Attachment C: Phase 1 Recruitment

Attachment C Phase 1 Recruitment 12

Study of Disabilities Services Coordinators and Inclusion

Attachment C Phase 1 Recruitment

Table 1. List of Recruitment Emails for Phase 1 Director Survey

Initial Email Invitation to Directors from Study Team
Letter of Support from OHS to Directors
Follow up email 1 from OHS to Directors
Follow up email 2 from OHS to Directors
Follow-up Email 1 to Directors from Study Team
Follow-up Email 2 to Directors from Study Team
Follow-up Phone Recruitment to Directors from Study Team
Follow-up Phone Recruitment FAQ
Study Advertisement- Project Partners (e.g., stakeholders, other parties (TA centers; regional offices)

INITIAL EMAIL INVITE TO DIRECTORS FROM STUDY TEAM

Dear [FIRST NAME] [LAST NAME],

We are pleased to invite you to participate in the Study of Disability Services Coordinators (DSCs) and Inclusion in Head Start. The study is designed to provide a national picture of the DSC workforce for Early Head Start (EHS) and Head Start (HS) programs, including American Indian and Alaska Native (Region XI) and Migrant and Seasonal Head Start (MSHS) (Region XII) grantees and/or delegate agencies.

The study is funded by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) in the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and is being conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago, their partners at SRI International, and their consultant, Amanda Schwartz.

The goals of the study are to improve understanding of:

• How DSC roles are implemented across EHS/HS programs;

• Partnerships with agencies and community-based service providers; and

• Practices used to collaborate with families of children with disabilities.

As part of the study, we are asking all EHS/HS program directors to complete a 45 minute online survey. In the survey we ask about:

• Names and contact information for your program’s DSC(s);

• Details about your program; and

• Your perspective on disability services and inclusion in your program.

We are excited about the study, and we hope you are too! The success of this study hinges on our ability to obtain DSC contact information from you and other program directors nationwide. Please help us develop a national picture of how Head Start disability services vary across the country by responding to the survey. Your responses will not be able to be individually identified and will not be used for monitoring purposes. ACF funding for your program will not be impacted by your responses.

Getting started. To begin the survey, please click or type the secure URL into any computer or mobile device’s web browser and enter the unique PIN. The survey does not have to be completed all at once; you can save your responses and return to the survey later.

SURVEY TIPS:

Want to prepare for the survey?

• Preview the survey topics in the attached document [Attach list of Module topics]

• Preview the full surveys here [LINK]

Check with others

• Please confer with colleagues, as needed, to identify the responses for your program

SAVE the survey at any time

• come back to it later when you are ready

URL address: XXX.norc.org

PIN: [XXXX]

Questions? The research team is happy to answer any questions about the survey and help you in any way you need. You can contact NORC at HeadStartDSCStudy@norc.org.

Thank you for your help with this important research!

Sincerely,

Michael López, Ph.D. Shannon TenBroeck, MA

Principal Investigator Co-Principal Investigator

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement

The described collection of information is voluntary. 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 for the described information collection is xxxx-xxxx and the expiration date is MM/DD/YYYY. If you have questions about this data collection, please contact HeadStartDSCStudy@norc.org.

LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM OHS TO DIRECTORS

Dear Head Start/Early Head Start Program Director,

We are pleased to announce the start of the national Study of Disability Services Coordinators (DSCs) and Inclusion in Head Start. The study is the first opportunity to understand the roles, responsibilities and variations in disability services, nationally and regionally. Your responses, and the responses of your Disability Service Coordinator(s) will provide Head Start with essential details to better understand trainings and supports for inclusion, processes for delivery of disabilities services, and collaborations with local education agencies (LEAs), early intervention (EI) programs, health providers, and other community partners. This information will inform Head Start policy and the design and provision of training and technical assistance at the national and regional level.

Why do we need your participation? We need your expertise regarding your program’s approach to disability services. Further, you are the best link to connect with DSCs. The study team needs your participation to be able to contact your Disabilities Coordinator(s) to engage in this important study. When you receive an email from the study team [EMAIL ADDRESS], please respond to the survey as soon as possible to provide both your program perspective and the contact information for your staff providing disability services.

The Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) in the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) sponsors the study, and the design and measures have been developed in close partnership with the Office of Head Start (OHS). The study is being conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago.

The study will have three parts. First, surveys will be gathered from Head Start/Early Head Start directors, next the study team will send a survey to your DSC(s), and finally a small sample of DSCs who volunteer to participate will be interviewed. Data collection will begin once OMB approval is received [DATE].

We thank you in advance for your quick response to NORC’s request. Should you have any concerns about your organization’s participation in the study, please contact the study’s Federal Project Officers, Laura Hoard (laura.hoard@acf.hhs.gov) and Wendy DeCourcey (wendy.decourcey@acf.hhs.gov) , or from OPRE or Dayana Garcia of OHS (dayana.garcia@.hhs.gov) ACF, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Sincerely,

[OHS SIGNATOR; Dr. Bernadine Futrell

Director, Office of Head Start]

FOLLOW UP EMAIL 1 FROM OHS TO DIRECTORS

Dear [PROGRAM TYPE] Directors,

You should have now received an email request from the study team to participate in the Study of Disability Services Coordinators (DSCs) and Inclusion in Head Start. This study is the first opportunity for OHS to understand disabilities services and all of the work that you do for [PROGRAM TYPE: national and regional, Head Start, Early Head Start, American Indian and Alaskan Native; Migrant and Seasonal Head Start] programs. [OPTIONAL: Currrently, the [NATIONAL or SUBSAMPLE] director response rate for this groundbreaking study is at [X percent]]. Please make sure this national study includes your program and its perspective on disabilities services.

This is a friendly reminder to log in and complete the online survey for [PROGRAM TYPE] directors.

Thank you for your attention to this important national research,

[OHS SIGNATOR]

FOLLOW UP EMAIL 2 FROM OHS TO DIRECTORS

Dear [PROGRAM TYPE] Directors,

The Grantee Directors’ survey portion of the Study of Disability Services Coordinators (DSCs) and Inclusion in Head Start is nearing its conclusion. At the Office of Head Start, we are excited to see the national and regional picture of the DSC processes, roles and responsibilities, and how this data will inform technical assistance and policy for years to come.

We hope you will take this opportunity to add your program’s voice to the study. Without your program, the national picture of Head Start disabilities services will be incomplete. [OPTIONAL: Currrently, the [NATIONAL or SUBSAMPLE] director response rate for this groundbreaking study is at [X percentages].]

This is a friendly reminder to log in and complete the online survey for [PROGRAM TYPE] directors.

Thank you for your attention to this important national research,

[OHS SIGNATOR]

FOLLOW UP EMAIL FROM STUDY TEAM TO DIRECTORS

FOLLOW UP EMAIL 1 STUDY TEAM TO DIRECTORS

Hello [FIRST NAME] [LAST NAME].

This is a follow-up email reminding you to participate in the Study of Disability Services Coordinators and Inclusion. We need your help to make this study a success!

The research team is happy to answer any questions about the survey and help you in any way you need. You can contact NORC at HeadStartDSCStudy@norc.org.

Please take your soonest opportunity to log in and begin the survey! We are very interested in your program approach to disability services.

Getting started. To begin the survey, please click or type the secure URL into any computer or mobile device’s web browser and enter the unique PIN. The survey does not have to be completed all at once; you can save your responses and return to the survey later.

URL address: XXX.norc.org

PIN: [XXXX]

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement

The described collection of information is voluntary. 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 for the described information collection is xxxx-xxxx and the expiration date is MM/DD/YYYY. If you have questions about this data collection, please contact HeadStartDSCStudy@norc.org.

FOLLOW UP EMAIL 2 STUDY TEAM TO DIRECTORS

Hello [FIRST NAME] [LAST NAME].

The Study of Disability Services Coordinators and Inclusion is soon coming to a close. The study will not be complete without information representing your program. Please take the time to log in and provide details about your program’s approach to disabilities services. We need your help to make this study a success! Remember, your responses will not be able to be individually identified. The information will not be used for monitoring purposes and ACF funding for your program will not be impacted by your responses.

