Appendix C: Study Recruitment Materials

Appendix C: Recruitment Materials

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System-Level Recruitment Letter

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[Publish Date]
Dear [First Name Last Name]:
I am pleased to invite you to be part of an important study, the Infant and Toddler Teacher and Caregiver
Competencies (ITTCC) study. The ITTCC study aims to learn how competency frameworks for teachers
and caregivers of infants and toddlers can help build the capacity of the infant/toddler care and education
workforce and support quality improvement. The ITTCC study is sponsored by the Administration for
Children and Families within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Mathematica, a
nationally recognized research organization with a long history in early childhood research, is conducting
the study. Ultimately, findings will support efforts to improve the quality of care for infants and toddlers.
We are reaching out to you to learn about how you and other stakeholders are using [FILL
COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK NAME] to support infant/toddler teachers and caregivers. We would
like to set up a [FILL INTERVIEW LENGTH] minute phone interview to learn more about: [FILL FOR
THE TOPICS WE AIM TO ADDRESS FOR THIS PERSON OR USE THE GENERAL STATEMENT
how the competency framework is used]. We would also like to request that you share any documents that
would be helpful for understanding how the competency framework is being used for example, [FILL
TOPICS]. We will provide a $75 honorarium for participating in this study.
An ITTCC study team member will call you soon to discuss the study, answer any questions you might
have, and find a convenient time to conduct your interview. Participation in the study is completely
voluntary. If you have any questions in the meantime, please feel free to contact me, either by [INSERT
STUDY PHONE #] or by email at [email protected]. Thank you in advance for
your time and consideration.
Sincerely,

Felicia Hurwitz
Survey Director

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 the described information collection is 0970-0XXX and the
expiration date is XX/XX/XXXX.

1100 1st Street, NE, 12th Floor, Washington, DC 20002-4221 • (202) 484-9220 phone (202) 863-1763 fax • Mathematica-mpr.com
An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer

This page has been left blank for double-sided copying.

System-Level Recruitment Script

This page has been left blank for double-sided copying.

ITTCC System-Level Recruitment Script

Mathematica

Infant and Toddler Teacher and Caregiver Competencies Study: Recruitment
Script for System-Level Interviews
[This recruitment script is to be used for system-level respondents who have been selected to participate
in a semistructured interview.]
A. REACHING THE TARGETED RESPONDENT
[Use contact listed from screening call or person screener recommended.]
Hello, may I please speak with [NAME OF CONTACT]?
[This section of the script is for the purpose of getting ahold of the targeted respondent. If this person
answers the phone, go to section B of this protocol.]
IF YOU REACH A GATEKEEPER:
Hello, my name is ___________________ from Mathematica, an independent research organization.
We are conducting a study called the Infant and Toddler Teacher and Caregiver Competencies study for
the Administration for Children and Families of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
This study aims to learn how competency frameworks for teachers and caregivers of infants and
toddlers can be used to help build the capacity of the infant/toddler care and education workforce and
support quality improvement. May I speak with [NAME OF CONTACT] about this study?
[Before you are transferred, get the gatekeeper’s name. if the contact is not available, ask to leave a
voicemail on the contact’s direct line.]
IF YOU REACH A VOICEMAIL:
[IF CONTACT WAS THE PERSON WHO CONDUCTED SCREENING CALL]
Hello [NAME OF CONTACT]. This is ______________________ from Mathematica calling about the
Infant and Toddler Teacher and Caregiver Competencies Study. Thanks again for speaking with us about
the study and your involvement with [SPECIFY COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK]. We are ready to move
forward with next steps and would like to invite you to participate in our study. Please give me a call
back at [TELEPHONE NUMBER] at your earliest convenience. I’m looking forward to speaking with you
soon so that I can tell you more about next steps and answer any additional questions you may have.
Thank you!
[IF RESPONDENT WAS SUGGESTED TO STUDY BY PERSON WHO PARTICIPATED IN SCREENING CALL AND
THAT PERSON IS COMFORTABLE BEING MENTIONED]
Hello, my name is ___________________ from Mathematica, an independent research organization.
We are conducting a study called the Infant and Toddler Teacher and Caregiver Competencies study for
the Administration for Children and Families within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
[I/MY TEAMMATE] recently spoke with [NAME OF PERSON WHO CONDUCTED SCREENING CALL] and
they suggested you would have important information to share with our study. I’m calling to tell you
about our study and answer any questions you may have. Please give me a call back at [TELEPHONE
NUMBER] at your earliest convenience. I’m looking forward to speaking with you soon. Thank you!

