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state coaching informant interview protocol
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OMB No.: XXXXXXXX
Expiration Date: XX/XX/XXXX
Interviewer instructions:
This protocol is the source of questions for semi-structured phone interviews with state coaching informants in the states being considered for SCOPE. Ultimately, what we learn from state coaching informants will guide final selection of states for the study. Before starting:
Have ready the materials sent to informants.
Review the protocol to determine which questions are (likely) relevant to the respondent participating in the call.
Respondent types. At a high level, there are three (overlapping) categories of state coaching informants, and throughout the protocol, routing notes indicate when certain question are relevant for only a subset of these groups:
Individuals who are knowledgeable about coaching in the state, but whose agencies/organizations do not necessarily fund or provide coaching
Individuals who work at agencies/organizations that fund coaching in the state
Individuals who work at agencies/organizations that provide coaching in the state.
Settings of interest to SCOPE. Through this protocol, we aim to learn about coaching in the state for both centers and FCCs. To be eligible for SCOPE, these settings must receive Head Start funding or serve children who receive Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) subsidies. Not all coaching informants will be knowledgeable about coaching available for these different types of settings. After you have determined which areas the informant has knowledge to share, focus only on those settings in the remainder of the protocol
Use of the protocol. Bullets below each question represent probes for important details. Have materials sent to state stakeholders in front of you to reference if necessary.
Hi, my name is ______________ and I am from an organization called Mathematica Policy Research/Child Trends. Thank you very much for taking the time to speak with me today. I am reaching out about an important study called the Study of Coaching Practices in Early Care and Education Settings (SCOPE). SCOPE is being conducted for the Administration for Children and Families in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The study is being conducted by Mathematica Policy Research in partnership with Child Trends. Both Mathematica and Child Trends have experience with research in early care and education and coaching in particular. You should have received information about the study [by mail or email]. Did you receive those materials? [IF NO, OFFER TO SEND THE MATERIALS AGAIN, AND THEN CONTINUE WITH THE INTRODUCTION.]
This project will help the early childhood field understand the different ways that coaching is being implemented to improve teachers’ and caregivers’ practices. Ultimately, we hope that lessons from this study will help coaching organizations, ECE programs, and researchers make sure that coaching has the maximum possible benefit for teachers, caregivers, and the children they serve.
The SCOPE study is interested in coaching of teachers to improve practice, specifically teachers of preschool age children in centers and family child care (FCC) homes that receive funding from Head Start funding or that serve children who receive CCDF subsidies. We are contacting you in order to learn more about coaching in (STATE) to help us determine which states may be best-suited for our study. The questions we ask will help us better understand the range of coaching in (STATE) and learn about the settings that are currently receiving coaching.
The information you share will be used for research purposes only and will be kept private. In addition to helping us think about states that may be best suited for our study, we may also use the information you provide to describe the coaching taking place in your state in study reports. We will not refer to you by name in any study reports; we will only describe the types of organizations we spoke with. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number for this information collection is 0970-XXXX and the expiration date is XX/XX/XXXX.
We have about an hour for our discussion and your participation is voluntary. Do you have any questions before we get started?
[IF THEY ARE NOT AVAILABLE ASK FOR BEST TIME AND DAY TO CALL BACK. IF THEY SAY THEY AREN’T THE BEST PERSON TO PROVIDE INFORMATION, ASK IF THEY KNOW WHO THE BEST CONTACT IS AND COLLECT NAME, TITLE, PHONE NUMBER AND EMAIL ADDRESS. ASK IF YOU CAN TELL THIS NEW PERSON WHO RECOMMENDED THEM.]
First, I have a few questions about the range of coaching in your state. Before we dive in, I want to provide the definition of coaching that is guiding the work of our study. In general, in our study, coaching includes a teacher or caregiver receiving feedback and guidance from another professional to improve her or his knowledge or skills. Coaching is either one-on-one, or with a small teaching team from the same classroom. Sometimes, coaching might go by another name, like mentoring or consultation. Coaching might be delivered by someone called a coach, or by other kinds of professionals like specialists, consultants, mentors, education managers, and center directors. In addition, coaching may be delivered by someone who is part of the staff of an early childhood program or by someone who works for another organization. SCOPE is interested in learning about all of these types of coaching. We are focused specifically on coaching for teachers and caregivers of preschool-age children in centers and family child care homes.
