Study of TEACH Grant Recipients

Study of the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program

Cover Letter, Survey Instruments, and Respondent Reminder for:

TEACH Grant Recipients

Version: 12/8/2015

[Date]

<GRANT RECIPIENT>

<ADDR1>

<ADDR2>

<CITY STATE ZIP>

Dear <GRANT RECIPIENT>:



We are writing to request your participation in the Study of the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program institutional survey. Information collected from the survey will be used to improve policy and guidance for TEACH Grant administration. As a token of appreciation for your participation, you will receive a gift of $20 upon completion of the survey.

This study is being conducted for the U.S. Department of Education as part of its effort to improve the quality of TEACH Grant administration. The Department has contracted with [TBD] to administer the survey and analyze survey results. The results of this study will inform policy and guidance improvements that will help support future grant recipients.

Please use the web link [TBD], study ID [TBD], and password [TBD] to access the survey.

Your participation is voluntary; however, your participation is very important to enable this study and provide policymakers with complete information. Data collection is being conducted in only a sample of recipients. As such, this greatly increases the importance of your response. If you have any questions about the study, please call [TBD].

The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 20 minutes per response, including the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather the data necessary, and to complete and review the information collection.

Responses to this data collection will be used to summarize findings in a manner that does not associate survey responses with a specific individual. The research team will not provide information that associates responses to individuals to anyone outside the study team, except as required by law.

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such a collection displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is [TBD].

If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate or suggestions for improving the survey, please write: U.S. Department of Education, Washington D.C. 20202-4651. If you have comments or concerns regarding the contents or the status of your individual survey, write directly to TEACH Grant Study, Policy and Programs Study Service Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development, 400 Maryland Ave, SW, Washington DC 20202.

Recipient Survey for Study of the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program

Please provide answers to all the questions in the survey form. 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 xxxx-xxxx. Public reporting burden for this collection is estimated to average 20 minutes per 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 collection is voluntary. If you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission of this form, application or survey, please contact (Program Office address/contact information) directly.

1. Please enter your name and institution(s) for where you received a TEACH Grant(s):

   1. Name:

   2. Institution(s) :

2. When you received your first TEACH Grant, what was your program of study, major and/or minor (check all that apply)?

Education Mathematics Science Foreign Language Bilingual Education English Language Acquisition Special Education Reading Specialist Other_________________________

        

3. What is your enrollment status?(check all that apply)?

 Still enrolled in the institution at which you received your first TEACH Grant. If so, please indicate your current program of study, major, and/or minor(check all that apply).

Education Mathematics Science Foreign Language Bilingual Education English Language Acquisition Special Education Reading Specialist Other_________________________

        

 Enrolled at an institution other than the institution in which you received your first TEACH Grant. If so, please indicate your current program of study, major, and/or minor(check all that apply)

Education Mathematics Science Foreign Language Bilingual Education English Language Acquisition Special Education Reading Specialist Other_________________________

        

 Completed/graduated at the institution at which you received your first TEACH Grant. If so, please indicate the program of study, major, and/or minor you completed (check all that apply).

Education Mathematics Science Foreign Language Bilingual Education English Language Acquisition Special Education Reading Specialist Other_________________________

        

 Completed/graduated at an institution other than the institution in which you received your first TEACH Grant. If so, please indicate the program of study, major, and/or minor you completed (check all that apply).

Education Mathematics Science Foreign Language Bilingual Education English Language Acquisition Special Education Reading Specialist Other_________________________

        

 Not enrolled and withdrew from school without completing/graduating

without plans to re-enroll in the next year with plans to re-enroll in the next year

 

4. When you were at the institution at which you received your TEACH Grant(s), how much of your coursework was online?

All coursework	
Majority of coursework	
Less than half of coursework	
No coursework	

5. How did you first learn about TEACH Grants? (Check all that apply)

Financial Aid Office Representative	
Instructor/Professor	
Counselor	
Another student	
College/University website	
College/University flyer	
Other: _____________________________________	

6. How influential was the TEACH Grant as an incentive to pursue teaching as a career?

4: Very influential 3: Somewhat influential 2: Not very influential 1: Not at all influential

   

7. In the process of obtaining your first TEACH Grant, how well informed were you about the four-year service requirement to teach in a qualifying high-need field at a low-income school?

4: Well informed	
3: Moderately informed	
2: Somewhat informed	
1: Not informed	

8. How influential was the TEACH Grant as an incentive to pursue teaching in a high-need field at a low-income school?

4: Very influential 3: Somewhat influential 2: Not very influential 1: Not at all influential

   

9. Upon receipt of your first TEACH Grant, how did you feel about your likelihood of fulfilling the TEACH Grant four-year service requirement to teach in a qualifying high-need field at a low-income school?

5: Very likely	
4: Likely	
3: Unlikely	
2: Very unlikely	
1: Did not know	

10. Upon leaving your teacher preparation program, how well informed were you about determining whether or not a specific teaching position was or was not in a qualifying high-need field at a low-income school, as defined by TEACH requirements?

