Feedback from Head Start (HS) American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) Self-Review

OMB Control # 0970 – 0531

Expiration Date: XX/XX/XXXX

Recording Request:

Thank you for being here, before we get started, I want to start recording. This will make sure that we gather all the information that you share with us today. Is it okay with you for me to record our conversation today?

(If a participant has no concerns, begin recording. If participant has concerns, then “Okay, then I will be taking notes during the discussion.).

PRA STATEMENT DISPLAYED ON SLIDE : [Please note that this conversation today is voluntary. This is an OMB approved information collection, and agencies may not conduct or sponsor, and you are not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number and expiration date for the described collection are [ 0970-0531, Exp: XX/XX/XXXX] and they were also included on your invitation to today’s meeting. In addition, the invitation included name and contact information for me, [Interviewer team lead; interview team assistant]. Please use that contact info if you have any comments about the discussion or suggestions for reducing the information collection burden.]

Interview Questions for AIAN Self-review Program Directors/Leadership

SCRIPT [May be customized by interviewer based on program]

Hello! Thank you for joining this (discussion/interview), we look forward to learning from your experiences as a director of a program piloting the AIAN CLASS self-review process. My name is [x]; I am working with OHS to gather information from program directors such as you as well as the program staff that conducted the CLASS observations. [Depending on program: I know, for your program, you will be providing both the director and the observer point of view] We’re also speaking with Nicolle and the rest of the CLASS team from DLH, Renetta and others from NCECDTL, and the OHS Region XI office.

This conversation is voluntary. The information you provide today will be used solely to inform OHS’s next steps with the CLASS self-review process for AIAN Head Start programs. In addition, we will create a summary brief highlighting the themes from our discussions to share with the participating programs.

This discussion and your impressions and feedback will not be used for OHS monitoring purposes. We may use some quotes from our discussion today as part of our findings that we share with OHS, but we will not use individual or program names in the report to OHS or in the summary brief for programs. Any questions there?

We estimate our discussion today will take forty five minutes, to discuss your feedback, impressions and experiences with participating in the AIAN CLASS self-review pilot…

• Both about the experience leading up to the self-reviews, and your thoughts now that the reviews are completed.

So, I know for many of you, we have been working to this point for more than a year since your program first agreed to participate in this self-review pilot…for others it has been a somewhat shorter time, but still…you’ve been waiting awhile… I would like to start our discussion with asking you to think back to when you (or your predecessor) first agreed to participate in the pilot.

Question 1. Could you share why you agreed to participate in the AIAN CLASS self-review pilot? (PROMPT: Do you feel you had enough information to decide to participate? What other information could have been useful in making that decision?)

Question 2. It might be hard to think back, but did you have early concerns about the approach? Did you hear any early concerns from teachers? From the pilot observers? (PROMPT: How did you respond to these concerns? Were you able to find information/support to address those concerns? What about the DLH team, with Nicolle or the Community of Practice facilitated by Renetta, did you use those resources?)

Question 3. Now that your program has piloted the CLASS self-review, how did it go? (PROMPT: What is your overall sense of how it went? What was challenging about the self-review? Was anything easier than expected? Did any new worries come up?) (reflect on discussion that has already occurred that may contribute to answering this question)

Question 4. What about your teachers? How did the self-review process work for them? Do you think they felt more or less comfortable with this method of CLASS observation as compared to an outside observer coming into the classrooms? (prompt why they felt more or less comfortable) For the pilot observers, how do you think it worked for them? Do you think they felt comfortable and confident conducting the self-reviews? (reflect on discussion that has already occurred that may contribute to answering this question)

Question 5. How did the observers’ familiarity with the classrooms affect the self-review? Was it challenging to have staff from your own program complete the CLASS observations? (PROMPT: What about staff time? How challenging was it to give the observers time to complete the self-review?) (reflect on discussion that has already occurred that may contribute to answering this question)

Question 6. Did the CLASS self-review process inform any quality improvement or professional development efforts in your program? If so, how? Did you use the CLASS scores in any other way? [Follow up Prompt: Did you use the scores to identify teacher needs for individualized coaching/ professional development for the observed teacher(s)? Did the self-review process provide unique insight into areas for program-level improvement? Were there any other benefits to having staff trained and certified as CLASS observers on staff?

Question 7. What about future use of CLASS in your program? Will you use CLASS as a tool for quality improvement/ professional development in the future? Do you plan to maintain a certified CLASS observer on staff?

Question 8. What would improve the self-review process (for program staff/observers)? What would improve the self-review process for your program? (PROMPT: What would help the program staff/observers? What would help you? Do you think that would help other programs and program directors using a self-review?) (reflect on discussion that has already occurred that may contribute to answering this question)

Question 9. If OHS continues the self-review pilot in the future, it is possible that not all AIAN programs would have a certified CLASS observer on staff. How would you feel about the CLASS observer from your program conducting a CLASS review for another AIAN program? [Follow up Prompts: Would you be able to allow your staff (or self) to have time away from your program to travel to and conduct a review for another program? What supports would you need from the DLH CLASS team, NCECDTL, and/or the OHS Region XI office to facilitate this?

Question 10. Final question: what would you say to another AIAN program that is considering whether to participate in the CLASS self-review process? Would you and your program participate in a similar effort again? (PROMPT: Are there any additional supports, guidance or collaborations that would be useful for a future effort?)

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