Appendix E Parent Notification

OMB Supporting Statement Study of Enhanced College Advising in Upward Bound

Appendix E. Parent Notification Letter

Dear [PARENT NAME],

Your child’s Upward Bound (UB) program is participating in the Demonstration of Find the Fit: Studying Enhanced College Advising in Upward Bound, funded by the U.S. Department of Education and conducted by Abt Associates and Survey Research Management (SRM). The goal of the study is to better understand what college advising strategies work in UB projects and to increase the number of students who enroll in colleges that match their abilities and interests.

As part of the study, your child has been selected to complete two surveys over two years. The first survey involves your child answering questions about his/her education and preparation for college, and will take about 15 minutes to complete. We will follow-up with your child in about two years to check back in about your child’s education and plans for college. Your child will receive a $15 gift card after completing the follow-up survey. In addition, the study team will be provided with student educational records. Your child’s survey responses will be combined with data from their UB program, college entrance exam data, college enrollment data, and financial aid data. Your child’s survey responses are critical to help improve the college advising support services provided in the UB program.

Your child’s participation in the survey is voluntary. He or she may choose not to answer a question or to stop the survey at any point. Your child can still take part in Upward Bound even if s/he does not participate in the study.

If you do not want your child to be surveyed, contact the study team: UBdemo@abtassoc.com or 1-855-489-0480.

Simply state that you do not want your child to participate in the Enhanced College Advising survey and provide your child’s name and the name of his/her UB project. You must contact the study team by January 2, 2015. If you do nothing, your child will be included in the surveys.

Protecting the privacy of your child is very important to us. Any reports or data files produced using your child’s data will not include his/her name or the name of his/her UB project. Your child’s responses to our questions will be combined with those of about 5,000 students across UB projects. We will not share information that identifies you or your child to anyone outside the study team and the study collaborators, except as required by law. Every effort will be made to protect the privacy and confidentiality of the information and data collected observing the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute for Education Sciences requirements.

Sincerely,

Alina Martinez, Ed.D.
Study Project Director

Study Contacts

Study Website: www.UBDemo.com
Study Email: UBDemo@abtassoc.com
Study Toll-Free Number: 1-855-489-0480

If you have any questions about participating in the study, please call 1-855-489-0480, or email UBDemo@abtassoc.com. If you have any questions about subjects’ rights, please contact Abt’s Institutional Review Board Administrator, Katie Speanburg, by phone at 1-(877) 520‑6835 [toll‑free number]. If you have questions about the UB program, please contact your UB project director.

Abt Associates Inc. Appendix E. Parent Notification Letter pg.  ▌E-2