ITTCC System-Level Recruitment Script

Mathematica

[IF RESPONDENT WAS SUGGESTED TO STUDY BY PERSON WHO PARTICIPATED IN SCREENING CALL AND
THAT PERSON IS NOT COMFORTABLE BEING MENTIONED OR WE IDENTIFIED THE RESPONDENT BASED
ON PUBLIC INFORMATION]
Hello, my name is ___________________ from Mathematica, an independent research organization.
We are conducting a study called the Infant and Toddler Teacher and Caregiver Competencies Study for
the Administration for Children and Families within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
[I/my teammate] recently sent you a letter by email that requested your participation in this study. We
think you have important information to share I’m calling to tell you about our study and answer any
questions you may have. Please give me a call back at [TELEPHONE NUMBER] at your earliest
convenience. I’m looking forward to talking with you soon! Thank you!
B. RECRUITMENT OF THE TARGETED RESPONDENT
[Select the appropriate scenario before continuing.]
SCENARIO 1: IF THE TARGETED RESPONDENT PARTICIPATED IN A SCREENING CALL, START HERE:
Hello [NAME OF CONTACT]. This is ______________________ from Mathematica calling to follow up on
the Infant and Toddler Teacher and Caregiver Competencies Study. Thanks again for speaking with us
about the study and your involvement with [SPECIFY COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK]. Would it be helpful if
I gave a quick refresher on the aim of this study?
[IF YES] No problem! As you know, the early care and education field has in recent years embraced the
use of competency frameworks as a tool to improve the quality of care provided to infant and toddlers.
This study aims to gather lessons about how competency frameworks have been used in early care and
education programs and how early care and education systems (such as quality rating and improvement
systems, institutes of higher education, credentialing and licensing bodies, training and technical
assistance organizations) help to support implementation.
We would like to continue moving forward with your participation in this study and schedule an indepth phone interview with you to learn more about how [SPECIFY COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK] is used.
By participating in this study, we would ask you to participate in a [SPECIFY # OF MINUTES: 60 or 90]
minute [SPECIFY IF ONE-ON-ONE OR SMALL GROUP] phone interview. The interview will take place on a
day and time that works best for you. During the interview, we may also ask you to share documents
related to your involvement with [SPECIFY COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK] with us.
We will provide you with an honorarium of $75 as a thank you for your time.
Do you have any questions so far about the study? [IF SO, ANSWER TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY,
REFERRING TO THE FAQ DOCUMENT. IF YOU ARE NOT SURE OF THE ANSWER, PLEASE SAY “THAT IS A
GOOD QUESTION. I WILL ASK THE STUDY TEAM AND GET BACK TO YOU AS SOON AS I CAN.”]
Are you willing to participate in this interview?
[IF YES] Great! Thank you so much for your willingness to participate!

ITTCC System-Level Recruitment Script

Mathematica

We want to take a comprehensive look about how [COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK] is used in [SPECIFY
SITE, E.G. STATE OR ORGANIZATION]. Our understanding is that you would have important information
to share about: [LIST OUT ALL THE TOPICS FOR WHICH WE ARE TARGETING THEM]
To give you a full picture of what we are trying to learn, I want to mention the full list of topics we will
be speaking about with people participating in the interviews. Please let us know if you think it would be
important to speak with you about any of these as:
[LIST OUT ALL/THE OTHER TOPICS]
[SCHEDULE INTERVIEW AND CONFRIM CONTACT INFORMATION]
[IF NO] May I ask why? [TRY TO ADDRESS ANY CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS.] We appreciate your feedback
and please let us know if you change your mind. [END CALL]
Thank you so much for your help, I will send you my contact information by email in case you have any
questions after the call. We will also be in touch soon with logistics for your interview.
[END CALL AND SEND EMAIL.]
SCENARIO 2: IF THE TARGETED RESPONDENT IS NEW TO THE STUDY (DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN A
SCREENING CALL) START HERE:
[IF RESPONDENT WAS SUGGESTED TO STUDY BY PERSON WHO PARTICIPATED IN SCREENING CALL AND
THAT PERSON IS COMFORTABLE BEING MENTIONED]
Hello, my name is ___________________. I am calling from Mathematica, an independent research
organization. We are conducting a study called the Infant and Toddler Teacher and Caregiver
Competencies Study for the Administration for Children and Families within the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services.
[I/MY TEAMMATE] recently spoke with [CONTACT FROM SCREENING CALL] and they suggested you
would have important information to share with our study. Based on what we have learned so far about
[SPECIFY COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK] and how it is used, our understanding is [DESCRIBE PERSON’S
ROLE/RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FRAMEWORK].
[If not correct person, get name, title, and telephone number of the correct person. Say thank you and
goodbye. Contact the proper person and start again with above.]
I/my teammate] sent you a letter by email on [X], which I hope you received, that requested your
participation in this study. Did you receive that letter?
[IF YES, RECALLS LETTER]: Great!
[IF NO, CONTACT DOESN’T HAVE THE LETTER:] Could I confirm your email? I will send you a copy of the
letter. For now, I can tell you more about the study.
This important study aims to learn how competency frameworks for teachers and caregivers of infants
and toddlers can be used to help build the capacity of the infant/toddler care and education workforce
and support quality improvement. I would like to tell you a little more about the study, ask you a few

