Consent Forms and Information Sheet

Attachment I
Study Information Sheet, Consent Forms

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INFORMATION SHEET
Random Assignment Evaluation of the Pacific Communities
with High-Performance In Literacy Development (Pacific CHILD)
INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE
Pacific Resources for Education and Learning (PREL), in partnership with Berkeley Policy
Associates (BPA), is inviting you to participate in an exciting professional development
opportunity for 4th and 5th grade teachers in Hawaii, American Samoa, and Commonwealth of
the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). The Pacific CHILD Program is a professional
development program developed and administered by PREL. Pacific CHILD is a year-round
intensive professional development program to enhance teachers' instructional skills to develop
reading comprehension of all students in their classrooms, with a special focus on English
language learners (ELLs). It combines intensive training sessions with regular and on-going
demonstrations and modeling in teachers’ classrooms, and weekly peer support group
meetings.
Using research-proven instructional strategies, the Pacific CHILD Program focuses on:
Using informational text to build reading comprehension skills
Improving pedagogy with targeted classroom organization and management practices
Creating a format of instruction for 100% student engagement across the continua of
reading skills and English language proficiency
Refining practice with existing reading/language arts curriculum and texts
Standards-based instruction, with an emphasis on closing the achievement gap between
language minority and language majority students
Student achievement in reading/language arts will be measured by existing state and local
large-scale assessments, including language proficiency assessments. Students in participating
schools will not be asked to sit for additional assessments as a condition of being in the study.
You are invited to be part of a research project to evaluate this promising professional
development program. As a participating school and participating teacher, you will help us
examine whether and how Pacific CHILD impacts teachers’ instructional practices and students’
reading comprehension.

ABOUT US
Pacific Resources for Education and Learning (PREL) is the administrator of the Pacific
CHILD program, and Berkeley Policy Associates (BPA) is the independent evaluator of the
Pacific CHILD. PREL and BPA are partners, but work independently and play different roles in
this study. PREL staff provides the Pacific CHILD professional development training and
services. BPA staff collects and analyzes data separately from PREL for the purposes of
evaluation. The administration and evaluation of the Pacific CHILD is funded by the US
Department of Education.

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STUDY DESIGN: HOW IT WORKS
If your school decides to participate in the study, your school will be randomly assigned to one
of the groups described below.
Group 1 (Treatment Group): All 4th and 5th grade teachers at your school will be
assigned to participate in the Pacific CHILD Program from June, 2007, to August, 2009.
In addition, you will be asked to participate in the Evaluation of Pacific CHILD from now
through December 2009.
Group 2 (Control Group): All 4th and 5th grade teachers at your school will be invited to
participate in the Pacific CHILD Program from June, 2009, to February 2011. In addition,
you will be asked to participate in the Evaluation of Pacific CHILD from now through
December, 2009.
Your school assignment to either group is random, as in a lottery. The lottery will be conducted
at BPA and your school and teachers at your school will be notified of your assignment.
PROCEDURES FOR TEACHERS IN GROUP 1 (Treatment Group)
If your school is selected into Group 1, 4th and 5th grade teachers at your school will be asked
to participate in the Pacific CHILD program from June, 2007, to August, 2009. The Pacific
CHILD activities, guided by PREL staff, will include:
•
•
•
•

10-day training institute each summer
3-4 day follow-up training institutes three times during the school year
Twice-monthly observation and modeling in-classroom sessions throughout the school
year
Participation in weekly guided peer-support group activities.

