Teacher Refresher Background Survey

OMB No.: xxxx-xxxx

Approval Expires: xx/xx/xxxx

This questionnaire asks about your educational background and past teaching experience, and your experiences as a teacher at this school during the 2010-2011 school year.

We want you to know that:

1. This survey is voluntary, but your response is critical for producing valid and reliable data. You may skip any questions you do not wish to answer; however, we hope that you answer as many questions as you can. Your answers to questions will not affect your job or any hiring decisions now or in the future and will not be shared with any members of the school administration or anyone else other than the researchers. Participation in the teacher survey will not impose any risks to you as a respondent. If you have any questions about your rights as a research volunteer, you can contact Margo Campbell at Public/Private Ventures IRB, toll free 800/755/4778 x4446.

2. The U.S. Department of Education is committed to protecting the privacy of individuals who participate in surveys. All information you provide will be kept strictly confidential and used for research purposes only. Your answers will be combined with other surveys, and no information identifying individual teachers or their schools will be released.

Thank you very much for your help with this survey.

Please return the completed form to: Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. 707 Alexander Road Building 3, Suite 304 Princeton, NJ 08540 ATTN:

If you have questions, please contact: Ms. Kristina Rall Phone: 866-608-8290 (toll free) FAX: 202-863-1763 E-mail: krall@mathematica-mpr.com

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).

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 XX 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 A. TEACHING EXPERIENCE AND JOB SATISFACTION

This section asks about your experiences as a classroom teacher. When responding, please report on your employment in both public and private schools. Do not report on your experiences as a substitute teacher, teacher’s aide, paraprofessional, or student teacher.

A1. How many years have you worked as a classroom teacher, including the current school year? (Include all years teaching in public and private schools. If this is your first year teaching, please enter ‘01’.)

| | | TOTAL YEARS TEACHING

A2. How many years have you have worked as a classroom teacher in this school district, including the current school year?

| | | TOTAL YEARS TEACHING IN THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT

A3. Are you currently . . .

Mark only one

Teaching at the same school you taught at last year? 1  GO TO A4

Teaching at a different school from where you taught last year? 2  GO TO A5

In your first year of teaching? 3  GO TO A6

A4. How many years have you worked as a classroom teacher in this school, including the current school year?

| | | TOTAL YEARS TEACHING AT THIS SCHOOL GO TO A7

A5. Indicate the school in which you worked as a classroom teacher during the 2009-2010 school year, and the total number of years you taught at that school.

a. School name:

b. School district:

c. | | | TOTAL YEARS TEACHING AT SCHOOL

A6. Which of the following types of support did you receive as a newly-hired teacher at this school since the start of this school year? To what extent was the support you received useful?

In Column A: For each type of support listed below, please mark Yes or No to indicate whether or not you received it.

In Column B: If you mark Yes in Column A, please indicate how useful that type of support was to you.

In each row, mark one box in Column A. If you answer Yes in Column A, mark one box in Column B.	A. Received support?		B. Usefulness of support?
	Yes	No	Not Very Useful	Useful	Very Useful
a. District or school orientation at the beginning of the year	1 	0 	1 	2 	3 
b. Individual (i.e., one-on-one) meeting with the principal	1 	0 	1 	2 	3 
c. Introduction by principal to fellow teaching staff at the school	1 	0 	1 	2 	3 
d. Classroom visits by principal	1 	0 	1 	2 	3 
e. Informal meetings with, or advice from, fellow teaching staff	1 	0 	1 	2 	3 
f. Regular planning time with fellow teachers	1 	0 	1 	2 	3 
g. Regular advice and guidance from an assigned mentor teacher	1 	0 	1 	2 	3 
h. Assistance from fellow teachers in finding resources and materials	1 	0 	1 	2 	3 
i. PRETEST ONLY: Other support (Please specify)
	1 	0 	1 	2 	3 

A7. Thinking about your transition to the school where you currently teach, to what extent do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements?

