TARGETED RESPONSE TO IDENTIFICATION AND RECRUITMENT (TRI)

INTERSTATE COORDINATION PROTOCOL

Targeted Response to Identification and Recruitment (TRI) represents a key component of the Identification and Recruitment Rapid Response Consortium (IRRC) that focuses on effective, high quality and cost-effective interstate coordination. TRI relies on collaboration between member states to carry out a variety of interstate collaboration efforts to improve recruiter knowledge and abilities, quality of ID&R efforts, eligibility determinations, and identification of families who qualify for services under Title I, Part C.

An essential function of TRI is the development and deployment of Targeted Response Teams to carry out this interstate coordination. The Targeted Response Teams will consist of experienced and certified recruiters nominated by consortium member states, and will carry out such interstate coordination efforts as quality control, re-interviews, recruitment assistance, training and capacity building.

The proposal for the IRRC, as submitted to the Office of Migrant Education, addresses TRI in the following areas:

In Part III, the ProjectAbstract, the proposal states that one of the IRRC’s 3 goals to expand and improve infrastructures for interstate coordination is to:

“2) Expand states’ capacity through the sharing of resources, mentoring, and the deployment of a Rapid Response Team of veteran ID&R specialists”

In Part IV of the proposal, the Project Narrative, Part 1, Need for the Project, describes four gaps/weaknesses in supporting ID&R and the delivery of services:

“1) concerns about the quality of ID&R efforts at the state and local levels; 2) concerns about how individual state efforts in re-interviewing are resulting in unnecessary use of resources that could otherwise be used for planning and delivering services to migrant students; 3) concerns about a lack of consistency in re-interview systems, procedures, practices, and training; and 4) concerns about how the high turnover in MEP administrators and recruiters demands systems and professional development efforts focused on ID&R.”(pp. 1-2)

And later:

“…common concerns have emerged regarding ID&R needs as described in the following:

  • A system for rapid response to provide “triage” to states experience new situations or changes in demographics (e.g., migrant families from Guatemala, Somali-speaking migrant families).

(pp. 2-3)

In the next part of that narrative (Part 2, Significance), the proposal states:

“…IRRC will be the driving force for: 1) planning and designing systems for ID&R; 2) creating and producing resources, materials, products, and procedures; 3) improving existing ID&R infrastructures; 4) producing solutions for the rapid response for ID&R; and 5) disseminating effective ID&R practices to ensure sustainability beyond the 3 years of the grant.

While traditional networks for communication (e.g., phone, email, and an annual ID&R conference) have begun to address the need that exists, they are inadequate for accomplishing the kind of transformation that is needed to establish state ID&R systems nationwide. IRRC aims to address these deficiencies through strong interstate communication and technical assistance networks; tools for states to bring ID&R into focus; and professional development and Rapid Response Teams to ensure that valid and consistent approaches to ID&R are in place.” (p. 4)

Finally, within the IRRC Project Summary Chart, the proposal sets forth the following measurable outcomes for the TRI (p. 15):

Goal 1: Design and develop systems, materials, strategies, and resources for the consistent and reliable ID&R of eligible migrant children and youth that are adaptable to small and large states, summer and regular year programs, and diverse state and local contexts

Measurable Outcomes:

1.1By September 30, 2017 a 5-step IRRC-developed process for ID&R will be in place in 14 CIG states. Performance Measure: A 95% implementation rating is achieved on 14 State ID&R plans that describe a state-specific 5-step process reflecting IRRC-developed ID&R quality procedures

1.2By September 30 of each year, Targeted Response to ID&R (TRI) technical support teams will be deployed to states with an identified need for improved quality assurance in interviewing, re-interviewing, and making student MEP eligibility determinations. Performance Measure: IRRC TRI technical support teams respond to 100% of the requests for technical assistance on improving ID&R in states documenting needs. A rating of 90% or above on a TRI technical assistance effectiveness tool is achieved

1.3By September 30 of each year, 100% of IRRC states will achieve a 95% reliability rate between interview and re-interview. Performance Measure: A state error rate of 5% or less in the interview/re-interview process is achieved in 14 IRRC states

1.4By September 30 of each year, there will be a level of implementation rating of 4 or above (4=Partial Implementation and 5= Fully Operational or Implemented) for 95% of the Objective 1 activities. Performance Measure: A score of 4 or 5 indicating proficiency is achieved on 95% of the items on the Goal 1 Fidelity of Implementation Index

It is important to note that the TRI will incorporate guidelines from the Office of Migrant Education, and utilize forms, materials, and resources from previously funded CIG initiatives. TRI Quality Control activities, including the Triannual Independent Re-Interviews, will follow OME guidelines for conducting such activities.

