State Title III Director Interview

Appendix A

LIEP Interview Protocol: State Title III Director

State: Date: Facilitator:

Note-taker:

Participant, Position and State:

Participant	Position	Credential	Years as Title III Director	Years in this State as Title III Director

Introduction

Introductory Script for State Title III Director Interview Protocol: Good morning [afternoon]. First of all, thank you for being willing to participate in this study. My name is [name] and this is [name of the other site visitor], we are researchers from Synergy [and Ed Count], organizations that conduct research about education.

Before we start, I’d like to provide a little background on our work, and answer any questions you might have. We are conducting this study for the US Department of Education in order to explore promising Language Instruction Educational Program (LIEPs) for English Learners (ELs). Our findings will be published as a practical guide for local and state educators on how to select, design, implement, and evaluate such programs.

This is an interview with Title III State Directors to get the state perspective about these programs.

Are there any questions right now about the study or about why we are here?

Next, I’d like to say a few things about the process for this interview. During our session today, I'll be asking you some questions and [other site visitor] will be taking notes.  If you don’t mind, I would like to record our conversation simply for note-taking purposes. No one outside of our research team will hear the recording; it will just be for own reference. If you would like us to turn off the recorder at any point, just let me know. Would that be OK?

We will make every attempt to keep all information you provide today confidential. It will only be used for the purposes of this study. We will not use your name and will not attribute any quotes. We will not share what we discuss with other people in this state. Also, all data will be kept secure and all reports, tables and printed materials will be presented in aggregate numbers.

This session will give you a chance to express your opinions.  We want you to feel comfortable in saying what you really think and feel, as your ideas and opinions are important to us. If you do not feel like responding to a question, you do not have to. Your participation is completely voluntary.

I’d like to ask you to sign a consent form before we begin. It outlines some of the issues I’ve just mentioned with regard to anonymity and confidentiality. Please take a minute to read it and let me know if you have any questions.

Are there any questions before we get started?

Note to interviewer: Throughout the interview, possible probes are set aside following each general question. Asking these questions may help to move the interview pace or may prompt a less talkative respondent. However, do not feel you need to ask each of these probes; it is likely that the respondent will cover many of these issues when responding to your initial inquiry. Keep the tone conversational and comfortable.

Title III Director

This interview focuses on state policies directing programs designed to support instructional practices for English Learners. This interview is expected to take approximately 60 minutes. To the extent possible, this interview should be conducted before we conduct the visit to the LEAs and begin interviews with LEA and school personnel. This interview might be conducted as a telephone interview rather than in person.

Background

1. I’d like to start by talking a bit about your background, especially as it relates to the instruction and assessment of English learners. Can you briefly describe your background and your role in the state?

2. Next, can you tell me a bit about the state context? How would you describe the EL population in your state – its makeup and distribution? Please tell us about any unique factors regarding EL practices or policies in your state.

For items1-2, listen/probe for:

• How many years have you been involved with this population at the state, local or classroom level?

• Probe for capacity to fulfill this role, including training received, support provided, constraints, how many others share similar responsibilities, what other responsibilities s/he has, etc.

• How many of your districts have a sizeable or highly variable EL population? What is the make-up of the districts, including the size and nature of the EL population?

• Describe any unique contextual factors that are noteworthy with regard to ways in which ELs are distributed across the state (i.e., do they tend to be grouped in certain areas and schools? or spread throughout certain districts? Why?)

• Are there significant subpopulations of ELs and what are their characteristics (e.g. Students with Interrupted Formal Education, long-term ELs, refugee groups, migrant students, undocumented students, etc.)

• Court cases that have influenced practices or policies

3. Tell us about your state’s annual Title III allocation.  What was the state’s Title III allocation for the 2011 – 2012 school year?  How much did the state keep for administration and technical assistance?  How many districts received Title III funds?  What was the Title III per student allocation for the 2011-2012 school year?  Does the state provide additional dollars to support students identified as LEP?  If so what is the per student allocation?  Can districts not receiving Title III funds receive the state funds? 

LIEP and Standards

4. Tell us now about the vision in your SEA for educating ELs.

Does the SEA have specific priorities and principles that guide the work with ELs? If so, what are they? If not, what does guide this work?

5. To what extent do LEAs use state standards (ELP and content standards) when determining which LIEPs to implement? How does the SEA use the standards when monitoring or evaluating LEA programs for ELs? To what extent do you find them useful in guiding the LEAs to provide support services and/or instructional decisions for ELs? Does the state provide any professional development focused on standards?

For items 3-4, listen/probe for:

• How do the priorities/goals play out at elementary and secondary levels?

• What is the role of the native language in instruction for ELs?

