Initial Outreach and Recruitment Scripts for Programs and Schools
1: Initial Outreach Call Script with Head Start Grantee & Local Education Agency 2
2: Initial Planning Call Script with Head Start Grantee & Local Education Agency 7
Attachment 1: Sample Agenda for In-Person Data Collection 13
Attachment 2: Scheduling In-Person Interviews and Focus Group 14
3: Case Study Recruitment Script for Head Start Center Director 15
Note: The purpose of this script is to learn more about the Head Start-LEA partnership and assess their mutual interest in participating in the HS2K study. The tool would first be used with the Head Start Grantee and LEA.
The Paperwork Reduction Act Statement: This collection of information is voluntary and will be used to help better understand how Head Start programs, elementary schools, and community organizations are supporting children and families as they transition into kindergarten. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average of 60 minutes, including the time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and reviewing the collection of information. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number and expiration date for this collection are OMB #: 0970-XXXX, Exp: XX/XX/XXXX. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to [Contractor Contact Name]; [Contractor Contact Address].
INTRODUCTION
Hello. My name is ________ from (NORC at the University of Chicago).
Am I speaking with (name of respondent)?
IF YES, CONTINUE.
IF NO, ASK FOR PERSON OR A GOOD TIME TO CALL PERSON.
With me on this call is ____________ from (NORC at the University of Chicago, Child Trends, National P-3 Center).
Thanks so much for taking the time to talk with us today.
We are part of the research team conducting the study Understanding Children’s Transition from Head Start to Kindergarten (HS2K), funded by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) within the Administration for Children and Families, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. [If this is the same person previously contacted] You may recall that we reached out to you by email on [DATE] about your nomination as one of the case study sites.
ABOUT THE HS2K STUDY
Did you happen to read through the project description emailed on [DATE]? [IF YES: Ok great!] [IF NO: OK no problem! I’ll walk through it briefly now]. So the purpose of the study is to better understand how to support children’s transitions from Head Start programs to elementary schools. The project is using a systems-level approach that recognizes that effective transitions require intentional engagement from both the sending programs (Head Start) and the receiving programs (elementary schools).
For this study we will be looking closely at six pairs of Head Start grantees and Local Education Agencies (LEAs). We want to understand how teachers and administrators work with children and families through the transition process. We will be learning about four specific topics:
1) policies that are in place to support transition;
2) Head Start and kindergarten practices to support transition;
3) training and professional supports for teachers and staff; and
4) the perspectives of staff and families, based on their experiences.
What we are doing is conducting a “comparative, multi-case study.” So we will be selecting six pairs of Head Start grantees and LEAs to participate in the study, and each pair is considered a “case.” At this time we are hoping to learn more about the [PROGRAM/LEA NAME’S] approach to kindergarten transitions and gauge your interest in being considered as one of the six case study sites once we received federal approval to conduct the study. As we consider potential sites from the nominations we received we are hoping to include Head Start/LEA partnerships that vary in terms of kindergarten enrollment options available to Head Start families, geographic region, and community characteristics.
Do you have any questions so far? ANSWER QUESTIONS.
ABOUT THE HEAD START-LEA PARTNERSHIP
Please remember that we need to have both the Head Start program and the LEA agree to participate and will we be having a similar call with the [HEAD START OR LEA NAME].
From nominations, we learned that you partner with [HEAD START OR LEA NAME] around kindergarten transitions. Would you consider that to be true?
[IF NO] Do you have an LEA or school that you partner closely with around kindergarten transitions?
[IF NO] Thank you for letting us know that and giving us your time today. Since we are looking for partnerships, it does not seem your program/school would be the right fit for this study. Again, thank you for your time.
[IF YES] Who would you consider to be a close partner in this work? Please think about that partner when answering our next set of questions.
[IF YES] We learned a little bit about the Head Start-LEA partnership from the nomination that we received from [NAME], but we’re hoping to learn a bit more now about the partnership you’re involved in. First we would like to ask you some questions, and then we’ll confirm some information. As we discuss this, we recognize that this past year or so has been unprecedented with the COVID-19 pandemic. For the purpose of our study, we would like you to think about your experiences during this [program/school] year.
[ADDRESS EACH TOPIC BELOW. ALL QUESTIONS CAN BE ASKED OF HEAD START AND LEA.
