Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Back to School Program?

The America’s Legislators Back to School Program was initiated in 1999 to provide a contemporary approach for engaging the American student population in understanding the value of democracy, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). Funded by the NCSL Trust for Representative Democracy, the program sponsors state legislators’ visits to schools throughout the school year. NCSL provides educational materials on representative democracy for legislators’ use in their presentations to K-12 classes. Back to Top
 
 

Why is the program being evaluated?

NCSL has evaluated qualitative aspects of the program and have evidence of enthusiastic support from legislators, teachers, and students. However, no controlled studies have been conducted to examine the program’s success in increasing students’ understanding, and appreciation of, representative democracy. Therefore, NCSL has contracted with TPACT, Inc. to conduct a thorough, research-based evaluation of the Back to School Program to determine its impact on students’ understanding of, and appreciation for, their government. The study will gauge the attitudes and knowledge of students before and after a legislator visit to the classroom.

Who is conducting the evaluation of the program?

NCSL has hired TPACT, Inc. to perform the evaluation of the program. Turcotte Public Administration Consulting and Training, Inc.(TPACT) is a Tallahassee, Florida consulting and training firm. TPACT provides training in the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, Effective Presentations, Thinking Skills, Performance Measurement and Auditing, and custom topics specified by client organizations. Consulting services address the needs of state legislatures, auditors, program evaluators, fiscal analysts, and similar knowledge staffs working in public and private sectors.

What is the methodology for the evaluation?

TPACT is examining whether a classroom visit by a state legislator can help students learn more about, and appreciate, representative democracy. The project will gauge the attitudes and knowledge of students before and after a legislator visit to the classroom. In order to answer this question, TPACT will randomly select half of the participating classrooms to serve as “control” groups and the other half will serve as “intervention” groups. The students in the control classrooms will take a pre-test approximately two weeks before the legislator’s visit to the classroom and will take a post-test approximately one week before the legislator’s visit to the classroom. The students in the intervention classrooms will take a pre-test approximately one week before the legislator’s visit to the classroom and will take a post-test approximately one week after the legislator’s visit to the classroom. The pre-test and post-test are brief social studies tests developed by TPACT that provide information about a student’s attitude and knowledge of representative democracy.

What is the difference in the control classrooms versus the intervention classes?

Students in the control classrooms will take the pre- and post-tests before the legislator visits the classroom, while students in the intervention classrooms will take the pre-test before the legislator’s visit and will take the post-test after the legislator’s visit to the classroom. The teacher will not use the Back to School materials in the control classrooms until after the post-test has been given. The teacher will begin to use the materials in the intervention classrooms after the pre-test has been given. All students will receive a visit from a legislator to their classroom.

How many Wyoming schools are participating in the evaluation?

Wyoming has been selected by NCSL for the pilot study. Thirty-one classrooms in four communities are participating in the evaluation.

Are the students, teachers, and legislators being evaluated?

No. This research project is designed to assess the effectiveness of the America’s Legislators Back to School Program, and is not an evaluation of the participating teachers, students, or legislators. The evaluation is attempting to determine if the materials associated with the program make a difference in attitudes and knowledge of students about representative democracy.

How long will it take for students to complete the pre-test and the post-test?

Each test will take about 10 to 15 minutes to finish.

Are the students being graded on the tests?

No, the tests are being used for aggregate analysis only. No one except the researchers who are analyzing the data will see the scores of any student. The researchers will remove all students’ names from the list of scores as soon as the pre-test and the post-test are linked for each participating student. Data will be reported in aggregated form only. No scores of specific students, schools, or districts will be identified in any report.

Are the test results confidential?

Yes. The teacher will not see the scores of any student. Further, no one except the researchers who are analyzing the data will see the scores of any student. The researchers will remove all students’ names from the list of scores as soon as the first test and the second test are linked for each participating student. No names will be placed in any report. The students’ rights to confidentiality will be protected at all times.

Do students have to obtain permission from their parents to participate in the study?

Yes. The study is financed by federal funds, and to assure conformity with general guidelines for such research, and the internal procedures of the consulting firm conducting the research, parental consent must be obtained for children to participate. Teachers will provide a form for the students to bring home to their parents to indicate the parent’s consent for their child to participate. The form contains check boxes for granting or withholding permission to participate and a parent’s signature line. If a parent does not want the student to participate, he or she should check the “No” box and sign the form. It is important for the parent to sign and return the form, even if they do not want their child to participate in the study.

Do all students in the classroom have to participate?

TPACT would very much like every student to participate, but they do not have to participate in the study if their parents do not want them to do so or if they do not want to take the tests and have their scores included in the study. Regardless of their intention to participate, they should return the form with their parent’s signature. If a student starts the study and the parent decides that they do not want their child to take the second test, the parent can notify TPACT of their wishes. If the parent elects to not have the student participate, it will not affect the student’s standing with the school, and it will not cause the child to lose any benefits to which he or she is entitled.

Teachers may require that all students be present in class during the legislator’s visit, regardless of parental approval of their participation in the study. “Participation in the study” means inclusion of a student’s pre- and post-test scores in the data TPACT will analyze. The researchers will ensure that pre-test and post-test data of students without parental consent will be excluded from all analyses.

What is the role of the field monitor in the classroom during the legislator’s visit?

Field monitors will familiarize themselves with the goals of the Legislators Back to School Program prior to the legislator’s visit to the classroom. The field monitor will accompany the legislator to the classroom on the day of the legislator’s visit for intervention classes only. Field monitors will not visit control classrooms during the legislator’s visit. The field monitor will fill out an observation form during the legislator’s visit to the classroom to document the activities that take place during the classroom visit. The field monitor will not participate in the activities, but is there as an objective observer.

Is there a cost to the school to participate in the evaluation?

There are no costs for helping TPACT with this study. The class will receive a small gift, related to representative democracy, for being part of this project. The gift will be made to the entire class, not just students whose parents let them participate in the study. In addition, teachers who participate in the program will also be given a small gift, related to teaching about representative democracy, for participating.

Whom do I contact if I have additional questions about the evaluation?

If you have any additional questions or concerns regarding this project, please contact please contact Jim Pelligrini at TPACT at 406-461-5641or Wendy Madsen at the Wyoming Legislative Service Office at 307-777-7881.