Memo from Director of OVAE

Date

Name of Program Director

Program Address

Dear (Program Director):

The U. S. Department of Education’s Office of Vocational and Adult Education is sponsoring an initial study to investigate the effectiveness of the Student Achievement in Reading (STAR) training and materials. This study is examining whether adult learners who participate in reading classes taught by STAR-trained instructors make greater gains in reading than adult learners who participate in reading classes that are taught by instructors who have not been trained to use STAR’s methods and material. JBL Associates, Inc. and Abt Associates Inc. are the contractors for the study.

As part of the study’s program selection process, the contractor will contact adult basic education programs with instructors who have participated in the STAR training. The contractor will conduct screening telephone interviews with the program’s director and STAR-trained instructors, and also may visit the program. Based on the results of the screening interviews, a sample of programs will be asked to participate in the study. The study will involve the assessment and interviewing of learners who attend STAR-trained instructors’ classes during the winter and spring terms that begin in January 2009. Learners’ participation in the study is voluntary. All information that learners provide for the study is protected under the Privacy Act. The contractor also will conduct a site visit to the program to observe the STAR-trained instructor’s class and to interview the instructor and program director. In addition, the program will be asked to provide attendance data for the learners’ period of participation in the study.

The Office of Vocational and Adult Education would appreciate your cooperation with the contractor during the study’s screening and selection processes. This is an important study that will provide useful information about the STAR program’s methods and materials.

Sincerely,

Cheryl Keenan

Director

Division of Adult Education and Literacy

Office of Vocational and Adult Education