NOTE THAT THIS SECTION OF THE CONVERSATION WILL BE TAILORED BASED ON THE NOMINATION INFORMATION WE RECEIVED.]
[If information was included in nomination] From the recommendations from key informants and the general nomination call posted by OPRE we learned that the [HEAD START-LEA PARTNERSHIP]:
[If information was missing from nomination] Our nomination process asked for Head Start-LEA partnerships that exhibited some promising practices and approaches. We would like to learn more about those now.
From the recommendations from key informants and the general nomination call posted by OPRE we learned that the [HEAD START-LEA PARTNERSHIP]:
Uses “innovative and/or promising shared transition practices or approaches” that may lead to positive transition experiences for teachers, families, and children.
Can you tell us about your practices or approach? What do you do?
Does it include approaches for helping children/families with different needs transition from Head Start to kindergarten?
Does it include innovative ways that staff from across programs and schools work together?
Has “promising shared transition policies” that are implemented in both the Head Start and elementary school sites. By “policies,” we mean any formal written documents or guidance around the kindergarten transition.
What do these policies address?
Have these policies been developed with your partner?
When did the policies go in effect?
What kind of agreement(s) is/are in place? Probe for explicit written/formal documentation of organizational regulations; standards; agreements/Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs); procedures; and guidance around supporting transitions to kindergarten)
Has “shared perspectives” on the transition from Head Start to Kindergarten
What are some shared goals you and your partner have around kindergarten transitions?
Do you agree on the roles you each play in supporting children and families through the kindergarten transition? In what ways?
How does that shape your approach to kindergarten transitions?
Has “shared professional supports” around the transition.
What kind of supports do you and your partner jointly provide?
Can you provide examples? Probe for professional learning, training materials, and shared planning time that support strong transition approaches.
Features “transition-related coordination, collaboration, communication, and/or alignment” within and across the Head Start and LEA sites.
Can you describe ways in which you and your [Head Start program/LEA] partner coordinate or collaborate during the kindergarten transition process?
How do staff within your organizations communicate about the transition?
How and when do administrators or staff communicate about the kindergarten transition? Are these formal and/or informal communications?
Thanks for sharing this information. It’s very helpful and rounds out our knowledge of the partnership.
CONFIRMING INFORMATION
[ASK HEAD START]
Now, I would like to confirm some information the Head Start program and ask just a couple more questions.
We gathered the following information from a number of sources, including the organization’s website, the Head Start Program Information Report, and [other sources].
For Head Start, please confirm the following:
Agency type: The organization is a: Community Action Agency; Government Agency (Non-CAA); Private/Public For-Profit; Private/Public Non-Profit; School System; Tribal Government; Charter School.
Direct service or delegate structure: The organization provides direct services only or delegates direct services or does both.
Size: The agency has [NUMBER] centers and serves [NUMBER] of children.
Thank you. Now I have some more questions.
Organizational structure: Would you describe the organizational structure as having centralized staffing within a center or do you share staff across multiple Head Start centers?
COVID-19 pandemic and operating status: At this point in the pandemic, what is your operating status?
Are centers fully open to children and parents?
Or are you offering hybrid or remote learning?
While our preference for doing a case study is to conduct the data collection in person, we are open to doing a virtual site visit.
Do you have any concerns about having on-site visitors?
If not done in-person, would you be open to remote data collection and doing interviews through video calls?
Are there any restrictions in place currently that may become permanent?
Geographic locations: In terms of geographic locations served, is the grantee lead agency located in a City (large, mid-size, small), Suburb, Town, Rural area? Are the centers located in a City (large, mid-size, small), Suburb, Town, Rural area?
Configurations: Do you know or have a general idea about how many elementary schools serve kindergarten students in your service area? Do Head Start families have only one or multiple schools available for kindergarten enrollment?
Dual Language: What language(s) are spoken by the children and families that you serve?
[ASK LEA]
For the LEA, please confirm the following:
Size: The [NUMBER] of Kindergarten classrooms and [NUMBER] of kindergarten students.
Grade Levels Spanned: Which grades levels are served by the elementary school.
School structure: The school is a: magnet, neighborhood, special education, traditional, charter, special school
COVID-19 pandemic and operating status: At this point in the pandemic, how are schools operating?
Are schools fully open to children and parents?
Or offering hybrid or remote learning?