In addition to the Pacific CHILD professional development activities, the teachers will be asked
to participate in the evaluation study, led by BPA staff, which will include:
•
•
•
•
•
•

Pre-Program Classroom Observation
Focus Groups and/or Interviews
Program Activity Observations
Annual Teacher Survey
Annual Program Impact Survey
Annual Program Impact Observation

Details on each study activity are discussed in the attachment titled "Data Collection
Activities".
PROCEDURES FOR TEACHERS IN GROUP 2 (Control Group)
If your school is selected into Group 2, teachers at your school will not be eligible to participate
in the Pacific CHILD program for two years. After the end of the two-year study period, 4th and
5th grade teachers at your school will be invited to participate in the Pacific CHILD program
from June, 2009, to February 2011. The program will include the same activities as described
for Group 1 and may include updated materials. During the two years as a control school, 4th

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and 5th teachers will be asked to participate in the evaluation study, led by BPA staff, which will
include:
•
•
•
•

Pre-Program Classroom Observation
Annual Teacher Survey
Annual Program Impact Survey
Annual Program Impact Observation

Details on each study activity are discussed in the attachment titled "Data Collection Activities".
PROCEDURES FOR SCHOOL PRINCIPALS (Treatment and Control Groups)
School principals (or other school administrators as delegated) of the participating schools will
be asked to provide BPA staff with school background information. In addition, they will be
asked to fill an annual school principal survey. Details on this survey are outlined in the
attachment titled "Data Collection Activities".
STUDENT DATA
As part of the evaluation study, BPA will utilize the student records and existing state and local
test results which are available from the Hawaii Department of Education databases. These
data include, but are not limited to standardized test scores, attendance, ELL status, free or
reduced lunch status, special needs accommodations, race, ethnicity, and age. These data will
be used to assess the potential impact of Pacific CHILD on students' achievement.
CONFIDENTIALITY OF DATA COLLECTED
Any information that is obtained in connection with this study and that can be identified with
individual teachers, school, or the students will remain confidential and will be disclosed only
with permission or as required by law. If information from this study is published or presented at
scientific meetings, individual names and other personal information will not be used.
Observation of or suspicion of abuse or neglect that is reportable by law will be reported to the
appropriate authorities. All individual and school-level information will be recorded with an
identification number, and names will be kept in a separate location. Results will be analyzed
and reported only in averages for groups of students and groups of schools; no individuals,
individual schools, or districts will be identified by name. The survey data collected during the
evaluation study will be entered into electronic databases without names or other personal
identification information. These databases will be kept in a secure, access-limited and firewalled server at BPA. The original paper surveys will be kept in a locked cabinet in a locked
room. Only authorized research team members will have access to the data.
COSTS/PAYMENT
There is no charge for teachers to participate in this study. However, your school may need to
support your participation by providing substitute teachers during the mini-institutes and the
summer institute, if the dates of professional development conflict with your school calendar.
BPA will provide teachers with a gift card in appreciation for completing each survey (the Annual
Teacher Survey and the Annual Program Impact Survey).

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QUESTIONS?
If you have any questions regarding this study, please contact Dr. Roger Chesswas at Pacific
Resources for Education and Learning (Tel: 1-808-441-1300. Email chesswasr@prel.org) or
Dr. Hans Bos at Berkeley Policy Associates (Tel: 1-510-465-7884, Email:hans@bpacal.com).

