Teacher Survey

OMB Clearance Package for Study 2.1d

EXHIBIT B: TEACHER SURVEY

Teacher (Online) Survey

Note to reviewers: The key concept or topic being measured by each question on this teacher survey is noted within the survey. In the actual online survey, the questions will be presented in shorter series of topically-related questions without disclosing the specific topic to which the questions pertain (i.e., questions regarding “parent involvement” will not have a heading that reads as such). Any questions for which the topic is not clearly identified will be used as teacher background data to be used in the descriptive analyses.

This instrument is used with permission by the authors. Items #4i-t are © 2000 by R. Goddard; all other questions © 2005 McREL.

Opening Page

ASPEN Associates is conducting a study of elementary schools engaged in comprehensive school improvement. This survey asks about the educational practices engaged in at your school. Please select the answer that most closely represents your views. The survey has five sections and will take approximately 25 minutes to complete.

Responses to this data collection will be used only for statistical purposes. The reports prepared for this study will summarize findings across the sample and will not associate responses with a specific district, school, or individual. We will not provide information that identifies you, your school or district to anyone outside the research team, except as required by law.

Note to reviewers: Additional instructions will be included regarding how to navigate the online survey in the manner specified by the survey software, such as how to go back to edit a response, how to exit the survey.

The U.S. Department of Education wants to protect the privacy of individuals who participate in surveys. Your answers will be combined with other surveys, and no one will know how you answered the questions. This survey is authorized by law (1) Sections 171(b) and 173 of the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002, Pub. L. 107-279 (2002); and (2) Section 9601 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as amended by the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 (Pub. L. 107-110). Responses to this data collection will be used only for statistical purposes.  The reports prepared for this study will summarize findings across the sample and will not associate responses with a specific district or individual.  We will not provide information that identifies you or your district to anyone outside the study team, except as required by law. 

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is xxxx-xxxx. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 25 minutes per respondent, including the time to review instructions, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collected. If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate(s) or suggestions for improving this form, please write to: U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC 20202. If you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission of this form, write directly to: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, 555 New Jersey Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20208.

 

Section 1 of 5: School Environment

Q1. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about your school?

1 = Strongly Agree, 2 = Somewhat Agree, 3 = Neither Agree nor Disagree,

4 = Somewhat Disagree, 5 = Strongly Disagree

Question	Key Concept
a. My school has a specific parent involvement initiative that encourages parents to participate in decisions about school policies.	Parental Involvement
b. School staff and teachers are open to suggestions from parents.	Parental Involvement
c. My school views strong parental support as an important condition for school effectiveness.	Parental Involvement
d. My school pays specific attention to parents who are hard to reach.	Parental Involvement
e. The primary mission of my school is that all students become proficient in core subjects.	Academic Press
f. My school supports all teachers in their efforts to improve student achievement.	Academic Press
g. My school sets ambitious goals for student achievement.	Academic Press
h. My school has an explicit statement of high expectations concerning student achievement.	Academic Press

Q1. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about your school?

1 = Strongly Agree, 2 = Somewhat Agree, 3 = Neither Agree nor Disagree,

4 = Somewhat Disagree, 5 = Strongly Disagree

i. Teachers frequently talk with parents/families about the best conditions to support the student’s learning at home.	Parental Involvement
j. Teachers and staff are readily accessible to parents.	Parental Involvement
k. Parents are offered various options for involvement (e.g., tutoring their children at home, helping in classrooms, joining school council, etc.).	Parental Involvement
l. Teachers in my school emphasize that student performance can always be improved.	Academic Press
m. All teachers in my school believe that students can reach standards and objectives.	Academic Press
n. Our faculty values school improvement.	Academic Press
o. Our teachers assume responsibility for ensuring that all students learn.	Academic Press

Q1. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about your school (continued)?

