2021-22 District-Wide Survey Questions

This page displays the questions that are asked on each survey according to the six Essential Topics (Climate, Instruction, Leadership, Professional Capacity, Parent/Guardian-Community Ties, and Equity and Inclusion). All questions that are not aligned to one of the six Topics are grouped under “Other.”

You can download the complete list of 2021-22 student/parent/teacher/principal questions here.

You can also find all of the surveys in .pdf form here.

Climate Questions

Questions that fall under the “Climate” topic ask about the school environment and relationships, including feelings of safety, support, and respect. There are also questions about the types of challenges teachers and principals face in their school communities. Click on the + to see and compare the questions asked of each group.

Students

I am bullied at school.
I feel welcome in my school.
I enjoy being in school.
Other students treat me with respect.
I have good friends at my school.
When I am in school, I feel like I belong.
The school building is in good condition.
My school is clean.
Students are bullied at my school.
The school grounds (playground and sidewalks around the school) are clean.
How often are students treated badly in school? (This includes being bullied or harassed.)
Students are treated badly (bullied or harassed) based on:
- their race/ethnicity or background
- their religion
- their gender identity
- their sexual orientation
- how well they speak English
- having a disability
- something else
I feel safe in the neighborhood surrounding my school.
I feel safe going to and from school.
I feel safe in the hallways in my school.
I feel safe in my classes.
I feel safe in the bathrooms in my school.
I feel safe in the stairways in my school.
I feel safe in the cafeteria in my school.
My teachers believe that I can do well in school.
My teachers tell me when I am doing a good job.
Students trust one another.
Students are proud to go to this school.
Everyone knows what the school rules are.
Adults from school teach me how to deal with conflict.
Teachers can handle students who disrupt the class.
Students listen to the teachers.
Students are rewarded for positive behavior.
Consequences for misbehavior are fair.

Parents and Guardians

Adults at my child’s school treat my child with respect.
My child is bullied at school (someone repeatedly and purposefully says or does mean or hurtful things).
My child is discriminated against at school (treated worse than other students because of a personal characteristic like how they look).
My child feels safe going to and from school.
My child feels safe at school.
My child’s school is clean.

Teachers

My school has clear strategies for improving instruction.
My school adheres to a no-excuses approach for student learning.
My school has a culture of using data to drive student-level interventions.
Many new programs come and go in my school.
There is consistency in curriculum, instruction, and learning materials among teachers in the same grade level at my school.
Curriculum, instruction, and learning materials are well coordinated across different grade levels at my school.
Teacher morale is high.
Teachers at my school have high expectations for students.
Teachers at my school support the idea that all students can learn.
Teachers feel responsible when students in my school fail academically.
Most of my colleagues share my beliefs and values about what the central mission of the school should be.
My school or District/CMO recognizes or rewards me based on my teaching and/or student achievement.
My school or District/CMO penalizes me based on my teaching and/or student achievement.
My school emphasizes the importance of student attendance.
I feel safe going to and from school.
To what extent do you consider the following factors a challenge to student learning in your school?
- Frequent changes in school priorities
- Principal turnover
- Teacher turnover
- Shortage of highly qualified teachers
- Teachers teaching a subject or grade outside of their certification
- Shortage of instructional support staff (e.g., teacher aides and reading specialists)
- Shortage of other support staff (e.g., nurses, counselors, and security)
- Students transferring in or out of the school
- Student absenteeism
- Student tardiness
- Lack of teacher planning time built into the school day
- Pressure to perform well on the state standardized tests
- Lack of support for teaching special education students (i.e., students with IEPs)
- Lack of support for teaching English Learners
- Lack of school resources to provide the extra help for students who need it
- School crime/safety
- Bullying
- Problems with student transportation
- Lack of computers or other technological resources
- Frequent changes in District initiatives
- Neighborhood crime/safety
- Students have inadequate basic skills or prior preparation
- Lack of support from parents and guardians
- Cultural differences between home and school
- Lack of translated materials for multilingual families
To what extent do you consider the following factors a challenge to student learning in your classroom?
- Insufficient class time to cover all of the curriculum
- Wide range of student abilities in class
- Student behavior
- Inadequate textbooks, materials, or other non-technological instructional resources
- Lack of computers or other technological resources
- Student absenteeism (cutting class)
- Students report being hungry
To what extent do you feel respected by:
- The School Board
- District/Charter administrators
- Your principal
- Teachers in your school
- Other school staff
- Parents/guardians
- Students
My school consistently uses positive behavior supports to encourage responsible behavior.
My school does a good job of addressing disciplinary challenges proactively.
My school’s response to student misbehavior is trauma-informed.
I know what is expected of me regarding student discipline.
I have been adequately trained to manage student behavior effectively.
My administration supports my decisions regarding school discipline.
My administration blames me when my students misbehave.
My opinions about discipline are valued.
There are enough people in my school who are available to handle student discipline.
I am confident in my ability to identify students who have experienced trauma in the past.
I am confident in my ability to interact with students in a way that does not trigger prior trauma.
I am confident in my ability to de-escalate a student who has experienced trauma in the past.