[IF NOT ALREADY AVAILABLE BASED ON PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INFORMATION, ASK THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS. IF YOU HAVE THE INFORMATION, CONFIRM THE ANSWER.] Can you please tell me a little bit about your agency/organization, and your role in early care and education in general, and coaching for early education, in your state?
Does your agency/organization fund coaching?
Does your agency/organization provide coaching?
[IF AGENCY DOES NOT FUND OR PROVIDE COACHING, SKIP TO QUESTION 8 TO ASK ABOUT COACHING GOING ON IN THE STATE. IF AGENCY FUNDS OR PROVIDES COACHING, CONTINUE HERE WITH QUESTION 2.]
Next, I’d like to ask you a few questions about the range of coaching offered in your state. Let’s start by talking a bit more about the coaching funded/provided by your agency.
Our study is specifically interested in centers and FCC homes that receive Head Start funding or that serve children who receive CCDF subsidies. The study is also focused on settings that serve preschool-age children. Do you offer/fund coaching in these types of settings, and if so, which ones?
[TAILOR REMAINING QUESTIONS TO FOCUS ON THE SETTINGS RELEVANT FOR THIS RESPONDENT]
[IF THIS RESPONDENT’S ORGANIZATION DOES NOT FUND OR PROVIDE COACHING IN THE SETTINGS OF INTEREST FOR THIS STUDY, SKIP TO QUESTION 8.]
Is the coaching funded/provided by your agency classroom-focused coaching (in other words, coaching intended to support changes in knowledge and practice of teachers who work directly with children)?
[IF COACHING PROVIDER INDICATES COACHING IS NOT CLASSROOM FOCUSED, SKIP TO QUESTION 8 TO ASK ABOUT OTHER COACHING PROVIDED IN THE STATE]
[ASK THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS AND PROBE TO DETERMINE IF THERE ARE DIFFERENCES FOR CENTERS VERSUS FCCs IF RELEVANT FOR THIS RESPONDENT]
Do the coaches work one-on-one with teachers or with teams from a single classroom? PROBE: FCC and Center differences?
About how often are coaches supposed to meet with teachers? PROBE: FCC and Center differences?
Does the coaching focus on any specific topics? And if so, how are the topics selected? By whom? PROBE: FCC and Center differences?
Is the coaching guided by specific goals, or is there a goal-setting activity, or are these developed by individual coaches/teachers?
Do coaches observe or assess teachers? PROBE: FCC and Center differences?
Do coaches provide feedback to teachers? Is there a specific model or method for feedback? PROBE: FCC and Center differences?
Is there a coaching model or approach that coaches must follow? For example, a specified set of process steps? And if so, is there a specific name or title for this model or approach? PROBE: FCC and Center differences?
Does your agency contract with (fund) other organizations to provide coaching? [IF YES…]
Just to confirm, is the coaching provided by these other organizations also classroom-focused and focused on working one-on-one with teachers or with teaching teams from a single classroom to improve their classroom practices?
Do you have any the contact information for or a recommended contact person at any of these organizations that you would be willing to share with us?
Are there any criteria or requirements that ECE providers must meet in order to receive coaching that is funded by/provided your agency?
[IF YES] Can you please describe these criteria and/or requirements?
Is there a process that ECE providers (centers and FCCs) go through to request coaching provided/funded by your agency?
[IF RESPONDENT DOES NOT KNOW OR SAYS “NO” SKIP TO SECTION III. SUPPORTING MATERIALS. IF RESPONDENT SAYS “YES” ASK THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS.]
Can you please describe how ECE providers request coaching?
PROBE IF RESPONDENT REPORTED COACHING IS PROVIDED FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF SETTINGS: Do these processes differ for different types of settings, for example Head Start versus child care or centers versus FCCs?
What is the process for selecting the settings that receive coaching?
PROBE IF RESPONDENT REPORTED COACHING IS PROVIDED FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF SETTINGS: Do these processes differ for different types of settings, for example Head Start versus child care or centers versus FCCs?
What is the process for selecting the teachers who receive coaching?