The research team is happy to answer any questions about the survey and help you in any way you need. You can contact NORC at HeadStartDSCStudy@norc.org. S

SURVEY TIPS:

Want to prepare for the survey?

• Preview the survey topics in the attached document [Attach list of Module topics]

• Preview the full surveys here [LINK]

Check with others

• Please confer with colleagues, as needed, to identify the responses for your program

SAVE the survey at any time

• come back to it later when you are ready

To begin the survey, please click or type the secure URL into any computer or mobile device’s web browser and enter the unique PIN. The survey does not have to be completed all at once; you can save your responses and return to the survey later.

URL address: XXX.norc.org

PIN: [XXXX]

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement

The described collection of information is voluntary. 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 for the described information collection is xxxx-xxxx and the expiration date is MM/DD/YYYY. If you have questions about this data collection, please contact HeadStartDSCStudy@norc.org.

FOLLOW UP PHONE RECRUITMENT STUDY TEAM TO DIRECTORS

Hello [FIRST NAME] [LAST NAME].

My name is [Name] and I am calling from NORC at the University of Chicago to follow-up with you about participating in the Study of Disability Services Coordinators (DSCs) and Inclusion in Head Start. We are very excited about this study as it will provide the first look at how DSC roles play out across the nation!

We have sent emails describing the study, and we wanted to see if you had any questions. As a reminder, the Office of Head Start in partnership with Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation have contracted with NORC to conduct this study.

Your input will contribute to a national snapshot of disabilities support within Early Head Start (EHS) and Head Start (HS) programs, to better understanding of the variations in disability services, and to identification of current program needs for high quality disabilities support for EHS/HS children, families, and staff. Individual programs will not be identifiable in reports or findings: this will be a national picture.

Responses from EHS and HS directors are essential for the success of this study. Without your assistance, we cannot reach the DSCs!

In the survey we ask about:

• Names and contact information for your program’s DSC(s);

• Details about your program; and

• Your perspective on disability services and inclusion in your program.

The director’s perspective is very important for the study. Have you received the emails from us asking for your participation?

[If no]: Would you mind giving me your email address so I can update our information and send you a link to the survey?

[If yes]: Great, glad to know our emails are making it to you.

Would you like me to give you the link and your specific PIN right now? (If Yes: Provide URL and PIN XXXX).

Do you have any questions about the study that I can answer for you?

[All:] Thank you for taking my call today! While your participation is voluntary, we do hope you will decide to contribute to this important study. It will take about 25 minutes of your time and would contribute significantly to study success!

Your participation is valuable to this national effort and we greatly appreciate your time. Thank you. If you have any additional questions, please reach out to NORC at HeadStartDSCStudy@norc.org.

FOLLOW UP PHONE RECRUITMENT FAQ

Title of Project: The Study of Disability Services Coordinators and Inclusion in Head Start, 2019-2024

Principal Investigator(s): Michael López and Shannon TenBroeck

Why are we doing this study? This study will provide a national picture of the Disability Services Coordinators (DSC) workforce for Early Head Start (EHS) and Head Start (HS), including American Indian/Alaska Native (Region XI) and Migrant and Seasonal Head Start (MSHS) (Region XII) grantees and/or delegate agencies. This study will improve Head Start’s understanding of how programs implement disability services for children and families.

Who is funding this study? The Study of Disability Services Coordinators and Inclusion in Head Start 2019-2024 is funded by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation in the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The study is being conducted by NORC at The University of Chicago, their partners at SRI International, and their consultant, Amanda Schwartz.

Will my responses impact my program? Information from the study will not be used for monitoring purposes and ACF funding for your program will not be impacted by your responses. Your responses will be combined with others and reported together so that individual information is not identifiable.

How do I prepare for the survey?

• Preview the survey topics in the attached document [Send list of Module topics]

• Preview the full surveys here [LINK]

Check with others

• Please confer with colleagues, as needed, to identify the responses for your program

SAVE the survey at any time

• come back to it later when you are ready

Privacy: We will protect privacy of your identifiable data to the extent allowed by law. We cannot guarantee complete privacy for data that is sent over the Internet. To minimize risks to loss of privacy, we use a secure system to collect these data. Once the data is collected, we will remove all identifying information and replace it with a study ID. Only the researchers involved in the study will know that someone from your agency participated in the study. In any written reports of the data, your responses will be combined with others and reported together so that individual information is not identifiable. If quotes are used in any reports, they will not be connected to an individual or grantee/delegate agency. If you would like to withdraw from the study, please notify the research team at HeadStartDSCStudy@norc.org to request that we destroy all of your data and exclude your responses from the study results. We will honor your request unless the data has already been aggregated, at which point we will no longer be able to separate person-level data. The NORC Institutional Review Board (IRB) and the Office for Human Subjects Research Protections in the Department of Health and Human Services may review records related to this research study.

The de-identified data from this study, including survey responses and interview notes, will be maintained for use in future research projects by other researchers. The data will be linked at the program-level to administrative data such as the Program Information Report (PIR) and national reports of disability policies.

You must be 18 years of age or older to take part in this research study.

Benefits: The study will provide a national understanding of how HS provides disability services. HS is a national early childhood leader, and the variety of ways that HS programs implement the Head Start Program Performance Standards for disability services will inform practice, policy, guidance and technical assistance. Your participation in this study will also help HS to improve disability services and to design supports for programs to enhance their disability coordination programming.

Risks: There are no risks in participating in this research beyond those experienced in everyday life.    

Right to Ask Questions: If you have any questions, concerns, or comments about the study, please contact the research team at HeadStartDSCStudy@norc.org. If you have questions about your rights as a research volunteer, please call the NORC Institutional Review Board toll free at 1-866-309-0542.

Phase 1 – Survey of EHS/HS Directors

How do I participate? As part of this study, we are asking all grantee or delegate agency directors to complete a brief 25-minute web-based survey that will provide us with information about your program. If you are unable to complete the survey online, you can request to complete it by phone.

Your responses to this survey will provide important information about:

• Names and contact information for your program’s DSC(s);

• Details about your program; and

• Your perspective on disability services and inclusion in your program.

How long will it take? It will take about 25 minutes to complete the online survey. The survey allows you to stop and save your responses at any time and return to them later for completion.

Phase 2 – Survey of EHS/HS DSCs

How do I participate? As part of this study, we will ask all DSCs within EHS and HS programs to complete a 45-minute online survey. If you are unable to complete the survey online, you can request to complete it by phone. You are able to confer with other staff to improve the accuracy of your answers, if needed.

Your participation will help the study capture current practices, strengths, and challenges related to disability services in EHS and HS programs.

Your responses to this survey will provide important information about:

• The characteristics and responsibilities of DSCs;

• The processes and approaches to partnering with agencies and community partners to offer services to children with disabilities and their families;

• Collaboration with families of children with disabilities; and

• Challenges to inclusion and providing disability services, support, and education to children, families, and staff.

How long will it take? It will take about 45 minutes to complete the online survey. The survey allows you to stop and save your responses at any time and return to them later for completion.

Phase 3 – DSC Interviews

How long will it take? The interview will take about 45 minutes.

How do I participate? If you are willing to participate, please let us know, and we will schedule a time for the interview over the next several weeks. Your participation in this interview will provide important details about key aspects of the DSC role and processes. Your responses will help HS improve understanding and supports for disability services.

STUDY ADVERTISEMENT: PROJECT PARTNERS

We are excited to report that the Study of Disability Services Coordinator and Inclusion had begun. This study is funded by Administration for Children and Families and data is being collected by NORC, a national research organization. HS and EHS program directors and DSCs will complete surveys about disabilities service administration, roles and responsibilities, and processes. The resulting information will be a powerful resource for Office of Head Start, inform TA guidance, and highlight best practices. Please participate in the study! [CONTACT INFO FOR STUDY TEAM]