• Role of cultural sensitivity and family involvement to the vision for educating ELs

• Use of state standards (integration of content and ELP)

• Role of State law/regulations

• Belief and value statements that permeate SEA or LEA program decisions

• Shared expectations and priorities of SEA and LEAs with regard to educating ELs

• Approach to LIEP(s) and what labels they use (E.g. Dual Language, Two-way immersion, Transition bilingual, Developmental bilingual, Sheltered English instruction, Structured English immersion, Specially designed academic instruction delivered in English (SDAIE), Content-based ESL, Pull-out ESL)

• Describe each individually: What is the focus? Who provides the instruction? Which students participate? How long have these programs been in place? What is their perceived effectiveness? (Evidenced by)

• LEA Programs that target specific subpopulations of ELs (such as newcomers)

• Specific statewide interventions that may be available to ELs who are struggling beyond what is in the classroom (such as, Response to Intervention or RTI)

• Any state offered or supported professional development related to standards

• Role and rigor of LIEP evaluation

Placement and Needs of ELs in LIEP

6. Does the state have guidelines for identifying and placing ELs into programs and for re-designating and transitioning ELs out of the programs, or do LEAs determine this for themselves? What are they?

7. What challenges or constraints do LEAs encounter in appropriately placing and transitioning ELs out of programs? Given these challenges and/or constraints, how, if in any way, does the SEA support the LEAs in resolving these issues?

8. Are there any SEA guidelines for how to meet the needs of individual ELs in the context of content area classes? In other words, what is the SEA’s view on how content is made accessible for ELs? Particularly for ELs who are struggling?

9. Are there any policies or procedures that you have found to be particularly effective in implementing programs in LEAs? What guides the short and long-term planning for ELs at the SEA level?

For items 5-8, listen/probe for:

• Number/percentage of students participating in EL programs and supports

• Perceived effectiveness of placement and transition procedures (Ask how effectiveness is measured)

• Use of state standards (integration of content and ELP)

• Measures used, such as state ELP test, district assessments, teacher recommendation, and other measures; evaluation of LIEP

• Monitoring of ELs after transition out of program

• SEA collecting data to effectively identify, place, monitor and exit ELs

• District data on how students progress in various programs; Other sources

• Extent to which research and/or data drives these decisions. (For example, does the SEA rely on literature in the field or federal guidelines?)

• Perceived challenges faced at the elementary level, such as transition from bilingual instruction to English only programs, etc.

• Perceived challenges faced at the secondary level, gaps in formal schooling, such as graduation requirements, access to core curriculum and college prep courses, etc.

• Need for qualified teachers and use of co-teaching or other collaborative approaches

• Involvement of community, families, teachers in short and long-term planning

• Court cases or relevant legal requirements related to meeting the needs of ELs

• Focus on flexible programming to meet EL needs

• SEA guidance and role in facilitating collaboration at the district and school levels

• Court cases/legal requirements

Curriculum and Materials

Next, I’d like to know more about the curriculum, texts and materials used for EL instruction (in mainstream and ELD classes).

10. What are the SEAs expectations regarding the use of curriculum, texts and materials in the instruction of English learners (in mainstream and ELD classes)? Is there a state -wide curriculum for ELD instruction? If so, is it mandated? How was it selected?

Listen/probe for:

• Factors considered in the selection of curriculum and materials for ESL instruction, including cultural goals that integrate ELs into American academic culture

• Use of state standards (content and ELP) in decision making – including ways in which state standards influence text selection, curriculum development, formal and informal assessments, etc.

• How EL standards integrate with English Language Arts standards

• State support for PD that focuses on ELs and that does, or does not include general education along with EL teachers.

Assessment

11. How does the state select State ELP assessment(s) to assess the progress of ELs? Are there additional measures your SEA has adopted?

Listen/probe for:

• How frequently are these measures administered? Do LEAs or teachers develop their own measures of English proficiency?

• Are there instructional tools that the state disseminates/suggests to measure progress more frequently than the annual state test?

• What does the SEA do with the data collected through these assessments?

• Use of state ELP standards and content standards in development of formal and informal assessments

• How data is used to drive instruction at the SEA level

• How information about student performance is communicated at the district and school levels

• What professional development is offered on data use

• Role of court cases/legal requirements on selection of measures

Title III Accountability

12. I’d like to ask you specifically how your state’s ELs are doing with regard to targets associated with NCLB. First, how many districts met AYP for the LEP subgroup? (Note to interviewer: This is a verification item using previously identified data.) Have there been any specific steps you’ve taken to address the AYP status in various LEAs?

Listen/probe for:

• Any changes in EL practices over time associated with AYP status

• Have EL students received equal services

• Demonstrate shared responsibility for EL accountability

Resources

13. What resources do you offer LEAs – whether financial resources, colleagues with specialized expertise, regional assistance centers, etc. – to provide support for Title III priorities?

Listen/probe for:

• Kinds of resources SEA have available or resources passed on to the districts – both Title III and others – and how they use these resources.  (Think of resources broadly)

• How district uses Title III money; allocation of resources

• Use of Title I funds; how Title I and Title III funds are coordinated

• Salience of Title III; what is the value added of Title III?

• Any challenges encountered with respect to “supplement not supplant" provisions in Title I or Title III?

• SES and other factors that influence resource availability and stability of programming

• Note to interviewer: Thank participants for their time and the valuable information provided. Mention again our commitment to confidentiality. Remind them of how they can learn more about the progress and outcomes of this study. Mention that we might come back to them to clarify our notes after they have been developed.

  
  
  

Updated OMB Clearance Package: June 21 2011 - 7