Ameri can Institutes for Research Task Order 18: Study on Sustaining the Positive Effects of Preschool

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## Appendix **D .**  **District Interview Protocol**Ameri can Institutes for Research Task Order 18: Study on Sustaining the Positive Effects of Preschool

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# Study on Sustaining the **Positive Effects of Preschool District Interview Protocol**  Interviewer_____________________________________ Interviewee ID #_________________ Site __________________________________________ Date/Time_____________________ **Introduction** My name is ______, and I work for American Institutes for Research (AI R). We’ve been contracted b y the U.S. Department of Education to conduct case studies on sites that are implementing particular programs to support early elementary students. As y ou ma y know, the purpose of the stud y is to document characteristics of programs and policies in earl y elementary school that support student growth and development, such as PK

– 3 alignment, differentiated instruction, and other programs designed to sustain the advantages of preschool. We are interested in learning more about the theoretical or practical background of these programs, how they are implemented, how they are sustained and funded, and their outcomes. I want to reassure you that y our responses to this interview will be used only for research purposes . Though your site ’s name will appear in the final report, we will not provide y our name in any reporting or to anyone outside the study team, except as required by law. Because we are producing case studi es of only a small number of named sites, it may be possible for a reader to identify y ou based on the data that we report, even though y our name will not be used. If there is information that y ou do not want shared directl y in any reporting, please let me know. I will now give you a consent form that provides more details about the study and your rights as a participant. Do y ou have an y questions about the study ? I plan to audio record this session, solely for our note

- taking purposes. Only research staff will use the audio recording, and we’ll destro y it when the project is done. Is that okay with y ou? **Role and Previous Education -**  **Related Experience** 1. I’d like to start b y asking you to tell me a bit about yourself. Briefl y, how did you come to be in this position at [NAME OF DISTRICT]? a. What education

- related experiences did y ou have before you took on this role? **District Characteristics** 2. In one or two sentences, how would y ou describe any unique features of y our district or schools to a colleague from another district?Ameri can Institutes for Research Task Order 18: Study on Sustaining the Positive Effects of Preschool

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3. You mentioned on the pre

- interview survey that X % of your kindergartners attended preschool programs. Do y ou have any information about the quality , nature or focus of those programs? **Approach to Program or Strategy and Implementation** My next questions focus very specificall y on [PROGRAM]. 4. I understand this program involves [BRI EFLY DESCRIBE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROGRAM FROM BACKGRO UND RESEARCH]. Can you tell me more about all the activities involved? a. Are you focusing on one particular subject matter or goal for students? b. Are you specificall y recruiting or providing services to certain subgroups of students? 5. Can y ou tell me about the way s y ou are involved with [PROGRAM] day to day ? a. Besides yourself, who else at the district is involved with the program and in what ways? 6. What are the explicit goals of [PROGRAM]? 7. In what areas of student performance would you most like to see improvement as a result of yo ur program? If any of these are mentioned, be sure to get details (such as specific goals and rationale):  Higher achievement in certain content area  Better attendance  Reduced placement in special education  Reduced grade

- level retention  Better social or behavioral outcomes 8. What research, theory , or experiences informed the development of [PROGRAM]? 9. Who was involved in the design of the program? 10. Did the initiative involve any approval processes, such as a grant application, new funding streams, or formal adoption by a school board? 11. [WE AL READY HAVE (XX DOCUMENT)] OR [WE DO NOT HAVE ANY WRI TTEN DOCUMENTS on (PROGRAM)]. Are there [other] written resources that document [PROGRAM] and its components or development? a. Could we get a cop y of those? 12. Let’s talk about when the program was first rolled out into the schools. When was [PROGRAM] first implemented? a. Can y ou describe what was needed initiall y to roll out [PROGRAM]?Ameri can Institutes for Research Task Order 18: Study on Sustaining the Positive Effects of Preschool

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If not mentioned, ask: a. What staff training was needed? b. What resources were required? c. What had to be done to ensure staff bu y - in to the program? Parent buy

- in? d. What was the timeline for the rollout? Was it rolled out all at once, or was there a phased

in implementation? 13. In what way s does the distric t monitor fidelity of the program’s implementation? In other words, how do you know if the program is being rolled out as intended? 14. How is [PROGRAM] funded? Has the funding source changed over the course of the program’s design and implementation? 15. What was the cost of developing and implementing this program initially ? a. [If there is an outside funding source: ] What ty pes of personnel and nonpersonnel costs did the district cover? What ty pes of personnel and nonpersonnel costs did [FUNDING SOURCE/ORGANIZATI ON] cover? 16. What are the ongoing costs of continuing [PROGRAM]? **ASK QUESTIONS IN THE THREE SECTIONS BELOW, DEPENDING ON WHICH TOPIC(S) IS A FOCUS FOR THE SITE VISIT.**  **TOPIC 1: PK**

**– 3 Alignment**  I’d like to talk a little more about PK

– 3 alignment efforts at the school level. 17. Are assessments aligned, connected, or coordinated across grades? I f so, how? a. Did the district need to make an y changes to ensure this alignment? If not mentioned, ask: a. What assessments are used? How often are they given? b. How is the inf

ormation from assessments used? c. Does your district use a Kindergarten Entry Assessment? I f so, which one? d. Do y ou receive the results of assessments for children that attended preschool, from their preschool programs? If so, how is this information used? 18. How are standards, curricula, or other materials and resources in different grades and in preschool related? a. What changes did the district make to standards and curricula, if an y, when [PROGRAM] was implemented? b. How do y ou assure children are learning n ew material and not something learned the prior y ear? Now I have a couple of questions about teachers. 19. To what degree are similar instructional practices used in different grades and in preschool?Ameri can Institutes for Research Task Order 18: Study on Sustaining the Positive Effects of Preschool

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20. How does the district train and support teachers to align instructional practices across Grades PK

– 3? a. Can y ou describe any ongoing training? b. Do teachers have dedicated time to meet with teachers in other grades? c. How is data used and shared across grades? d. How, if at all, are preschool teachers included in this training and support? 21. How do teachers for prekindergarten to Grade 3 know what other teachers are doing in their classrooms? **TOPIC 2: Differentiated Instruction** Let’s talk now about how differentiated instruction looks in district schools and classrooms. 22. If not already discussed: Can y ou describe any particular approaches that you use to differentiate instruction? 23. How do teachers in the classroom, work with children at different skill levels? a. Can y ou describe how and whether students are assigned to spec ific classrooms or teachers or groups? [If applicable: ] How long do these grouping assignments last? b. Are there specific strategies or practices used for personalizing instruction in kindergarten and first grade that are different from other grades? How are these different than strategies that teachers in later grades (Grade 2 and bey ond) might be using? 24. On what characteristic or skill is instruction differentiated? 25. How do schools identify the individual needs of students? How is student progress monitored? If not mentioned, ask: a. What assessments are used? b. Does your district also use a Kindergarten Entry Assessment? I f so, which one? c. How is the information from assessments used? d. How often are children assessed? 26. What resources and tools help teachers effectively differentiate their approach with students? If not mentioned, ask: a. How, if at all, are curricula or other materials and resources used? b. How, if at all, is technology used? c. How, if at all, are small groups used? 27. How are teachers trained and supported on differentiation strategies? If not mentioned ask: a. Can y ou describe any ongoing training? b. In what other way s does the district support school leaders and teachers in differentiating instruction?Ameri can Institutes for Research Task Order 18: Study on Sustaining the Positive Effects of Preschool

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28. How do teac hers differentiate instruction for students with higher skills or competencies? **ASK THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS OF ALL INTERVIEWEES. Other Specific Interventions or Supports**  29 . Are there an y other programs or supports for earl y elementary students, designed to sustain the effects of preschool or otherwise support their learning and development, that we have not ye t talked about? If yes, ask questions 30

- 33 : 30. If I observed a school or classroom in y our district, what activities would I see related to this progr am? 31. Who does the program serve? If the following are mentioned, make sure to get details:  Parents  Particular groups of students (e.g., those who attended preschool, English language learners, students with disabilities) 32. How are activities or approaches se lected? a. What guidance do program staff members receive from the district? 33. Tell me about the [coaches/staff/teachers] who implement [PROGRAM]. Ask if not mentioned: a. How were they

selected? b. What roles do different teachers and other staff members play ? c. How were staff roles determined? d. Have these staff received any special training or professional development? I f so, what did that training focus on? **Outcomes** 34. You previously

stated that y our goals were [ restate goals from question 7 ] . How do you measure pro gress against those goals? How do you evaluate the program? If not mentioned, ask: a. Do y ou have an outside evaluator? If yes:Ameri can Institutes for Research Task Order 18: Study on Sustaining the Positive Effects of Preschool

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a. Why did y ou decide to hire an evaluator? b. What are the benefits and challenges of working with an evaluator? c. In what way s does y our evaluator help you determine what program changes are needed? 35. What effect, if an y, do you think [PROGRAM] has had on student outcomes in kindergarten through third grade? If interviewee reports effect: a. For which outcomes have y ou seen gains? b. How are these gains measured or documented? c. Have these gains been consistent over time? d. Can y ou share or point us to the data demonstrating these patterns? If no effect: a. What do y ou think are the barriers to seeing more gains? 36. Has your district documented changes in teacher practices? Teacher turnover? If yes: a. Have you seen an y patterns? b. Can y ou share any

data with us? If no: a. What do y ou think are the barriers to seeing changes in teacher practice? **Success, Challenges, and Sus tainability**  37. What is working well with [PROGRAM]? 38. What aspect of [PROGRAM] needs strengthening? Why ? a. What plans do y ou have to try to strengthen it? 39. What challenges have yo u and y our colleagues experienced in implementing [PROGRAM], and what steps did you take or may still be needed to address them? 40. How does the district plan to ensure the sustainability of its work with [PROGRAM]? Are there challenges to keeping the program going? If any of the following are mentioned, make sure to get details:  Staffing  Pr ofessional development  Resources (materials, funding)  Practices (e.g., teacher practices)  Perceptions and bu y - in (e.g., from staff, parents, the school board) 41. One purpose of this study is to help other districts and schools potentially begin a similar prog ram. What advice would y ou give to such districts or schools? Are there certainAmeri can Institutes for Research Task Order 18: Study on Sustaining the Positive Effects of Preschool

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resources, structures, or capabilities that need to be in place for a program like this to succeed? 42. Those are all the questions Ihave. Are there any questions that Ishould ask about [PROGRAM] that Ididn’t? I s there an ything else y ou’d like to share with me today in regard to [PROGRAM]?