Gainful Employment Focus Groups - Students, For Profit and Public Institutions

Attachment B – Institutional Representative GE Screener

Institution Name: _______________________________

WESTAT RECRUITING SCRIPT AND SCREENER

Gainful Employment Focus Group with Institutional Representatives from Proprietary Schools and Community Colleges Offering a Certificate in a Career or Vocational Program

Sponsor: U.S. Department of Education

Revised September 17, 2015

SECTION A. [INITIAL CONTACT IS IPEDS KEY HOLDER IDENTIFIED BY NCES. Westat recruits from IPEDS keyholder list in the DC metropolitan area.]

INTRO:

Hello, my name is_________ and I’m calling from Westat, a social science research firm in Rockville, Maryland, on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education.

QA1. May I speak with [NAME OF KEY HOLDER]?

YES……………….……….1 (SKIP TO SECTION C)

NOT AVAILABLE……….2 (IF CONTACT IS NOT AVAILABLE, REQUEST A CALL BACK TIME. RECORD TIME ON CALL RECORD. END.)

NEED NEW CONTACT...3 (IF CONTACT IS NO LONGER THE APPROPRIATE PERSON, GO TO QUESTION QB1.)

SECTION B. [IF CONTACT IS NOT THE CORRECT RESPONDENT]

QB1. Who has primary responsibility for coordinating, collecting, reporting, or submitting IPEDS data about your institution to the U.S. Department of Education or state agencies?

NAME: ______________________________________________________

QB2. Would you please share with me that person’s phone number? I would like to invite them to participate in a focus group.

PHONE NUMBER: (_________) _____________________________

QB3. May I speak with (INSERT NAME OF NEW CONTACT)?

YES……………….………1 (GO TO SECTION C)

NOT AVAILABLE……….2 (IF CONTACT IS NOT AVAILABLE, REQUEST A CALL BACK TIME. RECORD TIME ON CALL RECORD. END.)

SECTION C. [SPEAKING TO CONTACT PERSON]

[READ IF NEEDED: Hello, my name is ____________ and I’m calling from Westat on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education. I’m calling regarding the new Gainful Employment regulations.]

You have been identified as the person who submits IPEDS data to the U.S. Department of Education. Is this correct?

YES……………………..1 (CONTINUE TO QC1)

NO……………………...2 (GO BACK TO QB1)

QC1. As you might know, the U.S. Dept. of Education amended the Gainful Employment regulations under the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA) and the Student Assistance General Provisions. The purpose of these amendments is “to establish measures for determining whether certain postsecondary educational programs prepare students for gainful employment in a recognized occupation, and the conditions under which these educational programs remain eligible under the Federal Student Aid programs authorized under title IV of the HEA (title IV, HEA programs).”

These Gainful Employment regulations are effective in 2017. These regulations will require proprietary institutions and community colleges, among other institutions of higher education with Gainful Employment programs, to provide additional specific information to consumers about the effectiveness of their certificate programs in a disclosure template.

I am calling to solicit the participation of the IPEDS key holder, or his/her designee, in a focus group to be held in the DC metropolitan area. The purpose of the focus group is to assist institutions like yours in complying with the Department of Education’s amended Gainful Employment regulations. Participants will be asked questions about the data they are required to submit to the Department to see if the items requested are clear, and if additional information such as definitions or instructions would help institutions complete the information. This information will be used to provide guidance to institutions on how to make the disclosure template as meaningful as possible.

QC1A. Are you responsible for coordinating, collection, or submitting data on your school to the U.S. Department of Education or state agencies?

YES………….…………1 (CONTINUE)

NO………….………….2 (GO BACK TO QB1)

QC1B. Do your responsibilities at your institution also include aspects of financial aid or institutional research?

FINANCIAL AID………….………….1 (CONTINUE)

INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH………2 (CONTINUE)

NO………….………………………….3 (CONTINUE)

QC2. Your participation in the study and the information we collect will be held confidential in that we will not include your name or the name of your school in the study report. If eligible, we will invite you to participate in our focus group to be held at Westat in Rockville, MD on date [TBD]. We are offering a $75 incentive and a light meal to participants as a thank you for your help.

