Incentives Modification

TO: Ok-choon Park, Amy Feldman

FROM: REL Mid-Atlantic Connected Mathematics 2 Research Team

DATE: August 6, 2007

RE: Incentives Modification

The Connected Mathematics 2 Research Team has modified our incentives plan based on OMB feedback. OMB recommended the following incentives structure:

1. We understand that IES/REL-MA’s chief concern is retaining schools in the control group.  We agree that it will be challenging to encourage schools to participate in the control group, given that they are being asked maintain the same curriculum for two years and they will not receive the study's math curriculum at the end of the study. We do not believe that such a challenge can be overcome merely by offering a few pieces of equipment, and therefore encourage the PIs to emphasize the potential benefits of the study and conduct necessary outreach to school boards or other groups that might discourage schools from remaining in the control group.  Schools that participate in the intervention group are already incentivized sufficiently to participate in the study because they are receiving the study's curriculum. Therefore, we are willing to give each school that participates in the control group $1000 worth of equipment (i.e. a laptop, projector or other pieces of equipment that ED feels is appropriate) at whatever point the PI’s prefer in the study. The schools in the intervention group will not receive incentives beyond the math curriculum.

 

2. We agree that teacher participation in the intervention group will require a significant commitment, acknowledged primarily by the offering of professional development. While the burden for teachers in the control group is lower, they will not receive the professional development and training that the intervention teachers receive. Therefore, we are willing to allow REL-MA to give each teacher who participates in the study (in both the control group and the intervention group) $25 (in cash or non-cash items) per year for the two years of the study.

Section A9 of Supporting Statement A has been modified to reflect the agreed upon incentives structure. The research team is hopeful that this incentives structure will assist in our recruiting and retaining potential schools in the study. In the event that recruiting becomes problematic we will revisit the incentives with OMB.

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