Bullet points for recruitment through the school coordinator
Hi, this is {YOUR NAME} with the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, sponsored by the National Center for Education Statistics, part of the U.S. Department of Education. [As accurate: Your school participated in the field test of the student assessments in 2009 for the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 (ECLS-K:2011). or Your school participated last year in the field test of our school administrator and teacher questionnaires for the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 (ECLS-K:2011).] This spring our study is conducting interviews to help in the development of questionnaire items that may be included in the ECLS-K:2011. As you may know, ECLS-K:2011 focuses on children’s early school experiences beginning with kindergarten and includes questionnaires for teachers, among others. For this development phase, we are inviting some teachers to provide feedback on questions to ensure that the items are easy to understand and are not overly burdensome to answer.
We are requesting the help of one teacher at your school who is currently teaching a regular second-grade class. [If needed: That is, not a special education class. However, a multi-grade class or ESL class is fine.]
The teacher who agrees to participate will be asked to take 5 minutes to review a questionnaire and then complete a telephone interview.
The telephone interview with the teacher will take about an hour. The interview will take place during the teacher’s own time (i.e., outside of work hours).
Prior to the call, teacher will receive the questionnaire to review and a letter explaining the purpose of the call.
As a thank you for their participation, the teacher will receive a $35 check.
Can you provide me with the name and contact information for two second-grade teachers in your school who might be interested in participating? [If asked: We are asking for two names because if we are unable to reach one of the teachers or one teacher declines, then we can contact the other teacher.]
Thank you.
Script for setting up an appointment with a teacher
Westat is conducting interviews to help in the development of questionnaire items that may be included in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 (ECLS-K:2011). ECLS-K:2011 focuses on children’s early school experiences beginning with kindergarten and continuing through the fifth grade and includes questionnaires for teachers and school administrators. For this development phase, we are inviting some teachers to provide feedback on questions to ensure that the items are easy for teachers to understand and are not overly burdensome to answer.
We are requesting the help of teachers who are currently teaching a regular second-grade class. [If needed: That is, not a special education class. However, a multi-grade class or ESL class is fine.]
Do you teach second grade?
Yes (continue)
No (Thank you, at this time we are only recruiting teachers who teach second
grade.)
Do you teach a regular class? [If needed: That is, not a special education class. However, a multi-grade class or ESL class is fine.]
Yes (continue)
No (Thank you, at this time we are only recruiting teachers who teach a regular second-grade class.)
Did you participate in an interview last year with Westat to give feedback on the ECLS-K:2011 first-grade teacher questionnaire?
Yes (Thank you, at this time we are only recruiting teachers who did not participate last year.)
No (continue)
Great. If you agree to participate in the interviews we are currently conducting, you will be asked to take 5 minutes to review a teacher questionnaire. Following your review, you will complete a telephone interview about your impression of some of the questions in that questionnaire. The interview will take about an hour and will cover topics like classroom and student characteristics, teaching practices, instructional activities, and curricular focus. Your answers may be used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law [Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (ESRA 2002), 20 U.S. Code, Section 9573]. As a thank you for your participation, you will receive a $35 check in the mail after the interview.
What day and time would be best for the interview?
Just to be sure, you are in the [Eastern, Central, Mountain, Pacific] time zone?
[If necessary, indicate that the interview should be scheduled on the respondent’s own time, outside of regular work hours.]
Prior to the interview, you will be sent a toll-free number to call in to a conference line for the interview. Using a conference line will enable a note taker and an interviewer to be on the line at the same time. You will also be sent a brief letter explaining the purpose of the call and a questionnaire to review. During your scheduled call, be sure to have the questionnaire in front of you. The interviewer will ask you to read some of the questions out loud and then to think “out loud” about how you would go about answering the questions, as well as providing the interviewer with the answers you would give if you were completing the questionnaire by yourself. Ok?
Thank you. Your insights will be very helpful.
To make sure that I have the spelling of your name correct, can you please spell your first and last name?
So that we can reach you if anything comes up prior to the call, what is the best telephone number to reach you at?
[Verify phone number is correct.]
Do you have an alternate phone number that you could share?
[Verify alternate phone number is correct.]
We will be sending you a package of materials with the welcome letter and questionnaire via Fed Ex. What mailing address should we send the materials to?
What is the name of the school where you teach?
What is the city and state where the school is located?
Is that a public, private or charter school?
We will also send you a reminder of your appointment by email. [If email address was not collected, collect it now. If respondent does not have an email address, let him/her know that we will call 2 days before the appointment as a reminder.]
Thank you. Good bye.
