OMB Supporting Statement Student Messaging in GEAR UP

Abt Associates Inc. Appendix C. Consent Letter pg. ▌C-1

Appendix C. Consent Letter

Note, the student version of this letter will be sent to students who will be 18 as of April 1, 2017, and the parent 

version will be sent to parents of students who will not be 18 at that time. The portions in brackets 

[parent/student] will be customized corresponding to whether the parent or the student receives the letter. 
OMB Supporting Statement Student Messaging in GEAR UP

Abt Associates Inc. Appendix C. Consent Letter pg. ▌C-2

Dear [PARENT of STUDENT NAME/STUDENT NAME],

[Your child’s/Your] school is participating in a study of Student Messaging in GEAR UP funded by the U.S. 

Department of Education. The study will help the Department learn about the college advising that students 

receive. The goal of the study is to better understand how a set of text messages, delivered to students during 

their transitions to college and during their first year of college can help them enroll in and successfully 

complete their first year in college. 

As part of the school’s participation, [your child/you] may have a chance to receive text-based outreach 

designed to increase student college-related success. The simple messages—sent during the summer after high 

school completion and into the first year at college—will inform students about key enrollment tasks, 

maintaining good academic standing, and support them through common challenges faced during the first year 

in college. Some messages will even be customized for where students intend to enroll in college!

What are we asking student to do? We are asking all 2016-2017 seniors from [your child’s/your] high school 

to complete a voluntary 15 minute survey, and if they are interested to provide their cell phone number, and to 

agree to receive messages if selected in the lottery. 

What information will be used in the study? Information for the study will come from the short survey that 

students complete and from high school records of enrolled students. In addition, the study team will obtain 

information on college enrollment and financial aid data from national records contained in the National 

Student Clearinghouse and the Federal Student Aid databases.

Who will receive the text messages? The survey will ask students if they are interested in being included in a 

lotter that will select which students get messages. Students who have plans to go to college and are interested 

in participating will be added to the lottery. All students in the lottery will have the same chance of getting 

messages. Messages may be sent during two different time periods, summer 2017 or the first year of college. 

How do you enter the lottery? To be entered into the lottery that determines which students receive the 

messages, complete and return the permission form at the end of the letter. This will enter [your child/you] 

into the pool of students who might receive these messages. 

How will we protect [your child’s/your] privacy? Protecting [the privacy of your child/your privacy] is very 

important to us. The study reports will not include [your name, your child’s name/your name], or the name of 

child’s name school. We will not share information that identifies you or your child to anyone outside the study 

team, except as required by law.

What are the risks or benefits of participating? This study has very little risk for [you or your child/you]. 

[Your child/you] may feel stressed thinking about his/her/your educational future. The survey is voluntary and 

[your child/you] can skip any questions or stop at any time. By participating in this study, [your child/you] may 

receive messages to help complete the final steps to college enrollment and successfully persist through 

[his/her/your] first year in college. Participation may help the U.S. Department of Education learn how best to 

support students during their transitions into college. 

Is participation voluntary? We would like [your child/you] to participate in this study. However, 

participation is voluntary. 

If you do not want [your child’s/your] to be included in the study, contact the study team via 

email XXXX@abtassoc.com, or phone 1-XXX-XXX-XXXX.

The U.S. Department of Education has hired Abt Associates to conduct this important study as a key step in 

promoting college success for all students. We look forward to your participation!

Sincerely,

Alina Martinez, Ed.D.

Study Project Director

If you have any questions about participating in the study, you may call XXX-XXX-XXXX, or email me at XXXX@abtassociates.com. If 

you have any questions about subjects’ rights, please contact Abt’s Institutional Review Board Administrator, Katie Speanburg, by phone at 

(877) 520-6835 [toll-free number]. If you have questions about the GEAR UP program, please contact your school directly.

Study Website Study Email Study Phone