While our preference for doing a case study is to conduct the data collection in person, we are open to doing a virtual site visit.
Do you have any concerns about having on-site visitors?
If not done in-person, would you be open to remote data collection and doing interviews through video calls?
Are there any restrictions in place currently that may become permanent?
LEA structure: Whether LEA is a district model (and whether it is a consolidated/independent/joint district structure/traditional/unified/elementary only model), or charter management organization
[ASK HEAD START AND LEA]
And lastly,
How would you describe the needs of the families/children transitioning to kindergarten from your program/coming into kindergarten in your school?
How would you describe the community your center/school serves?
[ASK HEAD START AND LEA]
Before we end the call, do you have any questions? [RECORD RESPONSE]
Or is there an important characteristic about your program or school to share with us? [RECORD RESPONSE]
CLOSING AND NEXT STEPS
Please remember that we need to have both the Head Start program and the LEA agree to participate and will we be having a similar call with the [HEAD START OR LEA NAME].
If your program is selected for inclusion in this study, we will reach back out to you to formally invite your organization to be one of the case study sites. We are mindful that the coronavirus pandemic has changed our lives and how we all do our work, so when we reach out again we will have to talk about how the pandemic may factor into your ability to participate in the study and our next steps.
In closing, thank you so much for your help today. We look forward to talking with you in again soon and inviting you to participate in the HS2K study!
Note: The purpose of this script is to provide further information about the HS2K study to the Head Start grantee or Local Education Agency (LEA) and to discuss details about the case study, including the data collection procedures and timing and logistics of the visit. The tool would first be used with the Head Start Grantee and then with the LEA.
The Paperwork Reduction Act Statement: This collection of information is voluntary and will be used to help better understand how Head Start programs, elementary schools, and community organizations are supporting children and families as they transition into kindergarten. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average of 60 minutes, including the time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and reviewing the collection of information. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number and expiration date for this collection are OMB #: 0970-XXXX, Exp: XX/XX/XXXX. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to [Contractor Contact Name]; [Contractor Contact Address].
INTRODUCTION
Hello. My name is ________ from (NORC at the University of Chicago, Child Trends, National P-3 Center).
Am I speaking with (name of respondent)?
IF YES, CONTINUE.
IF NO, ASK FOR PERSON OR A GOOD TIME TO CALL PERSON.
With me on this call is ____________ from (NORC at the University of Chicago, Child Trends, National P-3 Center).
Thanks so much for taking the time to talk with us today.
We are part of the research team conducting the Understanding Children’s Transition from Head Start to Kindergarten (HS2K) study, funded by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) within the Administration for Children and Families, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. [If this is the same person previously contacted] You may recall that we spoke some time ago in [late 2020/early this year [provide date]] about our study and how you had been nominated as a site for our case study.
ABOUT THE HS2K STUDY
As mentioned in the project description we emailed to you on [date], the purpose of the study is to better understand how to improve children’s transitions from Head Start programs to elementary schools. The project is using a systems approach that recognizes that effective transitions require intentional engagement from both the sending programs (Head Start) and the receiving programs (elementary schools).
For this study we will be looking closely at six pairs of Head Start grantees and Local Education Agencies (LEAs). We want to understand how teachers and administrators work with children and families through the transition process. We will be taking an in-depth look at these six “cases” to learn about four topics: 1) policies that are in place to support transition; 2) Head Start and kindergarten practices to support transition; 3) training and professional supports for teachers and staff; and 4) the perspectives of staff and families, based on their experiences. We call these topics the “4Ps.” We also want to understand the organizational contexts that may influence the 4Ps. With the information from each site, we will then look at how polices, practices, professional supports, and perspectives are similar or different across the six sites, and compare and contrast them. What we are doing is conducting a “comparative, multi-case study.” So, we are selecting six pairs of Head Start grantees and LEAs to participate in the study. The sites were selected to capture diversity in terms of kindergarten enrollment options available to Head Start families, geographic region, and community characteristics.
Do you have any questions about the case study approach? ANSWER QUESTIONS.
INTEREST IN PARTICIPATING IN THE HS2K STUDY
When we spoke in [date] the [name of Head Start grantee/ Local Education Agency] was very interested in participating in the HS2K study and planned to discuss the study with:
Head Start Policy Council or Policy Committee and Parent Committee; and
Local Education Agency.
Do you have approval to take part in the study?
