Appendix B3 - Q-DOT Center Director Cover Letter_v2

A ppendix B-3

Cassandra Meagher

Survey Director

OMB No.: 0970-0355

Expiration Date: 01/30/2015

1100 1st Street, NE, 12th Floor

Washington, DC 20002-4221

Telephone (202) 484-9220

Fax (202) 863-1763

www.mathematica-mpr.com

(202) 250-3599

October x, 2013

Dear [CENTER DIRECTOR]:

Thank you for agreeing to take part in a pilot study investigating relations between classroom quality and Quality Rating Improvement Systems (QRIS). This pilot study is designed to help us learn more about the associations among QRIS ratings, quality-related features, and measures of observed quality for early care and education settings. This study will include classroom observations and self-administered paper surveys for center directors and teachers. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE) is sponsoring this important study. Mathematica Policy Research, an independent research company, is conducting the survey to assist ACF in improving its support of child care centers and directors like you. We look forward to working with you.

Our staff will conduct one-time classroom observations in selected pre-K classrooms within your center. Each observation will last approximately three hours. Our observers will take care not to disrupt the classrooms chosen for participation. Included in this mailing is a survey that we would like you, as the center director, to complete as part of your center’s participation in this study. It contains questions on center characteristics, teacher training and education, curriculum in your classrooms, and your education and experience. Your participation in the study is completely voluntary.

Once complete, you can either mail it back to Mathematica Policy Research in the enclosed business reply envelope or give it to the classroom observer when he or she arrives for the visit. To show our appreciation for your participation in this study, we will mail you a $100 check for your center once we receive your completed survey. If you have any questions or concerns about your participation in this study, you may contact Katherine Burnett at (202) 484-3296.

Sincerely,

An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 0970-0355.