Support Staff

To what extent do you consider each of the following factors a challenge to student learning at your school?
- Neighborhood crime/safety
- School crime/safety
- Lack of support from parents and guardians
- Cultural differences between home and school
- Students report being hungry
- Student mental health issues
- Student chronic illness (asthma, diabetes etc.)
- Students frequently transferring in or out of the school
- Student absenteeism
- Student tardiness
- Student behavior
- Teacher/staff absenteeism
- Lack of translated materials for EL students
- Teacher/staff turnover
To what extent do you feel respected by:
- The School Board
- District/Charter administrators
- Your principal
- Teachers in your school
- Other school staff
- Parents/guardians
- Students
- SDP School Safety Officers
- Your supervisor (if someone other than your principal)

Principals

I feel respected by:
- The School Board
- District/Charter Operator administrators
- Assistant Superintendents
- Teachers in my school
- Other school staff
- Parents/guardians
- Students
The following is/are challenges:
- Frequent changes in District/Charter leadership
- Lack of adequate funding
- Teacher turnover
- Shortage of highly qualified teachers
- Teacher absences
- Teachers teaching a subject or grade outside of their certification
- Lack of high-quality professional development opportunities for teachers
- Lack of high-quality professional development opportunities for principals
- Shortage of instructional support staff (e.g., teacher aides, SPED assistants)
- Shortage of other support staff (e.g., nurses, counselors, and security)
- Students transferring in or out of the school
- Student absenteeism
- Student tardiness
- Inadequate textbooks, materials, or other non-technological instructional resources
- Lack of computers or other technological resources
- Lack of school resources to provide the extra help for students who need it
- Lack of support for teaching special education students (i.e., students with IEPs)
- Lack of support for teaching English Learners
- Lack of teacher planning time built into the school day
- Pressure to perform well on the state standardized tests
- School crime/safety
- Bullying
- Problems with student transportation
- Frequent changes in District/Charter initiatives
- Neighborhood crime/safety
- Students’ inadequate basic skills or prior preparation
- Lack of support from parents and guardians
- Cultural differences between home and school
- Student mental health
- Student chronic illness (asthma, diabetes, etc.)
- Student food insecurity

Instruction Questions

Survey questions in the “Instruction” topic ask about attitudes and beliefs that are key factors for student learning. This topic also includes questions about student engagement and what parent/guardians think about the quality of their child’s education. Click on the + to see and compare the questions asked of each group.

Students

My teachers want me to succeed.
My teachers have high expectations for me in school.
My teachers encourage me to work hard.
My school meets my learning needs.
My teachers treat me with respect.
My teachers really listen to what I have to say.
My teachers really care about me.
My teachers are willing to provide me with extra help if I need it.
My teachers explain information in a way I understand.
I can talk with teachers or other school staff about problems.
There is at least one adult at school I trust.
In my classes we stay busy and do not waste time.
In my classes we learn a lot.
I learn things in my classes that are interesting to me.
My teachers make sure I understand lessons before teaching something new.
My instructional materials (for example, textbooks and workbooks) are in good condition.
My school gives me the instructional materials (for example, textbooks and workbooks) I need for my classes.
I can earn an A in my classes.
I can do well on all my tests, even when they are hard.
I can master the hardest topics in my classes.
I can meet all the learning goals my teachers set.
I am excited about going to my classes.
I get so focused on activities in my classes that I lose track of time.
I am eager to participate in my classes.
When I am not in school, I talk about ideas from my classes.