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DATA COLLECTION ACTIVITIES

If your school decides to participate, 4th and 5th grade teachers and the principal at your school
will be asked to participate in the following evaluation study activities between April, 2007, and
December 2009, in addition to participation in the Pacific CHILD professional development
activities.
Pre-Program Classroom Observation (Group 1 and Group 2).
BPA researchers may ask to observe regular classroom lessons of the participating teachers
during the spring, 2007. The purpose of this pre-program classroom observation is to enable
researchers to determine possible variation in teaching practices across sites. About 2-3
teachers per school will be selected for pre-program classroom observations based on their
availability and schedules. BPA researchers will contact these teachers to arrange an
observation date that is convenient to them. The teachers will not be required to do anything
differently from what they would have planned on the day of the observations. The pre-program
classroom observation is expected to take place between April and May, 2007.
Focus Groups and/or Interviews (Group 1 only)
The teachers in Group 1 (Treatment Group) will be asked to participate in a focus group with
other participating teachers or to participate in a group or individual interview, depending on the
number and availability of participants at your school. BPA researchers will lead focus group
discussions or conduct interviews using semi-structured guides. The purpose of these focus
groups and interviews is to understand the teachers' experiences with Pacific CHILD and gain
their feedback on the program. These focus groups or interviews will take place at your school
or a nearby site. The focus groups and interviews will take place between October and February
during each of the 2007-08 and 2008-09 school years. The exact date will be scheduled in
consultation with your school staff, based on school schedule and participating teachers'
availability.
Program Activity Observations (Group 1 only)
BPA researchers will observe regular Pacific CHILD program activities, including summer
training institutes, follow-up institutes, and structured learning team meetings. The purpose of
these activity observations is to document how the Pacific CHILD is implemented during training
and at your school. For observations of at-school activities, BPA researchers will contact your
school and arrange the date for a visit. The teachers or staff will not be asked to do any special
preparation or do any thing differently during observations. BPA researchers will sit quietly in the
back of your classroom. After the observed sessions, the researchers may ask the teachers
clarification questions about activities in order to ensure that they correctly understand what was
going on. Activity observations for training institutes are scheduled according to the Pacific
CHILD program schedule. Activity observations for at-school program activities will be
scheduled between October and February during each of the 2007-08 and 2008-09 school
years. The site visit date will be coordinated with the focus group and/or interviews described
above, and will be determined in consultation with your staff, based on school schedule,
program activity schedule, and participating' teachers' availability.

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Annual Teacher Survey (Group 1 and Group 2)
Teachers will be asked to take a short survey about their participation in Pacific CHILD or other
professional development activities each year. The survey will ask how frequently they
participated in different types of program activities and in what other types of professional
development activities they may have been involved. The survey will ask the teachers also
about any changes in their teaching assignments over the pervious year. This survey may be
administered as an online survey where possible. The survey will take about 20 minutes to
complete. This is expected to take place between January and May during each of the 2007-08
and 2008-09 school years.
Annual Program Impact Survey (Group 1 and Group 2)
Teachers will be asked to take a survey to assess the impact of the Pacific CHILD Program (in
case of Group 1), and alternative professional development activities (in case of Group 2), their
instructional practices, knowledge, and their outlook on teaching ELL students. The survey
takes the form of an assessment and will be administered by BPA researchers. The survey will
take about 40 minutes to complete. This survey is expected to take place between March and
May of the 2007-08 and 2008-09 school years, and maybe combined with Annual Teacher
Survey described above.
Annual Program Impact Observation (Group 1 and Group 2)
Teachers will be asked to allow BPA researchers to observe their regular classroom lessons
during the spring of 2007-08 and 2008-09. The purpose of this program impact observation is
for researchers to find out the variation in teaching practices across sites after the Pacific CHILD
is implemented. Teachers will be contacted by BPA researchers through your school to arrange
for the observation date that is convenient to them. This impact observation is expected to take
place between March and May during each of the 2007-08 and 2008-09 school years.

Annual School Principal Survey (Group 1 and Group 2)
The school principal at your school will be asked to take a survey about: professional
development activities offered to and/or required of teachers at your school and about
curriculum, policy, and staffing changes at your school. If your school is in Group 1, the survey
will also ask about the implementation of Pacific CHILD. This survey may be administered as an
online survey where possible. The survey will take about 20 minutes to complete. This survey is
expected to take place between October and February of the 2007-08 and 2008-09 school
years.

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Table 1 below summarizes the estimated schedule for these data collection activities.

Table 1: Evaluation Study Activities
Activity Schedule
2007/08
2008/09

Study Activity

Note

Pre-Program Classroom
Observation

No preparation required

Focus Group or Interview (Group 1
only)

90-120 min. as a group
or 30-45 min as an
individual

Oct.-Feb.

Oct.-Feb.

Observation of P-CHILD Program
Activity Observations (Group 1 only)

No preparation required

Summer07,
Oct.-Feb

Summer 08,
Oct-Feb.

Annual Teacher Survey

20 min. survey

Jan.-May

Jan.-May

Annual Program Impact Survey

40 min. survey

Mar.-May

Mar.-May

Annual Program Impact
Observation

No preparation required

Mar.-May

Mar.-May

Annual School Principal Survey

20 min. survey

Oct.-Feb.

