Teacher Assignment Data, Student Records Data

APPENDIX A
TEACHER ASSIGNMENT DATA REQUEST

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1100 1st Street, NE, 12th Floor

Washington, DC 20002-4221

Telephone (202) 484-9220

Fax (202) 863-1763

www.mathematica-mpr.com

[DATE]

Dear [School Contact]:

We would like to thank your school for participating in the evaluation of data-driven instruction (DDI) sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education and conducted by Mathematica Policy Research and its partners. This study will provide valuable information on how DDI is implemented in schools and the impact of high quality DDI on student achievement and other outcomes.

We are requesting data for fourth and fifth grade teachers in study schools in order to identify a sample of teachers who will be asked to complete a study survey, and to examine movement of teachers between the start of the study in fall 2014 and when the survey will be administered in spring 2016.

The attached teacher enumeration form and instructions indicate which teachers should be included and information we would like for each teacher. You can return the data either by posting an electronic file to our secure website or by sending the hard copy lists via a prepaid Federal Express packet provided. The staff list you provide will be used only for sampling purposes for this study.

Thank you very much for your assistance with this voluntary data request. A member of our study team will contact you in the next week to determine if you have any questions about this request and to whom you have delegated the task of completing the form. You can reach me at 202-484-3096 or [email protected]. We greatly appreciate your support for this important study.

This survey is authorized by the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002, Title I, Part E, Section 183, which prohibits disclosure of individually identifiable information as well as making the publishing or communicating of individually identifiable information by employees or staff a felony. Per the policies and procedures required by 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 this study will summarize findings across the sample and will not associate responses with a specific school, district, or individual. Any willful disclosure of such information for nonstatistical purposes, except as required by law, is a class E felony.

Sincerely,

Sheila Heaviside

Survey Director

Public 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. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 15 minutes per response. 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, Washington, DC 20202. If you have comments or concerns regarding the content or the status of your individual submission of this form, write directly to:  U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, 555 New Jersey Avenue, NW, Washington, DC  20208.

Evaluation of Data-Driven Instruction

GUIDELINES FOR SENDING TEACHER DATA FILES

Please use one of the two methods below to return the teacher and principal assignment lists to Mathematica.

A. Upload Electronic Files to a Secure Website

1. Go to https://www.xxx.org/upload using an Internet browser (for example, Microsoft Explorer). When prompted, use the following login information:

Username: XXX

Password: XXX

Domain Name: XXX

Note: Username and password are case sensitive.

2. Click the BROWSE button and select the file you wish to transfer.

3. Click the UPLOAD button to begin the transfer process. Once a file is uploaded, it cannot be downloaded or accessed by anyone other than an authorized member of the study team.

4. If the file name is not unique, you will receive a message indicating that the “file already exists.” If this occurs, please rename your file and upload again.

5. Close the browser once the upload is complete.

6. If your file is password protected, please call [Name] at [phone] with the password. For security reasons, please do not send the password by email.

B. Federal Express (Paper Lists, Diskettes CD-ROMs, DVDs)

1. Use the enclosed prepaid labels and send your package via Federal Express to Mathematica. Please write your return address information and the type of packaging you are using on the Federal Express label.

2. Affix the provided “DO NOT X-RAY; DO NOT BEND” label to the package.

3. If you would like Mathematica to provide other packaging material appropriate for the type of data list you are sending, please call [Name] at [phone].

4. Keep a copy of the information you send for your records.

If you have additional questions about the request or any of the instructions above, please call (Name) at XXX-XXX-XXXX or email XXXX.