IMPAQ International, LLC    4. Interviews with TA Recipients

September 15, 2014    

4. INTERVIEWS WITH TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE RECIPIENTS

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[NOTE TO INTERVIEWER: Below are suggested introductory remarks. While it is not necessary to

follow this as a script, it is important that you cover all of the main points contained here.]

I work for IMPAQ International, and we are evaluating the system of Comprehensive Technical

Assistance Centers. The U.S. Department of Education’s Institute for Education Sciences

contracted with us to conduct this study.  

As part of our study, we will be interviewing recipients of Center work.  The purpose of the study

is to gather data to describe the work of the Centers and how the Centers build the capacities of

state departments of education. We will use the information we learn from our visit today to

report on our results to the U.S. Department of Education. What you have to say is important to

us; we appreciate your helping us understand the Centers’ work.

Everything that we discuss during this interview will be used only for purposes of this study.

We will endeavor to keep your responses confidential by not identifying you by name. Your

responses will be de‐identified and will not be shared directly with individuals outside of the

research team.  Findings from the interviews will be reported in summary form, but your role

and the Comprehensive Center you work with may be identified in the report.  Before we

begin, do you have any questions about the purpose of the evaluation or our confidentiality

policy?

To start, do you mind if we audio record our session for the accuracy of my note taking?  

Individual Information and Knowledge of Centers

1. Please describe your position and your responsibilities with the SEA.

2. How long have you been in this position?  How long have you worked with the SEA?

3. Please describe any other background particularly relevant to your current work with the

SEAs?

4. When did you first work with or receive services from any of the Comprehensive Centers?

Which Centers have you worked with or received technical assistance from since that time?
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5. I would like to focus now on the Centers that are currently funded (funded Centers since

late 2012). We’d like to hear about ways you've worked with or received services from

these Centers.  How did the Center try to learn about your needs?   

PROBES:  

What data or documents did the Center request?

Whom did the Center interview?

What was discussed in the early contacts/meetings?   

Have you had regular contact with them since the first contact?

Is this typically in person, by phone, or by e‐mail?

6. Please describe the major projects or services the Center has provided you or that you've

participated in with the Center(s).

   

7. How are decisions made about what services the Center should provide to the SEA?

8. How would you characterize the specific role of the Center(s) in serving the SEAs, as distinct

from other TA providers available to the SEA?

9. What are you most hoping to get from the Center? What needs do you hope the Center will

address?

PROBE:

In what ways do you hope the Center will build your capacity?

10. Do you believe the Centers have been effective in addressing the needs of the SEA and the

state? If yes, please describe how and what evidence you have of their effectiveness. If no,

please explain why and how/in what ways they have not been effective in serving the

SEA/state needs.

Project Background  

Now we'd like to discuss one or two specific projects that the Center staff has identified as

illustrative that they are implementing with your SEA:

11. How would you briefly describe the _______________ project to someone who isn’t

familiar with it?  

12. What are the key strategies and activities —including training events, products, meetings—

that are part of achieving the goals?

13. How does the project fit into the overall work at the SEA or your division?  

PROBES:

Are there other initiatives or projects at the SEA that are related to this project?  

What is the policy or regulatory context for this project?
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14. What prompted this particular project? What needs does it address? Why did you decide to

work with the Center on this?  

15. How did you work with the Center to develop this project?   

PROBES:  

Did your staff suggest the strategy or activities the Center might undertake to address

the needs, or did the Center recommend the strategy? Please describe how you arrived

at the project plan.

16. Is there any part of the local context (political, fiscal, legal, economic, etc.) that you think

played a role in the project’s early development?  

PROBES: How did it impact what your team was thinking and doing in relation to this

project? Did your office have any Federal or state grant money behind this project?

17. Can you tell me about the other SEA or other state agency team members on this project?

Specifically, what are the titles or positions of SEA staff, and what are their respective roles

on the project?

PROBE: [Ask about other agency staff (such as workforce staff for college and career

readiness, or human services staff for early childhood) where appropriate.]

18. Whom from the relevant Center(s) do you work with on this project?

19. Who else from outside the SEA or the Center is involved in this project?

PROBES:

LEAs?

Other Centers?

Other partners (TA providers or consultants, universities, foundations, etc.)

20. How often do you meet or talk with Center representatives, or other key constituents, if

relevant, regarding planning and implementation of the project?  With which Center

representatives do you meet? What do you discuss?  How do these discussions inform

implementation of the project?

PROBES: How would you describe the roles and responsibilities of the various

organizations involved in the project?

Project Goals and Progress

21. Ultimately, what will we “see” if this project is successful?  In other words, what are your

hoped‐for outcomes from this project?
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22. Have the SEA needs or goals changed or shifted since the project began? [If so] Please tell

us about that. How has this affected your work with the Center on the project?

23. So far, has the project been implemented as planned? Please describe the progress of

implementation so far, as well as any deviations from plans.  What are the reasons for any

changes in plans?    

24. Has any part of the local or state context changed in a way that has impacted the project’s

implementation or success since its early development? How?

   

Project Outcomes  

25. Have you used any products or materials produced by the Center through this project

(including webinars, trainings, presentations)? [If so] have you been able to make use of

what you learned? [If so] can you explain how? [If not] can you explain why?   

26. Do the products/materials or technical assistance events help address the project goals, and

if so, how?

27. What have been the major challenges related to this project (if any)? Please describe them.  

How were the challenges addressed (if at all)?

28. In your opinion, what has been the most successful aspect of this project? Please describe

it.

29. What have been the outcomes so far?  Have you seen changes in your or your

organization’s capacity?  Please describe any changes in each of these types of capacity and

the evidence of the change:

 Knowledge and skills (e.g., knowledge, expertise, skills, will, understanding necessary to

implement something)

 Organizational (e.g., interaction, collaboration, communication among individuals in a

system; evaluation and feedback on processes and structures for continuous

improvement)

 Structural/policy change (e.g., policies, procedures, and formalized practices) PROBE:

Has your capacity to work with LEAs improved?

30. Are you or the SEA as an organization doing anything differently now, that you have not

mentioned above, as a result of this project and the TA from the Center?

PROBES:

How are you using new knowledge or skills?

How has the TA influenced policies and procedures or practices at the SEA?

How has the TA influenced the SEA’s internal interactions, collaboration and

communications?
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31. Are there plans in your agency to build on, replicate, or continue this project or this line of

work?  Are you planning to do this with or without the Center(s)?  What are the next steps?

32. Overall, have you learned any lessons from this project's implementation? Any

recommendations you might make to Comprehensive Centers based on either successes or

challenges of this project? Any lessons for your own agency?