Initial email to selected center directors

ATTACHMENT H

INITIAL EMAIL TO CENTER DIRECTORS

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SELECTED CENTER INITIAL EMAIL TEMPLATE

SUBJECT: Study on the Implementation and Cost of High Quality Early Care and Education

Dear [CENTER DIRECTOR]:

We are reaching out to you to seek your center’s participation in an important study. As you know, high quality early care and education (ECE) in childhood builds a strong foundation of emotional, social, language and cognitive skills that are key for future success in school. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (ACF) feels this topic is of great importance. ACF has partnered with Mathematica Policy Research, an independent policy research organization, to conduct a study on how centers use their resources to maximize the quality of ECE.

Your input will be extremely helpful in conducting this study. We view you and your center as a valuable partner in this study and hope your center will participate. For this study to be successful, it is critical to have the participation of a range of centers—such as big and small centers, and those that receive different types of support. When the study is complete, we hope the findings will help centers of all types make decisions about using resources to support quality. The findings will also help state and national administrators and policymakers understand how to best invest resources to promote the highest quality ECE. Information you provide will be kept private, and the study will not identify individuals or centers in any of its reports. However, participation in this study is completely voluntary.

We understand that you and your staff are very busy, so we will be flexible in scheduling any data collection activities. I have attached answers to frequently asked questions about the study. I would like to schedule a time to talk with you by phone about the study in greater detail. I would also like to take that opportunity to learn about some key characteristics of your center and discuss your center’s participation in the study.

If you can share some times you would be available to talk with me by phone that would be great. Otherwise, I will call you in the next few days to schedule a time.

Thank you for your time. I look forward to speaking with you in the near future. If you have any questions prior to our call, please contact me at [MPR LIAISON PHONE] or by email at [MPR LIAISON EMAIL].

Sincerely,

[LIAISON NAME]

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