Parent/Guardian Communication and Consent

Parent/Guardian Communication and Consent is essential to successful administration of the Healthy Kids Colorado Survey (HKCS).

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We recommend parent/guardian communication that is:

• repeated

• multi-platform (email, text, private parent/guardian online platform, hard copy, etc.)

• aligned with district policy.
   

How do parents/guardians receive survey consent letters?

The Parent/Guardian Consent Letter needs to be distributed by the school or district to parents/guardians of all students scheduled to take the HKCS. We recommend the letter is sent out at least 2 weeks in advance of the survey date, but please consult district policy in case the local timeline is different. Advance notice allows parents/guardians time to review the survey instrument, ask questions, and if they choose, to request that their student not participate.

After signing up to administer the HKCS, each participating district and school will receive a customized Parent/Guardian Consent Letter with the district-specific survey version linked. Please use the district-specific letter emailed to you from CSPHSurveyTeam@CUAnschutz.edu. In addition to the consent letter and the copy of the survey described above, we also encourage you to share the HKCS FAQ's.

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Who is responsible for sending out parent/guardian consent letters?

Depending on district preference, parent/guardian communication can be coordinated at the district, school, or classroom level. We recommend that parent/guardian communication be highly coordinated. Staff that are expected to answer questions about the survey should be well supported, with a clear understanding of district expectations and access to the district-specific survey version and other supporting documents. 

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Approaches to parent/guardian communication vary by district preference and capacity:

• some districts with communications specialists on staff create a plan and centralize through the district office

• some districts ask each participating school to communicate through their typical channels and track parent/guardian consent electronically

• some schools ask classroom teachers to distribute hard copies of the parent/guardian consent letter and track any that are returned.