SEA 2019 T4 PA Center Customer Survey

Appendix A – Survey

Introduction:

Dear [State Coordinator’s name],

Welcome to the 2019 State Education Agency (SEA) Needs Assessment Survey (Needs Assessment). On behalf of the U.S. Department of Education’s (ED) Office of Safe and Supportive Students (OSSS), the staff at the Title IV, Part A Technical Assistance Center (T4PA Center) developed the Needs Assessment to help better understand State Coordinators’ (SC) technical assistance needs to meet the requirements of Title IV, Part A, Student Support and Academic Enrichment (SSAE) program (“Title IV–A”).

Information collected through this survey will inform the development of resources, training, and other materials and methods of technical assistance support for the T4PA Center and ED to provide to State Coordinators in the delivery of their SSAE programs.

This survey examines the technical assistance provided by SCs to local education agencies (LEAs) and the further needs SCs may have in implementing the SSAE grants, authorized by Title IV, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The information collected through this Needs Assessment survey will be used to create data-driven technical assistance plans for your State Education Agency.

The staff at the T4PA Center thank you in advance for completing this brief assessment. We estimate it will take 15 minutes to finish this survey. We are requesting all responses please be submitted by 5:00 p.m. EST, on XXXXX, 2019.

To begin, please click on the “Next” button at the bottom of the screen. You may leave and return to the Needs Assessment at any point as your data will be saved in the system for when you come back.

Sincerely,

Title IV, Part A Technical Assistance Center

Instructions for Completion

The T4PA Center developed this tool to understand SEA capacity and needs to meet the requirements of Title IV, Part A, Student Support and Academic Enrichment (SSAE) program (“Title IV-A”).

This survey is designed to identify the needs of SEAs related to 1) administering Title IV-A, and 2) supporting LEAs to accomplish projects and activities within Title IV-A. Information collected through this survey will inform the development of resources, training, and other materials and methods of technical assistance support for the T4PA Center and U.S. Department of Education to provide to State Coordinators in the delivery of their SSAE programs. We encourage you to be candid in your responses.

This Needs Assessment should require 10-15 minutes to complete. A limited number of text boxes will require written responses. You may leave the Needs Assessment at any point; your answers will be saved. To return to the Needs Assessment, please use the link in your invitation email.

If you have any questions or need assistance to complete this survey, please contact the T4PA Center at the following email or toll-free phone number: [email protected] or 833-404-4845.

STATE EDUCATION AGENCY INFORMATION

Please select your state or territory: [a pull-down list of states and territories will be provided for the SC]

Please complete with the information of the person completing this Needs Assessment survey:

Name:
Title:
Email Address:
Phone:
Are you new to this position since January 2018?	Yes No

STATE EDUCATION AGENCY’S CAPACITY TO ADMINISTER/MANAGE TITLE IV-A ACTIVITIES:

The questions below relate to your SEA’s overall capacity to successfully implement the Title IV-A activities in your Consolidated State Plan. To achieve each of the capacities named, please select the extent of training and technical assistance (T/TA) support, if any, you believe your SEA will require.

Please select all the topics on which you provided training and technical assistance in the past year:

Fiscal Topics	Do you provide any T/TA on this topic? (Y/N)
Assisting LEAs in developing a budget for the grant funds
Determining allowable costs for the LEAs
Monitoring of grant funds including how funds are tracked to ensure that LEAs are spending appropriately
Developing the LEA application package
Training on the application package requirements
Reviewing and approving applications
Other fiscal topics: (text field)

In all areas of Title IV-A administration, the T4PA Center and the U.S. Department of Education (ED) are available to assist you in providing technical support to your LEAs. Please indicate the level of support you would like in the coming year for each topic listed below using the following scale:

• No support indicates that you need no additional assistance from the T4PA Center or ED in supporting your LEAs with these inquiries

• Minimal support indicates that you would like a moderate level of support from the T4PA Center or ED in supporting your LEAs on these topics

• Some support indicates that you require additional support and/or specific questions answered from the T4PA Center or ED in supporting your LEAs on these topics

