Student Background Survey

STUDENT BACKGROUND SURVEY (SBS)

Instructions

Thank you, in advance, for responding to the following questions. This instrument is being administered as part of a long-term research project by WestEd to understand strategies for improving high school economics. WestEd, a research, development, and service agency, works with education and other communities to promote excellence, achieve equity, and improve learning for children, youth, and adults.

This survey is designed to gather your background information, including interest in economics, classroom learning experience, and self-rated learning skills. There are no right or wrong answers, and you will not be graded on this. It will take you about 10 minutes to complete it. All your answers will remain confidential and will be used only for statistical purposes.

Please read each question and indicate the response choice (see example 1) or the point on the scale (see example 2) that best represents your position. Select only one (unless otherwise specified) using “” for each statement.

Example 1

Never

A few times a semester

Once or twice a month

Once or twice a week

Almost everyday

How often do you watch TV news………………………...

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



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Example 2

Not At All Very Much

I enjoy learning Math.……………………………………..

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

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Student Background Survey (SBS)

1.	S tudent name: (first) (last)
2.	S tudent ID:
3.	G rade level:
4.	T eacher name: (first) (last)
5.	P eriod #:
6.	Your gender:	 Male  Female
7.	Your ethnicity (check one or more):	 American Indian or Alaska Native  Asian  Black or African American  Hispanic or Latino  Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander  White  Other (Specify)
8.	What language do you usually speak at home?	 English  English and another language  A language other than English
9.	Do people in your family speak non-English language at home?	 No  Seldom  Half the time  Mostly
10.	Is reading or writing English ever a problem for you?	 Yes, reading or writing in English is difficult for me.  Sometimes reading or writing in English is difficult for me.  No, reading or writing in English is not a problem for me.

11.	How much do you LIKE each of the following subjects?	I don’t like it very much				I like it very much
a.	Math					
b.	Science					
c.	English					
d.	Social Studies					

12.	How often does each of these things happen in your classes at this school?	Never	Once or twice a semester	Once a month	Once a week	Almost every day
a.	My friends and I talk outside of class about what we are learning in class.					
b.	I try as hard as I can because I am worried about what my friends may think.					
c.	My friends and I study or work together outside of class.					

13.	Do you agree with the following statements?	Strongly Disagree				Strongly Agree
a.	In this school, getting better grades than others tends to make you less popular.					
b.	In this school, too many students get away with being late and not doing their work.					
c.	I LIKE to do more school work than I have to.					
d.	I can do a lot better in school.					
e.	Studying a lot tends to make you less popular.					

14.	Which courses are you taking THIS semester? Check ALL that apply.	English	Social Studies	Foreign Language	Science	Math	Vocational
a.	Regular course						
b.	College-prep course						
c.	Honor course						
d.	Advanced placement course						
e.	Basic course						
f.	Remedial course						

15.	How many HOURS PER DAY do you expect to do homework this semester, in all your classes?	 No time  Half an hour or less  1 hour  2 hours  3-4 hours  5 or more hours
16.	What is the course grade you are expecting to receive this semester, in all your classes?	 All A’s  Mostly A’s  A’s & B’s  Mostly B’s  B’s & C’s  Mostly C’s or lower
17.	What is the highest degree level you would like to achieve? I would like to:	 Leave before graduating from high school  Finish high school  Technical certificate after high school  2-year college degree  4-year college degree  4-year college degree plus some further training  Post graduate degree (medical, law, PhD, MBA)  Haven’t thought about it

18.	On a typical day, are you interested in reading newspaper or magazine articles about:	Not Interested at all				Very Interested
a.	unemployment					
b.	U.S. government politics					
c.	economic issues faced by union workers					
d.	economic issues faced by workers in other countries					
e.	economic issues faced by the poor					
f.	economic issues faced by the elderly					
g.	why the price of some things is higher than the price of other things.					

19.	Are you good at each of the following?	Not very good at					Excellent
a.	Solving complex real world problems							
b.	Understanding data, graphs and charts							
c.	Working effectively in groups							
d.	Giving presentations in front of the class							
e.	Writing papers or essays							
f.	Discussing class-related issues with others

Thank you for completing this survey!!!