When evaluating youth participants, gaining consent from a parent or guardian is required. Researchers and evaluators should make sure that participants are not burdened by a complicated response process while still ensuring that important data won’t fall into holes along the way. Here at the Improve Group, we maximize both the quality of our work and our relationships to help clients make the most of information and ensure investments of time and money lead to meaningful, sustained impact. As part of the process we often rely on a lot of people to provide us with data and sometimes to coordinate additional data collection. To illustrate this, we will share an example of our work with Performing Arts Workshop presented in a “before & after” style.
The background: We are studying the impact of the Workshop’s weekly arts residency that serves about 450 elementary students in California. The program focuses on building students’ 21st Century skills through the performing arts (PACT21). Our study requires we ask for parents to give permission for us to gather student-level test scores, attendance data (for both treatment and comparison schools) and survey responses and observations by teachers and artists (treatment schools only). Whether or not they permit, we must get permission forms back. Collecting consent forms had been a challenge in this large evaluation project because there were too many points in the path leading to a risk for loss and delay. Moreover, the burden placed on teachers had been more complex than necessary. We wanted to improve the relationship and process, and through careful consideration and revision, we think we have devised a better way to collect parent permissions. Below is an overview of how the process changed through our growing experience with this project:
We have only recently begun to implement this new method and so far the response rates have been promising! In two months since the parent permission forms were sent out to the schools, we have received over half of the permission forms. Mid-way through the year we will identify the students whose parents have not yet signed and/or mailed the consent forms. We will then send another bundle of packets with the name of those specific students as targeted reminders. With just a little extra effort on our part, our school partners, especially the teachers, have a lot less to manage.
Here’s a closer look at the smoother process for gathering consent:
