Baseline Teacher Survey

Evaluation of Strategies to Address Unfinished
Learning in Math (ReSolve Math Study)

Appendix A
Math Teacher Survey Consent Form and Survey (Fall)

May 2023

ReSolve Math Study
Teacher Survey
Fall 2023/2024/2025

Notice of Confidentiality
Information collected for this study comes under the confidentiality and data protection requirements of the
Institute of Education Sciences (The Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002, Title I, Part E, Section 183). Responses
to this data collection will be used by the U.S. Department of Education, its contractors, and collaborating
researchers only for statistical purposes. Reports will summarize findings across the sample and will not associate
responses with specific school or individual. All of the information you provide may be used only for statistical
purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law
(20 U.S.C. §9573 and 6 U.S.C. §151).
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of
information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this
information collection is xxxx-xxxx. The approximate time required to complete the survey is estimated to be 10
minutes including time for reviewing instructions, looking for necessary information, and completing questions. If
you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate or suggestions for improving this form,
please write to: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, 550 12th Street, SW, Washington,
DC 20202.

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Dear Teacher:
The ReSolve Math Study is a groundbreaking national study designed to test whether
consistent and intensive use of digital math products as a complement to teacher-led
instruction can accelerate 4th and 5th graders’ math learning. Your participation 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.
The survey will take about 10 minutes to complete. As a token of appreciation for your time,
you will receive $15 for completing this survey.
Below are the answers to some general questions concerning your participation.
What is the purpose of this survey?
The purpose of this survey is to obtain information about you, your teaching experience, and
your instructional practices.
Who is conducting this survey?
The ReSolve Math Study was commissioned by the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of
Education Sciences. The study is being led by MDRC (a nonprofit, nonpartisan research
organization that has been doing work in the education and social policy field since 1974), and
the study survey is being administered by Westat (a research firm with expertise in survey
research and data collection in education and other areas since 1963).
Why should I participate in this survey?
Policymakers and educational leaders rely on findings from studies like this to inform their
decisions on approaches to addressing unfinished learning among students in elementary
school. The current project will fill a critical gap in the research on the consistent use of digital
math products to complement core teacher-led instruction and the best instructional
approaches these products can take in helping students to catch-up.
Will my responses be kept confidential?
Yes. Your responses are protected from disclosure by the policies and procedures required by
the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002, Title I, Part E, Section 183. The study team will
present the information collected as part of this study in an aggregate form and will not
associate responses to any of the people who participate. We will not provide information that
identifies you or your school to anyone outside the study team except as required by law. Your
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responses will be used only for statistical purposes. Any willful disclosure of such information
for nonstatistical purposes, without the informed consent of the respondent, is a class E felony.
Will my information ever be used in the future for other studies?
Yes. The study team may share the data we collected from the study with other researchers to
use in their work, but those records will not contain your name or any other information that
could identify you. You are agreeing now to sharing this information for future research
purposes.
What are the benefits to me of being in the survey?
There are no direct benefits to you for participating in the survey. However, you are helping
educators learn how to support students’ math learning.
What are the risks to participation?
There are few risks involved other than accidental disclosure of information. MDRC and Westat
have safeguards in place to ensure respondents’ confidentiality, including restricted access to
survey data and separating identifying information such as teacher and school names from
survey responses. All study team members sign a confidentiality pledge, and all staff with
access to identifiable study data have received clearance from the U.S. Department of
Education and are subject to severe legal consequences for any breach of confidentiality. Any
data that identifies you will be destroyed at the end of the study. If you have any questions
about your rights as a research volunteer, contact the study team at ReSolveMath@mdrc.org or
.
How will my information be reported?
The information you provide will be combined with the information provided by other teachers
in statistical reports. No individual data that links your name, e-mail address, or school with
your responses will be included in the statistical reports.
Thank you for your cooperation in this very important effort!
Yes, I agree to participate in this
survey
No, I do not agree to participate

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ReSolve Math
Teacher Survey
Fall 2023/2024/2025

Section 1. Teaching Assignment
[PROGRAMMER: When piping in the appropriate school years and school year ranges, please consult
the following chart and insert the years according to the cohort that the school is part of and the year
of participation.
Year 1

Year 2

Cohort 1

2023-2024

2024-2025

Cohort 2

2024-2025

2025-2026

For example, when there is a parenthesis like (SY 2023-24/SY 2024-25/SY 2025-26), you would pick ONE
of the ranges based on the cohort and the year of participation]
1-1. This school year (SY 2023-24/SY 2024-25/SY 2025-26), do you teach students in any of the
following grade levels?
No, I do not teach this
Yes, I teach this level
level
01 Grade 4
1☐
2☐
02 Grade 5
1☐
2☐
[PROGRAMMER: If neither Grade 4 nor Grade 5 question were marked “yes” in question 1-1, then skip
to a screen confirming grades selected before exiting the survey.]
1-2. This school year (SY 2023-24/SY 2024-25/SY 2025-26), do you teach mathematics?
01 Yes
02 No

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[PROGRAMMER: If question 1-2 was marked “no”, then skip to a screen confirming they do not teach
mathematics before exiting the survey.]

Section 2. Math Instruction
[PROGRAMMER: For question 2-1, please restore a reference to 4th or 5th grade based on the
respondent’s answers to question 1-1. If the respondent teaches both 4th and 5th grade, restore 4th
during Year 1 of the study (SY 2023-24/2024-25) and 5th during Year 2 of the study (2024-25/2025-26)]
2-1. Our next questions focus on the math you teach to your [4th /5th] grade students.
Please indicate your disagreement or agreement with each of the following statements.
[PROGRAMMER: randomize items]

01 I am good at math.
02 I am able to answer my students’
questions about math.
03 I have a good understanding of the
mathematics I teach.
04 I have a good understanding of the
pedagogy of how to teach math.
05 Even if I try very hard, I do not teach
mathematics as well as I do other
subjects.

Strongly
disagree
1☐

Disagree

Agree

2☐

3☐

Strongly
agree
4☐

1☐

2☐

3☐

4☐

1☐

2☐

3☐

4☐

1☐

2☐

3☐

4☐

1☐

2☐

3☐

4☐

2-2. Now we’d like to learn more about your past teaching experience.
Last year (SY 2022-23/SY 2023-24/SY 2024-2025), did you teach 4th or 5th grade mathematics?
01 Yes
02 No
[PROGRAMMER: If question 2-2 was marked “no” then skip to question 3-1]
2-3. Last year (SY 2022-23/SY 2023-24/SY 2024-2025), did you teach mathematics in 4th grade, 5th
grade, or both?
01 I taught 4th grade mathematics last year
02 I taught 5th grade mathematics last year
03 I taught both 4th and 5th grade mathematics last year

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[PROGRAMMER: For question 2-4 - 2-7, please restore a reference to 4th or 5th grade based on the
respondent’s answers to question 2-1. If the respondent taught both 4th and 5th grade, restore 4th during
Year 1 of the study (2023-24/2024-25) and 5th during Year 2 of the study (2024-25/2025-26)]
2-4. In an average week last year (SY 2022-23/SY 2023-24/SY 2024-25), how often did your math
instruction for a typical [4th /5th] grade student you taught focus on:

01 Below-grade-level-math content
02 Grade-level-math content
03 Above-grade-level-math content

None or
almost
none of
the time
1☐
1☐
1☐

Less
than
half of
the time
2☐
2☐
2☐

About
half of
the time
3☐
3☐
3☐

More
than
half of
the time
4☐
4☐
4☐

All or
almost
all of
the time
5☐
5☐
5☐

2-5. SUPPLEMENTAL DIGITAL MATH PRODUCTS are computer-based or online programs that provide
students with mathematics instruction or practice, and which are not curriculum materials.
CURRICULUM MATERIALS are instructional materials intended to constitute a full, comprehensive
course of study for a particular subject and grade level.
In the [4th / 5th] grade math classes you taught last year (SY 2022-23/SY 2023-24/SY 2024-25), did
any of your students use one or more supplemental digital math products during the school day?
01 Yes
02 No
03 I don’t know
[PROGRAMMER: If question 2-5 is “yes” then ask:]
2-6. In the [4th / 5th] grade math classes you taught last year (SY 2022-23/SY 2023-24/SY 2024-25),
did at least some students use any of the following supplemental digital math products during the
school day?

01 Freckle (Renaissance Learning)
02 i-Ready (Curriculum Associates)
03 Other supplemental math product(s)
(please specify): [TEXTBOX]

YES, at least some
students used this
product
1☐
1☐
1☐

NO, students did NOT
use this product
2☐
2☐
2☐

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[PROGRAMMER: If there is an affirmative response to 2-6 then ask:]
2-7. For each of the following supplemental digital math products, please think of a typical [4th/ 5th]
grade student who used it, and indicate how often this typical student used the product during
math instructional time last school year?
Your best estimate is fine.
[PROGRAMMER: Hover over definition to be displayed on “math instructional time” in the stem: Math
instructional time includes any time during the school day that is specifically dedicated for students to
learn math. It includes whole class instruction, small group instruction, students working independently
in the classroom, and supplemental instructional periods—such as pull-out instruction or intervention
time—that are dedicated to math. It does not include special periods, such as computer time, that could
be used for instruction in any subject.]
Supplemental digital math
products

[PROGRAMMER: Pipe in products
used from question 2-6 including
“other” responses]

Less
than
monthly
1☐

Monthly

2-3
times
per
month

Once
per
week

2-4
times
per
week

Every
day

2☐

3☐

4☐

5☐

6☐

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Section 3. About You
3-1. These final questions are about you and your teaching experience.
Across your entire career, including the current school year (SY 2023-2024/SY 2024-25/SY 202526), for how many years have you served as a teacher?
Round to the nearest whole number. Do not include student teaching.
[NUMERIC TEXTBOX] YEARS

3-2. In what area(s) are you certified to teach?
01 Elementary education
02 English learners (K-12)
03 Special education
04 Mathematics
05 Other K-12 subject area(s)

Yes, I am certified
1☐
1☐
1☐
1☐
1☐

No, I am not certified
2☐
2☐
2☐
2☐
2☐

[PROGRAMMER: If “other” is indicated in question 3-2 then ask:]
3-3. In what other area(s) are you certified to teach?
[RESPONSE TEXTBOX] SUBJECTS
[PROGRAMMER: If Mathematics was marked “yes” in question 3-2 then ask:]
3-4. Did you have to pass a subject-specific licensure test in mathematics to be certified to teach
mathematics?
01 Yes
02 No
3-5. What is the highest degree you have earned?
01
02
03
04
05
06

High School Diploma or a GED
Associate degree
Bachelor’s degree (examples: BA, BS)
Master’s degree (examples: MA, MAT, MBA, MEd, MS.)
Educational specialist or professional diploma (at least one year beyond master’s level)
Doctorate or first professional degree (examples: PhD, EdD, JD)

9

[PROGRAMMER: If an Associate degree, Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree, Educational specialist or
professional diploma, or a Doctorate or first professional degree was marked in question 3-5 then ask:]
3-6. Do you have an undergraduate degree in any of the following?
Select all that apply.
01 Mathematics
02 Education
03 Other
[PROGRAMMER: If a Master’s degree, Educational specialist or professional diploma, or a Doctorate or
first professional degree was marked in question 3-5 then ask:]
3-7. Do you have a graduate degree in any of the following?
Select all that apply.
01 Mathematics
02 Education
03 Other
[PROGRAMMER: Ask all:]
3-8. Did you participate in a teacher preparation program before becoming a classroom teacher?
01 Yes
02 No
[PROGRAMMER: If yes was marked in question 3-8 then ask:]
3-9. Which of the following teacher preparation programs did you complete?
Select all that apply.
01 Undergraduate program
02 Post-baccalaureate program
03 Post-baccalaureate alternative certification program (e.g., TFA, TNTP, or a training program run
by your school district)
04 Other (please specify): [TEXTBOX]

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