Interview Protocol – High School, High School Equivalency, Basic Education, and Education & Training Support Services Overview

CJC Implementation Research Protocol:

OMB Control No.1290-0012

OMB approval expires 02/29/2020

Abt Associates IRB approval No.0917

Persons are not required to respond to this collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB Control Number. Respondents’ responses are voluntary.

HS, HSE, Basic Ed, and E&T Support Services

Introduction of and Informed Consent for the Study (read to all respondents)

Thank you for agreeing to participate in this interview today.

My name is____________, and this is _____________and we are researchers from MDRC. We are here because MDRC and our partners, Abt Associates, are conducting a five-year study of the Cascades Program on behalf of the United States Department of Labor (DOL).

We are visiting to conduct in-person interviews with center staff and partners (such as referral partners and employers) to learn what is happening on the ground and what are the challenges of implementing this new program. Interviews will cover the organizational characteristics of the center, as well as its mission and vision, and how it fits within the Job Corps network.

These interviews will provide important qualitative information on the implementation at Cascades. We will use what we learn from these interviews to contribute to a report about the impacts and implementation of the Cascades program. This report will be submitted to DOL to inform the federal government about this new model.

Privacy Statement [Interviewer must read this to all respondents]

Before beginning the interview, we want to thank you for agreeing to participate in this study and remind you that your participation is voluntary. We know that you are busy and will try to be as brief as possible. We have many questions and are going to talk to many different people, so please do not feel as though we expect you to be able to answer every question. You may also refuse to answer any question. The interview today should last about 60 minutes. This interview is not part of a Job Corps audit or a compliance review. We are interested in learning about your ideas, experiences, and opinions about Cascades’ implementation. There are no right or wrong answers. We want to know what you think.

In addition, before we start, I want to let you know that although we will take notes during these interviews, information is never repeated with the name of the respondent in any reports or in any discussions with supervisors, colleagues, or anyone from DOL. When we write our reports and discuss our findings, information from all the people we speak with is compiled and presented so that no one person can be identified. There is a small risk of loss of privacy, but we have many procedures in place to ensure your information does not get lost.

To help me accurately report on the information you share, it would help if I could tape record this call; of course, I could turn off the recorder at any point if you so desire. I do not have a recorder on now; is it okay with you for me to turn it on? Great, once I turn it on, I am going to ask you to state your name and verbal consent to being recorded.

Do you have any questions before we begin?

Start recorder.

Do I have your permission to begin and record the interview?

Staff Title: Title
Staff Role:

Staff Initials:
Interviewer: Interviewer last name
Write-up: Last name of person doing write-up

INTERVIEW DATE/TIME:

Staff Background

1. Please describe the major responsibilities of your position. Describe

2. How long have you been at this center? 0.00 years

3. How long have you been in your current role at this center? 0.00 years

4. Have you worked at other Job Corps Centers? For how long? 0.00 years

5. Where did you work prior to Job Corps? Describe

6. What role did you have at your previous employer? Describe

7. What is your educational background? Describe

8. What made you interested in working at this center? Describe

Staffing and Management and Department Structure

9. Who do you directly report to?

10. What staff report directly to you?

11. Please describe the roles of the staff in your department

Staff title	Roles/Responsibilities
Title	Describe

11. How do you supervise your staff? What is your management approach/style? Describe

    1. How often do you meet with them, do you meet as a group or one-on-one, what is discussed in these meetings?

12. When hiring new staff members, what qualities do you look for? (Experience in the IT/Healthcare field? Certifications? Connections with employers in the region? Experience working with youth?) Describe

    1. Do you think the backgrounds, or the qualifications, of your staff differ from those at other Job Corps Centers? How? Why? Describe.

13. What professional development opportunities are available to staff? Describe

    1. How do you think the training or professional development at this center differs from other centers?

    2. Do you think there are higher expectations of the staff at this center?

    3. What additional opportunities do you think staff would benefit from? Describe

Center Values, Center Environment, and Relationships

15. How would you describe this Job Corps center’s values and philosophy? Describe

1. Do these values and philosophy differ from those of other Job Corps centers? Describe

16. How would you describe the culture and environment at this Job Corps center?

    1. Do you think the culture and philosophy of this center is different than other Job Corps centers? Describe

17. [Cascades and Ottumwa only] How would you explain student-centered design?