• Substantial support indicates that you have minimal knowledge of this subject and require support from the T4PA Center or ED in many or all aspects of this area

	How much support would you like in the coming year?
	Substantial support	Some support	Minimal support	No Support
Assisting LEAs in developing a budget for the grant funds
Monitoring of grant funds including how funds are tracked across content areas to ensure that districts are spending funds appropriately
Developing the LEA application package
Training on the application package requirements
Reviewing and approving applications
Other fiscal topics: (Text field, using the text from the question above) [only shows up if they said yes and filled in “Other activities” in previous section]
Additional fiscal topics: [text field]

Based on your responses about the activities above, what kinds of training, supports or resources would be most helpful to strengthen your SEA’s capacity to administer/manage Title IV-A in the area of fiscal topics? [Open-ended question]

Management Topics:	Do you provide any T/TA on this topic? (Y/N)
Choosing/Developing a structure to manage Title IV-A
Collaboration between stakeholder groups
Accessing subject matter expertise to advise on key issues
Identifying/Developing evidence-based programs
Other management topics:

In all areas of Title IV-A administration, the T4PA Center and the U.S. Department of Education (ED) are available to assist you in providing technical support to your LEAs. Please indicate the level of support you would like in the coming year for each topic listed below using the following scale:

• No support indicates that you need no additional assistance from the T4PA Center or ED in supporting your LEAs with these inquiries

• Minimal support indicates that you would like a moderate level of support from the T4PA Center or ED in supporting your LEAs on these topics

• Some support indicates that you require additional support and/or specific questions answered from the T4PA Center or ED in supporting your LEAs on these topics

• Substantial support indicates that you have minimal knowledge of this subject and require support from the T4PA Center or ED in many or all aspects of this area

	How much support would you like in the coming year?
	Substantial support	Some support	Minimal support	No Support
Choosing/Developing a structure to manage Title IV-A
Collaboration between stakeholder groups
Accessing subject matter expertise to advise on key issues
Identifying or developing evidence-based programs
Other management topics: (Text field, using the text from the question above) [only shows up if they said yes and filled in “Other activities” in previous section]
Additional management topics: [text field]

Based on your responses about the activities above, what kinds of training, supports or resources would be most helpful to strengthen your SEA’s capacity to administer/manage Title IV-A in the area of management topics? [Open-ended question]

Evaluation Topics:	Do you provide any T/TA on this topic? (Y/N)
Providing lists of appropriate teaching resources (e.g. curricula, manuals, credentialing/training programs)
Ensuring that programmatic choices are impacting students positively
Ensuring successful professional development or professional learning opportunities
Other evaluation topics: (text field)

In all areas of Title IV-A administration, the T4PA Center and the U.S. Department of Education (ED) are available to assist you in providing technical support to your LEAs. Please indicate the level of support you would like in the coming year for each topic listed below using the following scale:

• No support indicates that you need no additional assistance from the T4PA Center or ED in supporting your LEAs with these inquiries

• Minimal support indicates that you would like a moderate level of support from the T4PA Center or ED in supporting your LEAs on these topics

• Some support indicates that you require additional support and/or specific questions answered from the T4PA Center or ED in supporting your LEAs on these topics

• Substantial support indicates that you have minimal knowledge of this subject and require support from the T4PA Center or ED in many or all aspects of this area

	How much support would you like in the coming year?
	Substantial support	Some support	Minimal support	No Support
Providing lists of appropriate teaching resources (e.g. curricula, manuals, credentialing/training programs)
Ensuring that programmatic choices are impacting students positively
Ensuring successful professional development or professional learning opportunities
Other evaluation topics: (Text field, using the text from the question above) [only shows up if they said yes and filled in “Other activities” in previous section]
Additional evaluation topics: [text field]

Based on your responses about the activities above, what kinds of training, supports or resources would be most helpful to strengthen your SEA’s capacity to administer/manage Title IV-A in the area of evaluation topics? [Open-ended question]

LEA Topics:	Do you provide any T/TA on this topic? (Y/N)
Questions regarding transferability of funds
Support in developing LEA needs assessments
LEA coordination with other local entities
Other LEA-based topics: [text field]