PROBE IF RESPONDENT REPORTED COACHING IS PROVIDED FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF SETTINGS: Do these processes differ for different types of settings, for example Head Start versus child care or centers versus FCCs?
FOR THOSE KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT COACHING (BUT WHO DO NOT FUND/PROVIDE COACHING]: Next, I’d like to ask you a few questions about the range of coaching offered in your state. FOR THOSE WHO FUND/PROVIDE COACHING: Next, I’d like to ask you a few questions about other coaching that might be offered in your state.
FOR EVERYONE: As I mentioned earlier, our study is specifically interested in centers and FCC homes that receive Head Start funding or that serve children who receive CCDF subsidies. The study is also focused on settings that serve preschool-age children. Is [THERE OTHER] coaching offered in these types of settings in your state?
[IF RESPONDENT INDICATES THEY ARE FAMILIAR WITH COACHING FOR ONLY CERTAIN TYPES OF SETTINGS, TAILOR REMAINING QUESTIONS TO FOCUS ON THOSE SETTINGS WHENEVER RELEVANT]
In your state, what [OTHER] type of coaching is provided to child care centers? FCC homes?
Is there classroom-focused coaching (i.e., coaching intended to support changes in knowledge and practice of teachers who work directly with children)?
[If respondent is unable to answer this question, ask the following and then skip to SECTION III. Supporting Materials.]
Is there someone else you recommend we talk with to learn more about coaching [FROM OTHER FUNDERS/PROVIDERS] in centers or FCC homes funded by Head Start or that serve children who receive CCDF subsidies?
What [OTHER] entities or organizations are responsible for funding or providing coaching to:
centers funded by Head Start?
centers that serve children who receive CCDF subsidies?
FCCs serving preschool-age children?
[IF RESPONDENT IDENTIFIES ANY ADDITIONAL ORGANIZATIONS]: Do you have any the contact information for or a recommended contact person at any of these organizations that you would be willing to share with us?
Next I’d like to ask you a few questions about this coaching—a few high level questions about the coaching process and about how ECE settings go about requesting or accessing the types of coaching you just told me about. [PROBE TO DETERMINE IF THEY MIGHT HAVE THIS INFORMATION. IF RESPONDENT INDICATES HE/SHE DOES NOT HAVE THIS INFORMATION FOR ANY OF THE COACHING DESCRIBED, SKIP TO SECTION III. SUPPORTING MATERIALS.]
[FOR EACH TYPE OF COACHING DESCRIBED ASK THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS AND PROBE TO DETERMINE IF THERE ARE DIFFERENCES FOR CENTERS VERSUS FCCs IF RELEVANT FOR THIS RESPONDENT]
To your knowledge, is the coaching for teachers/providers one-on-one or focused on teams from a single classroom?
About how often are coaches supposed to meet with teachers?
Does the coaching focus on any specific topics? And if so, how are the topics selected? By whom?
Is the coaching guided by specific goals, or is there a goal-setting activity, or does the coach identify in their own way what to work on with a teacher? [PROBE TO ASSESS WHETHER TEACHERS PARTICIPATE IN GOAL-SETTING OR IF THE GOALS ARE DETERMINED BY THE COACHING APPROACH/ORGANIZATION] k
Do coaches observe or assess teachers?
Do coaches provide feedback to teachers?
Is there a coaching model or approach that coaches must follow? For example, a specified set of process steps? And if so, is there a specific name or title for this model or approach? PROBE: FCC and Center differences
[FOR EACH TYPE OF COACHING DESCRIBED] Is there a process that ECE providers go through to request or access coaching?
Can you please describe how ECE providers request coaching?
PROBE IF RESPONDENT REPORTED HAVING KNOWLEDGE FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF SETTINGS: Do these processes differ for different types of settings, for example Head Start versus child care or centers versus FCCs?
What is the process for selecting the settings that receive coaching?
PROBE IF RESPONDENT REPORTED HAVING KNOWLEDGE FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF SETTINGS: Do these processes differ for different types of settings, for example Head Start versus child care or centers versus FCCs?
What is the process for selecting the teachers who receive coaching?
PROBE IF RESPONDENT REPORTED HAVING KNOWLEDGE FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF SETTINGS: Do these processes differ for different types of settings, for example Head Start versus child care or centers versus FCCs?