In each row, mark one box only	Strongly Disagree	Somewhat Disagree	Somewhat Agree	Strongly Agree
a. My orientation to this school was useful	1 	2 	3 	4 
b. Other teachers here made me feel welcome	1 	2 	3 	4 
c. I received the social support I needed to integrate into this school	1 	2 	3 	4 
d. I received the material support I needed to integrate into this school (e.g., classroom equipment)	1 	2 	3 	4 
e. I often felt like an outsider at this school	1 	2 	3 	4 

A8. To what extent did you find each of the following a challenge in your transition to the school where you currently teach?

In each row, mark one box only	Not a Challenge	Minor Challenge	Major Challenge
a. Teaching low-performing students	1 	2 	3 
b. Student discipline and classroom management	1 	2 	3 
c. Interacting with parents	1 	2 	3 
d. Gaining support from fellow teachers in the school	1 	2 	3 
e. Gaining the support of the principal	1 	2 	3 
f. Other (Please specify)	1 	2 	3 

A9. Which grade level(s) do you currently teach? Mark all that apply

1  1st grade	6  6th grade	11  11th grade
2  2nd grade	7  7th grade	12  12nd grade
3  3rd grade	8  8th grade	13  Ungraded
4  4th grade	9  9th grade	14  Kindergarten
5  5th grade	10  10th grade	15  Pre-kindergarten

A10. Do you currently teach one self-contained class (where you instruct the same group of students most or all of the day in multiple subjects) or do you teach several classes of different students in one or more academic subjects?

I teach one self-contained class 1  GO TO A11

I teach several classes of different students 2  GO TO A12

A11. How many students are enrolled in your class?

| | | TOTAL STUDENTS

A12. Which subjects do you currently teach? Mark Yes or No for each subject listed below. If you teach any language arts or mathematics classes, please indicate the number of classes or sections that you teach, and the total number of students that you teach.

	Yes	No	Number of classes or sections	Total number of students
a. English / Language Arts / Reading	1 	0 	| | |	| | | |
b. Mathematics	1 	0 	| | |	| | | |
c. English as a Second Language (ESL)	1 	0 
d. Special instruction for English Language Learners (ELL) or Limited English Proficient (LEP) students	1 	0 
e. Foreign Language	1 	0 
f. Social Studies	1 	0 
g. Science	1 	0 
h. Resource Teacher	1 	0 
h. Special Education	1 	0 
i. Other (Please specify)	1 	0 

A13. In general, how much do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements about your teaching assignment this school year?

In each row, mark one box only	Strongly Disagree	Somewhat Disagree	Somewhat Agree	Strongly Agree
a. I am satisfied with the grade levels I was assigned to teach	1 	2 	3 	4 
b. I am satisfied with the subject(s) I was assigned to teach	1 	2 	3 	4 
c. I am satisfied with the way students were assigned to my class, or classes	1 	2 	3 	4 

A14. Are there other teachers at your school who teach the same grade level or subjects that you are teaching this school year?

YES 1 

NO 0  GO TO A17

A15. Think about the ABILITY LEVELS of the students assigned to your class(es) this year compared to those of students assigned to your colleague(s) teaching the same grade level or subject in your school. Would you say the students in YOUR class(es) are . . .

Mark only one

More challenging in ability? 1 

About the same level of ability? 2 

Less challenging in terms of ability? 3 

Cannot judge. I am unfamiliar with the

ability levels of the students in the other class(s) 4 

A16. Think about the DISCIPLINARY ISSUES of the students assigned to your class(es) this year compared to those of students assigned to your colleague(s) teaching the same grade level or subject in your school. Would you say the students in YOUR class(es) are . . .

Mark only one

More challenging in terms of disciplinary issues? 1 

About the same in terms of disciplinary issues? 2 

Less challenging in terms of disciplinary issues? 3 

Cannot judge. I am unfamiliar with the disciplinary

issues of the students in the other class(s) 4 

A17. Thinking about this school year, how satisfied are you with each of the following aspects of the school?

