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Re-Engagement Center

IC #5 - School District Interview Protocol

Assent Script

Thank you for taking time today to talk with us about [program name]. The U.S. Dept. of 

Education has asked us to develop a resource guide on re-engagement centers so that others who 

want to set up similar programs don’t have to reinvent the wheel. To learn as much as possible 

about how the centers work, we are interviewing staff, youth, and key partners of several centers 

across the country. The guide will be broadly disseminated and help build awareness about programs 

like [program name]. Do you have any questions about the purpose of the research?

In this interview, we are going to focus on how [school district name] operates/partners with 

[program name], the strategies you are using to re-engage disconnected young people, and the results 

of your work. It should take about an hour, does that work for you? Everything we discuss is 

confidential. We will tape-record the interview, but your name will not be included in the 

transcripts, and all the information will be kept in a secure location in our offices at Johns Hopkins. 

Please let me know if there’s any point at which you would like me to turn off the tape recorder. 

Are you willing to participate in the interview? [hand out written consent form if not already signed] 

We need your signature on this form to indicate that you understand the purpose of the research 

and that you are participating of your own free will. [collect form(s)]. Thank you, let’s get started.

Questions

1. What is your position in the school district?

a. Probes: What kind of work do you do? 

2. How long has the District [operated or worked in partnership] with [re-engagement center 

program name]?

3. How did the District come to [operate or partner] with [program name]?

a. Probe: Initiated by District, program, intermediary?

4. How does the District define a “disengaged” student? Are there specific criteria?

5. What’s the nature of the District’s role in [operating/partnering] with [program name]? 

How does it work?

a. Probe—referral: What is the entry point for disconnected youth to continue their 

education? Do District or school personnel refer students to [program name]? How 

does that work?

b. Probe—placements: Does the District provide placement options for students who 

are ready to re-engage? 

c. Probe—other partnership role: Do you or others represent the District in any other 

capacity, e.g. on the [program name] board, steering committee, other?
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d. Probe—communications: How does the District/Schools communicate with 

[program name]? By what means? How frequently? With whom? What about?

e. Probe—coordination: How is the [program name’s] work integrated with schools or 

school district programs? With other community partners?

f. Probe—funding: Does the District provide or receive funding through your 

partnership with [program name]? How much? What is the source of the funding? 

What does it support?

g. Probe—district staffing: Does the District provide staffing support for the center?

6. How does the [program name] fit into any broader dropout prevention or other secondary 

school reform efforts in your district?

a. Probe: multiple pathways?

b. Probe: alternative schools or networks of schools?

c. Probe: charter schools?

7. How are other partners (Institutions of Higher Education, business, non-profits) involved in 

the work of reconnecting youth through this program?

8. Are there any formal documents (MOUs, contracts) that frame the terms of the partnership 

between the District and [program name and/or partners]?

a. If no, should there be?

b. If yes, how were they drawn up? What do they address? Are they needed? Are they 

sufficient?

9. Is [program name] similar to other programs operating in the District, or is it unique? In 

what ways?

10. How does the District benefit from your partnership with [program name]?

11. How does [program name] benefit from partnering with the District?

12. Are schools required to take action with respect to disengaged youth? (e.g. reporting, 

referrals, provision of alternative programs or services)

13. Have there been challenges to [operating or partnering with] this program? How have you 

addressed them?

14. How do you measure the impact of your work with [program name]?

15. What outcomes have you achieved in your work with [program name]?

16. What role do you/does the district play in ensuring that [program name] is sustained?
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17. Are there any changes you would make to [program name], to your partnership, or additional 

partners you would like to see brought on to increase your collective impact on re-engaging 

youth?

18. What advice would you give to organizations looking to start up or partner with a program 

similar to [program name]?