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APPENDIX C
4. INTERVIEWS WITH TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE RECIPIENTS
The OMB Control Number for this information collection is and the expiration date is .
According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, persons are not required to respond to this collection of
information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number and expiration date. Responding to this
interview is voluntary. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 60
minutes per response. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of
information to XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX at XXXXXXXXXXXXX@ed.gov.
[NOTE TO INTERVIEWER: Below are suggested introductory remarks. While it is not necessary to
follow this as a script, it is important that you cover all of the main points contained here.]
I work for IMPAQ International, and we are evaluating the system of Comprehensive Technical
Assistance Centers. The U.S. Department of Education’s Institute for Education Sciences
contracted with us to conduct this study.
As part of our study, we will be interviewing recipients of Center work. The purpose of the study
is to gather data to describe the work of the Centers and how the Centers build the capacities of
state departments of education. We will use the information we learn from our visit today to
report our results to the U.S. Department of Education. What you have to say is important to us
and we appreciate your helping us understand the Centers’ work. We want to assure you that
participation in this interview is voluntary. We estimate that this interview will take 60 minutes.
[NOTE TO INTERVIEWER: Please read the following to the respondent(s):
“Information collected for this study comes under the confidentiality and data protection
requirements of the Institute of Education Sciences (The Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002,
Title I, Part E, Section 183). Responses to this data collection will be used only for research
purposes. The reports prepared for this study will include information that is summarized and
aggregated and should not associate responses with a specific Center, state, district or individual.
Findings from the interview data will be reported in summary form and individuals will not be
identified by name. However, respondents’ roles and the CC they work with may be identified in
the report, which may lead to individuals’ being identified. Other than this situation that we have
made respondents aware of, we will not provide information that identifies you to anyone outside
the study team, except as required by law.”
Before we begin, do you have any questions about the purpose of the evaluation or our
confidentiality policy?
To start, do you mind if we audio record our session for the accuracy of my note taking?
IMPAQ International, LLC
4. Interviews with TA Recipients
Individual Information and Knowledge of Centers
1. Please describe your position and your responsibilities with the SEA.
2. How long have you been in this position? How long have you worked with the SEA?
3. Please describe any other background particularly relevant to your current work with the
SEAs?
4. When did you first work with or receive services from any of the Comprehensive Centers?
Which Centers have you worked with or received technical assistance from since that time?
5. I would like to focus now on the Centers that are currently funded (funded Centers since
late 2012). We’d like to hear about ways you've worked with or received services from
these Centers. How did the Center try to learn about your needs?
PROBES:
What data or documents did the Center request?
Whom did the Center interview?
What was discussed in the early contacts/meetings?
Have you had regular contact with them since the first contact?
Is this typically in person, by phone, or by e‐mail?
6. Please describe the major projects or services the Center has provided you or that you've
participated in with the Center(s).
7. How are decisions made about what services the Center should provide to the SEA?
8. How would you characterize the specific role of the Center(s) in serving the SEAs, as distinct
from other TA providers available to the SEA?
9. What are you most hoping to get from the Center? What needs do you hope the Center will
address?
PROBE:
In what ways do you hope the Center will build your capacity?
10. Do you believe the Centers have been effective in addressing the needs of the SEA and the
state? If yes, please describe how and what evidence you have of their effectiveness. If no,
please explain why and how/in what ways they have not been effective in serving the
SEA/state needs.
Project Background
Now we'd like to discuss one or two specific projects that the Center staff has identified as
illustrative that they are implementing with your SEA:
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4. Interviews with TA Recipients
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11. How would you briefly describe the _______________ project to someone who isn’t
familiar with it?
12. What are the key strategies and activities —including training events, products, meetings—
that are part of achieving the goals?
13. How does the project fit into the overall work at the SEA or your division?
PROBES:
Are there other initiatives or projects at the SEA that are related to this project?
What is the policy or regulatory context for this project?
14. What prompted this particular project? What needs does it address? Why did you decide to
work with the Center on this?
15. How did you work with the Center to develop this project?
PROBES:
Did your staff suggest the strategy or activities the Center might undertake to address
the needs, or did the Center recommend the strategy? Please describe how you arrived
at the project plan.
16. Is there any part of the local context (political, fiscal, legal, economic, etc.) that you think
played a role in the project’s early development?
PROBES: How did it impact what your team was thinking and doing in relation to this
project? Did your office have any Federal or state grant money behind this project?
17. Can you tell me about the other SEA or other state agency team members on this project?
Specifically, what are the titles or positions of SEA staff, and what are their respective roles
on the project?
PROBE: [Ask about other agency staff (such as workforce staff for college and career
readiness, or human services staff for early childhood) where appropriate.]
18. Whom from the relevant Center(s) do you work with on this project?
19. Who else from outside the SEA or the Center is involved in this project?
PROBES:
LEAs?
Other Centers?
Other partners (TA providers or consultants, universities, foundations, etc.)
20. How often do you meet or talk with Center representatives, or other key constituents, if
relevant, regarding planning and implementation of the project? With which Center
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4. Interviews with TA Recipients
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representatives do you meet? What do you discuss? How do these discussions inform
implementation of the project?
PROBES: How would you describe the roles and responsibilities of the various
organizations involved in the project?
Project Goals and Progress
21. Ultimately, what will we “see” if this project is successful? In other words, what are your
hoped‐for outcomes from this project?
22. Have the SEA needs or goals changed or shifted since the project began? [If so] Please tell us
about that. How has this affected your work with the Center on the project?
23. So far, has the project been implemented as planned? Please describe the progress of
implementation so far, as well as any deviations from plans. What are the reasons for any
changes in plans?
24. Has any part of the local or state context changed in a way that has impacted the project’s
implementation or success since its early development? How?
Project Outcomes
25. Have you used any products or materials produced by the Center through this project
(including webinars, trainings, presentations)? [If so] have you been able to make use of
what you learned? [If so] can you explain how? [If not] can you explain why?
26. Do the products/materials or technical assistance events help address the project goals, and
if so, how?
27. What have been the major challenges related to this project (if any)? Please describe them.
How were the challenges addressed (if at all)?
28. In your opinion, what has been the most successful aspect of this project? Please describe
it.
29. What have been the outcomes so far? Have you seen changes in your or your
organization’s capacity? Please describe any changes in each of these types of capacity and
the evidence of the change:
Knowledge and skills (e.g., knowledge, expertise, skills, will, understanding necessary to
implement something)
Organizational (e.g., interaction, collaboration, communication among individuals in a
system; evaluation and feedback on processes and structures for continuous
improvement)
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4. Interviews with TA Recipients
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Structural/policy change (e.g., policies, procedures, and formalized practices) PROBE:
Has your capacity to work with LEAs improved?
30. Are you or the SEA as an organization doing anything differently now, that you have not
mentioned above, as a result of this project and the TA from the Center?
PROBES:
How are you using new knowledge or skills?
How has the TA influenced policies and procedures or practices at the SEA?
How has the TA influenced the SEA’s internal interactions, collaboration and
communications?
31. Are there plans in your agency to build on, replicate, or continue this project or this line of
work? Are you planning to do this with or without the Center(s)? What are the next steps?
32. Overall, have you learned any lessons from this project's implementation? Any
recommendations you might make to Comprehensive Centers based on either successes or
challenges of this project? Any lessons for your own agency?
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| File Type | application/pdf |
| File Modified | 2014-12-18 |
| File Created | 2014-12-12 |