IF YES, CONTINUE WITH NEXT SECTION: Great, thanks so much. Let’s get started. If you have any formal documentation, please share that with us. Thanks.
IF NO, ASK: Is there any further information we could provide? We would be happy to address your concerns on this call.
PLANNING THE SITE VISIT & ARRANGING DATA COLLECTION
Just to recap, the study involves interviews with [Head Start staff at the grantee/delegate and center level and a focus group with Head Start parents OR LEA staff at the district level and kindergarten staff within schools]. Based on our previous call, we understand that the center/school is [fully open, using a hybrid model, operating remotely]. Given these circumstances, we will be conducting [in-person, virtual] data collection.
IF CONDUCTING IN-PERSON SITE VISITS: We would like to conduct a site visit, traveling to your center/school to do in-person interviews [and a focus group]. The site visit would take [number] days, since we would space out the discussions to accommodate staff [and parent] schedules. Alternately, we could conduct the interviews remotely by phone or video [and the focus group] via a video platform such as Zoom.
IF CONDUCTING VIRTUAL DATA COLLECTION: We would like to conduct a virtual site visit, which would involve doing interviews by phone or video [and focus groups] remotely via a video platform such as Zoom. The site visit would take approximately [number] days, and we would schedule the virtual interviews [and focus groups] to accommodate staff [and parent] schedules.
Do you have any questions before I continue? ANSWER QUESTIONS.
Confirming Information
Before getting into the details about the site visit and data collection, we would like to confirm some information with you:
Grantee type:
Location
Staffing:
Enrollment size:
Site Visit Dates
Our goal is to conduct the [in-person or virtual] site visit between March-June 2021. We will need to coordinate the dates with the [name of Head Start grantee and the LEA].
We would like to select dates for the visit that will be most convenient for you, keeping in mind the [name of Head Start grantee/LEA] schedule. The site visit will be conducted by a two-member team.
IF CONDUCTING IN-PERSON SITE VISITS: Normally the visits take two days but we can stay a bit longer if that fits people’s schedules.
IF CONDUCTING VIRTUAL SITE VISITS: Normally, we would schedule the virtual interviews and focus group over a two-day period, but we have some flexibility with scheduling these because they are virtual. We could schedule them over the course of a few days, for example, if that fits people’s schedules better.
Head Start Grantee: We are hoping to schedule the [in-person or virtual] site visit for some time in the next 6-8 weeks. If you could suggest one or two weeks that might work that would be helpful. If not, let’s talk again about what timeframe would be best.
Week of: ________________________ RECORD DATE
Week of: ________________________ RECORD DATE
If tentative: I will make a note that the site visit will be [indicate date or dates]. I will check back with you on [day] to confirm.
Local Education Agency: The [name of Head Start grantee] told us that [date] and [date] works best.
Does either timeframe fit your schedule?
IF YES, CONTINUE.
IF NO, ASK FOR DATES AND INDICATE THAT WE WILL NEED TO TALK WITH THE [NAME OF HEAD START GRANTEE] AND REVISIT THE SCHEDULING PROCESS.
Overview of Interviews
We are interested in talking with multiple staff so that we learn about transition policies and practices from different perspectives. I would like to add that we will take notes during but also audiotape the interviews to ensure that we capture the responses accurately.
Head Start grantee
At the Head Start program, we would conduct semi-structured, qualitative interviews with:
HEAD START |
|
|
Respondent |
Number of Respondents |
Minutes |
Grantee Organization or Delegate Agency |
||
Grantee and Delegate Agency Administrator |
Up to 2, if grantee and/or delegate |
60 |
Manager/Coordinator |
Up to 2 |
75 |
Community Partner/Other Service Provider |
1 |
60 |
Program Settings (Center- or School-based) |
||
Center Director or Principal |
1 |
75 |
Classroom Teachers |
Up to 2 |
45 |
Local Education Agency
At the LEA, we would conduct semi-structured, qualitative interviews with:
LOCAL EDUCATION AGENCY |
|
|
Respondent |
Number of Respondents |
Minutes |
School District |
||
LEA/District Administrator/Staff |
Up to 3 |
60 |
Elementary School |
||
Principal |
1 |
75 |
Kindergarten teachers |
Up to 2 |
45 |
Elementary School Staff |
1 |
60 |
Interview Topics
These are the key topics that will be addressed in the interviews:
HEAD START |
LOCAL EDUCATION AGENCY |
|
|
Recruiting Respondents and Arranging Interviews
Now let’s turn to the approach for recruiting respondents for the semi-structured interviews with staff and a community partner. In our experience there are two ways to do this:
Grantee/LEA recruits: The first option is to have [Name of Head Start grantee/LEA] set up the interviews with designated staff. We will provide the recruitment materials (letter, project description). We could give you a template for the site visit agenda that you can use to designate the interview dates and times.
