State Notification Letter

Study of the Impact of English Learner Reclassification Policies

Supporting Statement for Paperwork Reduction Act Submission

APPENDIX B: State Notification Letter

August 2022

Contract 91990021D0004 (Task Order 91990021F0387)

Submitted to:

Institute of Education Sciences

U.S. Department of Education

Submitted by:

Westat

An Employee-Owned Research Corporation^®

1600 Research Boulevard

Rockville, Maryland 20850-3129

(301) 251-1500

STATE NOTIFICATION LETTER

Dear [Title III State Coordinator Name]:

[State Name] has been selected to participate in Study of the Impact of English Learner Reclassification Policies, a large-scale study related to Title III funded by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) at the U.S. Department of Education. IES has contracted with Westat and its research partner WestEd to conduct the study. This letter provides more information about the study’s purpose, expected benefits, and data requested. Your support for the study will facilitate its success.

This study is focused on reclassification of English learners. The study will examine whether students who reclassify out of English learner status go on to experience different outcomes than similar students who remain English learners. More information about the study is provided in the attached study summary and on the IES website.

To conduct this study, the study team will request deidentified student-level data for current and former English learner students from the 2010–11 to 2021–22 school years. IES will publish a report with aggregated statistical results based on the data provided. The report will not provide any information that could identify any specific districts, schools, or individuals in the data set. However, the study team will provide each participating state with a state-specific summary of results that can inform state policymakers about whether outcomes for English learners potentially could be improved by raising or lowering the threshold for reclassification.

Please note that states receiving education funds under Title III (Language Instruction for English Learners and Immigrant Students) are expected to cooperate with Department evaluations (Education Department General Administrative Regulations (34 C.F.R. § 76.591)).

Thank you in advance for your cooperation in supporting this important study. No information is needed from you at this time. If you have questions or would like more information, please contact Westat. We look forward to working with [State Name] to make this study a success.

Sincerely,

Tracy Rimdzius

Project Officer

Institute of Education Sciences