ITTCC System-Level Recruitment Script

Mathematica

questions, and find out about your interest and availability in participating. [GO TO “CONTINUE FOR
SCENARIO 2”]
[IF RESPONDENT WAS SUGGESTED TO STUDY BY PERSON WHO PARTICIPATED IN SCREENING CALL AND
THAT PERSON IS NOT COMFORTABLE BEING MENTIONED OR WE IDENTIFIED THE RESPONDENT BASED
ON PUBLIC INFORMATION]
Hello, my name is ___________________. I am calling from Mathematica, an independent research
organization. We are conducting a study called the Infant and Toddler Teacher and Caregiver
Competencies Study for the Administration for Children and Families within the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services.
[If not correct person, get name, title, and telephone number of the correct person. Say thank you and
goodbye. Contact the proper person and start again with above.]
I/my teammate] sent you a letter by email on [X], which I hope you received, that requested your
participation in this study. Did you receive that letter?
[IF YES, RECALLS LETTER]: Great!
[IF NO, CONTACT DOESN’T HAVE THE LETTER:] Could I confirm your email? I will send you a copy of the
letter. For now, I can tell you more about the study.
This important study aims to learn how competency frameworks for teachers and caregivers of infants
and toddlers can be used to help build the capacity of the infant/toddler care and education workforce
and support quality improvement. I would like to tell you a little more about the study, ask you a few
questions, and find out about your interest and availability in participating. [GO TO “CONTINUE FOR
SCENARIO 2”]
[CONTINUE FOR SCENARIO 2]
This call will take about 15 minutes. Can we continue now? [IF RESPONDENT INDICATES IT IS NOT A
GOOD TIME TO TALK, MAKE A FIRM APPOINTMENT FOR THE FOLLOW-UP CALL AND THANK THEM FOR
THEIR TIME.]
[IF WILLING TO PROCEED WITH CALL] Great! I’ll provide clarifications on some terms, a brief overview of
the study (if needed), ask you a few questions, and discuss next steps.
Before we go further, I just want to take a minute to be clear on how we are using certain words in this
conversation that can sometimes mean different things to different people. By “competency” we mean
a piece of knowledge, a skill, or an attribute essential to the practice of teaching and caring for infants
and toddlers. By “competency framework” we mean a set of competencies that an organization or
entity has compiled to convey the range of knowledge, skills, and attributes that a teacher or caregiver
should have.
This important study aims to gather lessons about how competency frameworks have been used in early
care and education programs and how early care and education systems (such as quality rating and
improvement systems, institutes of higher education, credentialing and licensing bodies, training and
technical assistance organizations) help to support implementation.
We are starting our study by speaking with people like yourself, who are charged with creating a system
and structure for and supporting implementation in states, institutions of higher education, and/or

ITTCC System-Level Recruitment Script

Mathematica

professional organizations. After gathering information from people like you who have this big-picture,
system-level perspective, we plan to speak with early care and education programs that are using the
competency framework. These programs will include center-based settings and family child care [FCC]
homes that care for infants and toddlers.
By participating in this study, we would ask you to a [SPECIFY # OF MINUTES: 60 OR 90] minute [SPECIFY
IF ONE-ON-ONE OR SMALL GROUP] phone interview. We would also ask you to share relevant
documents related to competency framework implementation and assessment in advance of the
interviews. These interviews will take place on a day and time that works best for you.
We will provide you with an honorarium of $75 as a thank you for your time.
Do you have any questions so far about the study? [IF SO, ANSWER TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY,
REFERRING TO THE FAQ DOCUMENT. IF YOU ARE NOT SURE OF THE ANSWER, PLEASE SAY “THAT IS A
GOOD QUESTION. I WILL ASK THE STUDY TEAM AND GET BACK TO YOU AS SOON AS I CAN.”]
Would you be willing to participate in this study?
[IF YES] Great! Thank you so much for your willingness to participate in this study!
We want to take a comprehensive look about how [COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK] is used in [SPECIFY
SITE, E.G. STATE OR ORGANIZATION]. Our understanding is that you would have important information
to share about: [LIST OUT ALL THE TOPICS FOR WHICH WE ARE TARGETING THEM]
To give you a full picture of what we are trying to learn, I want to mention the full list of topics we will
be speaking about with people participating in the interviews. Please let us know if you think it would be
important to speak with you about any of these as:
[LIST OUT ALL/THE OTHER TOPICS]
[SCHEDULE INTERVIEW AND CONFRIM CONTACT INFORMATION]
[IF NO] May I ask why? [TRY TO ADDRESS ANY CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS.] We appreciate your feedback
and please let us know if you change your mind. [END CALL]
Thank you so much for your help, I will send you my contact information by email in case you have any
questions after the call. We will also be in touch soon with logistics for your interview.
[END CALL AND SEND EMAIL.]

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System-Level Flyer

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The Infant and Toddler Teacher and Caregiver
Competencies (ITTCC) Study
What is the ITTCC study?
The ITTCC study aims to learn how competency
frameworks for teachers and caregivers of infants
and toddlers can be used to help build the capacity
of the infant/toddler care and education workforce
and support quality improvement. We define a
competency as a piece of knowledge, a skill, or an
attribute essential to the practice of teaching and
caring for infants and toddlers, and a competency
framework as a set of competencies that an organization or entity has compiled to convey the range of
knowledge, skills, and attributes that a teacher or
caregiver should have.

Who is conducting the
ITTCC study?
Mathematica is conducting the ITTCC study
under contract to the Administration for Children
and Families within the U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services. Staff members working on
the ITTCC study have a great deal of experience
conducting research in early childhood settings
and have been fully trained for this study.

What are the benefits of
participating?

☑ Help improve the quality of care for infants and
toddlers.

☑ Build and inform the qualifications of professionals in the early education workforce.

☑ $75 as a thank you for your time.
*If you have any questions or would like more
information about the study, please contact the
survey director, Felicia Hurwitz, at [INSERT
STUDY PHONE #] or by email at [email protected].
2021 > mathematica.org

Who will participate in the
ITTCC study?
Participants include individuals involved with creating a structure for and supporting implementation
of competency frameworks in states, institutions of
higher education, and/or professional organizations
(for example, those who developed and/or adopted the
competency framework, those who have a role in dissemination or monitoring the use of the framework,
those who have a role in creating or implementing
professional development linked to the framework).

