Study of TEACH Grant Administration at Institutions of Higher Education

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

Cover Letter, Survey Instruments, and Respondent Reminder for:

Institutes of Higher Education

Version: 2/4/16

[Date]

<FINANCIAL AID ADMINISTRATOR>

<ADDR1>

<ADDR2>

<CITY STATE ZIP>

Dear <FINANCIAL AID ADMINISTRATOR >:



We are writing to request your participation in the Study of the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program survey. Information collected from the survey will be used to improve policy and guidance for TEACH Grant administration.

This study is being conducted for the U.S. Department of Education as part of its efforts to understand and improve the TEACH Grant program. The Department has contracted with [TBD] to administer the survey and analyze survey results.

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. If you have any questions about the study, please call [TBD].

The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 60 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 an aggregate manner (across groups of sites), or will be used to provide examples of program implementation in a manner that does not associate responses with a specific site or individual. In the report, pseudonyms will be used for each site. The study team may refer to the generic title of an individual (e.g., “project director,” or “financial aid administrator”) but neither the site name nor the individual name will be used. All efforts will be made to keep the description of the site general enough so that a reader would never be able to determine the true name or identity of the site or individuals at the site. The contractor will not provide information that associates responses or findings with a subject or site 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: “Study of the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program.” Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development, 400 Maryland Ave, SW, Washington DC 20202.

Institution of Higher Education (IHE) Survey for the 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 60 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 provide the name, title, and contact information for the staff member coordinating the survey response:

   1. Name: _________________________________

   2. Title: __________________________________

   3. Phone Number: __________________________

   4. Email Address: __________________________

2. What are your institutional goals for the use of TEACH Grants (check all that apply)?

 Encourage education students to pursue teaching in a high-need subject at a low-income school

 To make education more affordable for teacher-candidates potentially interested in teaching in a high-need subject at a low-income school.

 Other _______________________________________________________

Please elaborate, if necessary:

3. Which option below best characterizes the proportion of TEACH Grants recipients at your institution that are exclusively distance education students?

Undergraduate Recipients	 All recipients  Majority of recipients  Some, but less than half of recipients  No recipients  N/A , no TEACH Grants awarded at this academic level
Graduate Recipients	 All recipients  Majority of recipients  Some, but less than half of recipients  No recipients  N/A , no TEACH Grants awarded at this academic level

4. What office or department has the lead oversight role for TEACH Grants on your campus and what does that role entail (setting goals, student outreach, tracking of awards, tracking of fulfillment grant requirements/conversion of grants to loans, etc.)?

Financial Aid Office	
School/Department of Education	
Other Field-Specific School or Department (e.g. mathematics)	
Career Services	
Other(s), please specify _______	

5. Please indicate if your institution limits which teacher preparation students can receive TEACH Grants:

 Based on coursework taken
 Require a minimum number of ___ courses required for a teaching credential  Require a minimum number of ___ courses in a specific field/subject  Other(s), please specify ____________________________________  Expected field/subject of teaching or major/minor declared
 Require major and/or minor in high-need fields  Require declaration for a major and/or minor in teaching  Require admission into the teacher preparation program  Other(s), please specify ___________________________________  Based on academic level  Exclude freshman  Exclude sophomores  Exclude juniors  Exclude first-year graduate students  Other(s), please specify
 Based on academic performance  Require a GPA higher than the minimum set by TEACH  Other(s), please specify
 Other, please specify

6. How does your institution inform students about the TEACH Grant? Please indicate the mode of communication used by which subsections (departments, offices, etc.) to make students aware of the TEACH Grant program (check all that apply)

		Targeted students
Financial Aid Office		All students	Student subset1: _____	Student subset: _____	Student subset: _____	Student subset: _____
	Email
	Events
	Flyers
	Person-to-person contact2
	Website, indicate URL: __________________
	Other, please specify
School/Department of Education	Email
	Events
	Flyers
	Person-to-person contact
	Website, indicate URL: __________________
	Other, please specify
Other Field-Specific School or Department (e.g. mathematics)	Email
	Events
	Flyers
	Person-to-person contact
	Website, indicate URL: __________________
	Other, please specify
Career Services	Email
	Events
	Flyers
	Person-to-person contact
	Website, indicate URL: __________________
	Other, please specify
Other(s), please specify _______	Email
	Events
	Flyers
	Person-to-person contact
	Website, indicate URL: __________________
	Other, please specify

Please attach any existing example emails, flyers, etc. noted above.

1. Does your institution provide information about the availability of TEACH Grants to prospective teacher education students considering applying to your institution?

