Notification materials

Contract # ED-CFO-10-A-0110-0001

21^st Century Community Learning Centers: Lessons Learned Guides

Deliverable 5.3/6.3/7.3/8.3: Notification Materials

January 16, 2012

Revised January 31, 2012

Revised February 6, 2012

Revised February 7, 2012

Prepared for

Prepared by

Notification Letter: Chief State School Officer

Dear [Chief State School Officer]:

I am writing to inform you that a 21^st Century Community Learning Center (21^st CCLC) program in your state has been selected for participation in a research study with the U.S. Department of Education (the Department). Building on its investments in the 21^st CCLC program, the Department has commissioned a study to learn from the field about four content-specific topic areas of afterschool and summer programming, including (1) Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), (2) English Learners (EL), (3) Career and Technical Education (CTE), and (4) structures to increase learning time (ILT).

This study will highlight the work of 21^st CCLC programs in your state in four “Lessons Learned Guides” that will help 21^st CCLC programs nationwide improve and refine their practices.

Two-day site visits will begin in April 2012 and continue through November 2012. Site visits will include interviews with key staff, observation of program activities, and collection of relevant program documents. The Department contracted with Manhattan Strategy Group (MSG) and its partner organization American Institutes for Research (AIR) to complete the study.

In your state, the 21^st CCLC program chosen as an exemplar of providing innovative programming around [STEM/EL/CTE/ILT] is [NAME OF PROGRAM], one of only 15 programs selected in the […] area. We will arrange a visit soon. The obligation of subgrantees to respond to the study is required, according to the requirements under ESEA, Sec. 9306(a)(4). The project team will take every measure possible to protect the privacy of the interviewees as well as to ensure the confidentiality of the data collected, to the extent possible. You will not be asked to personally participate in this study, and there will be no time involved on your part.

I thank you and your staff for supporting this study. If you have any questions or concerns, you may contact [Topic Area Lead] at [MSG/AIR] at [phone or e-mail].

Sincerely,

Stuart Kerachsky

Director, Policy and Program Studies Service

Public Burden Statement

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number XXXX-XXXX. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 60 minutes per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. The obligation to respond to this collection is required to obtain or retain benefit (ESEA, Sec. 9306(a)(4)). Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20210-4537 or email ICDocketMgr@ed.gov and reference the OMB Control Number XXXX-XXXX. Note: Please do not return completed information requests to this address.

Notification Letter: 21^st CCLC State Coordinator

Dear [21^st CCLC State Coordinator]:

I am writing to inform you that a 21^st Century Community Learning Center (21^st CCLC) program in your state has been selected for participation in a research study with the U.S. Department of Education (the Department). Building on its investments in the 21^st CCLC program, the Department has commissioned a study to learn from the field about four content-specific topic areas of afterschool and summer programming, including (1) Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), (2) English Learners (EL), (3) Career and Technical Education (CTE), and (4) structures to increase learning time (ILT).

This study will highlight the work of 21^st CCLC programs in your state in four “Lessons Learned Guides” that will help 21^st CCLC programs nationwide improve and refine their practices.

Two-day site visits will begin in April 2012 and continue through November 2012. Site visits will include interviews with key staff, observation of program activities, and collection of relevant program documents. The Department contracted with Manhattan Strategy Group (MSG) and its partner organization American Institutes for Research (AIR) to complete the study.

In your state, the 21^st CCLC program chosen as an exemplar of providing innovative programming around [STEM/EL/CTE/ILT] is [NAME OF PROGRAM], one of only 15 programs selected in the […] area. The obligation of subgrantees to respond to the study is required, according to the requirements under ESEA, Sec. 9306(a)(4). The project team will take every measure possible to protect the privacy of the interviewees as well as to ensure the confidentiality of the data collected, to the extent possible.

MSG and AIR will contact you by [INSERT DATE] to set up a brief phone interview that will help give their site visit team background and context for their visit in your state. The amount of time involved for your participation in this study is estimated at 30 minutes.

I thank you and your staff for supporting this study. If you have any questions or concerns, you may contact [Topic Area Lead] at [MSG/AIR] at [phone or e-mail].

Sincerely,

Stuart Kerachsky

Director, Policy and Program Studies Service

Public Burden Statement

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number XXXX-XXXX. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 60 minutes per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. The obligation to respond to this collection is required to obtain or retain benefit (ESEA, Sec. 9306(a)(4)). Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20210-4537 or email ICDocketMgr@ed.gov and reference the OMB Control Number XXXX-XXXX. Note: Please do not return completed information requests to this address.

Notification Letter: Local Education Agency Superintendent

Dear [Superintendent]:

I am writing to inform you that a 21^st Century Community Learning Center (21^st CCLC) program in your district has been selected for participation in a research study with the U.S. Department of Education (the Department). Building on its investments in the 21^st CCLC program, the Department has commissioned a study to learn from the field about four content-specific topic areas of afterschool and summer programming, including (1) Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), (2) English Learners (EL), (3) Career and Technical Education (CTE), and (4) structures to increase learning time (ILT).