In each row, mark one box only	Very Dissatisfied	Somewhat Dissatisfied	Somewhat Satisfied	Very Satisfied
Leadership/School Policies
a. The principal’s leadership and vision	1 	2 	3 	4 
b. Teacher recognition for positive accomplishments	1 	2 	3 	4 
c. Student testing policies	1 	2 	3 	4 
d. Other school policies	1 	2 	3 	4 
Professional Environment
e. Professional caliber of colleagues	1 	2 	3 	4 
f. Salary	1 	2 	3 	4 
g. Benefits	1 	2 	3 	4 
h. Opportunities for professional development	1 	2 	3 	4 
i. Opportunities to provide input into school policies and practices	1 	2 	3 	4 
j. Autonomy or control over classroom	1 	2 	3 	4 
k. Workload	1 	2 	3 	4 
School Environment and Facilities
l. Teacher support from the administration	1 	2 	3 	4 
m. Support from faculty/collaboration with colleagues	1 	2 	3 	4 
n. Support for teachers working with students with special needs	1 	2 	3 	4 
o. Availability of resources and materials/ equipment for your classroom	1 	2 	3 	4 
p. School facilities such as the building or grounds.	1 	2 	3 	4 
q. Safety in the school building and on school grounds (including parking lot)	1 	2 	3 	4 
r. Safety in the neighborhood where the school is located	1 	2 	3 	4 
Your Students and Their Families
s. Student motivation to learn	1 	2 	3 	4 
t. Student discipline and behavior	1 	2 	3 	4 
u. Student academic performance	1 	2 	3 	4 
v. Parental involvement in the school	1 	2 	3 	4 

A18. Did you teach a grade level and/or subject the last school year (2009-2010) that is different from what you are teaching this school year (2010-2011)?

YES 1 

NO 0 

Not applicable. This is my first year teaching 8 

A19. What is the main reason you are teaching a different grade or subject?

Mark only one

I wanted to teach a different grade level or subject 1 

I had a choice, but my principal asked me to teach this class 2 

This was the only option available 3 

Other (Please specify) 4 

A20. Which grade level(s) did you teach last school year (2009-2010)? Mark all that apply

1  1st grade	6  6th grade	11  11th grade
2  2nd grade	7  7th grade	12  12nd grade
3  3rd grade	8  8th grade	13  Ungraded
4  4th grade	9  9th grade	14  Kindergarten
5  5th grade	10  10th grade	15  Pre-kindergarten

A21. Did you teach one self-contained class (where you instructed the same group of students most or all of the day in multiple subjects) or did you teach several classes of different students in one or more academic subjects?

I taught one self-contained class 1  GO TO SECTION B

I taught several classes of different students 2 

A22. Which subjects did you teach in 2009-2010? Mark all that apply

1  English / Language Arts / Reading

2  Mathematics

3  English as a Second Language (ESL)

4  Special instruction for English Language Learners

(ELL) or Limited English Proficient (LEP) students

5  Foreign Language

6  Social Studies

7  Science

8  Resource Teacher

9  Special Education

10  Other (Please specify)

SECTION B. MENTORING

This section asks about your school’s use of staff to provide professional advice and direct assistance to classroom teachers. These staff members are typically referred to as mentors, coaches, or lead teachers.

B1. Are you assigned to, and currently working with, a person (or persons), such as a mentor, coach, lead teacher, or other school or district leader, who provides professional advice and direct assistance to you in your teaching duties?

YES 1 

NO 0  GO TO B8

B2. How many different people provide this kind of professional advice and direct assistance to you in your teaching duties?

| | | NUMBER OF PEOPLE

B3. Now think about the person who provides the most support of this type to you. What is that person’s job title?

Mark only one

School Principal 1 

Assistant or Vice-Principal 2 

Department Head or Chair 3 

Lead Teacher 4 

Mentor or Master Teacher 5 

Other (Please specify title) 6 

B4. On average, how frequently are your regular meetings with that person? Please include all scheduled meetings during and outside regular school hours.

| | | NUMBER OF TIMES (IF NONE, ENTER 0.)

Mark only one

Per week 1 

Per month 2 

Per year 3 

Other (Please specify) 4 

B5. On average, how long is each of these scheduled meetings with that person?

| | | | MINUTES PER MEETING

B6. On average, about how frequently do you meet informally with that person (without scheduling in advance)? Please include all unscheduled meetings during and outside regular school hours.

| | | NUMBER OF TIMES (IF NONE, ENTER 0.)

