Cover Letter

Annual IES Fellows Survey Cover Letter

[INSERT DATE]

Dear IES [Special] Education Research Training Fellow,

As part of our ongoing effort to assess the quality of the IES training programs and make improvements for future fellows, please following this link and fill in the online survey [INSERT LINK]. The survey should take on average 20 minutes to complete, and there is an option to save and return to it later.

The survey is voluntary, and there are no repercussions for not providing any or all of the information requested. We request that you follow the link to acknowledge receipt of the invitation even if you choose to opt out of the full survey. Please see the Paperwork Reduction Act Burden Statement below.

In other words, your responses regarding the quality of the program will be kept confidential except as required by law. All results will be presented at the group level only. Only IES staff will know your individual responses. Please see the Privacy Information below for full details.

Privacy Information:

Information collected for this study come 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). Information that could identify an individual or institution will be separated from the survey responses submitted, kept in secured locations, and be destroyed as soon as they are no longer required. Survey responses will be used only for research purposes. The reports prepared for the study will summarize findings across individuals and institutions and will not associate responses with a specific district, school, or person. The data collection activities will be conducted in compliance with the Privacy Act of 1974.

Paperwork Reduction Act Burden Statement:

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 20 minutes per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. 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 IESTrainingProgram@ed.gov and reference the OMB Control Number 1850-0873.

Your responses are extremely important to us as we seek to ensure that the IES Education Research training programs are meeting their goals of providing high-quality, rigorous training in education research. The results of the survey will be used to both improve the fellowship program as well as to provide information on the program to policymakers, practitioners, and the public.

Please complete you survey by [INSERT DATE], and please feel free to call or email me if you have any questions, concerns, or additional information that you would like to share. Thanks in advance for completing the survey!

Best regards,

[INSERT CONTACT]