Oct.-Feb.

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2006/07
April-May

Consent to Participate in Research Form
Random Assignment Evaluation the Pacific Communities with Highperformance In Literacy Development (Pacific CHILD)
For Teachers
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The Pacific Communities with High Performance in Literacy Development (Pacific CHILD) is a
professional development program developed and administered by the Pacific Resources for
Education and Learning (PREL) with funding from the U.S. Department of Education. Pacific
CHILD is a year-round intensive professional development program to enhance teachers'
instructional skills to develop reading comprehension of English learners in their classrooms.
Pacific CHILD includes a summer training institute, three follow-up training institutes during the
school year, on-site coaching twice a month by PREL staff, and weekly guided peer group
activities. The purpose of this evaluation study is to assess whether Pacific CHILD has
significant impacts on participating teachers' pedagogical knowledge and instructional practices
as well as students' reading comprehension. The study takes place in the State of Hawaii,
American Samoa, and CNMI.
Berkeley Policy Associates (BPA) is the independent evaluator of the Pacific CHILD. Pacific
Resources for Education and Learning (PREL) is the administrator of the Pacific CHILD
program. PREL staff provides the Pacific Child professional development training and services.
BPA staff collects and analyzes data separately from PREL for the purposes of evaluation.
STUDY DESIGN
If you decide to participate in the study, you will be randomly assigned to one of the following
two groups, depending the school in which you work.
Group 1: You will be assigned to participate in the Pacific CHILD Program from June
2007 to August 2009. In addition, you will be asked to participate in the Evaluation of
Pacific CHILD from now through December 2009
Group 2: You will be assigned to participate in the Pacific CHILD Program from June
2009 to February 2011. In addition, you will be asked to participate in the Evaluation of
Pacific CHILD from now through December 2009.
Your assignment to either group is random, as in a lottery. The lottery will be conducted at BPA
and you will be notified of your assignment through your school or by BPA staff. The study
procedures for each group are discussed below.

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PROCEDURES FOR GROUP 1 (Treatment Group)
If your school is selected into Group 1, you will be asked to participate in the Pacific CHILD
program from June 2007 to August 2009. The Pacific CHILD activities, guided by PREL staff,
will include:
•
•
•
•

10-day training institute each summer
3-4 day follow-up training institutes each semester
Twice-monthly coaching sessions throughout the school year, which includes classroom
observation and modeling.
Participation in weekly guided peer-support group activities.

In addition to the Pacific CHILD professional development activities, you will be asked to
participate in the evaluation study from April 2007 to December 2009, led by BPA staff, which
will include:
•
•
•
•
•
•

Pre-Program Classroom Observation
Focus Groups and/or Interviews
Program Activity Observations
Annual Teacher Survey
Annual Program Impact Survey
Annual Program Impact Observation

Details on each study activity are discussed in the attachment of the Information Sheet.
PROCEDURES FOR GROUP 2 (Control Group)
If your school is selected into Group 2, you will not be eligible to participate in the Pacific CHILD
program for two years. After the end of the two-year study period, you will be invited to
participate in the Pacific CHILD program from June 2009 to February 2011. The program will
include the same activities as described for Group 1 and may include updated materials. During
the two years as a control school, you will be asked to participate in the evaluation study from
April 2007 to December 2009, led by BPA staff, which will include:
•
•
•
•

Pre-Program Classroom Observation
Annual Teacher Survey
Annual Program Impact Survey
Annual Program Impact Observation

Details on each study activity are discussed in the attachment of the Information Sheet.
RISKS
Risks to you from your participation in the study are expected to be minimal. That is, the
probability and magnitude of harm or discomfort anticipated in this study are not greater in and
of themselves than those ordinarily encountered in daily life. Possible risks include
psychological and social risks in sharing your experiences and opinions, such as discomfort or
embarrassment felt in discussing aspects of the Pacific CHILD in a focus group or interview.