1 = Strongly Agree, 2 = Somewhat Agree, 3 = Neither Agree nor Disagree,

4 = Somewhat Disagree, 5 = Strongly Disagree

Question	Key Concept
p. There is a safe, orderly learning environment at my school.	Safe and Orderly Climate
q. Rules are well understood by staff and students.	Safe and Orderly Climate
r. Staff members uniformly apply sanctions to students who defy school policies.	Safe and Orderly Climate
s. There are positive and open interactions between staff and students.	Safe and Orderly Climate
t. Students in my school are acknowledged and rewarded for good behavior.	Safe and Orderly Climate
u. I work hard to create a safe, orderly climate in my classroom.	Safe and Orderly Climate
v. My school administrators strive to create a safe, orderly learning environment.	Safe and Orderly Climate
w. I have access to my students’ standardized test scores.	Assessment and Monitoring
x. I frequently use assessment results to monitor students’ progress toward being proficient on academic standards.	Assessment and Monitoring
y. I frequently give students individual feedback on their progress.	Assessment and Monitoring
z. I evaluate and return students’ work at least once a week.	Assessment and Monitoring
aa. Teachers in my school are provided with opportunities to collaboratively use assessment results to discuss student progress.	Assessment and Monitoring
bb. I frequently use various assessment data (e.g., end-of-chapter tests, homework, standardized tests, state tests, etc.) to adjust my teaching practices.	Assessment and Monitoring
cc. Year-to-year changes in student achievement are monitored at the school level.	Assessment and Monitoring
dd. School-level progress towards academic proficiency is communicated to all teachers at my school.	Assessment and Monitoring

Section 2 of 5: Professional Community

Q2. During the past school year, to what extent did the following activities improve your teaching? If you did not engage in an activity, check Not Applicable.

1 = Great extent, 2 = Considerable extent, 3 = Some extent, 4 = Very limited extent,

5 = Not at all, 6 = Not applicable

Question	Key Concept
a. Working with others (e.g., principal, other teachers) to analyze and address student test results.	Collaboration/ Deprivatization
b. Working with others (e.g., principal, other teachers) to develop curriculum that is aligned with state standards.	Collaboration/ Deprivatization
c. Meeting with other teachers on lesson planning or other collaborative work related to instruction.	Collaboration/ Deprivatization
d. Having other teachers observe your classroom teaching and provide feedback.	Collaboration/ Deprivatization
e. Reviewing feedback about your teaching with the principal or other administrator.	Collaboration/ Deprivatization
f. Engaging in mentoring with another teacher.	Collaboration/ Deprivatization
g. Discussing with other teachers how to help specific students.	Collaboration/ Deprivatization
h. Working with a mathematics or language arts curriculum specialist.	Collaboration/ Deprivatization

Q3. During the past school year, to what extent did your state, district, or school sponsored professional development activities have the following characteristics? (Do not include college or university courses.)

1 = Great extent, 2 = Considerable extent, 3 = Some extent, 4 = Very limited extent,

5 = Not at all

Question	Key Concept
My professional development...
a. focused on content specific to the teaching of state or district academic content standards.	Professional Development
b. addressed my knowledge and skills to help diverse learners.	Professional Development
c. deepened my knowledge in a content area.	Professional Development
d. provided adequate time for reflection on how to improve my teaching.	Professional Development
e. occurred in professional development sessions that were connected and built on one another.	Professional Development
f. was directly applicable to classroom practices.	Professional Development
g. analyzed samples of student work.	Professional Development
h. addressed student test results.	Professional Development

Q4. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about your school?

1 = Strongly Agree, 2 = Somewhat Agree, 3 = Neither Agree nor Disagree,

4 = Somewhat Disagree, 5 = Strongly Disagree

Question	Key Concept
a. Most teachers and staff members feel comfortable voicing their concerns in this school.	Support for Teacher Influence
b. Teachers and other staff members are recognized for a job well done.	Support for Teacher Influence
c. There is a formal support system for beginning teachers.	Support for Teacher Influence
d. Teachers are involved in making important educational decisions at this school.	Support for Teacher Influence
e. Teachers have influence on the content/focus of professional development at this school.	Support for Teacher Influence
f. Teachers share responsibility for all students’ learning at this school.	Support for Teacher Influence
g. Teachers at this school are continually learning.	Support for Teacher Influence
h. There is a great deal of cooperative effort among staff at this school.	Support for Teacher Influence
i. Teachers at this school are able to get through to difficult students.	Purposeful Community
j. Teachers here are confident they will be able to motivate their students.	Purposeful Community
k. Teachers at this school really believe every child can learn.	Purposeful Community
l. Teachers at this school give up if a child doesn’t want to learn.	Purposeful Community
m. Teachers at this school don’t have the skills needed to produce meaningful student learning.	Purposeful Community
n. Students at this school come to school ready to learn.	Purposeful Community
o. Homelife provides so many advantages, the students at this school are bound to learn.	Purposeful Community
p. Students at this school just aren’t motivated to learn.	Purposeful Community
q. The opportunities in this community help ensure that students at this school will learn.	Purposeful Community
r. Learning is more difficult at this school because students are worried about their safety.	Purposeful Community
s. Drug and alcohol abuse in the community make learning difficult for students at this school.	Purposeful Community
t. Teachers in this school do not have the skills to deal with student disciplinary problems.	Purposeful Community

