Creating Generalizable Recruitment Plans
To achieve data saturation and gather diverse perspectives when recruiting in schools, comprehensive recruitment lists should be generated to ensure that resulting data can be extrapolated to the target sample of schools. The Generalizer (https://thegeneralizer.org) is a free web-based tool that enables school-based researchers to define inference populations of public schools using geographic, demographic, and administrative criteria from the Common Core of Data (CCD), American Community Survey (ACS) and the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) [9, 10]. This tool enables researchers to design and develop a stratified recruitment plan, which involves the selection of specific characteristics (e.g., school size, free & reduced lunch classification, urbanicity/rurality, ethnicity/race distributions, etc.).
Stratified lists provide an outline for recruitment targets and serve as a foundation for the creation of recruitment strategies that are representative of the broader population. From here, the assembly of the contact information (e.g., email addresses, phone numbers, mailing addresses, etc.) must be considered. Our team has found success in generating these lists through the combination of state databases and school websites. For example, in Washington, databases provided by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) provide contact information at the Educational Service District (ESD), school district, and school levels. In creating these lists, it is essential to verify that the contact information is representative of the current year and any staffing turnover, which has dramatically increased during the pandemic [11]. Any missing or outdated information can be adjusted using district or school staff website directories.
Prior to contacting schools, it is crucial to understand and adhere to district policies related to research approval. As these policies differ by district, keeping an ongoing record of this information is important, including the timelines for approval cycles and specific documents the district will need to review. With the rise of online and digital study methods, many districts prioritize protecting student and staff privacy and data. When submitting proposals to the district, the project's data usage and protection measures should be explicitly stated, and researchers should review the district's policies to ensure that the plan aligns with the district's goals.
Structure and Content of the Recruitment Materials
When designing recruitment materials (e.g., emails, graphics, etc.), it is necessary to understand potential participants’ needs to create targeted materials that meet these requirements. It is well documented that school staff and administrators have limited time [12] and these challenges have only worsened since the pandemic as districts and schools have reported difficulties in retaining staff, hiring replacement staff, and identifying coverage for absent teachers [11]. As such, effective email communications feature messages and subjects that succinctly convey the key details and benefits of the study while reducing overall reader effort.
Given the limited capacity of educators, removing extraneous information, shortening messages, and replacing text with a study video or graphic can reduce reader effort. A study conducted by a productivity software platform that analyzed over 40 million emails found that emails with between 75–100 words had the highest response rate at 51 percent [13]. Shortening emails also directs focus to the deliverables of the message, including participation requirements and the interest form. To further boost engagement, the directive should be highlighted or bolded along with a set deadline for the participant's response.
Visuals and videos also help organize information in an easily understandable manner that enhances retention and engagement by appealing to the visual learning style of many individuals and reducing the cognitive demand of reading. Interactive study fliers, including those that use animations or GIFs, are effective in capturing attention and have been found to be significantly more engaging than other types of content [14]. Free platforms such as Canva (https://www.canva.com/) include flier templates, a database of visuals, and icons, which can be used to easily design effective and interactive study materials. This software also offers resources for incorporating QR codes, which lower the obstacles associated with navigating through longer links. Smaller visuals, such as emojis, have been found to boost engagement and trigger interactive behaviors with content [15]. Adding these visuals to the subject or body of an email and recruitment fliers may significantly increase the recipient's engagement, as such content is more quickly processed and remembered than text alone.
The level of complexity and personalization of the language used in the recruitment email is another important element to consider. Terms used by researchers may not mirror the language used by educators and serve as a barrier to understanding and acting on a recruitment email. There is evidence to suggest that emails written at a 3rd-grade reading level have the highest response rate [13]. When crafting emails use simpler words, fewer words per sentence, and avoid research jargon that might not translate to educators. Factors such as the recipient's role within the school should be considered, and tailored messaging that addresses their specific responsibilities and concerns can significantly enhance the relevance and impact of the communication. Personalizing emails to include information like the recipient's name, role, and school may encourage a more direct call to action and result in higher open and response rates [16]. Platforms such as Qualtrics (https://www.qualtrics.com/) enable the creation of contact lists that allow you to embed this information within emails.
