Notification Letters

Supporting Statement for OMB Clearance Request

Appendix A: Notification Letters

National Implementation Study of Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants (Title IV, Part A)

December 2021

Appendix A: Notification Letters

A.1 State Superintendent Notification Letter

A.2 District Superintendent Letter

A.3 State Title IV-A Coordinator Email

A.4 District Title IV-A Coordinator Email

A.5 Study Fact Sheet

A.1 State Superintendent Notification Letter

Dear [State Superintendent]:

We are writing to ask for your support for a U.S. Department of Education (Department) study to understand how states and districts are implementing Title IV, Part A (Student Support and Academic Enrichment) of the Elementary and Secondary Act (ESEA) of 1965, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

Purpose of Study

The study will examine how states are using the Title IV, Part A funds available to them at the state-level, as well as how they are providing technical assistance to districts and monitoring the use of funds. In addition, the study will provide a national picture of how districts are using their Title IV, Part A funds and the successes and challenges they have experienced over these early years of implementation. Findings from the study will provide important information to policymakers about the implementation of Title IV, Part A across states and districts.

Study Components

The study will include a survey with all state Title IV, Part A coordinators and a survey of a nationally representative sample of district Title IV, Part A coordinators. Participation is required of states under Section 8304(a)(4) of the ESEA. We recognize that state and local staff have many demands on their time, and we have designed the surveys to minimize the burden of participation. We estimate that the state survey will require up to 20 minutes to complete and district surveys will require up to 30 minutes to complete. Both surveys are expected to be administered in spring 2022.

Final Products

At the completion of the study, a final report will be made available that will provide a description of Title IV, Part A implementation. The study report will not disclose the names of individual interview or survey participants or their states or districts. Rather, the results will be analyzed for trends across states and districts.

Next Steps

Our contractor, Abt Associates (Abt) will contact your state Title IV, Part A coordinator shortly to provide additional information about the study and request contact information for district Title IV, Part A coordinators. If you have any questions, you may contact the Study Director, Ellen Bobronnikov, at ellen_bobronnikov@abtassoc.com or 617-349-2718 or Michael Fong at the U.S. Department of Education at michael.fong@ed.gov or (202) 245-8407.

Again, we appreciate your support of this important study which is expected to provide critical information about this new federal funding initiative.

Sincerely,

Michael Fong
Contracting Officer’s Representative
Study of Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants Institute of Education Sciences U.S. Department of Education

A.2 District Superintendent Notification Letter

Dear [District Superintendent]:

We are writing to ask for your support for a U.S. Department of Education (Department) study to understand how states and districts are implementing Title IV, Part A (Student Support and Academic Enrichment) of the Elementary and Secondary Act (ESEA) of 1965, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). We have also sent a similar letter to the State Superintendent.

Purpose of Study

The study will examine how states are using the Title IV, Part A funds available to them at the state level, as well as how they are providing technical assistance to districts and monitoring the use of funds. In addition, the study will provide a national picture of how districts are using their Title IV, Part A funds and the successes and challenges they have experienced over these early years of implementation. Findings from the study will provide important information to policymakers about the implementation of Title IV, Part A across states and districts.

Study Components

The study will include a survey all state Title IV, Part A coordinators and a survey of a nationally representative sample of district Title IV, Part A coordinators. Participation is required of school districts under Section 8306(a)(4) of the ESEA. The district survey will take approximately 30 minutes to complete and is expected to be administered in spring 2022.

Final Products

At the completion of the study, a final report will be made available that will provide a description of Title IV, Part A implementation. The study report will not disclose the names of individual interview or survey participants or their states or districts. Rather, the results will be analyzed for trends across states and districts.

