revised consent form

CONSENT TO PARTICIPATE IN RESEARCH (GENERAL)

On The Quality Teaching for English Learners (QTEL) Program

For Teachers

Your school is being asked to participate in a research project conducted by Berkeley Policy Associates (BPA), in partnership with WestEd, with funding from the U.S. Department of Education. This study is directed by Dr. Johannes Bos and Dr. Raquel Sanchez of BPA. The purpose is to learn whether the training provided by the Quality Teaching for English Learners (QTEL) program enhances the quality of instruction and the achievement of English Learners. Your school was selected as a possible participant in this study because of your district’s interest in receiving professional development for teachers of English Learners. This form provides you with information about the study below.

Please read the information below and ask questions about anything you do not understand before deciding whether or not to participate. Your participation is entirely voluntary and you can refuse to participate without penalty or loss of benefits to which you are otherwise entitled. You will be provided with a copy of this form to keep for your reference.

QTEL was developed by WestEd’s Teacher Professional Development Program in 1999. Since that time it has grown to be a highly respected provider of teacher professional development in the country. QTEL includes group training sessions and on-site coaching for each teacher in the treatment group. The QTEL curriculum covers topics in sociocultural notions of teaching and learning; development of teacher expertise; scaffolding of teaching and learning for adolescent English Learners; and constructing meaning through sustained and deep interactions.

If you agree to participate in this study, we will ask you to distribute informational flyers to the students in your ESL/ELD and English Language Arts classes. You and the other participating teachers will be asked to complete surveys about your professional preparation and teaching experience as well as a test of your pedagogical knowledge. Your program will then participate in a baseline observational assessment that will address the characteristics of your school’s environment and ELD program.

Of the schools volunteering for the program, about half will be selected to participate in the QTEL training, and the remaining half will be assigned to a control group. This selection will be based on chance, as in a lottery. The lottery will be conducted at BPA and a research staff member will notify you of your selection.

If your school decides to participate in the study, you will be included in a follow-up classroom observation about twelve months after the baseline observation. You may also be selected to participate in videotaped observations for which a second consent form will be required. In addition, you will be asked to complete surveys about your experiences in QTEL and any other professional development activities programs in which you have been involved. You will also take an annual follow-up test of your pedagogical knowledge. In addition, you may be asked to attend a focus group discussion to share your experience about QTEL program. You will complete the observation, tests, and surveys even if you are in the control group and do not receive QTEL training. All tests and surveys will be administered on-line and the results will be anonymous.

Participation in the surveys and tests are expected to take about 0.5 hour each per person to complete. Participation in the focus group is estimated to take approximately 1.5 hours per person. Teachers in control group schools will receive an incentive for participating in the study. You will not be required to pay for the professional development training if you are selected to be a part of the treatment group.

There are no significant risks to the school or the individual teacher as a result of participating in this study. Your participation in the research project may benefit your school, staff, and students by helping to improve the quality of instruction. The results of the research may influence policy and promote public investments in quality instruction for English Learners and teacher professional development.

Any information that is obtained in connection with this study and that can be identified with you, your school, or the students in your classes will remain confidential and will be disclosed only with your permission or as required by law. Observation or suspicion of abuse or neglect is reportable by law to the appropriate authorities. All individual and school-level information will be recorded with an identification number, and names will be kept in a separate location. Results will be analyzed and reported only in averages for groups of students and groups of schools; no individuals, individual schools, or districts will be identified by name.

The privacy of the information collected about you and your school will be protected by keeping all paper data in locked files at the offices of WestEd or Berkeley Policy Associates. All computer records will be kept in password-protected, secure storage under the direct control of the researchers.

Your participation in the program and in the research study is completely voluntary. If you volunteer to be in this study, you may withdraw at any time without consequences of any kind. If you have any questions or concerns about the research, please feel free to contact Raquel Sanchez, Project Director, Berkeley Policy Associates, 440 Grand Avenue, Suite 500, Oakland, CA, 94610, (510) 465-7884. In addition, if you have questions about your rights as a research participant, or if you have complaints, concerns, or questions about the research, please contact Fannie Tseng, Human Subjects Protection Administrator, Berkeley Policy Associates, (510) 465-7884 or fannie@bpacal.com; or Independent Review Consulting at 800-472-3241 or subject@irb-irc.com.

SIGNATURE OF RESEARCH PARTICIPANT

I understand the procedures described above. My questions have been answered to my satisfaction, and I agree to participate in this study. I have been given a copy of this form.

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Name of Participant (print clearly) Name of School

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Signature of Participant Date