TRI Teams will be comprised of expert recruiters drawn from IRRC consortium states who can travel, either alone or with other expert recruiters, to states within the consortium to offer recruitment assistance and professional development. TRI Team activities include, but are not limited to:

  • Tri-annual independent re-interviews
  • Regional re-validation initiatives separate from the re-interview process designated by OME
  • Staff/recruiter training
  • Technical assistance on quality control andeligibility determination
  • Capacity building and recruitment assistance

In sum, TRI expert recruiters will offer knowledge and experience to improve the recruitment efforts within other consortium states. There is no minimum time experience requirement, but TRI recruiters must become certified through the IRRC Certification process that measures competency in the areas of COE completion and eligibility determination in accordance with laws, regulation, and guidance.

IRRC member states will nominate recruiters to serve on the TRI Teams. The IRRC recognizes that its constituent states each have different financial and staffing restraints that might result in some states not having available recruiters to nominate for out of state activities.

The TRI Committee will work in conjunction the IRRC Director to fulfill the TRI Team requests from consortium member states. The composition of each TRI team will require coordination with member states that have nominated recruiters. A reality of the situation is that at any given time certain states’ recruiters within the pool of nominated recruiters may or may not be available due to conditions and circumstances within their own states; however, IRRC staff will work with the requesting state and the available TRI team members to best accommodate all requests to meet our goal of providing timely, expert and cost efficient assistance to IRRC member states.

Any state within the IRRC wishing to request TRI assistance, whether for Independent Triannual Re-Interviews, other Quality Control activities, recruitment assistance, training, or other uses, should complete the IRRC Targeted Response to ID&R Interstate Coordination Request form (Appendix A). Upon completion, this form should be sent electronically to the IRRC director.

Upon receipt of the TRI Interstate Coordination Request form, the IRRC director will contact members of the TRI Committee to begin the process of fulfilling that request. The coordination process will include:

  • Determining available TRI team members
  • Working with receiving state and sending state(s) to determine who will assume fiscal responsibility for such things as recruiter salary, lodging, travel and meals
  • Finalizing IRRC financial assistance, if necessary
  • Finalizing lodging and travel arrangements
  • Determining the final logistics for the TRI activity

As, at a given time, there may be more than a single request for TRI assistance for a given time frame, the IRRC director and TRI committee shall work with the requesting states to prioritize the assistance requests. TRI will hopefully be able to honor all requests, but member states should recognize that assistance, in some instances, may be delayed.

When the negotiation process for the TRI Interstate Coordination Request has been completed, the designee for the requesting state, along with the IRRC director, shall complete either the TRI Interstate Coordination Agreement (Appendix B.Ia, with signatures for state directors, if preferred; or B.Ib, without signatures), or the TRI Memorandum of Understanding (Appendix B.II). Upon completion, the chosen document shall be signed, if necessary, by the required parties (requesting state director, sending state director (or TRI team member), and IRRC director. At this time, all participating IRRC TRI team members (recruiters) shall sign and submit the IRRC Confidentiality Agreement (Appendix C) to the IRRC director. The IRRC director will maintain the Interstate Coordination Agreement or MOU and Confidentiality Agreements on file, and provide copies of all forms to the requesting state director, as well as sending state director(s).

Should a state need to have a formal Memorandum of Understanding on state letterhead, TRI Memorandum of Understanding can be used as a template for that document.

Upon receipt of the completed and signed TRI Memorandum of Understanding, the requesting state shall complete the appropriate Logistics Completion and Communication form (Appendix D.I for Independent Triannual Re-interviews/Quality Control Activities, or D.II for Recruitment Assistance). These forms elicit further details of the Triannual Re-Interview/Quality Control Effort or Recruitment Assistance activity, and collect the contact information for all requesting state and TRI personnel involved in the given effort. Once the requesting state has completed their portion of the appropriate form, the IRRC director and TRI Committee shall insert contact information for involved TRI personnel. When complete, this form shall be kept on file by the IRRC director, and a copy provided to the requesting state designee and all involved TRI personnel.

The Arrangements to Assist an Effective TRI Team Deployment for Recruitment Assistance (Appendix E) is a planning tool to be completed by the requesting state designee and TRI team members to be involved in a recruitment assistance request. The first table on this form is required – certain materials need to be in place in order to ensure an effective deployment of TRI recruiters unfamiliar with the requesting state. The second table contains a list of strongly recommended materials for the requesting state to assemble before the deployment. Though this form is not required to be submitted to the IRRC director before a TRI Team deployment, its review and completion can greatly assist an efficient and effective recruitment assistance effort.