Study team recruits: The second option is to have the study team reach out to staff at [name of Head Start grantee/LEA] directly to set up an interview date and time. We would need a comprehensive list and contact information for staff responsible for implementing the program, as well as a community partner. We would then reach out by phone and email using recruitment letters.
Which approach do you prefer? What would work best? RECORD PREFERENCE
Option 1, Grantee/LEA recruits: Ok, so you would prefer to set up the set up the interviews with designated staff and community partner. We sent the sample recruitment letter, project description, and the site visit agenda template in the packet of materials to prepare for this call. Please fill this out and send it back to us by [date]. Thanks.
Option 2, Study team recruits: Ok, so you would prefer that the study team reach out to staff and the community partners to set up the interviews. Please send us the list of names, titles, and organization, and contact information and we will make the arrangements. Once we have the schedule we will share it with you.
Do you have any guidance or suggestions for us? ____________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
RECORD RESPONSE
HEAD START ONLY: Arranging a Focus Group with Parents/Primary Caregivers
Next, we would like to hold [an in-person or a virtual] focus group with about 8-10 parents or legal guardians whose children will transition to kindergarten. Our goal is to understand their perspectives on the transition process and hear about their experiences. The discussion group will last about 1½ hours. We will start by asking parents to fill out a brief survey about their background. This will take about 10 minutes. Participants will receive a $50 gift card in appreciation of their time. [If in-person] Our team can provide refreshments. We will coordinate this with Head Start center directors.
FOR HEAD START & LEAs: COVID-19 & Social Distancing Protocols
The coronavirus pandemic has created constraints on how we all do our work. We want to be sure that everyone stays safe and healthy.
What social distancing and preventive health measures are in place at your site?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Are there any special procedures in place for visitors that we should know about?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Document Review
Finally, we would like to review documents that would provide helpful background information. So before the site visit, we would request some materials about your transition policies and practices, such as organizational charts, staff rosters, Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) between Head Start and Local Education Agencies (that memorialize policies and procedures related to kindergarten transition and inter-organizational collaboration), and information for families shared via websites or program handouts.
Which of these types of documents would you be able to share?
Organizational charts
Staff rosters
Memoranda of Understanding between Head Start and Local Education Agencies
HS2K transition information for families (shared via websites or program handouts).
If you could send these materials to us by [date], that would be great.
This is all very helpful, thank you.
HUMAN SUBJECTS PROTECTIONS
The study protocol has been reviewed and approved by NORC’s Institutional Review Board and determined the HS2K study to be [exempt research, not human subjects research]. We can send a copy of the approval if you like.
We will obtain verbal informed consent from all staff respondents and written informed consent from the parents participating in the focus groups.
Participation in these interview and focus groups is voluntary.
[If conducting in-person site visits] We will need a private space to conduct interviews (e.g., individual offices, empty classrooms, or conference rooms).
CLOSING
Questions: Are there any questions about the HS2K study or the site visit that I could answer for you right now?
Follow-Up: After this call, we will send an email that documents our discussion, what we agreed to do, and next steps.
Point of Contact: Also, if you would like to designate one of your staff as the contact point for organizing the site visit please give me that individual’s contact information.
Thank you so much for your help today, and we look forward to seeing you soon and learning about the strategies and approaches used to transition children from Head Start to kindergarten.