Now I’d like to ask about the availability of any written or other supporting materials related to the coaching we’ve discussed.
[FOR COACHING PROVIDERS/FUNDERS] Do you have any written documents related to the coaching you fund/provide that you could share with us or that we could access publicly?
Is there written documentation that outlines the expectations of coaches?
Are there any coaching manuals or training materials?
Are there any documents that describe activities that coaches should be doing with teachers? Or any differences for different types of settings?
Are there any materials available that tell providers about the coaching, like flyers or advertisements?
[FOR ALL OTHER RESPONDENTS] Do you have any written documents related to the [OTHER] coaching going on in the state that you could share with us or that we could access publicly? For example, documentation of what is expected of coaches, coaching manuals or training materials, or descriptions of coaching approaches?
Next, I would like to discuss any data collection and tracking efforts related to coaching in your state.
Does your agency collect any data on coaching efforts?
IF YES:
What data related to coaching do you collect? (PROBES: data on who receives coaching, coaching activities being delivered, caseloads, completed visits, etc.)
What type of information do you collect? Knowing the general types of data that are collected would be helpful.
Does the data focus more so on who receives coaching? Or is there also information collected on the coaching process and whether goals are met?
Do you have documentation about the data that can be shared?
How does your agency use the data? (PROBES: For tracking coaching participation? For making decisions about coaching? In discussions with coaches? For reporting?)
Could you describe the system your agency has in place for collecting or tracking data on coaching efforts?
Probe for the following:
Who is responsible for managing the data collection system?
Is it electronic?
If we were interested in seeing some of your agency’s data on coaching, how easy or difficult do you think it would be to request and then receive the data? And about how long do you think it would take?
Does your agency have data sharing/request procedures for researchers interested in analyzing the data you collect? If so, can you please describe the procedures?
Outside of your agency, is there any system in place for collecting data on coaching efforts that you know of?
IF YES [FOR EACH SYSTEM MENTIONED]:
Do you know what information related to coaching is collected? What types of information are collected?
Could you describe the system that is in place?
Probe for the following:
Who is responsible for managing the system?
Is it electronic?
Are there data sharing/request procedures for the information collected?
If yes, please describe the data sharing procedures.
Who is the information shared with?
Is there someone else you can recommend we speak with to learn about data systems on coaching and coaching participants in your state?
Is there anyone else you recommend we speak with to learn more about coaching in centers and family child care homes?
Is there any other information that you think is important for us to know when studying coaching in the state?
As we described in the frequently asked questions document about SCOPE that we sent before our call, we will begin identifying and then reaching out to eligible coaches, centers, and FCCs for our study in summer 2018. [IF AGENCY INDICATED DATA CAN BE SHARED SAY: We will follow the procedures you described earlier to request information on individuals and settings participating in coaching.] I have three follow-up questions related to this process.
Do you think your state might be interested in participating in the SCOPE study? [PROBE ON HOW INTERESTED]
Are there good coaching exemplars or important efforts taking place in your state that would be important to include?
PROBE: As a reminder, we are hoping to learn about coaching for both centers and family child care homes. Can you tell us about anything that specifically targets or includes family child care homes?
If [STATE] is ultimately selected for the SCOPE study, would you be willing to endorse SCOPE to eligible coaches and centers/FCCs and support our recruiting efforts? Could we say your organization supports the study?
[IF INDIVIDUAL SAYS THEY ARE NOT THE PERSON WHO CAN SAY THEY WOULD ENDORSE, ASK WHO TO CONTACT TO ASK FOR AN ENDORSEMENT.]
If [STATE] is ultimately selected for the SCOPE study, would you be willing to share information about our study with potential participants? For example, send the study flyer to individuals or ECE settings you think might be interested in participating, or send out information about the study over your agency’s listserv?
Thinking about the goals of our study, are there any coaches or coaching organizations, centers, or FCCs you would like to nominate to participate?
Those were all the questions I had for you. Do you have any questions for me?
Again, thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and ideas with me today. This discussion has been very helpful in learning more about the coaching in your state. I really appreciate your time.
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| Author | Lindsay Ochoa |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2021-01-21 |