Frequently Asked Questions

This page provides answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) for those who are considering participating in the RAND Transform Me project.

Frequently Asked Questions

If I’m interested, what should I do next?

1. Talk to your leadership team to see if this is right for your school.
2. Fill out the interest survey. Within 24 hours, a member of the study team will reply to set up a time for a Zoom call to share more information about participation and answer your questions.

Which schools are eligible to participate?

Any school that serves 9th or 10th grade students can participate. Participating schools must not be current users of Transform Me and must be willing to randomize their classrooms to use or not use the curriculum.

Which educators are eligible to participate?

If you work with 9th and 10th grade students and meet regularly with students for advisory, homeroom, or academic classes, you are eligible. Teachers of academic subjects, school counselors, or administrators are all eligible as long as you meet with 9th and 10th grade students regularly.

What is the Transform Me course?

Transform Me is a new course offered through Imagine Purpose, a program provided by Imagine Learning, specifically for 9th and 10th grade students. It focuses on developing student well-being, life, and social skills. Transform Me can be used virtually or in-person. The lessons are modular and can be easily adapted.

Where can I learn more about the Transform Me course?

To learn more about Imagine Purpose, visit imaginelearning.com/solutions/social-emotional-learning/purpose.

How long is the study?

We ask educators to participate for three years, for the school years of 2024–25 through 2026–27. Participation in this study is voluntary. You can decide to stop participating in the study at any time. If you decide not to participate, there will be no penalty to you, and you will not lose any benefits to which you are otherwise entitled.

What is randomization?

Randomization means that educators who would like to participate will be randomly selected to use the Transform Me course in the 2024–25 school year. About half of educators will use the course in 2024–25 and the other half will use the course in 2025–26. If you sign up to participate in the study, we ask that you adhere to the randomization for the entire school year.

What will I have to do if I am a teacher and I am not selected to use the curriculum in 2024–2025?

If you are not selected to use the Transform Me course in 2024–25 you will still be enrolled in the study and will use the course in 2025–26. We will ask you to complete a 10-minute survey and administer a 15-minute survey to your 9th and 10th grade students. You will receive $200 in gift cards and your school will receive a donation of $500 to help coordinate the study with the RAND team. You will continue to have free access to the Transform Me course in 2026–27.

What will I have to do if I am a teacher and I am selected to use the curriculum in 2024–2025?

If you are selected to use the Transform Me course in 2024–25 we will ask you to complete a 10-minute survey and administer a 15-minute survey to your 9th and 10th grade students. We will also ask you to fill out a daily advisory checklist for 10 days. This checklist should take approximately five minutes each day. We will also ask you to participate in a one-day (or two half-day) virtual professional development sessions about the curriculum. You will receive $200 in gift cards and your school will receive a donation of $500 to help coordinate the study with the RAND team. You will continue to have free access to the Transform Me course in 2025–26 and 2026–27.

Which students are eligible to participate?

Ninth and 10th grade students are eligible to participate.

What are the benefits of participating for teachers?

Your participation will contribute to our understanding of whether a program designed for high school students can help students develop strong interpersonal and intrapersonal skills such as communication, cooperation, empathy, engagement, and self-control. You will receive $200 in gift cards as a thank you for participating. You will also receive free access to the Transform Me course and free professional development to help you use the course with your 9th and 10th grade students.

What are the benefits of participating for schools?

Your participation will contribute to our understanding of whether a program designed for high school students can help students develop strong interpersonal and intrapersonal skills such as communication, cooperation, empathy, engagement, and self-control. Schools will receive a donation of $500 to help coordinate the study with the RAND team and free access to the Transform Me course.

Are there any risks?

We do not think that the risks associated with taking part in this activity are greater than those ordinarily encountered in daily life or during routine school tasks or assessments.

What will school leaders need to do?

We ask that school leaders support the success of the study by assisting with the rostering of students to the Imagine Purpose course platform and supporting communication between RAND researchers and the participating teachers. We will also invite school leaders to volunteer to share their reflections on the Transform Me course and ways it could be improved.

Is participation in the study voluntary? What if I don’t want to participate anymore?

Yes, participation is completely voluntary. You can decide not to take part in or stop participating in the study at any time. If you decide not to participate, there will be no penalty to you, and you will not lose any benefits to which you are otherwise entitled.

How will the study protect my information and my students’ information?

We will keep your and your students’ responses to study activities (e.g., surveys) confidential. That means we will not share anyone’s individual responses outside the RAND research team. When we report about the study publicly, we will combine your (and your students’) responses with the responses of others in the study. We will never identify an individual in any public reports. Any information from you, your students, or your school will be shared and stored securely, so only RAND researchers working on the study will be able to access it. We will destroy any information that identifies you at the end of the study. If you have any questions about the information we are gathering or how we will store it, contact the RAND project leader, Jon Schweig at jschweig@rand.org, or RAND’s Human Subjects Protection Committee at hspcinfo@rand.org. Please reference study number 2022-N0132.

Who can I contact if I have questions?

You may call Jonathan Schweig by telephone at (310) 393-0411 x6584 or email jschweig@rand.org if you have any questions or concerns about this research study.

If you have any questions about your rights as a research participant, or if you have a concern about this study, you may contact the Institutional Review Board listed below, and reference study number 2022-N0132:

RAND Human Subjects Protection Committee
RAND
1776 Main Street
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Telephone: (866) 697-5620
hspcinfo@rand.org