Evaluation of the ESSA Title I, Part D,Neglected or Delinquent Programs

Evaluation of the ESSA Title I, Part D Neglected or Delinquent Programs
Case Study Interview Protocol
State Education Agency (SEA) Data Coordinator

State:	Interviewer:
Interviewee(s):	Date/Time:
Interviewee(s’) Role(s): (select all that apply)

Introduction – Key points to convey to the respondent:

• We are conducting case studies of the ESSA Title I, Part D programs. We are also administering a survey to all State Part D coordinators and a sample of local educational agency (school district) and facility staff to collect data from a wider range of respondents.

• The study’s results will be discussed in a final report that will be available publicly. The main purpose of this study is to share your perspectives and experiences with policy-makers as they continue to refine policy and technical assistance on important issues related to Title I, Part D programs. This is not a compliance study; our purpose is solely to provide policymakers and the general public with insight regarding implementation practices of Title I, Part D programs so programs and student outcomes can continue to be improved.

• The purpose of this interview is to obtain information about your ESSA Title I, Part D, N or D program (hereafter “Part D”) regarding the implementation and progress of your State’s Part D program including how the program is implemented and how are the students’ needs met.

• Officials at the U.S. Department of Education (ED) know that your State is participating in this study and your State will be identified in our public reporting. In addition, staff from ED will see transcripts from our interview, but the transcripts we share will be reviewed and edited to ensure that no personally identifying information is included.

• We know that you are very busy, and we appreciate your time. We anticipate that this interview will take approximately 45 minutes.

• Your participation in this interview is voluntary. You may discontinue your participation in this interview at any time, and through the course of the interview, if we touch on topics that you believe to be sensitive for any reason, please bring that to our attention so we will not include these comments either in public reporting or in discussions with ED.

• Your privacy is important to us and we will protect the confidentiality of the information you provide, to the extent provided by law. The reports prepared for this study will summarize interviews across respondents and will not associate responses with a specific individual. We will not provide information that identifies you to anyone outside the study team, except as required by law.

• In order for us to have an accurate account of your responses, we would like to record this interview. The recording will then be transcribed and all personally identifying information will be removed from the transcript. Do we have your permission to record this conversation?

• Do you have any questions before we begin?

First we would like to get some background information.

A. Agency Characteristics

1. Please describe your role within the State Education Agency. What are your responsibilities?

Probe 

1. Please also describe your role related to the State’s Title I, Part D program. What are your responsibilities?

C. Education Assessments, Strategies, and Services

Now we would like to talk about how the state supports assessments, strategies, and services in the Title I, Part D programs.

Screening and Risk Assessments

1. How are statewide data on youth who participate in Title I, Part D program collected?

Probe

1. For example, does your state support the use of common screening and risk or academic assessment instruments?

2. How are they used?

General Education Services and Structure

2. How does the State Education Agency use data to monitor and/or evaluate sub-grantees?

3. What types of technical assistance related to student data does the State Education Agency provide to sub-grantees?

4. Does your State Education Agency use data to identify and support Title I, Part D priority educational concerns? For example, does the state track the percentage of youth in Part D programs with any of the following issues: behavior management, special education, English language learners, social emotional learning, or career and technical education?

Probe 

1. [If not mentioned] More generally, how does the SEA use data to improve services and/or outcomes?

Transition Planning

5. Does the State collect data on the different transition services or practices that Part D programs implement to support youths’ academic/career/behavioral needs as they move into or out of custodial settings?

6. Are data collected specifically on: high-quality transition planning, youth and family involvement in planning, or identification or use of community-resources in plans? Please describe.

7. What do the data indicate are the most promising or effective transition services provided by the Part D program sub-grantees/programs?

Probe 

1. What data show evidence that these are effective?

D. Instructional Staff Qualifications and Professional Development

1. How does the State support a qualified pool of instructors available to teach for Part D programs across the State?

2. How does the State use data to identify professional development needs of instructional staff in Part D programs?

3. How does the State measure success with regard to policies that are in place that support retention of highly qualified and effective teachers?

E. Outcome Assessment and Utilization

1. Please describe the extent to which there are State guidelines for how Part D-funded educational programs use assessments for evaluating progress toward achieving educational outcomes.

Probe 

1. [If guidelines] In your opinion, are there benefits and/or challenges related to the State guidelines around assessments?

2. [If no guidelines] Please confirm whether programs are able to select their own assessments to track educational outcomes?

   1. In your opinion, are there benefits and/or challenges related to the use of different assessments across programs? (e.g., Can data from these assessments be aggregated at the State level to look at trends in educational outcomes across programs?)

2. What key challenges have you encountered in assessing educational outcomes for students while they are participating in Part D-funded educational program(s)?

Probe 

1. Please describe challenges related to assessing outcomes for specific sub-populations such as students with disabilities or English language learners or in specific settings (e.g., correctional institutions, child welfare).

3. Please describe who you coordinate with and any policies or procedures that facilitate tracking long-term outcomes.

4. What key successes have you experienced in assessing long-term educational outcomes for students after they have participated in Part D-funded educational program(s)?

5. To what extent are you able to compare educational outcomes for students participating in Part D-funded educational programs with those for their peers who are receiving community-based services? Please describe.

6. To what extent are you able to compare educational outcomes of students in Part D-funded programs with students in juvenile and child welfare facilities within the State who do not participate in Part D-funded programs? Please describe.

7. Are there educational outcomes (short or longer term) related to Part D programs that you are not currently tracking, but would like to? Why are these outcomes of interest to you?

G. Overall Facilitators, Challenges, and Perceived Benefits

1. Is there anything else that you would like to add regarding the topics we have talked about?

THANK YOU!

PPSS Task Order 25—Evaluation of Title I, Part D: SEA Data Coordinator Protocol 1