What do ITTCC participants need
to do?
Share documents related to competency framework
implementation and assessment in advance
of interviews.
Participate in a one-on-one or small group phone
interview between 60 and 90 minutes.
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 the described information collection is 0970-0XXX and the expiration date is XX/XX/XXXX.

FOLLOW US >

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System Level FAQ

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The Infant and Toddler Teacher and
Caregiver Competencies (ITTCC) Study:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the purpose of this study?
The Infant and Toddler Teacher and Caregiver
Competencies (ITTCC) study aims to learn how
competency frameworks for teachers and caregivers
of infants and toddlers can be used to help build the
capacity of the infant/toddler care and education
workforce and support quality improvement. This
study will provide lessons about how competency
frameworks have been used by quality improvement
and ratings systems, institutes of higher education,
credentialing and licensing bodies, training and technical assistance organizations, and other early care
and education systems. It will also provide lessons
about how competency frameworks have been used
in early care and education programs (both centers
and family child care homes) by those who work with
infant/toddler teachers and caregivers and by infant/
toddler teachers and caregivers themselves.

What is a “competency”? What is
a “competency framework”?
We realize that the word “competency” can mean
different things to different people. For the ITTCC
study, we use the term “competency” to refer to a
piece of knowledge, a skill, or an attribute essential
to the practice of teaching and caring for infants and
toddlers. A “competency framework” is a set of competencies that an organization or entity has compiled
to convey the range of knowledge, skills, and attributes that a teacher or caregiver should have.

Who is invited to participate
in the study?
We will speak with individuals from states,
institutes of higher education, and professional
organizations to learn about the different ways

2021 > mathematica.org

competency frameworks are used—including how
competencies are assessed.
For example, we plan to speak with those who developed and/or oversee use of the competency framework, those who have a role in getting the word
out about the framework, those who have a role in
creating or implementing professional development
linked to the framework or are involved with assessment of competencies.

When will study activities be
conducted?
ITTCC study activities will take place between DATE
and DATE.

What will be asked of participants?
Study participants will be asked to:

/ Participate in one-on-one or group telephone interviews with a member of the ITTCC study team.

/ Provide documents for the ITTCC study team
to review (for example, copies of competency
frameworks, crosswalks between competency
frameworks and curricula, credentials, or career

ITTCC: Frequently Asked Questions

ladders, tools used to assess competencies, job
descriptions and staff recruiting advertisements,
or professional development and training plans).

/ Recommend additional participants for the
ITTCC study.

Who is conducting this study?
Mathematica is conducting this study for the
Administration for Children and Families within
the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Mathematica is a nationally recognized, nonpartisan
policy research organization that conducts studies
in early childhood education and other public
policy areas.
Additional information about Mathematica is available online at http://www.mathematica.org

How will Mathematica protect the
privacy of study participants?
Mathematica is committed to respecting the
privacy of everyone who contributes to this study.
Future reports may identify competency frameworks
we learned about in the study and could acknowledge
you or your agency’s or organization’s participation
with a competency framework. We will not attribute
specific quotes or comments to individuals or organizations, but due to the number of sites in the study and
information provided about the roles and responsibilities related to the framework of those who participate
in interviews, it is possible you could be identified.

How can I get more information
about the study?
If you have any questions or would like more
information about the study, please contact the
survey director, Felicia Hurwitz, at [INSERT STUDY
PHONE #] or by email at [email protected].

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 the described information collection
is 0970-0XXX and the expiration date is XX/XX/XXXX.

2021 > mathematica.org

FOLLOW US >

Program-Level Recruitment Letter

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[Publish Date]
Dear [First Name Last Name]:
I am pleased to invite you to be part of an important study, the Infant and Toddler Teacher and Caregiver
Competencies (ITTCC) study. The ITTCC study aims to learn how competency frameworks for teachers
and caregivers of infants and toddlers can help build the capacity of the infant/toddler care and education
workforce and support quality improvement. The ITTCC study is sponsored by the Administration for
Children and Families within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Mathematica, a
nationally recognized research organization with a long history in early childhood research, is conducting
the study. Ultimately, findings will support efforts to improve the quality of care for infants and toddlers.
We are reaching out to you to learn about [FILL COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK NAME] and how your
program is using it. We would like to set up a [FILL INTERVIEW LENGTH] minute phone interview to
learn more about: [FILL FOR THE TOPICS WE AIM TO ADDRESS FOR THIS PERSON OR USE
THE GENERAL STATEMENT how the competency framework is used]. We would also like to request
that you share any documents that would be helpful for understanding how [FILL COMPTENCY
FRAMEWORK NAME] is being used (for example, [FILL WITH DOCUMENT TYPES RELEVANT
TO INTERVIEW TOPICS FOR THIS RESPONDENT]). We will provide a [FILL $50/$20] honorarium
for participating in this study.
An ITTCC study team member will call you soon to discuss the study, answer any questions you might
have, and find a convenient time to conduct your interview. Participation in the study is completely
voluntary. If you have any questions in the meantime, please feel free to contact me, either by [INSERT
STUDY PHONE #] or by email at [email protected]. Thank you in advance for
your time and consideration.
Sincerely,

Felicia Hurwitz
Survey Director

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 the described information collection is 0970-0XXX and the
expiration date is XX/XX/XXXX.

