Informing Progress -- Personalized Learning: Teacher and Student Survey Results

ADDENDUM

C O R P O R A T I O N

Funded by

Informing Progress—Personalized Learning

Teacher and Student Survey Results

John F. PaneElizabeth D. SteinerMatthew D. BairdLaura S. HamiltonJoseph D. Pane

https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR2042.html

https://www.rand.org/

RR-2042/1-BMGF

The trademark(s) contained herein is protected by law. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. All users of the publication are permitted to copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format and transform and build upon the material, including for any purpose (including commercial) without further permission or fees being required. For additional information, please visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

This report is based on research funded in part by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The findings and conclusions contained within are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect positions or policies of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

PHOTO CREDITS | Cover: PeopleImages/DigitalVision/Getty Images; page 3: Tyler Olson/Fotolia; page 29: FatCamera/E+/Getty Images; page 41: kali9/E+/Getty Images; page 67: STEEX/E+/Getty Images; page 79: Ableimages/DigitalVision/Getty Images; page 83: Rob/Fotolia

The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decisionmaking through research and analysis.

C O R P O R A T I O N

Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving people’s health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all people—especially those with the fewest resources—have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Susan Desmond-Hellmann and Co-chair William H. Gates Sr., under the direction of Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett.

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Informing ProgressPersonalized Learning Teacher and Student Survey Results 1

Table of Contents2 Survey Results Addendum

3 Teacher Survey Results, National and NGLC Samples, Spring 2015

4 Teaching Background

10 Design Elements

12 Curriculum and Instructional Practices

16 Use of Student Assessment Data


29 Student Survey Results, National and NGLC Samples, Spring 2015

41 Teacher Survey Results, NGLC District and Charter Schools, Spring 2015

42 Teaching Background

48 Design Elements


54 Use of Student Assessment Data


67 Student Survey Results, NGLC District and Charter Schools, Spring 2015

79 Teacher Survey Scales, NGLC and National Samples, Spring 2015

83 Student Survey Scales, NGLC and National Samples, Spring 2015

Informing ProgressPersonalized Learning Teacher and Student Survey Results2

This addendum to Informing Progress: Insights on Personalized Learning Implementation and Effects documents results from surveys administered to Next Generation Learning Challenges (NGLC) teachers and students in personalized learning schools in the spring of the 2014–15 school year.

To provide comparative data for the NGLC teacher and student surveys, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation engaged Grunwald Associates to administer the surveys to a national sample. Those surveys were administered during the summer after the 2014–15 school year. The questions on the survey were nearly identical to those on the NGLC surveys, although the language was adapted to refer in the past tense to the 2014–15 school year.

This document first presents tables showing responses from the NGLC and national samples side-by-side. Subsequent tables display the NGLC survey results separately by whether the respondents were in charter-operated or district-operated schools.

Teacher SurveysTeachers of mathematics and English language arts content were asked to provide their perceptions about various aspects of the models, including professional training and support, access to resources, the quality of instructional and curricular materials, use of different models of classroom instruction, use of technology in the classroom, use of data to assess student progress, and obstacles to implementation. The NGLC survey was distributed to a sample of 330 teachers across the 40 schools; the response rate was 74 percent.

Student SurveysStudents were asked to describe their study habits, attitudes toward learning, perceptions about their school, the level of access to technology, and other topics. The student surveys were administered online in the fall and spring of the 2014–15 school years to students in 29 schools with enrolled students who met the age criteria: grades 6 and above or age 11 and older if the school did not use traditional grade levels. We distributed the fall survey to 9,294 students and the spring survey to 9,058 students. Response rates were 71 percent and 69 percent, respectively. The fall survey focused on study habits and attitudes toward learning; the spring survey supplemented these with the remaining topics. Students responded similarly on the items present in both surveys, so this report focuses on the spring results that cover the broader range of topics.

Survey ScalesFor the teacher and student surveys, we used exploratory factor analysis to identify groups of survey items that reliably grouped together to address a higher-level construct, and we examined the internal consistency reliability (using coefficient Alpha) of the resulting clusters of items. Based on the results of these analyses, we created multi-item scales by calculating an average item score for each set of items and each respondent. A complete list of the items that comprise each scale, the mean scale score, response scale, and coefficient Alpha for the NGLC results are presented in this document.

