Extant Data

1120 East Diehl Road, Suite 200 | Napervill e , IL 6056 3- 1 48 6 | P: 866. 7 3 0. 67 35 F: 630. 6 49. 6 7 00
www. r elm i dw est. or g

Extant Data Request
March xx, 2014
Dear [SCHOOL/DISTRICT STAFF MEMBER]:
Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Midwest at American Institutes for Research (AIR) is
the evaluator of the Ramp-Up to Readiness program at [SCHOOL]. REL Midwest is one of 10
regional educational laboratories funded by the Institute of Education Sciences at the U.S.
Department of Education and tasked with providing technical assistance and research support to
topic-focused groups of education-related stakeholders with the ultimate aim of learning what
works for improving student academic outcomes
In [MONTH/YEAR], our research team received approval from [SCHOOL/DISTRICT] to
conduct this study. REL Midwest is beginning the data collection process. As a first step, we are
sharing with you a list of student- and school-level data that we will need to collect for the study.
The data that you share with our project team, in combination with data from the Minnesota
Department of Education, will allow us to understand schools’ experience with implementing
Ramp-Up.
A data request for this project is on the second page of this letter. It provides a general
description of the data elements needed for this part of the project. You will see that the data
request is organized according to these levels of data (i.e., student data and school data). We are
requesting student-level data only for students enrolled in 10th, 11th, or 12th grade in fall 2013.
We have found that an initial phone discussion about the data elements being requested can help
prevent misunderstandings about data availability and quality. That said, we would like to find a
30-minute window of time next week, [DATES], when we can discuss the data request. Please
let me know of your availability (or the availability of someone else who is familiar with the
data), and we will arrange a phone conference.
We appreciate your support for this study. Please let me know when you are available next week.
In the meantime, if there are other questions you have, feel free to contact me at the phone
number below my name.
Best regards,

Jim Lindsay, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator, REL Midwest
630-649-6591
REL Midwest

OMB Control Number XXXX-XXXX (Exp XX/XX)
Supporting Statement A: Implementation Study of the Ramp -Up to Readiness Program—1

REL Midwest Study of Ramp-Up to Readiness: Administrative Data Request
Student-Level Variables
Grade Level of Student
in Fall 2013–14
Student-Level Variables

10th

11th

12th

Student MARSS ID in fall 2013–14

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Grade level in fall 2013–14

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Student leave code (e.g., to indicate transfer, dropout)

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Cumulative unweighted and weighted GPA in spring 2013

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EXPLORE score and date of administration

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PLAN score and date of administration

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Indicator of whether student took the ACT or SAT in 2012–13

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ACT composite scores with dates of administration

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SAT critical reading and mathematics scores with dates of
administration

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Number of E-level courses enrolled in 2012–13 and fall 2013–14

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Number of D-level courses enrolled in 2012–13 and fall 2013–14

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Number of A-level courses enrolled in 2012–13 and fall 2013–14

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Number of C-level courses enrolled in 2012–13 and fall 2013–14

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Number of transcripts requested in fall 2013–14

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According to the P aperwork 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 XXXX.XXXX, OMB expiration date is XXXX, XX, 2014. The
time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 60 minutes total, including the time to review instructions, gather the
data needed, and complete and review the information collected. P articipation in this data collection task is voluntary.
P er the policies and procedures required by the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002, Title I, P art E, Section 183, response s to this data collection
will be used only for statistical purposes. The reports prepared for this study will summarize findings across the sample and will not associate
responses with a specific school, district, or individual. Any willful disclosure of such information for nonstatistical purp oses, except as required by
law, is a class E felony.
If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate(s) or suggestions for improving this form, please write to: U.S. Department
of Education, Washington, DC 20202. If you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission of this form, write
directly to: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, 555 New Jersey Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20208.

REL Midwest

OMB Control Number XXXX-XXXX (Exp XX/XX)
Supporting Statement A: Implementation Study of the Ramp-Up to Readiness Program—2

School-Level Variables
School ID
Number of 10th, 11th, and 12th graders (separately) in 2012–13
Percentages of 10th, 11th, and 12th graders (separately) who took an E-level course in
2012–13
Percentages of 10th, 11th, and 12th graders (separately) who took a D-level course in 2012–
13
Percentages of 10th, 11th, and 12th graders (separately) who took an A-level course in
2012–13
Percentages of 10th, 11th, and 12th graders (separately) who took a C-level course in 2012–
13
School average PLAN composite score in 2012–13
Percentages of 11th and 12th graders (separately) who took the ACT during 2012–13
Percentages of 11th and 12th graders (separately) who took the SAT during 2012–13
School average ACT composite score in 2012–13
School average SAT critical reading and mathematics scores in 2012–13
Percentage of 12th graders who submitted a college application in 2012–13

REL Midwest

OMB Control Number XXXX-XXXX (Exp XX/XX)
Supporting Statement A: Implementation Study of the Ramp-Up to Readiness Program—3