1100 1st Street, NE, 12th Floor, Washington, DC 20002-4221 • (202) 484-9220 phone (202) 863-1763 fax • Mathematica-mpr.com
An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer

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Program-Level Recruitment Script

This page has been left blank for double-sided copying.

ITTCC Recruitment Protocol Program Level

Mathematica

Infant and Toddler Teacher and Caregiver Competencies Study: Recruitment
Script for Program-level Interviews
[This recruitment script is to be used for program-level respondents who have been selected to
participate in a semistructured interview.]
A. REACHING THE TARGETED RESPONDENT
[Use contact listed from screening call or person screener recommended.]
Hello may I please speak with [NAME OF CONTACT]?
[This section of the script is for the purpose of getting ahold of the targeted respondent. If this person
answers the phone, go to section B of this protocol.]
IF YOU REACH A GATEKEEPER: [For family child cares, the gatekeeper could be an assistant or another
person who lives in the home. For centers/center-based programs, the gatekeeper would be another
staff person]:
Hello, my name is ___________________ from Mathematica, an independent research organization.
We are conducting a study called the Infant and Toddler Teacher and Caregiver Competencies Study for
the Administration for Children and Families within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
This study aims to learn how competency frameworks for teachers and caregivers of infants and
toddlers can be used to help build the capacity of the infant/toddler care and education workforce and
support quality improvement. May I speak with [NAME OF CONTACT] about this study?
[Before you are transferred, get the gatekeeper’s name. if the contact is not available, ask to leave a
voicemail on the contact’s direct line.]
IF YOU REACH A VOICEMAIL:
[IF RESPONDENT WAS THE PERSON WHO PARTICIPATED IN SCREENING CALL]
Hello [NAME OF RESPONDENT]. This is ______________________ from Mathematica calling about the
Infant and Toddler Teacher and Caregiver Competencies Study. Thanks again for speaking with us about
the study and your program’s involvement with the [SPECIFY COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK]. We are
ready to move forward with next steps and would like to invite you to participate in an interview. Please
give me a call back at [TELEPHONE NUMBER] at your earliest convenience. I’m looking forward to
speaking with you soon so that I can tell you more about next steps and answer any additional questions
you may have. Thank you!
[IF RESPONDENT WAS SUGGESTED TO STUDY BY PERSON WHO PARTICIPATED IN SCREENING CALL AND
THAT PERSON IS COMFORTABLE BEING MENTIONED]
Hello, my name is ___________________ from Mathematica, an independent research organization.
We are conducting a study called the Infant and Toddler Teacher and Caregiver Competencies Study for
the Administration for Children and Families within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
[I/MY TEAMMATE] recently spoke with [NAME OF PERSON WHO CONDUCTED SCREENING CALL] and
they suggested you have important information to share with our study. [I/my teammate] recently sent
you a letter by email that requested your participation in this study. I’m calling to tell you a about our

ITTCC Recruitment Protocol Program Level

Mathematica

study, and answer any questions you may have. Please give me a call back at [TELEPHONE NUMBER] at
your earliest convenience. I’m looking forward to speaking with you soon. Thank you!

[IF RESPONDENT WAS SUGGESTED TO STUDY BY PERSON WHO PARTICIPATED IN SCREENING CALL AND
THAT PERSON IS NOT COMFORTABLE BEING MENTIONED OR WE IDENTIFIED THE RESPONDENT BASED
ON PUBLIC INFORMATION]
Hello, my name is ___________________ from Mathematica, an independent research organization.
We are conducting a study called the Infant and Toddler Teacher and Caregiver Competencies Study for
the Administration for Children and Families within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
[I/my teammate] recently sent you a letter by email that requested your participation in this study. We
think you have important information to share. I’m calling to tell you about our study and answer any
questions you may have. Please give me a call back at [TELEPHONE NUMBER] at your earliest
convenience. I’m looking forward to talking with you soon! Thank you!
B. RECRUITMENT OF THE TARGETED RESPONDENT
[Select the appropriate scenario before continuing.]
SCENARIO 1: IF TARGETED RESPONDENT PARTICIPATED IN A SCREENING CALL, START HERE:
Hello [NAME OF CONTACT]. This is ______________________ from Mathematica calling to follow up on
the Infant and Toddler Teacher and Caregiver Competencies Study. Thanks again for speaking with us
about the study and your involvement with [SPECIFY COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK]. Would it be helpful if
I gave a quick refresher on the aim of this study?
[IF YES] No problem! As you may know, the early care and education field has in recent years embraced
the use of competency frameworks as a tool to improve the quality of care provided to infant and
toddlers. This study aims to gather lessons about how competency frameworks have been used in early
care and education centers and family child care homes and how early care and education systems (such
as quality rating and improvement systems, institutes of higher education, credentialing and licensing
bodies, training and technical assistance organizations) help to support implementation.
[CONTINUE] Based on what we learned from our previous call and reading about the framework, our
understanding is [DESCRIBE PERSON’S ROLE/RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FRAMEWORK].
We would like to continue moving forward with your participation in this study and schedule an indepth phone interview with you to learn more about [SPECIFY COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK] and how
your program uses it. By participating in this study, we would ask you to participate in a [SPECIFY # OF
MINUTES: 30 OR 60] minute [SPECIFY IF ONE-ON-ONE OR SMALL GROUP] phone interview. These
interviews will take place on a day and time that works best for you. During the interview, we may also
ask you to share documents related to your involvement with [SPECIFY COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK]
with us. We will provide [you/your program] with an honorarium of [$50/$20] as a thank you for your
time.
Do you have any questions so far about the study? [IF SO, ANSWER TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY,
REFERRING TO THE FAQ DOCUMENT. IF YOU ARE NOT SURE OF THE ANSWER, PLEASE SAY “THAT IS A
GOOD QUESTION. I WILL ASK THE STUDY TEAM AND GET BACK TO YOU AS SOON AS I CAN.”]