In all areas of Title IV-A administration, the T4PA Center and the U.S. Department of Education (ED) are available to assist you in providing technical support to your LEAs. Please indicate the level of support you would like in the coming year for each topic listed below using the following scale:

• No support indicates that you need no additional assistance from the T4PA Center or ED in supporting your LEAs with these inquiries

• Minimal support indicates that you would like a moderate level of support from the T4PA Center or ED in supporting your LEAs on these topics

• Some support indicates that you require additional support and/or specific questions answered from the T4PA Center or ED in supporting your LEAs on these topics

• Substantial support indicates that you have minimal knowledge of this subject and require support from the T4PA Center or ED in many or all aspects of this area

	How much support would you like in the coming year?
	Substantial support	Some support	Minimal support	No Support
Questions regarding transferability of funds
Support in developing LEA needs assessments
LEA coordination with other local entities
Other LEA-based topics: (Text field, using the text from the question above) [only shows up if they said yes and filled in “Other activities” in previous section]
Additional LEA-based topics: [Text field]

Based on your responses about the activities above, what kinds of training, supports or resources would be most helpful to strengthen your SEA’s capacity to administer/manage Title IV-A in the area of LEA topics? [Open-ended question]

WELL-ROUNDED EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES [WRE]

In the next set of questions, we ask about each of the activities identified within the priority area of Well-Rounded Educational Opportunities in Title IV-A. Please indicate the degree to which your SEA would benefit from additional training and technical assistance to assist LEAs in implementing each activity.

Please select all the topics in the priority area of Well-Rounded Educational Opportunities on which you provided training and technical assistance in the past year, and indicate how you provided training and technical assistance, and if you would like additional support from the T4PA Center on the topics listed below:

Well Rounded Educational Opportunities T/TA	A. Do you provide any T/TA on this topic? (Y/N)
High-quality courses in STEM, including computer science
Music and the arts
Foreign languages
Postsecondary level courses accepted for credit at institutions of higher education (IHEs), including dual/concurrent enrollment and early college high schools
Postsecondary level instruction and examinations that are accepted for credit at institutions of higher education (IHE), including Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) programs
Environmental education
American history, civics, economics, geography, social studies, or government education
Reimbursing low-income students to cover part or all the costs of accelerated learning examination fees
Career pathways and training
Serving special student populations* (e.g. female students, English Language Learners [ELs], gifted and talented students, students with disabilities, low-income students, minority students)
Other activity(ies) anticipated to support the Well-Rounded Educational Opportunities: (Text Field)

Within the priority area of Well-Rounded Educational Opportunities, the T4PA Center and the U.S. Department of Education (ED) are available to assist you in providing training and technical support to your LEAs. Please indicate the level of support you need in the coming year for each topic listed below using the following scale for each area:

• No support indicates that you need no additional assistance from the T4PA Center or ED in supporting your LEAs with these inquiries

• Minimal support indicates that you would like a moderate level of support from the T4PA Center or ED in supporting your LEAs on these topics

• Some support indicates that you require additional support and/or specific questions answered from the T4PA Center or ED in supporting your LEAs on these topics

• Substantial support indicates that you have minimal knowledge of this subject and require support from the T4PA Center or ED in many or all aspects of this area

Well Rounded Education T/TA	How much support would you like in the coming year?
	Substantial support	Some support	Minimal support	No support
High-quality courses in STEM, including computer science
Music and the arts
Foreign languages
Postsecondary level courses accepted for credit at institutions of higher education (IHEs), including dual/concurrent enrollment and early college high schools
Postsecondary-level instruction and examinations that are accepted for credit at institutions of higher education (IHE), including Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) programs
Environmental education
American history, civics, economics, geography, social studies, or government education
Reimbursing low-income students to cover part or all the costs of accelerated learning examination fees
Career pathways and training
Serving special student populations* (e.g. female students, English Language Learners [ELs], gifted and talented students, students with disabilities, low-income students, minority students)
Other activity(ies) anticipated to support the Well-Rounded Educational Opportunities: (Text field, using the text from the question above) [only shows up if they said yes and filled in “Other activities” in previous section]
Additional activity(ies) anticipated to support the Well-Rounded Educational Opportunities: [Text field]