    1. How does the center incorporate a student-centered design? Examples

18. What do staff relationships with the students look like?

    1. Do you think these relationships at this center differs from other Job Corps centers? Describe

19. What do the relationships between the students look like?

    1. Do you think these relationships at this center differs from other Job Corps centers? Describe

20. [Cascades Only] What affect, if any, does the cohort system have on students?

    1. Does it affect student relationships?

    2. Does it affect student progress?

21. How diverse is the student population?

    1. Does this have an effect on the center? Culturally, Socially?  

    2. What are the pros and cons of having older students at the center?

22. [Cascades only] Does the fact that students at Cascades are younger (ages 16-21 only) have any effect on the center? How? Why not? Describe

23. [Cascades only] Does that fact that students at Cascades had additional screening during intake have any effect on the center? How? Why not? Describe

24. How do you think the typical student that attends this Job Corps center compares to the students at other Job Corps centers?

25. [Cascades only] Do you think that Cascades students are better prepared for Job Corps or for college than typical Job Corps students? Why? How? Describe

26. Overall, what, if anything, do you think sets this center apart from other Job Corps centers?

Education & Training Planning

27. Describe the process you use to determine what education and support services are appropriate for an individual student and the process of putting together a plan.

    1. Do you use assessments? When? What kind? Academic assessments? College-readiness assessments? Soft-skills assessments? Describe

    2. Is this part of a larger plan that also includes other individual goals such as for Non-Cognitive Social and Workplace Skills Development?

    3. Is this a group process or a one-on-one process? Which staff are involved in determining what services students need? Are the students themselves involved? How? Describe

    4. Do students take ownership of the plan or plans and of their future? How? Describe

Education & Training Services

28. [Cascades Only] Since our visit last year how has your Foundations, HS, HSE, Basic Ed, and E&T Support Services changed? Describe

    1. Why did services change? (Was is staff driven or conceptually driven or market driven?)

29. How do students generally flow through services at the center?

1. Can you describe when a student typically starts and completes these services and how that is decided?

28. Can you describe the [Foundations or Career Success Standards] course?

    1. Are courses mostly online instruction or instructor led? Does instruction include textbook and hands on instruction? Describe Where are they offered? What staff provide these services?

29. Can you describe any HS, HSE, Basic Ed, and E&T Support Services that are offered at this center?

    1. What do these services look like? Are courses mostly online instruction or instructor led? Does instruction include textbook and hands on instruction? Describe Where are they offered? What staff provide these services?

32. Are services (Foundations or Career Success Standards, HSE, Basic Education classes, etc.) contextualized for the student’s trade/pathway?

33. Are classes occupation-infused – use work-based learning and project-based instruction (i.e. IT or healthcare topic or problems)? Get examples.) Describe

    1. Are instructors expected to infuse workplace examples into academic instruction?

34. To what extent are you able to tailor the classes you offer to the specific needs of the students? Describe

35. To what extent are you able to accommodate ESL students and students with special needs? Does the center offer any specialized services such as ESL or special needs?

36. How do [Foundations or Career Success Standards], HS, HSE, Basic Ed, and E&T Support Services at this center differ from the same services at other Job Corps centers?

37. How and when do students transition into Trade/ Career and Technical Training?

    1. Do they have to take an assessment or pass a test? Describe

    2. Are there certain entry requirements? Do students need to have a high school diploma or equivalency?

38. [Ottumwa only] Does this center offer an option to go to college?

    1. How and when do students transition into college?

    2. Do you assess students for college-readiness? How?

    3. Do college courses count towards high school or HSE?

    4. How does the center support the students in college? Where remediation services are offered if needed? At the center? At the college?

39. [Cascades only] How and when do students transition into college Describe

    1. Do you assess students for college-readiness? How? Describe

    2. Do college courses count towards high school or HSE?

    3. How does the center support the students in college? Where remediation services are offered if needed? At the center? At the college?