Next Steps

You are receiving this letter because we believe that your district has received Title IV, Part A funds. Our contractor, Abt Associates (Abt) and its subcontractor, RMC Research Corporation, will contact you with additional information. If you have any questions, or if your district has not in fact received Title IV, Part A funds, you may contact the Study Director, Ellen Bobronnikov, at ellen_bobronnikov@abtassoc.com or 617-349-2718 or Michael Fong at the U.S. Department of Education at michael.fong@ed.gov or (202) 245-8407.

Again, we appreciate your support of this important study which is expected to provide critical information of this new federal funding initiative.

Sincerely,

Michael Fong
Contracting Officer’s Representative
Study of Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants Institute of Education Sciences U.S. Department of Education

A.3 State Title IV-A Coordinator Email

Dear [State Title IV, Part A Coordinator],

Your State Superintendent was recently notified by the U.S. Department of Education of a national study of state and district implementation of Title IV, Part A (Student Support and Academic Enrichment) of the Elementary and Secondary Act (ESEA) of 1965, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The Department has contracted with Abt Associates (Abt) and its subcontractor, RMC Research Corporation, to conduct the study.

Purpose of Study

The study is designed to examine how states are using the Title IV, Part A funds available to them at the state level, as well as how they are providing technical assistance to districts and monitoring the use of funds. In addition, the study will provide a national picture of how districts are using their Title IV, Part A funds and the successes and challenges they have experienced over these early years of implementation. Findings from the study will provide important information to policymakers about the implementation of Title IV, Part A across states and districts. At the completion of the study, a final report will be made available that will provide a description of Title IV, Part A implementation.

Study Components

The study will include a survey all state Title IV, Part A coordinators and a survey of a nationally representative sample of district Title IV, A coordinators. Participation is required of states under Section 8304(a)(4) of the ESEA. We recognize that state and local staff have many demands on their time, and we have designed the surveys and interview protocols to minimize the burden of participation. We estimate that the state survey will require up to 20 minutes to complete and district surveys will require up to 30 minutes to complete. Both surveys are expected to be administered in spring 2022.

Contact Us

If you have any questions, you may contact me, the Study Director, at SSAE_Study@abtassoc.com. Again, we appreciate your support of this important study which is expected to provide critical information of this new federal funding initiative.

Thank you very much for taking the time to provide us with this information!

Sincerely,

Ellen Bobronnikov

Study Director

Study of Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants

Abt Associates Inc.

A.4 District Title IV-A Coordinator Email

Dear [District Title IV, Part A Coordinator],

In [Month] your Superintendent was notified by the U.S. Department of Education of an upcoming national study of state and district implementation of Title IV, Part A (Student Support and Academic Enrichment) of the Elementary and Secondary Act (ESEA) of 1965, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The Department has contracted with Abt Associates (Abt) and its subcontractor, RMC Research Corporation, to conduct the study.

Purpose of Study

The study is designed to examine how states are implementing the Title IV, Part A program, as well as how districts are using their Title IV, Part A funds and the successes and challenges they have experienced over these early years of implementation. Findings from the study will provide important information to policymakers about the implementation of Title IV, Part A across states and districts.

Study Components

The study will include a survey of all state Title IV, Part A coordinators and a survey of a nationally representative sample of district Title IV, Part A coordinators. The district survey will take approximately 30 minutes to complete and is expected to be administered in spring 2022. Participation is required of school districts under Section 8306(a)(4) of the ESEA.

Final Products

At the completion of the study, a final report will be made available that will provide a description of Title IV, Part A implementation. The study report will not disclose the names of individual interview or survey participants or their states or districts. Rather, the results will be analyzed for trends across states and districts.

Contact Us

We understand that you are very busy; however, the success of this study depends on the participation of as many different perspectives as possible. If you have any questions, you may contact me, the Study Director, at SSAE_Study@abtassoc.com.

Again, we appreciate your support of this important study which is expected to provide critical information of this new federal funding initiative.

Sincerely,

Ellen Bobronnikov

Study Director

Study of Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants

Abt Associates Inc.

A.5 Study Fact Sheet