Teacher Survey

 

Circle the letter  of  the statement with which you most  agree.

 

1.   A.  In recent years our schools are experiencing more local control.

      B.  In recent years our schools are experiencing more government control.

     

2.   A.  State and/or federally required teacher staff development programs and workshops are             significantly improving academic achievement.

      B.  State and/or federally required teacher staff development programs and workshops are of little value and are a poor use of  taxpayers' money.

 

3.   A.  In recent years I have experienced more freedom to use curriculum, teaching techniques, and methods that I know are effective in raising student achievement.

      B.  In recent years  I have been encouraged and/or coerced to use curriculum, teaching techniques, or methods that are ineffective or even destructive to student achievement.

     

4.   A.  Aligning school curriculum with the state tests will better educate our students.

      B.  Aligning school curriculum with state tests may make the scores look better but actually             provide less education.

      

5.  A.  The State Department of Education is placing the right amount of emphasis on improving test scores.

     B.  The State Department of Education is placing too much emphasis on test scores and

            is coercing teachers to teach to the test.

 

6.   A.  In recent years the quality of education has steadily or significantly improved.

      B.  In recent years the quality of education has steadily or rapidly declined.

 

7.   A.  Teachers  have had significant  input into new educational reforms.

      B.  The new educational  reforms have been a top down approach with educational bureaucrats and/or legislators  making most or all the significant decisions.

 

8.   A.  State mandated ACSIP staff development is an effective method of improving student    achievement.

      B.  State mandated ACSIP staff development is of little value in improving student achievement and is an ineffective use of teachers' time.

 

9.   A.  I feel free to publicly express my opinions about educational reform without fear of  negative consequences.

      B.   I do not feel free to publicly express my opinions about educational reforms because doing so may result in negative consequences for me or my school.

 

10.  A.  State standards and curriculum frameworks are superior to teacher prepared curricula.

       B.  Teacher prepared curricula are superior to state standards and frameworks.

 

11.  A.  The recent educational reforms have improved my working conditions or made my job              more satisfying.

       B.  The recent educational reforms have contributed to more job dissatisfaction or caused                me to look for other employment.

                                     

12.  A.  Competition among students in the classroom is harmful to students and the educational              process and should not be used in today's schools. 

       B.  Competition in the form of classroom activities, grades, and scholarships increases                      academic achievement and improves education.

 

13.  A.  Portfolios, rubrics, and checklists are more effective forms of reporting  student                          achievement than traditional letter grades and percentages.

       B.  Traditional letter grades and percentages are still the most effective forms of reporting                 student achievement.     

 

14.  A.  The state's ACTAAP testing system criterion referenced 4th grade, 8th grade, and high                  school end of level exams are a better reflection of student achievement than the SAT-9                   standardized tests. 

       B.  The SAT-9 standardized tests that compare test scores to the rest of the nation reflect               student achievement better than the state's ACTAAP testing system.

      

15.  A.  An accountability or merit-type system that rewards individual teachers or schools for                improved test scores will have positive results and improve education.

       B.  An accountability system that rewards individual teachers or schools for improved test                scores will have more negative consequences than positive  (like placing too much emphasis on test items, causing more cheating, and  demoralizing teachers.)

   

16.  A.  New and/or national certification of teachers will increase the teacher's ability to improve            the quality of education.

       B.  Money spent on new and/or national certification will not increase the teacher's ability to            improve the quality of education and will be an ineffective use of scarce funds.

 

17.  A.  Smart Start (currently used in grades K-4), ELLA, and McRat  are good programs                   that will improve the quality of education in Arkansas.

       B.  Smart Start, ELLA, and McRat are top down approaches to education that add to the             teacher's workload but will not improve the quality of education in Arkansas.

 

18.  A.  Smart Start, Smart Step, the testing system in Arkansas, and other educational                          reforms are clearly  understood by educators, board members, and the public.

       B.  Smart Start, Smart Step, the testing system in Arkansas, and other educational reforms are confusing, complex, and  easily misinterpreted by educators, board  members, legislators, and the  public.

 

19.  A.  Academic Distress laws that punish schools for low scores and allow the state to take                over a school are fair and will result in better education.

       B.  Academic distress laws that punish schools for low scores and allow the state to take

  over a school are unfair and will have more negative consequences than positive ones.

 

20.  A.  Consolidation would be a major factor in helping to provide a better quality of education in Arkansas. 

      B.  Consolidation is not the answer to providing a better quality of education in Arkansas.

 

21.   A.  Teacher morale is about the same or better than it has been during other years in  my                  teaching career.

        B. Teacher morale is as low or lower than it has ever been during my teaching career.

 

22.    A. The Arkansas standards and benchmark tests will increase the scores for low achieving                  students and reduce the gap between lower and higher achieving students.

         B. The Arkansas standards and benchmark tests will increase the gap between lower                      achieving and higher achieving students.

 

23.   A.  I  would recommend the teaching profession as a good career choice.

        B. I can no longer recommend the teaching profession as a good career choice.   

 

24.    A. More course offerings or an enriched curriculum would rate as one of the major components needed to improve the quality of education.

         B.  Other aspects like more stringent discipline, more freedom to use teacher's curriculum, less emphasis on testing, and other factors would rate higher, or much higher, as components needed to improve quality of education than more course offerings or an enriched curriculum.

 

25.   A.  The educational reforms are doing a good job of addressing the real issues needed for providing a better education for students.

        B.  The educational reforms are not addressing the real issues needed to provide a better education for students.

 

26.  ______What percent of students you are presently teaching would want to, and be willing to apply themselves to master more difficult and enriched curriculum material than your school now offers?

 

27.   _____If  your school should consolidate with the nearest school, how many more miles             would   you have to drive to school.

 

28.  Name the number one major change that needs to take place (excluding money) to improve education in Arkansas._____________________________________________________________________

 

 

 

            Please add any comments you have on the lines below or on the back of this sheet or  type your comments on  the computer and staple them to this sheet when you return the survey.

._____________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________