Based on your responses about the activities listed above, what kinds of trainings, supports or resources would be most helpful to strengthen your SEA’s capacity to administer/manage Title IV-A in the priority area of Well-Rounded Educational Opportunities? Please be as specific as possible. [Open-ended question]

SAFE AND HEALTHY STUDENTS [SHS]

In the next set of questions, we ask about each of the activities within the priority area of Safe and Healthy Students in Title IV-A. Please indicate the degree to which your SEA would benefit from additional training and technical assistance to assist LEAs in implementing each activity.

Please select all the topics on which you provided training and technical assistance in the past year within the priority area of Safe and Healthy Students, and indicate how you provided technical assistance:

Safe and Healthy Students T/TA	Do you provide any T/TA on this topic? (Y/N)
Implementing a plan to reduce exclusionary discipline practices
Implementation of evidence-supported mental health awareness training programs to provide education to school personnel regarding resources available in the community
Expansion of access to or coordination of resources for school-based counseling and mental health programs
Providing LEAs with evidence-supported resources addressing ways to integrate health and safety practices into school or athletic programs
Disseminating best practices and evaluating program outcomes related to any LEA activities to promote student safety and violence prevention
Providing LEAs with evidence-supported resources addressing ways to prevent school drop-out
Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (PBIS)
Other activity(ies) anticipated to ensure Safe and Healthy Students (please specify):

In the priority area of Safe and Healthy students, the T4PA Center and the U.S. Department of Education (ED) are available to assist you in providing training and technical support to your LEAs. Please indicate the level of support you need in the coming year in the areas listed below using the following scale:

• No support indicates that you need no additional assistance from the T4PA Center or ED in supporting your LEAs with these inquiries

• Minimal support indicates that you would like a moderate level of support from the T4PA Center or ED in supporting your LEAs on these topics

• Some support indicates that you require additional support and/or specific questions answered from the T4PA Center or ED in supporting your LEAs on these topics

• Substantial support indicates that you have minimal knowledge of this subject and require support from the T4PA Center or ED in many or all aspects of this area

Safe and Healthy Students T/TA	How much support would you like in the coming year?
	Substantial support	Some support	Minimal support	No support
Implementing a plan to reduce exclusionary discipline practices
Implementation of evidence-supported mental health awareness training programs to provide education to school personnel regarding resources available in the community
Expansion of access to or coordination of resources for school-based counseling and mental health programs
Providing LEAs with evidence-supported resources addressing ways to integrate health and safety practices into school or athletic programs
Disseminating best practices and evaluating program outcomes related to any LEA activities to promote student safety and violence prevention
Providing LEAs with evidence-supported resources addressing ways to prevent school drop-out
Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (PBIS)
Other activity(ies) anticipated to ensure Safe and Healthy Students (please specify): [only shows up if they said yes and filled in “Other activities” in previous section]
Additional activity(ies) anticipated to ensure Safe and Healthy Students: [Text field]

Based on your responses about the activities above, what kinds of trainings, supports or resources would be most helpful to strengthen your SEA’s capacity to administer/manage Title IV-A in the priority area of Safe and Healthy Students? Please be as specific as possible. [Open-ended question]

EFFECTIVE USE OF TECHNOLOGY

The questions below relate to your SEA’s overall capacity to successfully support LEA implementation of Title IV-A activities related to the priority area of Effective Use of Technology.

Please select all the topics on which you provided training and technical assistance in the past year, and indicate how you provided TA in the priority area of Effective Use of Technology:

Effective Use of Technologies T/TA	Do you provide any T/TA on this topic? (Y/N)
Identifying and addressing technology readiness needs for LEAs
Using technology to support the learning needs of all students (including disabled and ELL students)
Building the capacity of school leaders and LEA administrators to support teachers in using data and technology to improve instruction and personalize learning
Implementing school- and district-wide approaches to inform instruction, support teacher collaboration, and personalize learning
Supporting schools in rural or remote areas to expand access to high-quality digital learning opportunities
Developing or implementing specialized or rigorous academic courses using technology, including assistive technology
Disseminating promising practices related to technology instruction, data security, and the acquisition and implementation of technology tools and applications
Providing school personnel and administrators with the knowledge and skills to use technology effectively
Making instructional content widely available through open educational resources
Other activity(ies) anticipated to support the Effective Use of Technologies (please specify):