20 U.S. Code, Section 9543 authorizes the National Center for Education Statistics to conduct this study.
Script for setting up an appointment with a parent
Westat is conducting interviews to help in the development of questionnaire items that may be included in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 (ECLS-K:2011). The ECLS-K:2011 focuses on children’s early school experiences beginning with kindergarten and continuing through the fifth grade and includes an interview with parents. For this development phase, we are inviting some parents to complete the interview so we can determine the average length of the questionnaire. We also would like feedback on a few of the interview questions to ensure that they are easy for parents to understand and answer. All participants who complete the interview will receive a $35 check.
We are requesting the help of parents with children who are currently in a second grade class. So that I can be sure you are eligible, I just have a few questions for you. (CIRCLE ANSWERS BELOW)
First, is your child in second grade?
YES (SKIP TO QUESTION 2)
NO (Thank you, at this time we are only recruiting parents of children in second grade. DO NOT CONTINUE.)
We are trying to interview some families with two parents in the household and others with single parents or guardians. Does your child live with both a biological mother and biological father?
YES (SKIP TO QUESTION 5)
NO (GO TO QUESTION 3)
Does your child live with two adoptive parents?
YES (SKIP TO QUESTION 5)
NO (GO TO QUESTION 4)
Does your child have contact with a biological or adoptive parent who lives outside your household?
YES
NO
[NOTE TO RECRUITER: RECRUIT AT LEAST 3 PARENTS WHO ANSWER "YES" TO QUESTION 4 ABOVE]
Is your second-grade child currently in a child care arrangement that is regularly scheduled each week?
(IF NEEDED: We are asking about care provided by someone other than a parent.)
YES (GO TO QUESTION 6)
NO (SKIP TO QUESTION 7)
[NOTE TO RECRUITER: RECRUIT AT LEAST 3 PARENTS OF CHILDREN IN CHILD CARE]
Does your child receive regularly scheduled child care in a child care center or before- or after-school program, from a relative, or in a private home from someone who is not related to (him/her)?
A CHILD CARE CENTER OR BEFORE- OR AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM
RELATIVE CARE
NON-RELATIVE CARE
OTHER (SPECIFY)
[NOTE TO RECRUITER: OBTAIN MIX OF CHILD CARE ARRANGEMENTS, IF POSSIBLE]
We are also trying to interview parents of children with a variety of strengths and challenges. Does your second grade child have any physical, learning, or emotional issues that have been diagnosed by a professional as a problem?
YES (SPECIFY) ------------------------------------------------------------------
NO
[NOTE TO RECRUITER: RECRUIT AT LEAST 1 PARENT WHO SAYS "YES" TO QUESTION 7.]
Great. If you agree to participate, I will schedule you for the interview, which will be conducted by phone at your convenience. The interview will take about an hour and will cover topics such as family structure, home environment and activities, your child’s health and well-being, and parental involvement in school activities. Your answers may be used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law [Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (ESRA 2002), 20 U.S. Code, Section 9573]. As a thank you for your participation, you will receive a $35 check in the mail after the interview.
What day and time would be best for the interview?
APPOINTMENT DATE _______________________________________________
TIME ___________________A.M./P.M (CIRCLE ONE)
Just to be sure, you are in the [Eastern, Central, Mountain, Pacific] time zone?
Prior to the interview, you will be sent a toll-free number to call in to a conference line for the interview. Using a conference line will enable a note taker and an interviewer to be on the line at the same time.
Thank you. Your insights will be very helpful.
To make sure that I have the spelling of your name correct, can you please spell your first and last name?
FIRST NAME _______________________________________________
LAST NAME ________________________________________________
So that we can reach you if anything comes up prior to the call, what is the best telephone number to reach you at?
[Verify phone number is correct.]
TELEPHONE NUMBER _______________________________________________
Do you have an alternate phone number that you could share?
[Verify alternate phone number is correct.]
ALTERNATE TELEPHONE NUMBER __________________________________________
What mailing address should we send the check to once you have completed the interview?
STREET LINE 1 ________________________________________________________
STREET LINE 2 ________________________________________________________
CITY _________________________________________________________________
STATE _____________________ZIP CODE __________________________________
We will also send you a reminder of your appointment by email. [If email address was not collected, collect it now. If respondent does not have an email address, let him/her know that we will call 2 days before the appointment as a reminder.]
EMAIL ADDRESS __________________________________________________________
EMAIL/TELEPHONE (CIRCLE ONE) REMINDER ON MONTH_____DATE_____
Thank you. Good bye.
20 U.S. Code, Section 9543 authorizes the National Center for Education Statistics to conduct this study.
F-
| File Type | application/msword |
| File Modified | 2012-02-06 |
| File Created | 2012-02-02 |