Districts and schools may limit the research studies they participate in to those that align with a strategic priority or that help address one of their urgent needs [5]. Therefore, by aligning recruitment communications with the district's mission, the study team can increase buy-in to the research goals and enhance the likelihood of a successful partnership. Researching the priorities of districts in the state can help researchers target specific districts and schools that align with their study aims. When contacting the districts, emails should highlight how the study will contribute to the initiatives already in the district and clearly state the benefits for educators and students. Beyond aligning goals, highlighting monetary incentives provided by the research team can motivate educators who have limited capacity for additional activities [5].
Strategic Interactions
Beyond the contents of recruitment materials, recruitment timing is an important aspect of a comprehensive recruitment strategy in school-based research. Researchers must consider the school calendar and daily schedule, as well as the demands on educators at various points throughout the year that may impact study recruitment and engagement. As schools often operate on a 9-month calendar, the study team should research important dates before engaging with schools. Examples include school holidays, breaks, professional development days, first and last school days, standardized testing days, parent-teacher conference periods, and Individualized Education Program (IEP) deadlines. During the 2022–2023 recruitment year, our study received the most responses to interest forms in September and October. There was a noticeable decline in interest during November and December, which increased again in January and February before tapering off toward the end of the school year (see Fig. 1). By accounting for the rhythms of the school calendar, recruitment emails can be sent at intentional times that have the highest likelihood of engaging educators.
Figure 1.
Participant Responses to Interest Form Over the 2022–2023 School Year
Note
This figure demonstrates the monthly totals of interest forms received from educators in the Preparing Teachers and Paraeducators for the Successful Inclusion of Autistic Children (ASD PREP) study [7] during the 2022–2023 school year. The total sample size is 312.
It is important to consider the time of the week or day that educators will most likely respond to emails. Based on the times that we typically receive interest forms, educators are most likely to engage with an email on a weekday and in the afternoon and morning (see Figs. 2 and 3). This may be because educators often have preparation periods in the morning and afternoon to review their email without students in the classroom.
Figure 2.
Time of Day for Participant Responses Over the 2022–2023 School Year
Note
This figure demonstrates time of the day interest forms were received from educators in the Preparing Teachers and Paraeducators for the Successful Inclusion of Autistic Children (ASD PREP) study [7] during the 2022–2023 school year. The total sample size is 312. Time of the day is defined as: Morning: 5:00 AM − 11:59 AM, Afternoon: 12:00 PM − 5:59 PM, Evening: 6:00 PM − 8:59 PM, Night: 9:00 PM − 4:59 AM.
Figure 3.
Days of the Week Participants Responded to Interests Forms During the 2022–2023 School Year
Note
This figure demonstrates day of the week interest forms were received from educators in the Preparing Teachers and Paraeducators for the Successful Inclusion of Autistic Children (ASD PREP) study [7] during the 2022–2023 school year. The total sample size is 312.
Once the initial recruitment email is distributed, reminders are essential to keep recipients engaged. However, too many reminders can burden educators, so it is important to balance and schedule them thoughtfully. Literature suggests that sending reminders is beneficial for recruitment, but the frequency and number of reminders has not been discussed [17]. Our study team has found that sending three reminders approximately two weeks apart with refreshed language successfully keeps participants engaged while not overwhelming them. Additionally adding openers to reminders such as “Do you think you will be interested in participating in the study?” often prompts recipients to consider the request and either email a response or complete the interest form.
Providing opportunities for participants to “opt-out” of reminders about the study can help to foster positive relationships with educators. Many emailing services (e.g., Qualtrics) embed the opportunity for email recipients to opt-out. If the software used to send recruitment emails does not have this functionality, it is important to include a sentence on how to stop reminders. If a recipient declines participation, following up with an email thanking them for their time and consideration may help maintain academic-public partnerships.