Survey Results Addendum

Teacher Survey Results, National and NGLC Samples, Spring 2015


1 In addition to your work instructing students, do you also serve in any of the following formal roles this year? [N = 525 national sample teachers; N = 243 NGLC teachers]

Percentage of National Sample Teachers

Percentage of NGLC Teachers

Administrator (e.g., assistant principal) 0 5

Master teacher 14 8

Coach or mentor for other teachers 19 19

Department head or lead teacher 23 16

Professional development provider 10 10

Technology support provider 5 3

Guidance counselor or provider of nonacademic support to students 3 3

None of the above 47 52

Other, please specify 8 13

NOTE: This question instructed the respondent to “select all that apply,” so the percentages will not add to 100 percent.

Written responses to the “Other” category:

National Sample: PLC leader for 1st grade; After School Program Site Coordinator; Homebound Instructor; Student Council Advisor; Case manager; Homeroom leaders Coordinator; Head teacher; Student Assistance Team Member; Coach; Webmaster, testing coordinator; ESE; Tutor; Reading Interventionist; AVID Coordinator; Certified Mentor; Tennis coach; Response to Instruction Teacher Leader; Yearbook sponsor; Class Advisor; Curriculum advisor; Fellow; Professional Development Representative for the high school; Running coach; Safety Patrol Coordinator; Serve on several committees; Student Council Administrator; Student Success Team coordinator, special ed.; literacy tutor; Google representative, Princeton Education Foundation; College counselor.

NGLC: Curriculum Team; GSRP Program Director; Rifton Tram training, Canvas training, proctoring the CAHSEE exam with numerous accommodations; Data Systems and Implementation Lead; Credit Recovery Instructor for At Risk Students; Leadership advisor; Curriculum designer; Curriculum Development; Special Education Case Manager; Co-Special Education Liaison (SEL); Yearbook Advisor, Exhibition Work Group Lead; SBDM Member; Facilitator for Special Education Services; Individual IEP student support; Data Analyst; Special Education Liaison; Roster Chair; Principal designee, Union building representative; Staff Leader for Event Planning Committee; Illuminate Data Champion; Case management for 504 plans and health plans; Testing Coordinator; CELDT coordinator; Dean of Students; Assistant teacher in science; Coach for other preceptors; Operations Assistant; Data driver; Teacher Effectiveness Driver; Develop programming, partnerships, fundraising, vision, mission, and practices.

Teaching Background


2 Which of the following best describes your teaching arrangement this year? [N = 525 national sample teachers; N = 243 NGLC teachers]



Traditional elementary arrangement; sometimes called “self-contained” 27 12

Traditional secondary arrangement; sometimes called “subject-specific,” “subject-matter specialist,” or “departmentalized”

57 52

“Pull-Out” or “Push-In” instruction 9 9

Co-teaching or job share (one of two or more teachers who are jointly responsible for teaching the same subject(s) to a group of students [i.e., in the same classroom])

3 13

I work under the supervision of another teacher 2 5

I primarily supervise the work of other teachers rather than directly instructing students

0 2

I teach students exclusively online, with no in-person interaction 0 5

Other, please describe 3 6

NOTE: In this question, respondents could include written responses in the “other” box in addition to one of the response choices, so the percentages may not add to 100 percent.


National Sample: Inclusion Classes (2 daily; Substitute; I taught single group in multiple subjects one day at a time various classes; Worked with homeschool students; Taught 4 sections of self-contained classes—different students each class; Retired from a classroom job; I worked wherever I was needed; I teach all subjects to 3 grades; Teach at-risk students; I taught 3 different sciences to 3 different sets of students; Teaching students individually or in small groups, to facilitate their self-paced learning; Teach individual students one on one; TOSA: Instructional Support; I was only an aide, not responsible for the direct instruction of students.

NGLC: I teach three groups of students according to their academic level; I virtually teach to 90 students in Grades 6–8; I teach students exclusively online with regular communication individually and in small groups; I teach students exclusively online with lots of virtual in-person interaction; I teach a group of 20 students in the morning facilitating cross-curricular projects and I teach English to a separate group of students in the afternoon; I teach project-base[d] learning to one group of students in the morning and in the afternoon I teach math to two different groups of students; I teach a single English class per day; A combination of several. I am an advisor to a group of students for half of the day and then I teach a specific class to certain groups of students throughout the other half of the day; I teach several classes of different students during the day in 5 subjects; Co-Teach math and reading and SETTS pull-out skills lab; I teach one stand-alone literacy class and provide push-in support for math; I also teach an art elective 3 times a week that rotates in children from different classes; Montessori—all subject area, 3-year age range (pre-k3–K); I teach kindergarten math for two different classes and otherwise only teach one group of 18 students; I teach a core group of students (18) most of the day in all core subjects. I also work with my team teacher’s students (the 18 other Kindergarteners) every day teaching them reading and literacy. My team teacher teaches all kindergarteners math; Assist students as they work on online curriculum and also teach small groups in a classroom setting; I teach character development and work readiness and support students with online curriculum; I teach small-group instruction, support in the learning labs, and pull-out individual instruction.