Parents and Guardians

My child’s school meets the specific academic needs of my child (for example, math and reading support).
My child’s school meets the specific non-academic needs of my child (for example, behavioral and social-emotional needs).
Teachers at my child’s school encourage my child to work hard.
Teachers at my child’s school give helpful comments on homework, classwork, and tests.
I am pleased with the quality of education my child’s school is providing for my child.
I am pleased with the before and after-school programs/activities my child’s school offers.
The school provides enough opportunities for my child to get exercise (for example, gym class, sports teams or clubs, dance class).

Teachers

My students complete their assigned work.
My students explain material to their classmates.
My students reflect back on what they have learned.
My students tell me their work is too easy.
My students are motivated to learn.
My students are interested in what we do in class.
My students are competitive with one another about their grades.
My class is interrupted by announcements or messages from the office or colleagues.
My students influence decisions regarding learning activities.
Students misbehave in my classroom.
I call on all of my students, even if they don’t volunteer to answer questions.
My students treat me with respect.
My students treat each other with respect.
My students consistently attend my class(es).
My students ask me questions when they need help.
My students are more focused on grades than learning.
My students are aware of different strategies for learning.
My students are good at using their time effectively in class.
If my students find their schoolwork challenging, they give up.
Students work hard in my class(es).
How much do you agree with the following statements about the District’s new curriculum?
- The curriculum reflects the District’s beliefs and vision about student learning and achievement.
- The curriculum is clear about what must be taught and at what depth to reflect college- and career-readiness standards for each grade level.
- The curriculum contains scaffolds or other supports that address gaps in student knowledge and needs (e.g., ELLs and students with disabilities).
- The curriculum includes links to resources, such as textbooks or computer-based products, to indicate where the materials are high quality, where gaps exist, and how to fill them to meet District expectations.
To what extent are you aware of the SDP’s Goals and Guardrails?

Support Staff

To what extent are you aware of SDP’s Goals and Guardrails?

Principals

I use data when:
- making changes to the school’s curriculum and/or instructional materials.
- developing a school improvement plan.
- making decisions regarding student promotion or retention.
- identifying students who need additional instructional support.
- identifying school-level or individual-level problems with attendance, tardiness, and/or behavior.
- making decisions about how much time to spend on each academic subject.
- assigning teachers to students.
- evaluating teacher performance.
- focusing teacher professional development.
- recognizing students for achievement.
The District/Charter Operator:
- communicates a clear academic vision for schools.
- provides appropriate support to enable principals to act as instructional leaders.
- provides appropriate instructional support for teachers.
- provides support for teaching grade-level standards to special education students (i.e., students with IEPs).
- provides support for teaching grade-level standards to English Language Learners.
- provides appropriate support to enable principals to act as talent managers.
To what extent are you aware of SDP’s Goals and Guardrails?

Leadership Questions

Survey questions in the “Leadership” topic ask about how leaders communicate and implement their school vision, how they manage their responsibilities, and how they perceive their level of autonomy. Click on the + to see and compare the questions asked of each group.

Students

Students are not asked questions on this topic.

Parents and Guardians

The principal or school leader is available to me.
The principal or school leader has a clear mission for the school.
The principal or school leader works to create a sense of community in the school.
The principal or school leader promotes parent/guardian engagement.
The principal or school leader has high standards for student learning.
The principal or school leader treats all students fairly.

Teachers

The principal communicates a clear mission for our school.
The principal sets high standards for student learning.
The principal sets high standards for teachers.
The principal sets clear expectations for teachers.
The principal provides me with constructive feedback based on formal or informal observation(s) of my teaching.
The principal actively participates in school-based professional development.
The principal at this school is committed to shared decision-making.
The principal at this school works to create a sense of community in this school.
The principal at this school promotes parent, guardian, and community involvement in the school.
The principal at this school creates buy-in among faculty.
The principal at this school encourages students to be involved in the school community.
Determining course objectives (amount of control over).
Choosing books and other instructional materials (amount of control over).
Selecting content, topics, and skills to be taught (amount of control over).
Selecting the sequence in which topics are covered (amount of control over).
Setting the pace for covering topics (amount of control over).
Determining how classroom space is used (amount of control over).
Setting standards of behavior in my classroom (amount of control over).
Choosing the teaching methods and strategies I use with my students (amount of control over).
Determining the amount of homework to be assigned (amount of control over).
Choosing criteria for grading students (amount of control over).
Choosing the evaluation and assessment activities used in my class (amount of control over).