Day 1: HEAD START |
|
|
Activity and Respondent |
Approximate Time |
Suggested Schedule |
Grantee Organization or Delegate Agency |
||
Grantee Administrator |
60 |
8.00-9.00 am |
Delegate Agency Administrator |
|
|
Interview with Manager/Coordinator #1 |
75 |
9.00-10.15 am |
Interview with Manager/Coordinator #2 |
75 |
10.15-11.45 am |
Lunch & Travel to program |
|
12.00-1.30pm |
Program Settings (Center- or School-based) |
||
Center Director or Principal |
75 |
1.30-2.45 pm |
Classroom Teacher #1 |
45 |
3.00-3.45 pm |
Classroom Teacher #2 |
45 |
4.00-4.45 pm |
Parent Focus Group set up |
|
4.45-5.00 pm |
Parent Focus Group |
90 |
5.00-6.30 pm |
Day 2: LOCAL EDUCATION AGENCY |
|
|
School District |
|
|
LEA/District Administrator/Staff #1 |
60 |
9.00-10.00 am |
LEA/District Administrator/Staff #2 |
60 |
10.00-11.00 am |
LEA/District Administrator/Staff #3 |
60 |
11.00-12.00 am |
Lunch & Travel to Elementary School |
|
12.00-1.30 pm |
Elementary School |
|
|
Principal |
75 |
1.30-2.45 pm |
Kindergarten teacher #1 |
45 |
3.00-4.00 pm |
Kindergarten teacher #2 |
|
4.00-5.00 pm |
Elementary School Staff |
60 |
3.00-4.00 pm |
Day 3: COMMUNITY PROVIDER |
||
Community Partner/Other Service Provider |
60 |
9.00-10.00 am |
(Expand template as needed)
Activity and Respondent |
Name |
Title |
Date |
Time (AM/PM) |
Location |
HEAD START |
|||||
Grantee Organization or Delegate Agency |
|||||
Grantee Administrator |
|
|
|
|
|
Delegate Agency Administrator |
|
|
|
|
|
Interview with Manager/Coordinator #1 |
|
|
|
|
|
Interview with Manager/Coordinator #2 |
|
|
|
|
|
Program Setting |
|||||
Center Director or Principal |
|
|
|
|
|
Classroom Teacher #1 |
|
|
|
|
|
Classroom Teacher #2 |
|
|
|
|
|
Parent Focus Group set up |
|
|
|
|
|
Parent Focus Group |
|
|
|
|
|
LOCAL EDUCATION AGENCY |
|||||
School District |
|||||
LEA/District Administrator/Staff #1 |
|
|
|
|
|
LEA/District Administrator/Staff #2 |
|
|
|
|
|
LEA/District Administrator/Staff #3 |
|
|
|
|
|
Elementary School |
|||||
Principal |
|
|
|
|
|
Kindergarten teacher #1 |
|
|
|
|
|
Kindergarten teacher #2 |
|
|
|
|
|
Elementary School Staff |
|
|
|
|
|
COMMUNITY PROVIDER |
|||||
Community Partner/Other Service Provider |
|
|
|
|
|
Note: The purpose of this script is to: gain the cooperation of the Head Start center director for an interview; obtain suggestions and contact information for Head Start teachers and staff to interview; work through the recruitment and logistics of the parent focus group; convey information about human subjects protections; and request documents.
The Paperwork Reduction Act Statement: This collection of information is voluntary and will be used to help better understand how Head Start programs, elementary schools, and community organizations are supporting children and families as they transition into kindergarten. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average of 60 minutes, including the time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and reviewing the collection of information. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number and expiration date for this collection are OMB #: 0970-XXXX, Exp: XX/XX/XXXX. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to [Contractor Contact Name]; [Contractor Contact Address].
INTRODUCTION
Hello. My name is ________ from (NORC at the University of Chicago, Child Trends, National P-3 Center). I am a member of the research team for Understanding Children’s Transition from Head Start to Kindergarten (HS2K), a study funded by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) within the Administration for Children and Families, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Am I speaking with (name of respondent)?
IF YES, CONTINUE.
IF NO, ASK FOR PERSON OR A GOOD TIME TO CALL PERSON.
With me on this call is ____________ from (NORC at the University of Chicago, Child Trends, National P-3 Center).
Thanks so much for taking the time to talk with us today.
ABOUT THE HS2K STUDY
The purpose of the HS2K study is to better understand how to improve children’s transitions from Head Start programs to elementary schools.
As part of this study, the [name of Head Start center] has been selected to participate in a site visit. We recently spoke with [name of Head Start grantee] about this.
ARRANGING AN INTERVIEW
I’m calling today because we would like to conduct an interview with you to learn about HS2K transition strategies and approaches.
The interview would take place on [date]. The interview would take [xx] minutes.
Are you available and interested in participating?
