one. If you have any questions about this email or ED’s plans for this study, please contact me, Beth Boulay.

Thank you for your time!

Sincerely,

Beth Boulay

Study Director, Abt Associates Inc.

888-xxx-xxxx

[email protected]

EMAIL INVITATION TO NEi3 EVALUATORS

Subject: NEi3 Findings Survey Now Open

Dear [First Name],

The National Evaluation of Investing in Innovation (NEi3) Findings Survey is now open. The NEi3 is being conducted by Abt Associates Inc. on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education (ED) Institute of Education Sciences (IES). A primary goal of the NEi3 is to assess the strength of evidence generated by independent local evaluations of i3 grants and to provide summaries of evaluation findings. The purpose of this data collection is to collect information from evaluators like you regarding the findings of your i3 independent evaluation.

Please click HERE to begin the survey now. To access the survey, please use the following log-in credentials:

Username: XXX

Password: XXX

We anticipate that the survey will take you 15 hours to complete. You may pause the survey at any time and return to it later.

Responses to this data collection will be used to disseminate information about your study findings. Individual i3 grants will be identified in this study. The characteristics, results, and findings reported by independent evaluators, as well as assessments of the quality of the independent evaluations and i3 projects, may potentially be reported. This study cannot, however, associate responses with a specific school or individual participating in i3 independent evaluations, since we are not collecting that information.

Grantees and their independent evaluators are required to comply with the requirements of the NEi3. Participation in at least one of the NEi3’s data collection periods is required. Your response is critical for producing valid and reliable data. You may skip any questions you do not wish to answer; however, we hope that you answer as many questions as you can. Your answers to questions will not affect your grant—now or in the future. Participation in the NEi3 Findings Survey will not impose any risks to you as a respondent.

For more information about the study, please email [email protected], or call toll-free, 888-xxx-xxxx. If you have any questions about your rights as a research participant, you can contact Teresa Doksum, the Chairperson of Abt’s IRB at 617-349-2896 or by email at [email protected].

Thank you in advance for your participation.

Sincerely,

Beth Boulay

Study Director, Abt Associates Inc.

888-xxx-xxxx

[email protected]

EMAIL REMINDER TO NEi3 EVALUATORS

Subject: REMINDER - NEi3 Findings Survey

Dear [First Name],

We are writing to remind you to participate in the National Evaluation of Investing in Innovation (NEi3) Findings Survey. The NEi3 is being conducted by Abt Associates Inc. on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education (ED) Institute of Education Sciences (IES). It appears that you have not yet [started/completed] the survey, and we would like to encourage you to do so at your earliest convenience. This survey will assist the NEi3 to assess the strength of evidence generated by independent local evaluations of i3 grants and to provide summaries of evaluation findings. The purpose of this data collection is to collect information from evaluators like you regarding the findings of your i3 independent evaluation.

Please click HERE to access the survey now. To enter the survey, please use the following log-in credentials:

Username: XXX

Password: XXX

We anticipate that the survey will take you 15 hours to complete. You may pause the survey at any time and return to it later.

Responses to this data collection will be used to disseminate information about your study findings. Individual i3 grants will be identified in this study. The characteristics, results, and findings reported by independent evaluators, as well as assessments of the quality of the independent evaluations and i3 projects, may potentially be reported. This study cannot, however, associate responses with a specific school or individual participating in i3 independent evaluations, since we are not collecting that information.

Grantees and their independent evaluators are required to comply with the requirements of the NEi3. Participation in at least one of the NEi3’s data collection periods is required. Your response is critical for producing valid and reliable data. You may skip any questions you do not wish to answer; however, we hope that you answer as many questions as you can. Your answers to questions will not affect your grant—now or in the future. Participation in the NEi3 Findings Survey will not impose any risks to you as a respondent.

For more information about the study, please email [email protected], or call toll-free, 888-xxx-xxxx. If you have any questions about your rights as a research participant, you can contact Teresa Doksum, the Chairperson of Abt’s IRB at 617-349-2896 or by email at [email protected].

Thank you in advance for your participation.

Sincerely,

Beth Boulay

Study Director, Abt Associates Inc.

888-xxx-xxxx

[email protected]

NON-RESPONSE LETTER TO NEi3 EVALUATORS

Dear [First Name],

On behalf of the U.S. Department of Education (ED) Institute of Education Sciences (IES), we invite you to participate in the National Evaluation of Investing in Innovation (NEi3) Findings Survey. A primary goal of the NEi3 is to assess the strength of evidence generated by independent local evaluations of i3 grants and to provide summaries of evaluation findings. The purpose of this data collection is to collect information from evaluators like you regarding the findings of your i3 independent evaluation. We have been trying to reach you regarding this very important study and we have not yet received a completed web survey from you. Please login and complete the survey today.

To access the survey, please type the link below into your web browser and enter your credentials:

Survey: XXX

Username: XXX

Password: XXX

We anticipate that the survey will take you 15 hours to complete. You may pause the survey at any time and return to it later.

Responses to this data collection will be used to disseminate information about your study findings. Individual i3 grants will be identified in this study. The characteristics, results, and findings reported by independent evaluators, as well as assessments of the quality of the independent evaluations and i3 projects, may potentially be reported. This study cannot, however, associate responses with a specific school or individual participating in i3 independent evaluations, since we are not collecting that information.

Grantees and their independent evaluators are required to comply with the requirements of the NEi3. Participation in at least one of the NEi3’s data collection periods is required. Your response is critical for producing valid and reliable data. You may skip any questions you do not wish to answer; however, we hope that you answer as many questions as you can. Your answers to questions will not affect your grant—now or in the future. Participation in the NEi3 Findings Survey will not impose any risks to you as a respondent.

For more information about the study, please email [email protected], or call toll-free, 888-xxx-xxxx. If you have any questions about your rights as a research participant, you can contact Teresa Doksum, the Chairperson of Abt’s IRB at 617-349-2896 or by email at [email protected].

Thank you in advance for your participation.

Sincerely,

Beth Boulay

Study Director, Abt Associates Inc.

888-xxx-xxxx

[email protected]