Q5. During teachers’ contracted time in school, how many hours per week do teachers have for planning?

1. none

2. less than 1 hour

3. 1–2 hours

4. 2–4 hours

5. 4 or more hours

Q6. During teachers’ contracted time in school, how many hours per week do teachers have for common planning (i.e., time for two or more teachers to plan together)?

1. none

2. less than 1 hour

3. 1–2 hours

4. 2–4 hours

5. 4 or more hours

Section 3 of 5: Leadership

Q7. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about your school?

1 = Strongly Agree, 2 = Somewhat Agree, 3 = Neither Agree nor Disagree,

4 = Somewhat Disagree, 5 = Strongly Disagree

Question	Key Concept
a. Administrators, teachers, and parents share a common vision of school improvement.	Shared Mission and Goals
b. Teachers share the principal’s beliefs and values about what the central mission of this school should be.	Shared Mission and Goals
c. In my school, we have a shared purpose about our work.	Shared Mission and Goals
d. Specific goals for student achievement have been established for the students in my school.*	Shared Mission and Goals
e. Our school-wide goals are understood by all teachers.*	Shared Mission and Goals
f. Our school-wide goals are a prominent part of our day-to-day lives.	Shared Mission and Goals
g. Teachers were aware of what the leadership believes regarding teaching and learning.	Shared Mission and Goals
h. The school mission provides a clear sense of direction for teachers.	Shared Mission and Goals
i. Our principal believes it is important that teachers cover all of the materials in the prescribed curriculum.	Instructional Guidance
j. Our principal is well-prepared to assist teachers in the implementation of instruction that supports our content standards.	Instructional Guidance
k. In my school, the instructional time of teachers is well protected.	Instructional Guidance
l. In my school, the principal has been successful at ensuring that teachers have the necessary resources and professional opportunities to support high quality instruction.*	Instructional Guidance
m. The principal is directly involved in helping teachers design curricular activities for their classes.*	Instructional Guidance
n. In my school, the principal provides guidance for the teachers in knowing what effective classroom practice is.	Instructional Guidance
o. The principal continually monitors the effectiveness of the instructional practices used in our school.	Instructional Guidance
p. Leaders in our school facilitate teachers working together.	Instructional Guidance

* Not included in reliability data. Items had to be dropped from original survey because of faulty online delivery.

Q7. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about your school (continued)?

1 = Strongly Agree, 2 = Somewhat Agree, 3 = Neither Agree nor Disagree,

4 = Somewhat Disagree, 5 = Strongly Disagree

Question	Key Concept
q. Leaders support risk-taking and innovation in teaching.	Organizational Change
r. Unless we make or continue to make changes in my school, student achievement is not going to improve.	Organizational Change
s. Teachers in this school are continually learning and seeking new ideas.	Organizational Change
t. The principal is interested in innovation and new ideas.	Organizational Change
u. The school’s efforts to improve have good results in the education students receive.	Organizational Change
v. My school's most pressing improvement needs are addressed in a timely manner.	Organizational Change
w. At my school, resources are prioritized in the budget to support improvement efforts.	Organizational Change
x. Improvement initiatives are specifically focused on student-related outcomes or goals.	Organizational Change
y. In my school, we systematically consider new and better ways of doing things.	Organizational Change
z. The principal is comfortable making major changes in how things are done.	Organizational Change

Section 4 of 5: Instruction

Q8. Are you a classroom teacher (includes Special Ed, ELL, Title I, Art, Music, Physical Education, and other specialists that work directly with students in an instructional capacity)?

a. yes

b. no (SKIP TO Q12)

Q9. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about your teaching?