In the priority area of Effective Use of Technology, the T4PA Center and the U.S. Department of Education (ED) are available to assist you in providing training and technical support to your LEAs. Please indicate the level of support you need in the coming year in the areas listed below using the following scale:

• No support indicates that you need no additional assistance from the T4PA Center or ED in supporting your LEAs with these inquiries

• Minimal support indicates that you would like a refresher and/or a moderate level of support from the T4PA Center or ED in supporting your LEAs on these topics

• Some support indicates that you require additional support and/or specific questions answered from the T4PA Center or ED in supporting your LEAs on these topics

• Substantial support indicates that you have minimal knowledge of this subject and require support from the T4PA Center or ED in many or all aspects of this area

Effective Use of Technologies T/TA	How much support will you need in the coming year?
	Substantial support	Some support	Minimal support	No support
Identifying and addressing technology readiness needs for LEAs
Using technology to support the learning needs of all students (including disabled and ELL students)
Building the capacity of school leaders and LEA administrators to support teachers in using data and technology to improve instruction and personalize learning
Implementing school- and district-wide approaches to inform instruction, support teacher collaboration, and personalize learning
Developing or implementing specialized or rigorous academic courses using technology, including assistive technology
Disseminating promising practices related to technology instruction, data security, and the acquisition and implementation of technology tools and applications
Providing school personnel and administrators with the knowledge and skills to use technology effectively
Making instructional content widely available through open educational resources
Other activity(ies) anticipated to support the Effective Use of Technologies (please specify): [only shows up if they said yes and filled in “Other activities” in previous section]
Additional activity(ies) anticipated to support the Effective Use of Technologies: [Text field]

Based on your responses about the activities above, what kinds of trainings, supports or resources would be most helpful to strengthen your SEA’s capacity to administer/manage Title IV-A in the priority area of Effective Use of Technology? Please be as specific as possible. [Open-ended question]

Thank you very much for your time. Your answers will be used by the T4PA Center to provide tailored technical assistance based on the needs indicated in your responses. We look forward to working with you to ensure the success of Title IV-A for your state.

[After they press submit, they are sent a page where they can download a PDF of their own answers. They are also emailed their responses and the message “Thank you very much for your time. Your answers will be used by the T4PA Center to provide tailored technical assistance based on the needs indicated in your responses. We look forward to working with you this year to ensure the success of Title IV-A for your state. Your answers are available for viewing below.”]

Appendix B – Draft Announcements, Invitations, and Scripts

Announcement

Dear State Coordinator [Can substitute name],

The T4PA Center is excited for the opportunity to get to know you and your State education agency (SEA) better through the Needs Assessment process. Our hope is that through this Needs Assessment Survey and your candid feedback we can design personalized training and technical assistance plans that will enhance your ability to successfully implement the Title IV-A offerings in your state.

This Needs Assessment effort is distinct from the Survey on Activities Supported Under Title IV, Part A — Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants: FY 2018 (Activities Survey) as well as the Grantee Satisfaction Survey. The Activities Survey is a mandatory effort to establish for a Congressional report on the funding distribution and priorities of each SEA. Whereas, the Grantee Satisfaction Survey collects opinions on your U.S. Department of Education liaisons’ performance during the fiscal year. The Needs Assessment is a voluntary effort to improve the technical assistance State Coordinators receive regarding the implementation of Title IV, Part A.

Unlike the Needs Assessment you may have received last year, this year’s Needs Assessment consists of two parts: a survey and a follow-up live discussion. Following the completion of the survey, you will be invited to participate in a short follow-up discussion in an effort to further document and understand your training and technical assistance needs. Information collected through this process will influence the development of resources, training materials and activities, as well as the structure and methods for providing training and technical assistance. This information will be provided to you in the state-level training and technical assistance plans: a set of resources, training materials, and activities to assist you in implementing Title IV-A specific to your state’s needs.