When would be a good date and time to conduct the interview? _____________________
RECORD RESPONSE
RECRUITING TEACHERS & STAFF FOR INTERVIEW
We would also appreciate your help in identifying [Head Start teachers and staff] to participate in interview. We would like to include two teachers from your center.
Will you ask your teachers and staff if they are interested and willing to attend?
Please send us the name and contact information of the teachers and staff that you suggest.
INTERVIEW TOPICS
Interview topics will vary by organization and respondent, but these are the key topics that will be addressed in the interviews:
HEAD START |
|
ARRANGING A FOCUS GROUP WITH PARENTS
Next, we would like to hold a focus group with about 8-10 parents or legal guardians whose children will transition to kindergarten. Our goal is to understand their perspectives on the transition process and hear about their experiences. The discussion group will last about 1½ hours. We will start by asking parents to fill out a brief survey about their background. This will take about 10 minutes. Participants will receive $50 gift card in appreciation of their time. Our team can provide refreshments.
Assistance needed: To hold a focus group, we would need your help in identifying who would be willing to be contacted by our research team. We would like to randomly select families from a de-identified program roster of children transitioning to kindergarten and then have someone from your program ask if they would be willing to be contacted by our research team. This is a method to recruit families for other Head Start studies. Is this something your program could help us with?
IF YES, CONTINUE: Great, thanks so much.
IF NOT SURE, ASK: What are your concerns? Do you need to discuss this with someone first and then get back to us? We understand.
Parent engagement: It would be helpful to know a bit about your [name of Head Start program] parent engagement practices. Please share a bit about what you do. What would be useful for us to know in order to reach out to parents?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Re-connecting with parents and recruiting them for the focus group:
As discussed in a previous call [insert date], we will now actively recruit parents and invite them to participate in the [in-person or virtual] focus groups. You will recall that we previously worked with you to obtain rosters of children that will be transitioning to kindergarten and you provided contact information for the parents/primary caregivers of these children. Thank you for your help with that! We were able to connect with parents and we now have a list of those that are interested in participating. At this stage in the process we will contact the parents/primary caregivers to see if they are still interested. Can we double check with you that the contact information is current?
Logistics:
IF CONDUCTIONG IN-PERSON DATA COLLECTION: Focus groups are best conducted in a quiet room or space where participants can sit around a table or in a circle so they can see one another. Do you have a conference room, empty classroom, or other kind of space that you think would work for us to conduct a focus group?
IF CONDUCTIONG VIRTUAL DATA COLLECTION: We plan to hold the focus group virtually. Is there anything else we should consider about holding a focus group with parents virtually?
HUMAN SUBJECTS PROTECTIONS
The study protocol has been reviewed and approved by NORC’s Institutional Review Board and determined the HS2K study to be [exempt research, not human subjects research]. We can send a copy of the approval if you like.
We will obtain verbal informed consent from all staff respondents and written informed consent from the parents participating in the focus groups.
Participation in the interviews and focus group is voluntary.
We will need a private space to conduct interviews (e.g., individual offices or conference rooms).
FOR HEAD START & LEAs: COVID-19 & Social Distancing Protocols
The coronavirus pandemic has altered our way of life and created constraints on how we all do our work. We want to be sure that everyone stays safe and healthy.
What social distancing and preventive health measures are in place at your site?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Are there any special procedures in place for visitors that we should know about?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
DOCUMENT REVIEW
Finally, we would like to review documents that would provide helpful background information. So before the site visit, we would request some materials about your HS2K transition policies and practices, such as organizational charts, staff rosters, Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) between Head Start and Local Education Agencies (that memorialize policies and procedures related to kindergarten transition and inter-organizational collaboration), and information for families shared via websites or program handouts.
Which of these types of documents would you be able to share?
Organizational charts
Staff rosters
Memoranda of Understanding between Head Start and Local Education Agencies
HS2K transition information for families (shared via websites or program handouts).
If you could send these materials to us by [date], that would be great.
This is all very helpful, thank you.
CLOSING
Questions: Are there any questions about the HS2K study or the site visit that I could answer for you right now?
Follow-Up: After this call, we will send an email that documents our discussion, what we agreed to do, and next steps.
Point of Contact: Also, if you would like to designate one of your staff as the contact point for organizing the site visit please give me that individual’s contact information.
Thank you so much for your help today.