This study will highlight the work of 21^st CCLC programs in your state in four “Lessons Learned Guides” that will help 21^st CCLC programs nationwide improve and refine their practices.

Two-day site visits will begin in April 2012 and continue through November 2012. Site visits will include interviews with key staff, observation of program activities, and collection of relevant program documents. The Department contracted with Manhattan Strategy Group (MSG) and its partner organization American Institutes for Research (AIR) to complete the study. MSG and AIR have received federal Institutional Review Board (IRB) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) clearances for this study; however, if there are local IRB requirements, we ask that you please notify the study team at the contact information below as soon as possible so that they can obtain the necessary clearances.

In your district, the 21^st CCLC program chosen as an exemplar of providing innovative programming around [STEM/EL/CTE/ILT] is [NAME OF PROGRAM], one of only 15 programs selected in the […] area. We will arrange a visit soon. The obligation of subgrantees to respond to the study is required, according to the requirements under ESEA, Sec. 9306(a)(4). The project team will take every measure possible to protect the privacy of the interviewees as well as to ensure the confidentiality of the data collected, to the extent possible. You will not be asked to personally participate in this study, and there will be no time involved on your part.

I thank you and your staff for supporting this study. If you have any questions or concerns or if you have any information on local IRB clearances, you may contact [Topic Area Lead] at [MSG/AIR] at [phone or e-mail].

Sincerely,

Stuart Kerachsky

Director, Policy and Program Studies Service

Public Burden Statement

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number XXXX-XXXX. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 60 minutes per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. The obligation to respond to this collection is required to obtain or retain benefit (ESEA, Sec. 9306(a)(4)). Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20210-4537 or email ICDocketMgr@ed.gov and reference the OMB Control Number XXXX-XXXX. Note: Please do not return completed information requests to this address.

Notification Letter: School Principal

Dear [School Principal]:

I am writing to inform you that [NAME OF PROGRAM], a 21^st Century Community Learning Center (21^st CCLC) program affiliated with your school, has been selected for participation in a research study with the U.S. Department of Education (the Department).

Building on its investments in the 21^st CCLC program, the Department has commissioned a study to learn from the field about four content-specific topic areas of afterschool and summer programming, including (1) Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), (2) English Learners (EL), (3) Career and Technical Education (CTE), and (4) structures to increase learning time (ILT). [NAME OF PROGRAM] has been selected as an example of a 21^st CCLC program that is providing innovative programming around [STEM/EL/CTE/ILT], one of only 15 programs selected in the […] area.

This study will highlight the work of selected 21^st CCLC programs in four “Lessons Learned Guides” that will help 21^st CCLC programs nationwide improve and refine their practices.

A two-day site visit will be scheduled for sometime between April 2012 and November 2012. The obligation of subgrantees to respond to the study is required, according to the requirements under ESEA, Sec. 9306(a)(4). The Department contracted with Manhattan Strategy Group (MSG) and its partner organization American Institutes for Research (AIR) to complete the study, and they will be coordinating the site visits. Site visits will include interviews with key staff, observation of program activities, and collection of relevant program documents; they will include interviews with you and with teachers in your school familiar with the 21^st CCLC program. The amount of time involved for your participation in this study is estimated at 30 minutes.

The project team will take every measure possible to protect the privacy of the interviewees as well as to ensure the confidentiality of the data collected, to the extent possible. No persons participating in the site visits will be named in the “Lessons Learned Guides,” and MSG/AIR will gain informed consent. No individual students will be identified; rather, activities will be documented to describe key programmatic features. MSG and AIR have received federal Institutional Review Board (IRB) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) clearances for this study; however, if there are local IRB requirements, we ask that you please notify the study team at the contact information below as soon as possible so that they can obtain the necessary clearances.

I thank you and your staff for supporting this study. A representative from MSG or AIR will be in touch with [NAME OF PROJECT DIRECTOR], the project director for [NAME OF PROGRAM], soon by e-mail to begin the process of scheduling the site visit. If you have any questions or concerns or if you have any information on local IRB clearances, you may contact [Topic Area Lead] at [MSG/AIR] at [phone or e-mail].

Sincerely,

Stuart Kerachsky

Director, Policy and Program Studies Service

Public Burden Statement

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number XXXX-XXXX. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 60 minutes per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. The obligation to respond to this collection is required to obtain or retain benefit (ESEA, Sec. 9306(a)(4)). Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20210-4537 or email ICDocketMgr@ed.gov and reference the OMB Control Number XXXX-XXXX. Note: Please do not return completed information requests to this address.

Notification Letter:

21^st CCLC Project Director at a Selected Program

Dear [Project Director]:

I am writing to inform you that your 21^st Century Community Learning Center (21^st CCLC) program has been selected for participation in a research study with the U.S. Department of Education (the Department).