After the TRI team members have been selected and all appropriate forms have been completed, a TRI team leader will be chosen. The TRI team leader and the receiving state contact person/MEP director will be in communication during the recruitment/training process, and will set expectations for both TRI team members and receiving state recruiters participating in the requested activity. Once both the receiving state and TRI team have gathered all pertinent data, recruitment materials, etc. (see Appendix E), they should each send these items to the proper entities for review and approval. Any additional information or materials should be requested prior to the initial activity orientation.

Team Orientation

The orientation process should be separated into two separate events: a Team Orientation and an On-Site Orientation. The Team Orientation should occur among the members of the TRI team prior to the On-Site Orientation and be coordinated by the TRI team leader. The Team Orientation will take place through a conference call prior to arriving in the receiving state, or will occur in-person soon after arrival. The Team Orientation will allow for TRI team members to become acquainted, and will consist of a review of rules and expectations, discussions of the upcoming recruitment activity, a review of materials and data received from the receiving state, signing of the Confidentiality Agreement (if not signed prior to orientation), and other discussion deemed pertinent by the TRI team leader. It is also recommended that all participating personnel, whether visiting TRI members or receiving state recruiters, complete and submit emergency contact information to the TRI team leader (see Appendix F). This information will be kept by the team leader and receiving state contact person in case of emergency, and discarded at the completion of the TRI activity.

On-Site Orientation

The On-Site Orientation will take place prior to the initiation of the recruitment activity. All members of the TRI team, the state contact person/MEP director, and any state staff participating in the activity must be in attendance. Depending on the requested activity, discussion and preparation held during this meeting will vary.

A.Recruitment Assistance Activities

During the On-Site Orientation for recruitment assistance and quality control activities, TRI team members and state staff members will have the opportunity to meet. Expectations will be set for all staff participating in the activity, and materials will be distributed (see Appendix E). Various trainings will be performed, including an overview of state demographics, common state agricultural activities, areas with a higher concentration of migrant families, etc. Farm lists, housing locations, community resources, student lists, and other data pertinent to the recruitment activity will be distributed to each team member. The state contact person/MEP director will perform COE training and inform the TRI staff of any special eligibility rules that are unique to their state. The topic of safety will be addressed in order to ensure the safety of TRI team members throughout the duration of the activity. A schedule will be developed to include start and end times for each day, recruitment areas for individual recruiters or recruiter teams, and daily debriefing meetings will be scheduled. Any other relevant information will be shared with the group by both the state contact person/MEP director and TRI team leader. At the conclusion of the on-site orientation for recruitment assistance activities, participants in this activity should complete Form 2, the Staff Training and Technical Assistance Evaluation form.

B. Tri-Annual Independent Re-Interviews

During the On-Site Orientation for the independent re-interview, TRI team members will have the opportunity to meet the state contact person/MEP director and state staff including state-wide recruiters and regional program directors. One On-Site Orientation will take place to prepare TRI team members for the re-interview activity; additional meetings with regional staff may be required if re-interview locations are spread out throughout the state and if regional program staff request to meet with the TRI team before re-interviews are conducted, and/or if regional programs request that their staff accompany the TRI team to the re-interview locations. During the initial orientation expectations will be set for TRI team members. Data security and confidentiality protocols will be reviewed, including an explanation of how information is to be handled during and after the re-interview process. An action plan will be reviewed and regional program contact information will be shared with the TRI team leader. The team leader will be in charge of contacting regional programs before the re-interviewers enter their area to discuss the re-interview logistics (for example, will a meeting be held before the re-interviews begin?; Will staff accompany TRI team members?; etc.). The state contact person/MEP director and/or TRI team leader will perform trainings including safety discussion, state eligibility rules, COE training, review of the re-interview form, etc. Protocols for working with state staff will be reviewed (Ex: In-state staff can accompany TRI team members but cannot participate in the re-interview). Daily debriefing meeting times will be scheduled.

C. Training Activities

The On-Site Orientation activities will vary depending on if the requested training is presentation-based or is to be performed in the field. Presentation-based trainings will be reviewed by the state contact person/MEP director prior to the arrival of TRI team members, and a brief meeting will be held before the training is performed. Field-based training will require additional training for the TRI team members including state eligibility rules, a review of state forms, safety protocols, etc. See the On-Site Orientation for Group Recruitment section for more orientation details.

During the orientation process, it will be necessary for the state contact person/MEP director to share what goals he or she has for the recruitment activity with the TRI team leader, including what feedback they would like to receive at the final debriefing. Depending on the feedback requested, TRI team members will keep a daily contact log of whom they have contacted each day, along with additional notes detailing what they see happening in the field, including but not limited to: trends seen in the field; what recruitment methods were successful/unsuccessful; feedback about the program received from families; difficulties encountered in the field; areas of improvement for in-state recruiter; etc. The state contact person/MEP director should also indicate which feedback should be included in the official report.