Support Staff

The principal/school leader at my school:
- is committed to shared decision-making.
- works to create a sense of community in this school.
- promotes parent, guardian, and community involvement in the school.
- creates buy-in among faculty and staff.
- encourages students to be involved in the school community.
- is committed to providing high quality education to all students.
I am clear about what the school leader/supervisor expects of me.
I am clear about what the teachers at my school expect of me.
There are clear guidelines/protocols for addressing student issues.
I know how much authority I have in my school.
I am clear about my role and responsibilities in my school.
I have the supplies/materials I need to meet the expectations of my school leader/supervisor.
I receive adequate training and professional development to meet the expectations of my school leader/supervisor
My caseload of students is manageable.

Principals

How much time do you typically spend on the following activities:
- Working on administrative duties (e.g., budgets, personnel management, or paperwork)
- Arranging for substitute teachers
- Instructional leadership activities (e.g., observing your teachers’ classroom instruction or providing feedback to teachers regarding curriculum and instruction)
- Reviewing students’ assessment results
- Talking with parents and guardians
- Engaging with community members
- Addressing student discipline problems
- Planning or conducting teacher professional development workshops
- Monitoring students in the hallways, playground, lunchroom, etc.
- Meeting with school leadership teams on issues related to teaching and learning
- Interacting with teachers, counselors, and other staff at the school
- Addressing student health issues
- Counseling students
- Building management (e.g., scheduling repairs)
- Managing external partnerships
How much control do you have over the following:
- Hiring teachers
- Firing teachers
- Choosing how to allocate school funds
- Choosing school goals and objectives
- Choosing professional development
- Choosing curriculum/curriculum materials
- Enforcing the school discipline policy
- Scheduling non-state testing
- Scheduling state test preparation
To what extent do you use student data for the following activities:
- Making changes to the school’s curriculum and/or instructional materials
- Developing a school improvement plan
- Making decisions regarding student promotion or retention
- Identifying students who need additional instructional support
- Identifying school-level or student-level problems with attendance, tardiness, and/or behavior
- Assigning teachers to students (rostering)
- Evaluating teacher performance
- Choosing the focus of teacher professional development
- Recognizing students for achievement
- Recognizing teachers for achievement

Professional Capacity Questions

Survey questions in the “Professional Capacity” topic ask how well teachers and school leaders feel supported. Questions ask about the types of professional development teachers receive, and if teachers and leaders feel supported in growing and innovating in their classrooms. Click on the + to see and compare the questions asked of each group.

Students

Students are not asked questions on this topic.

Parents and Guardians

Parents are not asked questions on this topic.

Teachers

I am encouraged to try new teaching approaches in my practice.
I am encouraged to innovate to improve my practice.
I am willing to question others’ views on issues of teaching and learning.
I am expected to continually learn and seek out new ideas.
I am free to be creative in the teaching methods and strategies I use in the classroom.
How often do groups of teachers at your school meet to address the following:
- Classroom management strategies/interventions
- Identifying, developing, or revising curricular materials
- Effective instructional strategies
- The individual learning needs of students
- Coordinating instruction within grade levels
- Coordinating instruction across grade levels
- Coordinating instruction for a particular student
- Planning high-quality, grade-level, Tier 1 instruction aligned to common core standards using District curriculum and frameworks
Professional development is available to me at various times, such as job-embedded experiences, before or after-school hours, and summer experiences.
Teachers’ backgrounds, experience levels, and learning needs are considered when planning District professional development.
Teachers’ backgrounds, experience levels, and learning needs are considered when planning school professional development.
Teacher input is taken into consideration when planning District professional development.
Teacher input is taken into consideration when planning school professional development.
In my school, teachers meet during the school day for school professional development (in addition to District-designated PD days).
In my school, teachers use what they learn from District professional development to adjust and inform teaching practices.
There is enough District professional development that is relevant to my subject area.
How often did District-side professional development sessions offered by central office:
- Provide opportunities to interact/work with teachers from your school, department, or grade
- Provide opportunities for analyzing student work.
- Provide opportunities for you to be observed teaching and receive feedback
- Use a lecture or stand-and-deliver format
- Use a small group discussion/problem-solving format
- Have periodic follow-up throughout the school year (from a coach, SBTL, principal, or other instructional leader)
How often were District-wide professional development sessions offered by central office:
- Consistent with your school’s mission
- Integrated/linked with your daily lessons/curricula
- Isolated and/or unconnected to other professional development
- Explicitly reinforced and/or encouraged by your principal or other school leaders
- Consistent with your school’s expectations for teaching and learning