ITTCC Recruitment Protocol Program Level

Mathematica

Would you be willing to participate in this interview?
[IF YES] Great! Thank you so much for your willingness to participate! [SCHEDULE INTERVIEW AND
CONFIRM CONTACT INFORMATION]
[IF NO] May I ask why? [TRY TO ADDRESS ANY CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS.] We appreciate your feedback
and please let us know if you change your mind. [END CALL]
Thank you so much for your help, I will send you my contact information by email in case you have any
questions after the call. We will also be in touch soon with logistics for your interview.
[END CALL AND SEND EMAIL.]
SCENARIO 2: IF THE TARGETED RESPONDENT IS NEW TO THE STUDY (DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN A
SCREENING CALL) START HERE:
[IF TARGETED RESPONDENT WAS REFERRED BY A PERSON WHO PARTICIPATED IN A SCREENING CALL
AND THAT PERSON GAVE PERMISSION TO BE MENTIONED AS REFERRAL]
Hello, my name is ___________________. I am calling from Mathematica, an independent research
organization. We are conducting a study called the Infant and Toddler Teacher and Caregiver
Competencies Study for the Administration for Children and Families within the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services.
[I/MY TEAMMATE] recently spoke with [CONTACT FROM SCREENING CALL] and they suggested you have
important information to share with our study. Based on what we have learned so far about [SPECIFY
COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK] and how it is used, our understanding is [DESCRIBE PERSON’S
ROLE/RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FRAMEWORK].
[If not the correct person, get name, title, and telephone number of the correct person. Say thank you
and goodbye. Contact the proper person and start again with above.]
I/my teammate] sent you a letter by email on [X], which I hope you received, that requested your
participation in this study.
[IF YES, RECALLS LETTER]: As you know… [GO TO “MORE DETAIL”]
[IF NO, CONTACT DOESN’T HAVE THE LETTER:] Could I confirm your email? I will send you a copy of the
letter. For now, I can tell you more about the study.
This important study aims to learn how competency frameworks for teachers and caregivers of infants
and toddlers can be used to help build the capacity of the infant/toddler care and education workforce
and support quality improvement. I would like to tell you a little more about the study, ask you a few
questions, and find out about your interest and availability in participating. [GO TO “CONTINUE FOR
SCENARIO 2”]
[IF TARGETED RESPONDENT WAS REFERRED BY PERSON WHO PARTICIPATED IN A SCREENING CALL
WHO DID NOT GIVE PERMISSION TO BE MENTIONED AS HAVING PROVIDED THE REFERRAL OR WE
IDENTIFIED THE RESPONDENT BASED ON PUBLIC INFORMATION]

ITTCC Recruitment Protocol Program Level

Mathematica

Hello, my name is ___________________. I am calling from Mathematica, an independent research
organization. We are conducting a study called the Infant and Toddler Teacher and Caregiver
Competencies Study for the Administration for Children and Families within the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services.
[If not the correct person, get name, title, and telephone number of the correct person. Say thank you
and goodbye. Contact the proper person and start again with above.]
I/my teammate] sent you a letter on [X] by email, which I hope you received, that requested your
participation in this study. Did you receive that letter by email?
[IF YES, RECALLS LETTER]: Great!
[IF NO, CONTACT DOESN’T HAVE THE LETTER:] Could I confirm your email? I will send you a copy of the
letter. For now, I can tell you more about the study.
This important study aims to learn how competency frameworks for teachers and caregivers of infants
and toddlers can be used to help build the capacity of the infant/toddler care and education workforce
and support quality improvement. I’m calling to tell you a little more about the study, ask you a few
questions, and find out about your interest and availability in participating. [GO TO “CONTINUE FOR TO
SCENARIO 2”]
[CONTINUE FOR SCENARIO 2]
This call will take about 10 minutes. Can we continue now? [IF RESPONDENT INDICATES IT IS NOT A
GOOD TIME TO TALK, MAKE A FIRM APPOINTMENT FOR THE FOLLOW-UP CALL AND THANK THEM FOR
THEIR TIME.]
[IF WILLING TO PROCEED WITH CALL] Great! I’ll provide clarifications on some terms, a brief overview of
the study (if needed), ask you a few questions, and discuss next steps.
As you know, the early care and education field has in recent years embraced the use of competency
frameworks as a tool to improve the quality of care provided to infant and toddlers. This study aims to
gather lessons about how competency frameworks have been used in early care and education centers
and family child care homes and how early care and education systems (such as quality rating and
improvement systems, institutes of higher education, credentialing and licensing bodies, training and
technical assistance organizations) help to support implementation.
Before we go further, I just want to take a minute to be clear on how we are using certain words in this
conversation that can sometimes mean different things to different people. By “competency” we mean
a piece of knowledge, a skill, or an attribute essential to the practice of teaching and caring for infants
and toddlers. By “competency framework” we mean a set of competencies that an organization or
entity has compiled to convey the range of knowledge, skills, and attributes that a teacher or caregiver
should have.
Do you have any questions so far about the study? [IF SO, ANSWER TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY,
REFERRING TO THE FAQ DOCUMENT. IF YOU ARE NOT SURE OF THE ANSWER, PLEASE SAY “THAT IS A
GOOD QUESTION. I WILL ASK THE STUDY TEAM AND GET BACK TO YOU AS SOON AS I CAN.”]
We would like to move forward with your participation with this study and schedule an in-depth phone
interview with you to learn more about [SPECIFY COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK] and how your program
uses it. By participating in this study, we would ask you to participate in a [SPECIFY # OF MINUTES: 30 OR