4: Well informed	
3: Moderately informed	
2: Somewhat informed	
1: Not informed	

11. Upon leaving your teacher preparation program, how well informed were you about the requirement to annually certify your intent to teach in a high-need field at a low-income school?

4: Well informed	
3: Moderately informed	
2: Somewhat informed	
1: Not informed	

12. As of today, how do you feel about the likelihood that you will fulfill the TEACH Grant four-year service requirement to teach in a qualifying high-need field at a low-income school ?

6: Service requirements already met	
5: Very likely	
4: Likely	
3: Unlikely	
2: Very unlikely	
1: Do not know	
N/A: My grant(s) were already converted to loan(s)	

13. If you answered do not know, unlikely, very unlikely, or that your grants have already been converted to loans, what are the factors that influenced this outcome:

(Select all that apply) Did not understand the service requirements of the grant Failed to certify annually  forgot about annual certification  did not know about annual certification  did not know the process for annual certification  elected not to certify  other____________  N/A Was never certain about an intention to teach Did not continue in a teacher preparation program  due to falling below academic requirements  due to change in interests  other Did not graduate from college or graduate school  due to falling below academic requirements  due to change in interests  financial reasons (e.g., could no longer afford to attend)  other Graduated from a teacher preparation program, but did not go into teaching  due to inability to obtain a job in teaching  due to change in interests  due to personal reasons unrelated to the teaching profession  to pursue a higher-paying profession  other Currently teaching, but not in a position that qualifies for TEACH Grant service. Decided I did not want to teach in a high-need field. Decided I did not want to teach at a low-income school. Applied to one or more qualifying positions, but was not offered the position. I could not find a job in a high-need field. I could not find a job at a low-income school. Found a higher paying teaching position at a non-qualifying school. Other _________________________________ I did not meet state requirements for a Highly Qualified Teacher (HQT) After starting teaching, I left the profession altogether. Teaching was different than expected. More difficult Not challenging enough Other Teaching compensation was not enough. Received a job offer in a different field of work. Personal reasons unrelated to the teaching profession I started teaching in a qualifying TEACH position, but changed to a non-qualifying TEACH position Was the new position:  In the same high-need field, but at a non-qualifying school?  At a low-income school, but in a non-qualifying field? Why:  Teaching in a qualifying position was too difficult  Teaching in a qualifying position was no longer interesting  Teaching in a qualifying position did not pay enough  Other I changed to a non-teaching, administrative position at a school (e.g. promotion to principal) prior to fulfilling my service  At a low-income school  Not at a low-income school

          

14. Did you obtain a TEACH Grant earlier in your teacher preparation program (e.g. freshman year or first year of graduate school), but not in subsequent years leading up to graduating with a teaching credential (for example, obtaining a grant in your sophomore year, but not your senior year)?

 Yes

 No

 Don’t know

If so, why?

I did not meet counseling requirements of the TEACH Grant (i.e. did not pass the counseling quiz or complete required counseling)	
I did not meet the academic requirements	
I transferred to a teacher preparation program for a different field of teaching I stayed in a qualifying field but transferred to an institution that doesn’t offer TEACH Grants	
I decided to pursue a field and career other than teaching I changed my mind about my intention to teach in a high-need field at a low-income school	
Other _______________________________________	

[Date]

<GRANT RECIPIENT>

<ADDR1>

<ADDR2>

<CITY STATE ZIP>

Dear <GRANT RECIPIENT>:



Your participation in the Study of the TEACH Grant Program survey is crucial to the success of important research. Please consider completing the 20-minute survey, intended to provide information needed to the Department of Education’s ability to improve policy and guidance for TEACH Grant administration. As a token of appreciation for your participation, you will receive a gift of $20 upon completion of the survey.

This study is being conducted for the U.S. Department of Education as part of its effort to improve the quality of TEACH Grant administration. The Department has contracted with [TBD] to administer the survey and analyze survey results. The results of this study will inform policy and guidance improvements that will help support future grant recipients.

Please use the web link [TBD], study ID [TBD], and password [TBD] to access the survey.

Your participation is voluntary; however, your participation is very important to enable this study and provide policymakers with complete information. Data collection is being conducted in only a sample of recipients. As such, this greatly increases the importance of your response. If you have any questions about the study, please call [TBD].

The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 20 minutes per response, including the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather the data necessary, and to complete and review the information collection.

Responses to this data collection will be used to summarize findings in a manner that does not associate survey responses with a specific individual. The research team will not provide information that associates responses to individuals to anyone outside the study team, except as required by law.

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such a collection displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is [TBD].

If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate or suggestions for improving the survey, please write: U.S. Department of Education, Washington D.C. 20202-4651. If you have comments or concerns regarding the contents or the status of your individual survey, write directly to TEACH Grant Study, Policy and Programs Study Service Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development, 400 Maryland Ave, SW, Washington DC 20202.

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