Support Staff

How confident are you in your ability to do the following?
- Identify students who have experienced trauma
- Interact with students in a way that does not trigger prior trauma
- De-escalate a student who has experienced trauma
- Work with teachers and school leaders to support students who have experienced trauma
- Know what internal (school-based) resources are available to support students
- Match students to the appropriate internal (school-based) resources/supports
- Know when external resources are needed to support students
- Match students to the appropriate external resources/supports
- Enter and manage student data in data systems (i.e., Infinite Campus, EasyIEP, etc.)

Principals

I receive formal or informal coaching or mentoring (frequency)
I participate in an informal or formal support network (frequency)
I visit other schools within and/or outside my district (frequency)
I collaborate with one or more other principals (frequency)
I participate in Tier 1 leadership meetings to review school- or grade-level data to improve Tier 1 instruction and climate (frequency)
To what extent did the Leader Professional Development (Network PD, Instructional Rounds, and Leadership Convenings) you received this year:
- Focus on real problems of practice
- Allow enough time for understanding
- Allow opportunities for building data analyses skills
- Provide opportunities to practice data analyses
- Offer information about what to do once challenges were identified (how to identify and choose interventions)
- Align with District initiatives
- Provide opportunities to collaborate with colleagues
For charter school principals/assistant principals, have you experienced assistance from the District with regard to:
- Facilitating student achievement
- Analyzing student data
- Identifying research-based school improvement strategies
- Aligning curriculum with state content standards and state assessments
- Planning or providing professional development that is tailored to the needs of teachers

Parent/Guardian-Community Ties Questions

Survey questions in the “Parent/Guardian-Community Ties” topic ask about how schools reach out to and communicate with parents/guardians, what parents/guardians think about these efforts, and how schools are engaging parents and guardians with their child’s education. Click on the + to see and compare the questions asked of each group.

Students

Students are not asked questions on this topic.

Parents and Guardians

Parent activities at my child’s school are scheduled at times that I can attend.
I know how to contact my child’s teacher(s).
I am treated with respect in my child’s school.
I am satisfied with the response I get when I contact my child’s school with questions or concerns.
I feel welcome in my child’s school.
I know how to help my child succeed in school.
My child’s school communicates with me in a language I understand.
My child’s school sends home documents in the language I selected.
My child’s school communicates with me in a manner that is clear and timely.
My child’s school gives me information about how I can help my child be successful in school.
My child’s school gives me information about what my child is expected to learn.
My child’s school does a good job of letting me know about school rules and policies.
My child’s school lets me know about meetings, special school events, and family education opportunities.
My child’s school invites me to be included in decisions that affect my child’s education.
My child’s school values my feedback.
Since the beginning of the school year, has any adult in your child’s household:
- been invited to be part of a parent/guardian group (for example, a SAC, HSA, or PTA) at your child’s school?
- attended a parent/guardian group meeting at your child’s school?
- attended a school sponsored event at your child’s school, such as a play, sports game, art show, or science fair?
- served as a volunteer in your child’s school?