Mark only one

Per week 1 

Per month 2 

Per year 3 

Other (Please specify) 4 

B7. On average, how long is each of these informal meetings with that person?

| | | | MINUTES PER MEETING

B8. Are you currently assigned to mentor other teachers at your school?

Yes 1 

No 0  GO TO B12

B9. How many teachers are you mentoring on an ongoing basis?

| | | TEACHERS

B10. On average, how much time within your contracted hours do you spend each week engaged in activities related to your position as a mentor? (Please indicate the number of minutes.)

| | | | MINUTES EACH WEEK (IF NONE, ENTER 0.)

B11. On average, how much time OUTSIDE of your contracted hours do you spend each week engaged in activities related to your position as a mentor? (Please indicate the number of minutes.)

| | | | MINUTES EACH WEEK (IF NONE, ENTER 0.)

B12. Approximately how many minutes per week do you spend informally helping other teachers at your school? Please include time spent both during and outside regular school hours whether the time was spent within or outside contracted hours.

| | | | MINUTES EACH WEEK (IF NONE, ENTER 0.)

B13. In which of the following activities are you involved at your school?

In each row, mark one box only	Yes	No
a. Serving as a grade level or subject area chair	1 	0 
b. Serving on a school improvement committee	1 	0 
c. Working to obtain external funding for my school (i.e., grants or funding from external organizations for projects/supplies/materials)	1 	0 
d. Leading or promoting teacher collaboration	1 	0 

Note: This version of the survey does not include Section C.

SECTION D. EDUCATION AND TEACHING CERTIFICATION

D1. Please tell us about your educational degrees.

Column A: For each degree listed below, please check Yes or No to indicate if it is one that you hold.

Column B: For each degree that you hold, indicate the name and location of the college or institution from which you received it.

Column C: Indicate the major field(s) of study using the codes from the Major Field of Study table on page 15.

Column D: Indicate the year in which the degree was awarded.

Note: If you have more than one Bachelor’s or Master’s degree, in Columns B-D provide information on the most recently received degree.

In each row, mark one box in Column A.	A. Degree held		B. Name, city, and state of awarding institution	C. Major code	D. Year Awarded
If you answer Yes in Column A, complete Columns B-D.	Yes	No
Bachelor’s degree	1 	0 	______________________ ______________________	| | | |	| | | | |
Master’s degree	1 	0 	______________________ ______________________	| | | |	| | | | |
Doctorate degree	1 	0 	______________________ ______________________	| | | |	| | | | |
Other degree (Please specify) ________________________	1 	0 	______________________ ______________________	| | | |	| | | | |

Table 1. Major Field of Study Codes

General Education
Elementary Education		Natural Sciences
101 Early childhood/Pre-K, general		211 Biology/Life sciences
102 Elementary grades, general		212 Chemistry
		213 Earth sciences
Secondary Education		214 Engineering
103 Middle grades, general		217 Physics
104 Secondary grades, general		218 Other
Special Education		Social Sciences
110 Special education, any		221 Anthropology
		222 Area/Ethnic studies (excluding Native American)
Other Education		223 Criminal justice
131 Administration		224 Cultural studies
132 Counseling and guidance		225 Economics
133 Educational psychology		226 Geography
134 Policy studies		227 Government/Civics
135 School psychology		228 History
136 Other non-subject matter specific education		229 International studies
		230 Law
SUBJECT MATTER SPECIFIC		231 Native American studies
		232 Political science
Arts & Music		233 Psychology
141 Art/Arts or crafts		234 Sociology
142 Art history		235 Other social science
143 Dance
144 Drama/Theater		Vocational/Technical Education
145 Music		241 Agriculture and natural resources
		242 Business/Office
English and Language Arts		243 Keyboarding
151 Communications		244 Marketing and distribution
152 Composition		245 Health occupations
153 English		246 Construction trades
154 Journalism		247 Mechanics and repair
155 Language arts		248 Drafting/Graphics/Printing
156 Linguistics		249 Metals/Woods/Plastics and other precision production
157 Literature/Literary Criticism		(electronics, leatherwork, meat cutting, etc.)
158 Reading		250 Communications and other technologies (not including
159 Speech		computer science)
		251 Culinary arts/Hospitality
English as a Second Language		252 Child care and education
160 ESL/Bilingual education: General		253 Personal and other services (including cosmetology,
161 ESL/Bilingual education: Spanish		custodial services, clothing and textiles, and interior
162 ESL/Bilingual education: Other languages		design)
		254 Family and consumer sciences education
Foreign Languages		255 Industrial arts/Technology education
171 French
172 German		Miscellaneous
173 Latin		261 Architecture
174 Spanish		263 Humanities/Liberal studies
175 Other foreign language		264 Library/Information science
		265 Military science/ROTC
Health Education & Physical Education		266 Philosophy
181 Health education		267 Religious studies/Theology/Divinity
182 Physical education
		Other
Mathematics and Computer Science		268 Other
190 Mathematics
197 Computer Science

