Appendix D Advance Letters

OMB Control Number XXX. Expires: XXXX

DOE logo Date:

Dear [DISTRICT TITLE] [FIRST] [LAST NAME] of [DISTRICT NAME]:

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) is pleased to inform you that your district has been selected to participate in an important new research study. We are conducting the Evaluation of Preschool Special Education Practices to understand curricula and interventions that are used with preschool children with disabilities to promote their learning of language, literacy, and social-emotional skills. This study will provide descriptive information about how, by whom, and in what settings preschool children with disabilities are served. Information at this level of detail is not currently known.

Why am I required to complete this survey?

As you may be aware, districts are obliged to participate in Department of Education evaluations. We are asking for your assistance by completing a 60-minute web survey that describes how preschool children with disabilities are served in your district. The information you provide is critical to the success of this study to improve the education of preschool students with disabilities. Please type the web address below into your browser and enter the password and User ID or you may click on the link to the survey that was included in the email we sent you.

{INSERT URL]

User Name: [INSERT]

Password: [INSERT]

What is the Evaluation of Preschool Special Education Practices?

Section 619 coordinators in all 50 states and the District of Columbia and a nationally representative sample of 1,200 school districts (of which yours is one) will participate in brief surveys. The surveys will help understand the context in which preschool children with disabilities are served, the curricula and interventions used, and other characteristics of the settings, staff, and children themselves. The survey findings will be made available to the public in a report.

Can other staff complete sections of the survey?

Yes, please share this survey with other staff who can help address any questions you are unable to answer. We have provided a copy of the survey as an attachment in the invitation email we sent you. You can review the items to determine if any need to be completed by other staff. If there are items other staff will need to complete, please provide them with a copy of the survey. Once they have completed the items you can enter their responses in the web survey.

What if I represent more than one school district?

If you represent a regional education agency that encompasses more than one school district, please respond specifically for the district listed at the beginning of this letter and in the web survey. If you cannot respond specifically for the listed district then please respond thinking about your region as a whole, including all the districts that are served by it.

The U.S. Department of Education thanks you in advance for your participation in this important study. 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. Personally identifiable information about individual respondents will not be released. Please note that data on state policies and practices may be reported by state. If you have any questions, please contact the study team toll-free at 1-866-XXX-XXXX or via email at [email protected]. If you wish to complete the survey by phone you can call 1-866-XXX-XXXX Monday – Friday 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. CST.

Sincerely,

NAME

National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance

• 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 Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 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 required to obtain or retain benefit (Education Department General Administrative Regulations, Sections 75.591 and 75.592). 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: XXXXX. Note: Please do not return the completed survey to this address.

Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education