ITTCC Recruitment Protocol Program Level

Mathematica

60] minute [SPECIFY IF ONE-ON-ONE OR SMALL GROUP] phone interview. These interviews will take
place on a day and time that works best for you. During the interview, we may also ask you to share
documents related to your involvement with [SPECIFY COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK] with us. We will
provide [you/your program] with an honorarium of [$50/$20] as a thank you for your time.
Would you be willing to participate in this study?
[IF YES] Great! Thank you so much for your willingness to participate in this study! [SCHEDULE
INTERVIEW AND CONFRIM CONTACT INFORMATION]
[IF NO] May I ask why? [TRY TO ADDRESS ANY CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS.] We appreciate your feedback
and please let us know if you change your mind. [END CALL]
Thank you so much for your help, I will send you my contact information by email in case you have any
questions after the call. We will also be in touch soon with logistics for your interview.
[END CALL AND SEND EMAIL.]

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Program-Level Flyer

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The Infant and Toddler Teacher and Caregiver
Competencies (ITTCC) Study
What is the ITTCC study?
The ITTCC study aims to learn how competency
frameworks for teachers and caregivers of infants
and toddlers can be used to help build the capacity
of the infant/toddler care and education workforce
and support quality improvement. We define a
competency as a piece of knowledge, a skill, or an
attribute essential to the practice of teaching and
caring for infants and toddlers, and a competency
framework as a set of competencies that an organization or entity has compiled to convey the range of
knowledge, skills, and attributes that a teacher or
caregiver should have.

Who is conducting the
ITTCC study?
Mathematica is conducting the ITTCC study
under contract to the Administration for Children
and Families within the U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services. Staff members working on
the ITTCC study have a great deal of experience
conducting research in early childhood settings
and have been fully trained for this study.

What are the benefits of
participating?

☑ Help inform efforts to improve the quality of
care for infants and toddlers.

☑ Help inform efforts to build the qualifications of
professionals in the early education workforce.

☑ [FILL $20/$50] as a thank you for your time.
*If you have any questions or would like more
information about the study, please contact the
survey director, Felicia Hurwitz, at [INSERT
STUDY PHONE #] or by email at [email protected].
2021 > mathematica.org

Who will participate in the
ITTCC study?

☑ Program directors, center directors, and family
child care providers

☑ Professional development or education coordinators and managers

☑ Teachers and caregivers
What do ITTCC participants need
to do?
Share documents related to competency framework
implementation and assessment in advance
of interviews.
Participate in a one-on-one or small group phone
interview between 30 and 60 minutes.
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 the described information collection is 0970-0XXX and the expiration date is XX/XX/XXXX.

FOLLOW US >

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Program Level FAQ

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The Infant and Toddler Teacher and
Caregiver Competencies (ITTCC) Study:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the purpose of this study?
The Infant and Toddler Teacher and Caregiver
Competencies (ITTCC) study aims to learn how
competency frameworks for teachers and caregivers
of infants and toddlers can be used to help build the
capacity of the infant/toddler care and education
workforce and support quality improvement. This
study will provide lessons about how competency
frameworks have been used by quality improvement
and ratings systems, institutes of higher education,
credentialing and licensing bodies, training and
technical assistance organizations, and other early
care and education systems. It will also provide
lessons about how competency frameworks have
been used in early care and education programs (both
centers and family child care homes) by those who
work with infant/toddler teachers and caregivers and
by infant/toddler teachers and caregivers themselves.

What is a “competency”? What is
a “competency framework”?
We realize that the word “competency” can mean
different things to different people. For the ITTCC
study, we use the term “competency” to refer to a
piece of knowledge, a skill, or an attribute essential
to the practice of teaching and caring for infants
and toddlers. A “competency framework” is a set
of competencies that an organization or entity has
compiled to convey the range of knowledge, skills, and
attributes that a teacher or caregiver should have.

Who is invited to participate
in the study?
We will speak with early care and education
program leadership, staff involved with overseeing
professional development, as well as teachers

2021 > mathematica.org

and caregivers to learn about the different ways
competency frameworks are used—including how
competencies are assessed.

When will study activities be
conducted?
ITTCC study activities will take place between DATE
and DATE.

What will be asked of participants?
Study participants will be asked to:

/ Participate in one-on-one or group telephone interviews with a member of the ITTCC study team.