We will send a memo that documents what we have discussed.
We look forward to seeing you soon and learning about the strategies and approaches used to transition children from Head Start to kindergarten.
Note: The purpose of this script is to gain the cooperation of the Elementary School principal for an interview; obtain suggestions and contact information for Elementary School teachers and staff to interview; convey information about human subjects protections; and request documents.
The Paperwork Reduction Act Statement: This collection of information is voluntary and will be used to help better understand how Head Start programs, elementary schools, and community organizations are supporting children and families as they transition into kindergarten. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average of 60 minutes, including the time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and reviewing the collection of information. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number and expiration date for this collection are OMB #: 0970-XXXX, Exp: XX/XX/XXXX. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to [Contractor Contact Name]; [Contractor Contact Address].
INTRODUCTION
Hello. My name is ________ from (NORC at the University of Chicago, Child Trends, National P-3 Center). I am a member of the research team for Understanding Children’s Transition from Head Start to Kindergarten (HS2K), a study funded by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) within the Administration for Children and Families, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Am I speaking with (name of respondent)?
IF YES, CONTINUE.
IF NO, ASK FOR PERSON OR A GOOD TIME TO CALL PERSON.
With me on this call is ____________ from (NORC at the University of Chicago, Child Trends, National P-3 Center).
Thanks so much for taking the time to talk with us today.
ABOUT THE HS2K STUDY
The purpose of the HS2K study is to better understand how to improve children’s transitions from Head Start programs to elementary schools.
As part of this study, the [name of Elementary School] has been selected to participate in a site visit. We recently spoke with [name of Head Start grantee] about this.
ARRANGING AN INTERVIEW
I’m calling today because we would like to conduct an interview with you to learn about HS2K transition strategies and approaches.
The interview would take place on [date]. The interview would take [xx] minutes.
Are you available and interested in participating?
When would be a good date and time to conduct the interview? _____________________
RECORD RESPONSE
RECRUITING TEACHERS & STAFF FOR INTERVIEWS
We would also appreciate your help in identifying [Elementary School teachers and staff] to participate in interview. We would like to include two teachers from your school.
Will you ask your teachers and staff if they are interested and willing to attend?
Please send us the name and contact information of the teachers and staff that you suggest.
INTERVIEW TOPICS
Interview topics will vary by organization and respondent, but these are the key topics that will be addressed in the interviews:
LOCAL EDUCATION AGENCY |
|
HUMAN SUBJECTS PROTECTIONS
The study protocol has been reviewed and approved by NORC’s Institutional Review Board and determined the HS2K study to be [exempt research, not human subjects research]. We can send a copy of the approval if you like.
We will obtain verbal informed consent from all staff respondents and written informed consent from the parents participating in the focus groups.
Participation in the interviews and focus group is voluntary.
We will need a private space to conduct interviews (e.g., individual offices or conference rooms).
FOR HEAD START & LEAs: COVID-19 & Social Distancing Protocols
The coronavirus pandemic has altered our way of life and created constraints on how we all do our work. We want to be sure that everyone stays safe and healthy.
What social distancing and preventive health measures are in place at your site?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Are there any special procedures in place for visitors that we should know about?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
DOCUMENT REVIEW
Finally, we would like to review documents that would provide helpful background information. So before the site visit, we would request some materials about your HS2K transition policies and practices, such as organizational charts, staff rosters, Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) between Head Start and Local Education Agencies (that memorialize policies and procedures related to kindergarten transition and inter-organizational collaboration), and information for families shared via websites or program handouts.
Which of these types of documents would you be able to share?
Organizational charts
Staff rosters
Memoranda of Understanding between Head Start and Local Education Agencies
HS2K transition information for families (shared via websites or program handouts).
If you could send these materials to us by [date], that would be great.
This is all very helpful, thank you.
CLOSING
Questions: Are there any questions about the HS2K study or the site visit that I could answer for you right now?
Follow-Up: After this call, we will send an email that documents our discussion, what we agreed to do, and next steps.
Point of Contact: Also, if you would like to designate one of your staff as the contact point for organizing the site visit please give me that individual’s contact information.
Thank you so much for your help today.
We will send a memo that documents what we have discussed.
We look forward to seeing you soon and learning about the strategies and approaches used to transition children from Head Start to kindergarten.
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| Author | Mitchell Barrows |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2021-08-13 |