    4. What components of the center do you feel are most valuable to students when going to college?

40. [Tongue Point only] How and when do students transition into the Advanced Career Training (ACT) college-level program?

    1. What are the requirements for participating in ACT?

    2. Do you assess students for college-readiness? How?

    3. Do college courses count towards high school or HSE?

    4. How does the center support the students in college? Where are remediation services offered if needed? At the center? At the college?

41. To what extent do [Foundations or Career Success Standards], HS, HSE, Basic Ed, and E&T Support Services provided at this center resemble activities a traditional high school or career readiness training program might provide? To what extent do they differ?

42. How do [Foundations or Career Success Standards], HS, HSE, Basic Ed, and E&T Support Services offered at this center differ from the other Job Corps centers?

43. Can you describe the particular strengths and challenges of this type of program? Describe

1. What non-student related challenges do you face delivering education and support services and what is the center doing to mitigate those challenges? (Staffing, facilities, curriculum, etc.)? Describe

Non-Cognitive Social and Workplace Skills Development

44. Can you describe any social and workplace skills services offered by the center (e.g. life skills, career planning, work readiness)? Describe

    1. What kind of social and workplace skills courses are offered? Are they required?

    2. How are these services provided and what staff provide them?

    3. Are these classes contextualized for the student’s trade/pathway?

45. Are there any other non-cognitive skills development courses?

46. [Cascades Only] Since our last visit how have these services changed? Describe

    1. Why did services change? (Was is staff driven or conceptually driven or market driven?)

Curriculum Development

47. How did the center determine the content of the [Foundations or Career Success Standards], HS, HSE, Basic Ed, E&T Support Services and the Non-Cognitive Social and Workplace Skills Development services?

    1. Are you using existing curricula? Did you create new curricula? Did you develop the courses with help from local employers or community colleges or other outside sources? Describe

Measures of Academic Progress, Student Challenges and Support Services

48. How do you measure academic progress?

    1. How are students fairing?

    2. Are students struggling?

49. What challenges do students face academically? Describe

50. What type of supplemental support services, such as on-site tutoring, online classes and evening classes are offered? Describe

    1. Are these services contextualized for the student’s trade/pathway?

51. What other types of extra support or guidance do students receive if they fall behind in their studies? Describe

    1. Is some kind of education & training improvement plan created?

• When, at what point?

• Who participates in creating the plan?

48. How do [Foundations or Career Success Standards], HS, HSE, Basic Ed, E&T Support Services and the Non-Cognitive Social and Workplace Skills Development services staff coordinate with each other?

49. How do [Foundations or Career Success Standards], HS, HSE, Basic Ed, E&T Support Services and the Non-Cognitive Social and Workplace Skills Development services staff coordinate with other departments?

Community Culture, Student Support Systems, Student Rewards & Recognitions, and Disciplinary Policies

54. Other than education & training, what do the students struggle with? Culture issues? Addiction? Mental health? Other? Describe

    1. How does the center in general and your instructors in particular deal with this? Do they incorporate the “grit mindset” goals and other strategies from the University of Chicago curriculum “Teaching Adolescents to Become Learners” Describe

55. Are there sufficient supports outside the classroom for these students?

56. How do you think the student support systems available at this center differ from those at other Job Corp centers?

Student Retention and Separations 

57. What is your sense of why students leave the center early?   

58. At what point do students tend to separate? What are the biggest drop-off points?  

1. Do students drop-out during trade/pathway services? Describe

2. About what percentage of students do you think end up dropping-off before completion?

59. What are the center’s policies with regard to student retention? 

1. How does the center attempt to retain students?  

2. What actions are taken? By what staff?   

3. How are students involved/engaged in this effort? 

Partnerships

60. Can you describe your partnership with the local school district? Describe

    1. What resources does the school district provide you? (Probes: Books, equipment, training, food, transportation, staffing) Describe

    2. Are there challenges associated with your relationship with the school district? Describe

    3. Any challenges?

61. What other partners are involved in the delivery of trade/pathway services at your center?

    1. Can you describe those relationships?

Name of partner	Description of services or resources provided	How is partnership formalized (contract, informal)
Name of partner	Describe	Describe

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