 Yes

 No

 N/A

7. Please indicate which subsections (departments, offices, etc.) offer counseling and advising specific to the TEACH Grant program and how they administer the counseling and advising. (check all that apply)

Subsection	Integrated with other counseling/advising or Standalone3	Online Optional	Online Mandatory	In-Person4 Optional	In-Person Mandatory
Financial Aid Office	Integrated Targeted to: all levels regardless of academic level freshmen sophomores juniors seniors first-year grad students second-year grad students graduates other ________	         	         	         	         
	Standalone Targeted to: all levels regardless of academic level freshmen sophomores juniors seniors first-year grad students second-year grad students graduates other ________	         	         	         	         
School/Department of Education	Integrated Targeted to: all levels regardless of academic level freshmen sophomores juniors seniors first-year grad students second-year grad students graduates other ________	         	         	         	         
	Standalone Targeted to: all levels regardless of academic level freshmen sophomores juniors seniors first-year grad students second-year grad students graduates other ________	         	         	         	         
Other Field-Specific School or Department (e.g. mathematics)	Integrated Targeted to: all levels regardless of academic level freshmen sophomores juniors seniors first-year grad students second-year grad students graduates other ________	         	         	         	         
	Standalone Targeted to: all levels regardless of academic level freshmen sophomores juniors seniors first-year grad students second-year grad students graduates other ________	         	         	         	         
Career Services	Integrated Targeted to: all levels regardless of academic level freshmen sophomores juniors seniors first-year grad students second-year grad students graduates other ________	         	         	         	         
	Standalone Targeted to: all levels regardless of academic level freshmen sophomores juniors seniors first-year grad students second-year grad students graduates other ________	         	         	         	         
Other(s), please specify ___________	Integrated Targeted to: all levels regardless of academic level freshmen sophomores juniors seniors first-year grad students second-year grad students graduates other ________	         	         	         	         
	Standalone Targeted to: all levels regardless of academic level freshmen sophomores juniors seniors first-year grad students second-year grad students graduates other ________	         	         	         	         

Please attach any existing guidance documents or online resources used in counseling and advising noted above.

8. Do you have an institution-specific TEACH Grant application? (Y/N)

   1. If so, please attach or provide URL ___________________________

9. Please indicate how subsections of your institution provide placement services for qualifying TEACH Grant service positions (check all that apply):

Financial Aid Office	Providing an updated list of available positions to students
	Guidance on how to identify positions that qualify for service.
	Establishing relationships with schools that have eligible positions.
	Other, please specify:
School/Department of Education	Providing an updated list of available positions to students
	Guidance on how to identify positions that qualify for service.
	Establishing relationships with schools that have eligible positions.
	Other, please specify:
Other Field-Specific School or Department	Providing an updated list of available positions to students
	Guidance on how to identify positions that qualify for service.
	Establishing relationships with schools that have eligible positions.
	Other, please specify:
Career Services	Providing an updated list of available positions to students
	Guidance on how to identify positions that qualify for service.
	Establishing relationships with schools that have eligible positions.
	Other, please specify:
Other(s), please specify	Providing an updated list of available positions to students
	Guidance on how to identify positions that qualify for service.
	Establishing relationships with schools that have eligible positions.
	Other, please specify:

10. Please indicate any challenges your institution sees in administering TEACH Grants.

11. Please provide any promising strategies your institution has found useful in administering TEACH Grants to improve overall awareness of the program, knowledge of program requirements, placement and retention in qualifying schools and positions, and any other activities to support grant recipients.

12. To what extent do you feel that TEACH Grants influence student decisions to pursue teaching as a career? Please note any data or experience that informs your opinion.

	3: Very influential	
	2: Somewhat influential	
	1: Not influential 0: Don’t know	 

13. To what extent do you feel that TEACH Grant eligibility requirements influence student decisions to pursue teacher certification in TEACH Grant-eligible fields and schools? Please note any data or experiences that inform your opinion.

	3: Very influential	
	2: Somewhat influential	
	1: Not influential 0: Don’t know	 

14. Please indicate if any of the practices or policies described above represent a significant change in TEACH Grant administration since your institution first started administering these grants. Please also indicate when changes were made and provide the reason why those changes were made.

[Date]

<FINANCIAL AID ADMINISTRATOR>

<ADDR1>

<ADDR2>

<CITY STATE ZIP>

Dear <FINANCIAL AID ADMINISTRATOR >:

Your institution’s participation in the Study of the TEACH Grant Program survey is crucial to the success of important research. Please consider completing the 60 minutes survey, intended to provide information needed to the Department of Education’s ability to improve policy and guidance for TEACH Grant administration.

This study is being conducted for the U.S. Department of Education as part of its efforts to understand and improve the TEACH Grant program. The Department has contracted with [TBD] to administer the survey and analyze survey results.

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. If you have any questions about the study, please call [TBD].

The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 60 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 an aggregate manner (across groups of sites), or will be used to provide examples of program implementation in a manner that does not associate responses with a specific site or individual. In the report, pseudonyms will be used for each site. The study team may refer to the generic title of an individual (e.g., “project director,” or “financial aid administrator”) but neither the site name nor the individual name will be used. All efforts will be made to keep the description of the site general enough so that a reader would never be able to determine the true name or identity of the site or individuals at the site. The contractor will not provide information that associates responses or findings with a subject or site 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: “Study of the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program.” Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development, 400 Maryland Ave, SW, Washington DC 20202.

1 For example, students taking specific courses, students with specific demographic backgrounds, and students at a specific academic level(e.g., freshman, sophomore, junior, senior)

2 Person-to-person contact refers to an in-person interactions such as a meeting with a financial aid counselor

3 Standalone refers to a counseling/advising session solely dedicated to discussing the TEACH grant. Integrated activities refer to counseling/advising sessions in which other topics are discussed, such as loan counseling.

4 In-person refers to in-person interactions such as meetings with a financial aid counselor

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