Please feel free to be candid throughout the process.

The T4PA Center team would like to thank you in advance for completing the Needs Assessment. We estimate it will take between 10-15 minutes to complete the survey.

If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to us at [email protected] or call 833-404-4845. 

Sincerely,

Title IV, Part A Technical Assistance Center Team

Invitation/Day of Survey Announcement

Dear State Coordinator [Can substitute name],

On XX,X,2019, you received an invitation to participate in the Title IV, Part A Technical Assistance Center (T4PA Center) SEA Needs Assessment. This survey is the first part of the needs assessment and is now open and can be completed via the link provided. (insert link to survey)

The information collected through this Needs Assessment survey will be used to create data-driven training and technical assistance (T/TA) plans for your state. The state-level technical assistance plans will consist of resources and activities to assist you in implementing Title IV-A specific to your state’s needs.

Please feel free to be candid.

Please take a few minutes to complete the Needs Assessment at your earliest convenience. We are requesting all responses by 5:00 p.m. EST, on XXXXX, 2019. To begin, please click on the “Next” button at the bottom of the screen. You may leave and return to the needs assessment at any point as your data will be saved in the system for when you come back.

If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to us at [email protected] or call 833-404-4845. 

Sincerely,

Title IV, Part A Technical Assistance Center Team

Reminder – one week to go.

Dear State Coordinator [Can substitute name],

On XX,X,2019, you received an invitation to participate in the Title IV, Part A Technical Assistance Center (T4PA Center) SEA Needs Assessment Survey. This survey will be closed in one week, on X/X/XXXX. Please complete the survey as soon as possible.

The information collected through this survey forms the basis for the T4PA training and technical assistance plans. These plans support you as you implement Title IV, Part A in your SEA, through trainings and resources intended to fill in any knowledge gaps. Your candid responses are appreciated.

The staff at the T4PA Center thank you in advance for completing this brief assessment. We estimate it will take between 10-15 minutes to complete.

We are requesting all responses by 5:00 p.m. EST, on XXXXX, 2019.

Sincerely,

Title IV, Part A Technical Assistance Center Team

One Day to Go

Dear State Coordinator [Can substitute name],

On XX,X,2019, you received an invitation to participate in the Title IV, Part A Technical Assistance Center (T4PA Center) SEA Needs Assessment Survey. This survey will close tomorrow, XXX, X, 2019. A link to the survey can be found here.

The answers you provide to the SEA Needs Assessment Survey will directly inform the development of your state-level technical assistance plans. These plans will provide customized trainings and resources to help you implement Title IV, Part A in your LEAs. Please feel free to be candid.

We cannot create the technical assistance plans without your participation.

The staff at the T4PA Center thank you in advance for completing this brief assessment. We estimate it will take between 10-15 minutes to complete.

We are requesting all responses by 5:00 p.m. EST, on XXXXX, 2019.

Sincerely,

Title IV, Part A Technical Assistance Center Team

Phone Script for TA Liaison to use in calls with State Coordinator (SC) who has not yet responded

TA Liaison: Hi [Name]

TA Liaison: We noticed that you have not yet completed the SEA Needs Assessment, and I wanted to reach out to you to see if you had any questions about the survey or the process. Do you have any questions that I can answer?

TA Liaison: We sent invitations out on XXX, and the survey closes in one week. We’d appreciate you completing the survey as it directly feeds into state-specific TA plan you’ll be receiving at the end of September. Do you think you will have time to complete the survey?

TA Liaison: [If Yes] Great! We look forward to reading your responses. For your information, we will also be having a series of interviews/focus groups with state coordinators over the summer to allow for feedback and additional conversations about your technical assistance needs. I’ll be in touch over the next few weeks with more information.

TA Liaison: [If No] If you are unable to complete the survey, we will also be having a series of interviews/focus groups with state coordinators over the summer to allow for feedback and additional conversations about your technical assistance needs.

TA Liaison: Thank you so much for your time, and please reach out if you have any questions

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