Principal Letter

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

March , 2011

«Salutation» «FirstName» «LastName»

«Title»

«Address1»

«Address2»

«City», «Abbr» «ZipCode»-«PlusFour»

Dear «Salutation» «LastName»:

We are writing to request your participation in the U.S. Department of Education’s School Improvement Status and Outcomes for Students with Disabilities Study. This study, sponsored by the Institute of Education Sciences, is part of a congressionally mandated national assessment of how the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 (IDEA) is achieving its objectives. The purpose of the study is to provide policy-relevant information about the education of students with disabilities (SWDs). The study will collect data on elementary and middle school practices that may relate to the educational outcomes of SWDs in selected states.

We are asking you to complete a web-based survey that will focus on school practices that occurred during the 2010–11 school year at your school. The survey will take approximately 15 minutes to complete. At the end of the survey, we will ask you to provide the name of a staff member from your school who is knowledgeable about SWDs in your school. This individual will then be sent information to complete a short 30 minute web-based survey. Participation in this study will enable the study to provide policymakers with accurate and thorough information. As a token of our appreciation for completing the survey, we will send the staff member you nominate a $20 gift certificate upon completion of the special education designee survey.

The data collected will be used only for statistical purposes. The results from the surveys will not be presented in a way that permits association with a specific school or individual, and survey data will be released to third-party researchers only with strict restricted-use license provisions prohibiting disclosure of schools and individuals.

T

https://websurvey.norc.org/SWDP

(Enter this URL exactly as it appears above.)

he study is being conducted by the American Institutes for Research (AIR) and NORC at the University of Chicago under contract to the Institute of Education Sciences at the U. S. Department of Education. If you have any questions or concerns, you may contact the research team at SWD@norc.org or by calling our study toll-free number at ***800-xxx-xxxx***.

To access your survey,

please go to the following URL address:

B

PIN: [PRINPIN]

Password: [PRINPWD]

ecause this format is secure and confidential, you’ll need to use a unique Personal Identification Number (PIN) and Password to access the survey after you have gone to the URL address.

Your unique PIN and Password are…

We thank you for providing the expertise and time needed for the success of this study.

Sincerely,

[Name, Title] [Name, Title]

National Center for Education Evaluation Office of Special Education Programs