D2. For what education levels are you certified to teach?

[NOTE TO REVIEWERS; THIS ITEM WILL USE DISTRICT-SPECIFIC OPTIONS FOR CERTIFICATION CATEGORIES BELOW]

Mark all that apply

a. Preschool (birth-pre-K) 1 

b. Elementary (K-5) 2 

c. Middle grades (6-8) 3 

d. Secondary grades (9-12) 4 

e. Special subject areas (K-12) 5 

SPECIFY SPECIAL AREAS (e.g., math):

f. Exceptional children (K-12) (Please specify) 6 

g. Other (Please specify) 7 

D3. Please indicate whether you hold a National Board Certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.

Mark only one

Yes, I currently hold one or more certificates

from the National Board 1 

I am currently a candidate for National Board certification 2 

I have applied but am no longer being considered

for National Board certification 3 

I have never applied for National Board certification 4 

SECTION E. COMPENSATION

This section asks for your best estimates of any compensation you received from sources other than your regular teaching position during the 2009-2010 school year.

E1. In addition to your annual base salary from the school district for the 2009-2010 school year, did you receive, or have you been offered, any other compensation? (Include bonuses, compensation for teaching summer school, coaching, etc.)

YES 1 

NO 0  GO TO F1

E2. Please indicate whether you were offered any of the following types of bonuses or incentives in 2009-2010. If you mark Yes in Column A, please indicate the amount or expected amount of compensation in Column B.

In each row, mark one box in Column A. If you mark Yes in Column A, complete Column B.	A. Offered?		B. Compensation amount (Round to nearest $100)
Bonus Type	Yes	No
a. Hiring or transfer bonus	1 	0 	$ | | |,| | 0 | 0 |
b. Retention bonus	1 	0 	$ | | |,| | 0 | 0 |
c. Bonus to teach a particular grade level or subject	1 	0 	$ | | |,| | 0 | 0 |
d. Individual performance-based bonus	1 	0 	$ | | |,| | 0 | 0 |
e. School-based performance-based bonus	1 	0 	$ | | |,| | 0 | 0 |
Stipends or Additional Pay
f. Stipend for performing extra duties, such as mentoring or leading professional development	1 	0 	$ | | |,| | 0 | 0 |
g. Stipend for leading extracurricular activities (including coaching)	1 	0 	$ | | |,| | 0 | 0 |
h. Teaching summer school	1 	0 	$ | | |,| | 0 | 0 |
i. Other bonus, incentive or stipend (Please specify)	1 	0 	$ | | |,| | 0 | 0 |

Note: This version of the survey does not include Section F.

SECTION G. DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS

G1. Are you male or female?

MALE 1 

FEMALE 2 

G2. Are you of Hispanic or Latino origin?

YES 1 

NO 0 

G3. What is your race?

Mark one or more

a. American Indian or Alaska Native 1 

b. Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander 2 

c. Asian 3 

d. Black or African American 4 

e. White 5 

G4. In what year were you born?

19 | | | YEAR

As a thank you for completing this survey, we will send you a check for $25. Please provide your mailing address and phone number below.

Name:
Address 1:			Phone Number:
Address 2:
City:		State:		Zip:

Thank you for taking time to participate in this survey.

Prepared by Mathematica Policy Research, Inc.