1 = Strongly Agree, 2 = Somewhat Agree, 3 = Neither Agree nor Disagree,

4 = Somewhat Disagree, 5 = Strongly Disagree

Question	Key Concept
a. I use academic materials specific to individual student skill levels.	Individualization
b. I frequently evaluate whether individual students are sufficiently progressing.	Individualization
c. I provide sustained assistance to individual students.	Individualization
d. I tutor or use others as tutors to meet individual learning needs.	Individualization
e. I make modifications in my teaching to improve students' success.	Individualization
f. I seek information from others about my students' strengths and weaknesses.	Individualization
g. I make adjustments in my teaching based on student capabilities.	Individualization
h. I team up with parents to motivate my students.	Individualization
i. I frequently use time outside the classroom to help students learn.	Individualization

Q10. In the classroom, to what extent do your students…?

1 = Great extent, 2 = Considerable extent, 3 = Some extent, 4 = Very limited extent,

5 = Not at all

Question	Key Concept
a. Receive tangible rewards for effort and persistence.	Structure
b. Know their learning goals.	Structure
c. Receive written or verbal feedback on their progress.	Structure
d. Apply their knowledge to a variety of situations.	Structure
e. Independently manage their classwork.	Structure
f. Focus their discussions on lesson objectives.	Structure
g. Follow guidance (such as guidance on how to estimate, self-monitor, prepare a speech, etc.).	Structure
h. Work on learning goals until they are achieved.	Structure

Q11. In general, to what extent do students in your classroom take part in the following types of activities…?

1 = Great extent, 2 = Considerable extent, 3 = Some extent, 4 = Very limited extent,

5 = Not at all

Question	Key Concept
a. Make formal presentations to the class.	Opportunity to Learn
b. Express their understanding of lesson content through writing.	Opportunity to Learn
c. Write a description of a plan, procedure or problem-solving process.	Opportunity to Learn
d. Use a combination of expressions, tables, and graphs to describe relations among numbers and quantities.	Opportunity to Learn
e. Design or implement their own investigations.	Opportunity to Learn
f. Take tests requiring open-ended responses (e.g., descriptions, justifications of solutions).	Opportunity to Learn
g. Solve problems and discuss interpretations with each other in small groups.	Opportunity to Learn
h. Use explanations to defend their solutions or positions.	Opportunity to Learn
i. Discuss read-alouds using advanced vocabulary.	Opportunity to Learn

Q12. In your opinion, how aligned is your school’s curriculum with state standards?

a. Very aligned

b. Somewhat aligned

c. Not very aligned

d. Not at all aligned

Section 5 of 5: Background

Now, we would like to know a little bit about your background.

Q13. What is your highest earned degree?

1. Bachelor’s Degree (BA, BS)

2. Education Specialists Degree

3. Master’s Degree (MA, MS)

4. Doctorate (Ph.D, Ed.D)

Q14. Which of the following teacher certifications do you currently hold for the state in which you are teaching? (Select one)

1. Provisional or Initial

2. Professional

3. Substitute

4. Associate or Limited (i.e., highest degree held is Associate’s degree)

5. Conditional (i.e., hold bachelor’s degree and working towards completing teacher certification requirements)

6. Transitional or Temporary (i.e., hold valid out-of-state license)

7. Professional-Technical (i.e., industry experience but do not need a teaching license)

8. Emergency

Q15. Describe your primary role in this school (Select one)

1. Regular classroom teacher

2. Special education teacher

3. Title I teacher

4. Specialist (e.g., Art, Music, PE)

5. Other (please specify) _____________________________

Q16. How many total years have you been teaching (including this school year)?

____ years (Enter 0 if this is your first year)

Q17. How many total years have you taught in this school (including this school year)?

____ years (Enter 0 if this is your first year)

Q18. Which grade level(s) do you currently teach? (Select all that apply)

1. Pre-Kindergarten

2. Kindergarten

3. 1^st grade

4. 2^nd grade

5. 3^rd grade

6. 4^th grade

7. 5^th grade

8. 6^th grade

9. 7^th grade

10. 8^th grade

11. All of the above

Q19. Do you primarily teach one subject area?

1. Yes

2. No (SKIP TO END)

Q19a. (If yes) What subject do you primarily teach? _______________

[END]

Thank you!

A Study of the Effectiveness of a School Improvement Intervention
Exhibit B: Teacher Survey Page B-1