Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interests1
The research team for this evaluation consists of a prime contractor, Westat, and two subcontractors, Dr. Patrick Wolf (formerly at Georgetown University) and his team at the University of Arkansas Department of Education Reform and Chesapeake Research Associates (CRA). None of these organizations or their key staff has financial interests that could be affected by findings from the evaluation of the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program (OSP). No one on the seven-member Expert Advisory Panel, convened by the research team once a year to provide advice and guidance, has financial interests that could be affected by findings from the evaluation.
1 Contractors carrying out research and evaluation projects for IES frequently need to obtain expert advice and technical assistance from individuals and entities whose other professional work may not be entirely independent of or separable from the particular tasks they are carrying out for the IES contractor. Contractors endeavor not to put such individuals or entities in positions in which they could bias the analysis and reporting of results, and their potential conflicts of interest are disclosed.