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BENEFITS
Whether you are assigned in Group 1 or Group 2, you will receive the professional development
services under Pacific CHILD, which is designed to help you enhance your understanding and
skills for teaching a classroom including ELL students. Your participation in the research project
may benefit your school, staff, and students by helping to improve the quality of instruction.
Your input to the evaluation study will be also invaluable in improving the Pacific CHILD
Program. The results of the study will benefit the broad field of education research on ELL
instruction and ELL professional development. This study will particularly benefit current and
future teachers of ELL students and their students by contributing to the development of an
effective professional development strategy. The study may also influence policy and promote
public investments in quality instruction for English Learners and teacher professional
development.
CONFIDENTIALITY
Participation in any research may involve a loss of privacy, but your data will be handled as
confidentially as possible. Any information that is obtained in connection with this study and that
can be identified with you, your school, or the students in your classes will remain confidential
and will be disclosed only with your permission or as required by law. If information from this
study is published or presented at scientific meetings, your name and other personal information
will not be used. Observation of or suspicion of abuse or neglect that is reportable by law will be
reported to the appropriate authorities. All individual and school-level information will be
recorded with an identification number, and names will be kept in a separate location. Results
will be analyzed and reported only in averages for groups of students and groups of schools; no
individuals, individual schools, or districts will be identified by name.
To protect confidentiality, we ask you and all other participants not to share what we discuss in
a focus group with anyone who is not a part of the discussion group. We will take written notes
during a focus group or interview or observation, but will not record your name or any other
personal identifying information with these notes. Only researchers from Berkeley Policy
Associates (BPA), the independent research firm, will have access to these discussions,
interview, and observation notes. These documents will be kept in a secured location.
The survey data collected during the study will be entered into electronic databases without your
name or other personal identification information. These databases will be kept in a secure,
access-limited and fire-walled server at BPA. The original paper surveys will be kept in a locked
cabinet in a locked room. Only authorized research team members will have access to the
data. These data will be used only for the purpose of the study described in this document.
COSTS/PAYMENT
There is no charge for you to participate in this study. We will provide you with [a $20 gift card]
in appreciation for completing the Annual Teacher Survey and [a $20 gift card] for completing
the Annual Program Impact Survey. [The incentive may be adjusted for some jurisdictions
according to appropriate norms in the entity
RIGHT TO REFUSE OR WITHDRAW
Your participation in the program and in the research study is completely voluntary. If you
volunteer to be in the study, you may withdraw at any time during the study without

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consequences of any kind. You will not be penalized in any way if you do not complete one or
more particular surveys, do not respond to particular survey questions, do not participate in a
focus group or interview, or if you decide to decline to be observed in your classroom.
CONTACT INFORMATION
If you have any questions regarding this study, please contact: Dr. Yasuyo Abe, Project
Director at Berkeley Policy Associates (Tel: 1-510-465-7884, Email:yasuyo@bpacal.com), or
Dr. Roger Chesswas at Pacific Resources for Education and Learning (Tel: 1-808-441-1300.
Email chesswasr@prel.org). [FOR CNMI/A.SAMOA ONLY: In addition, if you have questions
about your rights as a research participant, or if you have complaints, concerns, or questions
about the research, please contact Fannie Tseng, Human Subjects Protection Administrator,
Berkeley Policy Associates, (510) 465-7884 or fannie@bpacal.com; or Independent Review
Consulting at 800-472-3241 or subject@irb-irc.com. You may also contact BPA's local study
coordinator, XXXX at xxx-xxx-xxxx. ]
If you have any questions about your rights as a research participant or if you think you may
have been harmed as a result of your participation, please contact the Independent Review
Consulting at 800-472-3241 or subject@irb-irc.com.
CONSENT
Participation in research is voluntary. If you decide to participate in this study as described
above. Please read the statement below and, if agree, sign this form.

I have read this consent form and the information sheet and I understand the description
of the Evaluation of the Pacific CHILD and my rights as a participant. All my questions
have been answered to my satisfaction. I agree to participate in this study, and I
understand that I may withdraw my consent at any time. I have received a copy of this
consent form.
Signature

____________________________________

Date __________________

Print Name

_________________________________________

Name of School __________________________________________

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