Teachers

For a “typical” student:
- I suggest activities that his or her parents and guardians can do to complement activities in the classroom
- I suggest activities that his or her parents and guardians can do to support student literacy
- I contact his or her parents and guardians about his or her behavior problems or when he or she breaks school rules
- I contact his or her parents and guardians when he or she was struggling academically
- I contact his or her parents and guardians about his or her achievements and successes
- I invite his or her parents and guardians to be involved in class (e.g., attend special events, volunteer in the classroom, chaperone field trips)
- I send emails, newsletters, or notes home telling parents and guardians what he or she has been learning and doing in class

Support Staff

Support staff are not asked questions on this topic.

Principals

Parents and guardians treat me with respect.
I treat parents and guardians with respect.
I actively engage parents and guardians in their child’s education.
The parents and guardians of my students are actively involved in their child’s education.

Equity and Inclusion

Students

These questions are administered to students in grades 6-12 only.

I spend time at school with students from different races, ethnicities, or cultures
Students from different races, ethnicities, or cultures hang out with each other at school
Students at my school treat people from different races, ethnicities, or cultures fairly
Adults at my school treat people from different races, ethnicities, or cultures fairly
Teachers encourage me to learn about people from different races, ethnicities, or cultures
Students at my school have important conversations with each other about race, even when the conversation might be uncomfortable
When there are major news events related to race, adults at my school talk about them with students
Students at my school have close friends from different racial, ethnic, or cultural backgrounds
I feel comfortable sharing my thoughts about race-related topics with other students at my school
My teachers care about my culture, ethnicity, and identity

Parents and Guardians

Adults at my school talk with students about race, even when the conversation might be uncomfortable
When there are major news events related to race, adults at my child’s school talk about them with students
Adults at my child’s school treat people from different races, ethnicities, or cultures fairly
Adults at my child’s school are able to address sensitive issues of diversity when they arise
At school, my child learns about people from different races, ethnicities, or cultures
My child feels like he or she belongs at their school
I feel connected to the teachers at my child’s school
My child feels connected to the teachers at their school
My child’s teachers understand my child as a person

Teachers

Teachers at my school have important conversations with each other about race, even when the conversation might be uncomfortable
In my classes, I give my students opportunities to learn about people from different races, ethnicities, or cultures
My professional development experiences help me explore new ways to promote equity in my practice
I can easily interact with students in my classes who are from a different cultural background than my own
I am comfortable incorporating new material about people from different backgrounds into my lessons
I am comfortable discussing race-related topics with my students
I am comfortable discussing race-related topics with my colleagues
When a sensitive issue of diversity arises in class, I can implement strategies to appropriately address the situation
Leaders at this school work to advance student equity
The equity-focused professional development I have received is valuable
I feel like I belong at my school
I feel connected to other adults at my school
My colleagues understand me as a person

Support Staff

I am comfortable discussing race-related topics with students.
I am comfortable discussing race-related topics with my colleagues.
When a sensitive issue of diversity arises at school, I can implement strategies to appropriately address the situation.
The equity-focused professional development I have received is valuable.
Leaders at my school work to advance student equity.
I feel like I belong at my school.
I feel connected to other adults at my school.
My colleagues understand me as a person.

Principals

Staff at my school have important conversations with each other about race, even when the conversation might be uncomfortable
I think about what my colleagues of different races, ethnicities, or cultures experience
In my school, students have opportunities to learn about people from different races, ethnicities, or cultures
My professional development experiences help me explore new ways to promote equity in my practice
I can easily interact with students in my school who are from a different cultural background than my own
I am comfortable discussing race-related topics with students
I am comfortable discussing race-related topics with my colleagues
I feel like I belong at my school
I feel connected to other adults at my school
My colleagues understand me as a person

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2021-22 District-Wide Survey Questions

Climate Questions

Students

Parents and Guardians

Teachers

Support Staff

Principals

Instruction Questions

Students

Parents and Guardians

Teachers

Support Staff

Principals

Leadership Questions

Students

Parents and Guardians

Teachers

Support Staff

Principals

Professional Capacity Questions

Students

Parents and Guardians

Teachers

Support Staff

Principals

Parent/Guardian-Community Ties Questions

Students

Parents and Guardians

Teachers

Support Staff

Principals

Equity and Inclusion

Students

Parents and Guardians

Teachers

Support Staff

Principals

Other Questions

Students

Parents and Guardians

Teachers

Support Staff

Principals

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Research and Evaluation