/ Provide documents for the ITTCC study team
to review (for example, copies of competency
frameworks, crosswalks between competency
frameworks and curricula, credentials, or career
ladders, tools used to assess competencies, job
descriptions and staff recruiting advertisements,
or professional development and training plans).

/ Recommend additional participants for the
ITTCC study.

ITTCC: Frequently Asked Questions

Who is conducting this study?
Mathematica is conducting this study for the
Administration for Children and Families within
the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Mathematica is a nationally recognized, nonpartisan
policy research organization that conducts studies
in early childhood education and other public
policy areas.

How can I get more information
about the study?
If you have any questions or would like more
information about the study, please contact the
survey director, Felicia Hurwitz, at [INSERT STUDY
PHONE #] or by email at [email protected].

Additional information about Mathematica is available online at http://www.mathematica.org

How will Mathematica protect the
privacy of study participants?
Mathematica is committed to respecting the
privacy of everyone who contributes to this study.
Information will be kept private to the fullest extent
permitted by law. Individuals or programs will not
be acknowledged in future reports. Additionally, we
will not share individual responses with programs.

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 the described information collection
is 0970-0XXX and the expiration date is XX/XX/XXXX.

2021 > mathematica.org

FOLLOW US >

Study Endorsement Letters

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[DATE]
Dear [First Name Last Name],
I am writing to encourage your participation in the Infant and Toddler Teacher and Caregiver
Competencies (ITTCC) Study. The ITTCC Study aims to learn how competency frameworks for teachers
and caregivers of infants and toddlers can help build the capacity of the infant/toddler care and education
workforce and support quality improvement.
Participation in this study is completely voluntary. An ITTCC study team member from Mathematica will
contact you to provide more details on the project and answer any questions you may have. Staff
members working on the ITTCC study have a great deal of experience conducting research in early
childhood settings and have been fully trained for this study. You may also contact the Mathematica
Survey Director for the ITTCC study, Felicia Hurwitz, at [INSERT STUDY PHONE #] or by email at
[email protected].
On behalf of the Administration for Children and Families in the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services, we would like to thank you in advance for your assistance. Should you have any concerns
regarding this study or your participation in this study, please contact the ITTCC study’s project officer,
Jenessa Malin, at 202-401-5560 or by email at [email protected], in the Office of Planning,
Research, and Evaluation; Administration for Children and Families; U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services. We hope you agree to participate in this important study as the findings will ultimately
support efforts to improve the quality of care for infants and toddlers.
Sincerely,

Dear [NAME],
On behalf of the Office of Child Care, I am writing in support of the Infant and Toddler Teacher and
Caregiver Competencies Study sponsored by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation.
This study will explore how infant and toddler (I/T) teacher and caregiver competency frameworks (i.e.,
compilations of knowledge, skills, or attributes essential to the practice of teaching and caregiving for
infants and toddlers) have been used to help build the capacity of the I/T care and education workforce
and support quality improvement. The study will examine how competency frameworks have been used,
both at a system level (for example, within training and technical assistance systems, credentialing
systems, higher education systems, etc.) and in early care and education centers and family child care
homes, to improve the competencies of teachers and caregivers of infants and toddlers.
The Office of Child Care fully supports this study and your participation. We strongly encourage you to
make time to find out more about this important research project and engage in conversations with
members of the study team. We hope you will take advantage of this exciting opportunity!
Thank you in advance for your participation in this important study.
Sincerely,

[NAME]
Director
Office of Child Care
The Infant and Toddler Teacher and Caregiver Competencies Study is being conducted by Mathematica
Policy Research, a nationally recognized, nonpartisan research organization. If you have any questions or
concerns about this study or your participation in this study, please contact the study’s Mathematica
Survey Director, Felicia Hurwitz, at [INSERT STUDY PHONE #] or by email at [email protected] or the study’s Federal Project Officer Jenessa Malin, at 202-401-5560 or by email at
[email protected].

Office of Head Start | 4th Floor Switzer Building, 303 C Street, SW, Washington DC 20201 | eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov

Dear [FILL NAME],
I am writing to let you know your program has been selected to participate in the Infant and
Toddler Teacher and Caregiver Competencies Study sponsored by the Administration for
Children and Families (ACF) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS),
Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE).
This study will explore how the early care and education field has used competency frameworks
to help build the capacity of the infant and toddler workforce and support quality improvement.
The study will examine how competency frameworks have been used, at a system level (for
example, within training and technical assistance systems, credentialing systems, higher education
systems, etc.) and in early care and education programs to improve the competencies of teachers
and caregivers of infants and toddlers.
The Office of Head Start fully supports this study and strongly encourages your participation.
The Head Start and early education community has a long tradition of supporting innovative
research that benefits the children and families they serve. We encourage you to make time to
find out more about this important research project and engage in conversations with members of
the study team. We hope you will take advantage of this exciting opportunity for the Head Start
community and participate in the activities of this project!
Mathematica Policy Research, a nationally recognized, nonpartisan research organization is
conducting the Infant and Toddler Teacher and Caregiver Competencies Study. If you have any
questions or concerns about this study or your participation in this study, please contact the
study’s Mathematica Survey Director, Felicia Hurwitz, at [INSERT STUDY PHONE #] or by
email at [email protected] or the study’s Federal Project Officer
Jenessa Malin, at 202-401-5560 or by email at [email protected].
Thank you in advance for your participation in this important study.
Sincerely,

Director
Office of Head Start

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