Teacher Assignment Data, Student Records Data

www.mathematica-mpr.com

[DATE]

Dear [District Contact]:

We would like to thank your district for participating in the U.S. Department of Education’s evaluation of data driven instruction (DDI) conducted by Mathematica Policy Research and its partners. This study will provide valuable information on how DDI is implemented in schools and the impact of a comprehensive DDI program on student achievement and other outcomes. We greatly appreciate your assistance with this important study.

As part of the study, we are collecting information from district records for the students in the study. I am writing to request that your district provide us with data for each student in tested grades in the study schools.

The attached table indicates the specific items that we are requesting. Also attached are instructions for returning the data to us. You can choose among three ways to return the data: (1) posting the files to our secure website; (2) emailing password-protected files; or (3) sending the hard copy lists via pre-paid Federal Express packets.

This survey is authorized by the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002, Title I, Part E, Section 183, which prohibits disclosure of individually identifiable information as well as making the publishing or communicating of individually identifiable information by employees or staff a felony. Per the policies and procedures required by the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002, Title I, Part E, Section 183, responses 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 purposes, except as required by law, is a class E felony.

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 8 hours per district. The obligation to respond to this collection is voluntary. Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC 20202. If you have comments or concerns regarding the content or 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.

Thank you very much for your assistance with this data request. A member of our study team will contact you in the next week to determine if you have any questions about this request. You can reach me at [phone] or [email].

Sincerely,

Item #	Data Item
Student Background and Demographic Information
1	Last and first name
2	Sex
3	District ID
4	Date of Birth
5	Ethnicity
6	Race
7	Grade level for 2015-2016 school year
8	Free or reduced-price lunch(Yes, No)
9	English language learner status (Yes, No)
10	Special education/IEP status (Yes, No)
11	Type of disability, if any
Test Scores for spring 2016, spring 2015, and spring 2014
12	Math test information Name of test, publisher, grade level and year administered for each test year. If alternative assessment, please indicate this.
13	Math scale score Scale score from math section of state or district test for each test year. Scale score is preferred, but normal curve equivalents, percentile ranks, or number correct are acceptable (in descending order of preference). Please label type of score being provided.
14	Reading test information Name of test, publisher, grade level and year administered for each test year. If alternative assessment, please indicate this.
15	Reading scale score Scale score from math section of state or district test for each test year. Scale score is preferred, but normal curve equivalents, percentile ranks, or number correct are acceptable (in descending order of preference). Please label type of score being provided.
Attendance and Promotion Information
16	Promotion status Indicate whether the student was promoted to a higher grade as of May/June prior to the start of the 2015-2016 school year.
17	Number of days absent from school during the 2015-2016 school year
18	Disciplinary record Information on suspensions or other disciplinary action during the 2015-2016 school year

Notice of Confidentiality

Responses 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 district or individual. We will not provide information that identifies you, your students, your schools, or your district to anyone outside the study team, except as required by law.

Evaluation of Data-Driven Instruction

GUIDELINES FOR SENDING STUDENT DATA FILES

Please use one of the three methods below to return the student data files or listing to Mathematica.

A. Upload Electronic Files to a Secure Website

1. Go to https://www.xxx.org/upload using an Internet browser (for example, Microsoft Explorer). When prompted, use the following login information:

Username: XXX

Password: XXX

Domain Name: XXX

Note: Username and password are case sensitive.

2. Click the BROWSE button and select the file you wish to transfer.

3. Click the UPLOAD button to begin the transfer process. Once a file is uploaded, it cannot be downloaded or accessed by anyone other than an authorized member of the study team.

4. If the file name is not unique, you will receive a message indicating that the “file already exists.” If this occurs, please rename your file and upload again.

5. Close the browser once the upload is complete.

6. If your file is password protected, please call [Name] at [phone] with the password. For security reasons, please do not send the password by email.

B. Send Electronic File by Email

1. If you have not already password-protected your file, please do so and call [Name] at [phone] with the password. For security reasons, please do not send the password by email.

2. Email the electronic file as an attachment to xxx@xxxx.org. In the body of the email, include your name, telephone number, and the name of your district. Do not send the student data as part of the email text.

3. If possible, compress the file using WinZip, PKZIP, or StuffIt before attaching it to the email. If the file is larger than 10 MB (or 10,000 KB), we recommend transmitting it using our secure website (https:\\www.xxxx.org) instead.

C. Federal Express (Paper Lists, Diskettes, CD-ROMs, DVDs)

1. Use the enclosed prepaid labels and send your package via Federal Express to Mathematica. Please remember to write your return address information and the type of packaging you are using on the Federal Express label.

2. Affix the provided “DO NOT X-RAY; DO NOT BEND” label to the package.

3. If you would like Mathematica to provide other packaging material appropriate for the type of student list you are sending, please call [name] at [phone]

4. Keep a copy of the information you send for your records.

If you have additional questions about the request or any of the instructions above, please call (Name) at XXX-XXX-XXXX or email XXXX.

An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer