American Institutes for Research Task Order 18: Study on Sustaining the Positive Effects of Preschool—D-1

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Appendix D. District Interview Protocol
American Institutes for Research Task Order 18: Study on Sustaining the Positive Effects of Preschool—D-2

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 (AIR). We’ve been 

contracted by the U.S. Department of Education to conduct case studies on sites that are 

implementing particular programs to support early elementary students. 

As you may know, the purpose of the study is to document characteristics of programs and 

policies in early 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 your 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 your name 

in any reporting or to anyone outside the study team, except as required by law. Because we are 

producing case studies of only a small number of named sites, it may be possible for a reader to 

identify you based on the data that we report, even though your name will not be used. If there is 

information that you do not want shared directly 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 you have any 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 destroy it when the project is done. Is that okay with you? 

Role and Previous Education-Related Experience

1. I’d like to start by asking you to tell me a bit about yourself. Briefly, how did you come to be 

in this position at [NAME OF DISTRICT]? 

a. What education-related experiences did you have before you took on this role?

District Characteristics 

2. In one or two sentences, how would you describe any unique features of your district or 

schools to a colleague from another district? 
American Institutes for Research Task Order 18: Study on Sustaining the Positive Effects of Preschool—D-3

3. You mentioned on the pre-interview survey that X% of your kindergartners attended 

preschool programs. Do you have any information about the quality, nature or focus of those 

programs?

Approach to Program or Strategy and Implementation

My next questions focus very specifically on [PROGRAM]. 

4. I understand this program involves [BRIEFLY DESCRIBE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF 

THE PROGRAM FROM BACKGROUND 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 specifically recruiting or providing services to certain subgroups of students?

5. Can you tell me about the ways you 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 

your 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 ALREADY HAVE (XX DOCUMENT)] OR [WE DO NOT HAVE ANY WRITTEN 

DOCUMENTS on (PROGRAM)]. Are there [other] written resources that document 

[PROGRAM] and its components or development?

a. Could we get a copy of those?

12. Let’s talk about when the program was first rolled out into the schools. When was 

[PROGRAM] first implemented? 

a. Can you describe what was needed initially to roll out [PROGRAM]? 
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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 buy-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 phasedin implementation?

13. In what ways does the district 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 types of personnel and nonpersonnel costs 

did the district cover? What types of personnel and nonpersonnel costs did [FUNDING 

SOURCE/ORGANIZATION] 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? If so, how? 

a. Did the district need to make any changes to ensure this alignment?

If not mentioned, ask: 

a. What assessments are used? How often are they given?

b. How is the information from assessments used?

c. Does your district use a Kindergarten Entry Assessment? If so, which one? 

d. Do you 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 any, when [PROGRAM] 

was implemented?

b. How do you assure children are learning new material and not something learned the 

prior year?

Now I have a couple of questions about teachers. 

19. To what degree are similar instructional practices used in different grades and in preschool? 
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20. How does the district train and support teachers to align instructional practices across Grades 

PK–3?

a. Can you 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 you 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 you describe how and whether students are assigned to specific 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 beyond) 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? If 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 you describe any ongoing training? 

b. In what other ways does the district support school leaders and teachers in differentiating 

instruction?
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28. How do teachers differentiate instruction for students with higher skills or competencies?

ASK THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS OF ALL INTERVIEWEES.

Other Specific Interventions or Supports

29. Are there any other programs or supports for early elementary students, designed to sustain 

the effects of preschool or otherwise support their learning and development, that we have not 

yet talked about?

If yes, ask questions 30-33:

30. If I observed a school or classroom in your district, what activities would I see related to this 

program?

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 selected? 

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? If so, what 

did that training focus on?

Outcomes

34. You previously stated that your goals were [restate goals from question 7]. How do you 

measure progress against those goals? How do you evaluate the program? 

If not mentioned, ask:

a. Do you have an outside evaluator? 

If yes:
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a. Why did you decide to hire an evaluator? 

b. What are the benefits and challenges of working with an evaluator? 

c. In what ways does your evaluator help you determine what program changes are needed?

35. What effect, if any, do you think [PROGRAM] has had on student outcomes in kindergarten 

through third grade?

If interviewee reports effect: 

a. For which outcomes have you seen gains?

b. How are these gains measured or documented?

c. Have these gains been consistent over time? 

d. Can you share or point us to the data demonstrating these patterns?

If no effect: 

a. What do you 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 any patterns?

b. Can you share any data with us?

If no: 

a. What do you think are the barriers to seeing changes in teacher practice?

Success, Challenges, and Sustainability

37. What is working well with [PROGRAM]?

38. What aspect of [PROGRAM] needs strengthening? Why? 

a. What plans do you have to try to strengthen it?

39. What challenges have you and your 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

 Professional development

 Resources (materials, funding)

 Practices (e.g., teacher practices)

 Perceptions and buy-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 

program. What advice would you give to such districts or schools? Are there certain 
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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 I have. Are there any questions that I should ask about 

[PROGRAM] that I didn’t? Is there anything else you’d like to share with me today in regard 

to [PROGRAM]?