First, I would like to ask you a few questions to ensure that you are eligible for our focus group.

QC2A. Does your school offer a certificate in a career of vocational program that does not require a bachelor’s degree?

YES………..1 (CONTINUE TO QC3)

NO..……….2 (TERMINATE. This focus group is only for schools that offer a certificate program that does not require a degree. Thank you for taking the time to talk to us.)

QC3. Does your school offer a bachelor’s degree?

YES………..1 (TERMINATE. This focus group is limited to

schools that do not offer a bachelor’s degree.

Thank you for taking the time to talk to us.)

NO………..2 (CONTINUE TO QC4)

QC4. Do you have a bachelor’s degree?

YES………………………………..1 (CONTINUE)

NO….…………..…...…………..…2 (TERMINATE. This focus

group is limited to staff that have

a bachelor’s degree. Thank you for taking the time to talk with us.)

QC5. How long have you worked at this institution?

_________________# OF MONTHS OR YEARS (CONTINUE)

QC6. Are you employed at this institution:

Full-time..…….………………………….1 (CONTINUE)

Part-time..…….………………………….2 (CONTINUE)

QC7. Would you please briefly describe your primary job responsibilities? (Probe contact for key responsibilities of submitting, collecting, and coordinating data for the school.)

_______________________________________________________

QC8. How long have you worked in the area of collection, reporting, or submitting school data? We are looking for the total length of time you’ve worked in this capacity, including time at you current institution but also any previous experience you may have.

_____________ TOTAL # OF YEARS

LESS THAN ONE YEAR…..………………...1 (TERMINATE. Thank you for taking the time to talk with us but we are looking for participants with one or more years of experience.)

ONE YEAR OR MORE………………………2 (CONTINUE)

QC9. Are you: (Circle one.)

Hispanic or Latino………………….………………… 1 [CONTINUE]

Not Hispanic or Latino ………………….…………... 2 [CONTINUE]

QC10. How would you describe your race? (Circle all categories mentioned. Respondents may choose multiple categories.)

White ………………….……………………………... 1 [CONTINUE]

Black or African American ………………….………... 2 [CONTINUE]

Asian ………………….……………………………… 3 [CONTINUE]

Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander…………… 4 [CONTINUE]

American Indian or Alaska Native …………………… 5 [CONTINUE]

IF GENDER NOT APPARENT BY NAME OR VOICE OF RESPONDENT, ASK THIS QUESTION:

QC11. Please confirm your gender as: (Circle one.)

Female……………………………………………. 1 (CONTINUE)

Male………………………………………………. 2 (CONTINUE)

SECTION D: The focus group will be held on TBD date, at 5:30 p.m.

The focus group will include institutional representatives from 8 to 9 schools, and will last about an hour and a half. Refreshments will be served prior to the group.

QD1. ARE YOU AVAILABLE ON THIS DAY AT THE TIME SCHEDULED?

YES………..1 (CONTINUE WITH QD2)

NO…….…..2 (PROVIDE YOUR PHONE NUMBER AND E-MAIL ADDRESS AND ASK THE CONTACT PERSON TO CONTACT YOU IF THEY BECOME AVAILABLE ON THAT DAY AND TIME. THANK THEM AND END.]

QD2. You are scheduled for the focus group interview on TBD date, at 5:30 p.m. Westat will email you a confirmation letter and maps and directions to the building on our campus where the group will be held, and inform you of the time you will need to arrive. Please note that since the focus group will be recorded, we will also send you a consent form to review and sign and return prior to the group or once you arrive.

What is your email address [or physical address]:

What is your institution’s website address:

That’s all the information I need at this time. You will receive a call a few days prior to the focus group to remind you about the time and date the group will be held. If you have any questions, you may contact:

• Molly Hershey-Arista at 301-610-4908 (Westat)

• Amy E. Wilson at 202-502-7689 (U.S. Department of Education)

Thank you very much for your cooperation in this important study.