Building on its investments in the 21^st CCLC program, the Department has commissioned a study to learn from the field about four content-specific topic areas of afterschool and summer programming, including (1) Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), (2) English Learners (EL), (3) Career and Technical Education (CTE), and (4) structures to increase learning time (ILT). Your program has been selected as an example of a 21^st CCLC program demonstrating strong promise in [STEM/EL/CTE/ILT] and is one of only 15 programs that we will be visiting across the country for this topic area.

This study will highlight the work of selected 21^st CCLC programs in four “Lessons Learned Guides” that will help 21^st CCLC programs nationwide improve and refine their practices.

A two-day site visit will be scheduled for sometime between April 2012 and November 2012. The obligation of subgrantees to respond to the study is required, according to the requirements under ESEA, Sec. 9306(a)(4). The Department contracted with Manhattan Strategy Group (MSG) and its partner organization American Institutes for Research (AIR) to complete the study, and they will be coordinating the site visits. Site visits will include interviews with key staff, observation of program activities, and collection of relevant program documents. The amount of time involved for your participation in this study is estimated at 2 hours and 30 minutes.

The project team will take every measure possible to protect the privacy of the interviewees as well as to ensure the confidentiality of the data collected, to the extent possible. No persons participating in the site visits will be named in the “Lessons Learned Guides,” and MSG/AIR will gain informed consent. No individual students will be identified; rather, activities will be documented to describe key programmatic features. MSG and AIR have received federal Institutional Review Board (IRB) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) clearances for this study; however, if there are local IRB requirements, we ask that you please notify the study team at the contact information below as soon as possible so that they can obtain the necessary clearances.

I thank you and your staff for supporting this study. As you may know, U.S. Department of Education subgrantees are required to participate in federal evaluations under ESEA, Sec. 9306(a)(4). A representative from MSG or AIR will be in touch with you soon by e-mail to begin the process of scheduling the site visit and to provide you with an information survey to be completed prior to the visit. If you have any questions or concerns or if you have any information on local IRB clearances, you may contact [Topic Area Lead] at [MSG/AIR] at [phone or e-mail].

Sincerely,

Stuart Kerachsky

Director, Policy and Program Studies Service

Public Burden Statement

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number XXXX-XXXX. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 60 minutes per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. The obligation to respond to this collection is required to obtain or retain benefit (ESEA, Sec. 9306(a)(4)). Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20210-4537 or email ICDocketMgr@ed.gov and reference the OMB Control Number XXXX-XXXX. Note: Please do not return completed Information Surveys to this address.

Notification Letter:

21^st CCLC Project Director at a Short-Listed Program

Dear [Project Director]:

I am writing to inform you that your program has been identified for possible participation in a research study with the U.S. Department of Education. Building on its investments in the 21^st Century Community Learning Center program, the Department has commissioned a study to learn from the field about four content-specific topic areas of afterschool and summer programming, including (1) Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), (2) English Learners (EL), (3) Career and Technical Education (CTE), and (4) structures to increase learning time (ILT).

This study will highlight the work of selected 21^st CCLC programs in four “Lessons Learned Guides” that will help 21^st CCLC programs nationwide improve and refine their practices.

Your program has been identified as a potential site for the study because of your programming in [STEM/EL/CTE/ILT]. The obligation of subgrantees to respond to the study is required, according to the requirements under ESEA, Sec. 9306(a)(4). The Department contracted with Manhattan Strategy Group (MSG) and its partner organization American Institutes for Research (AIR) to complete the study.

In order to better understand your work around […], we will be asking you to complete an online screening tool. Responses to this survey will be used only by the research team and will not be shared more broadly or for evaluation purposes. The project team will take every measure possible to protect the privacy of the participants as well as to ensure the confidentiality of the data collected, to the extent possible. It should take you no more than 1 hour to complete. If your program is selected, we will be asking you to host a two-day visit from our site visit team to meet with you, your staff, school personnel, and community partners involved in the implementation of your [STEM/EL/CTE/ILT] work. We will also ask you to provide us with relevant program materials.

I thank you and your staff for supporting this study. As you may know, U.S. Department of Education subgrantees are required to participate in federal evaluations under ESEA, Sec. 9306(a)(4). A representative from MSG or AIR will be in touch with you soon by e-mail to provide you with a link to the online screening tool. If you have any questions or concerns, you may contact [Topic Area Lead] at [MSG/AIR] at [phone or e-mail].

Sincerely,

Stuart Kerachsky

Director, Policy and Program Studies Service

Public Burden Statement

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number XXXX-XXXX. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 60 minutes per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. The obligation to respond to this collection is required to obtain or retain benefit (ESEA, Sec. 9306(a)(4)). Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20210-4537 or email ICDocketMgr@ed.gov and reference the OMB Control Number XXXX-XXXX. Note: Please do not return completed Screening Tools to this address.