3 What subject area(s) are you teaching (or supervising) this year (2014–15)? [N = 525 national sample teachers; N = 243 NGLC teachers]



English/language arts/reading/writing 64 61

Mathematics 64 58

Science 28 24

Social studies 30 24

Foreign language(s) 2 2

Visual or performing arts (art, music, etc.) 6 7

Physical education/health education 9 5

Career/technical education 6 4

Other subject area(s) 6 17


Written responses to the “Other subject area(s)” category:

National Sample: Religion; Health, computer skills, handwriting; Special Education; Substitute teacher; Computer Technology; Social Emotional Learning/Special Education; Child Development; Speech; Social skills; Self-contained classroom—all subjects; AVID; Social skills; Technology; Debate.

NGLC: All for special needs students; As a grade-level chair, I supervise the math, science, history, PE, and Spanish teachers in my grade level; Advisory; Special Education; Student Council; Computer Science and Software Engineering; Support students in all subjects and content; Was at first doing a computer exploratory; Theater, Cinema, and Film Production; Cross-curricular projects (contains standards from English, mathematics, social studies and science); Project-based learning; Computer Programming; Life Skills Support; English as a Second Language Dept—course is called English 4; Media Literacy; Special Education; Yearbook; Learning Strategies; Personal Finance; Personalized Studio; Practical Life, Sensorial; Montessori; Coding; Academic coordinator overseeing all curricular decisions; Character development; Extracurricular science, computer coding; Early Childhood; Social Emotional Learning; Cooperative Play.


4 Please indicate the grade levels of the students you teach. [N = 525 national sample teachers; N = 243 NGLC teachers]

Percentage of National Sample Teachers Percentage of NGLC Teachers

Kindergarten 7 5

1st 8 5

2nd 8 4

3rd 7 3

4th 8 2

5th 10 9

6th 20 26

7th 16 26

8th 23 21

9th 33 36

10th 31 26

11th 32 19

12th 33 14

Our school does not use grade levels 1 2


5 What percentage of the students you teach . . .

National Sample Teachers NGLC Teachers

Number of Respondents Zero

Zero to 25 Percent

More than 26 Percent


Zero to 25 Percent

More than 26 Percent

. . . have individualized education programs (IEPs) for special education services?

472 11% 65% 23% 205 6% 69% 24%

. . . are considered English-language learners or limited-English proficient?

482 29% 54% 16% 182 35% 41% 24%

. . . participate in a gifted and talented program?

459 41% 47% 11% 163 77% 17% 7%


6 Including this school year (2014–15), how many total years have you been teaching, regardless of location?


Number of Respondents Minimum Maximum Mean Median Number of

Respondents Minimum Maximum Mean Median

Years teaching 525 1 47 15 13 240 1 45 8 5


Number of Respondents

One Year

More Than One Year to 10 Years

11–20 Years

More Than 21 Years


One Year

More Than One Year to 10 years

11–20 Years

More Than 21 Years

Years teaching 525 7% 34% 40% 19% 240 17% 60% 17% 7%

7 Prior to teaching, did you have a career outside the field of education?


Number of Respondents Yes No Number of Respondents Yes No

525 32% 68% 239 31% 69%

8 Was your previous career focused on technology?



166 29% 71% 239 7% 93%

9 Do you hold a regular or standard certificate to teach in this state?


Number of Respondents Yes

No, but I am currently enrolled in a certification

program.

No, and I am not currently enrolled in a certification program.


No, but I am currently enrolled in a certification

program.

No, and I am not currently enrolled in a certification program.

525 92% 7% 2% 239 77% 12% 11%


10 In what content area and grade range does your certificate allow you to teach?



Early Childhood, Preschool, or

at Least One of Grades K–5

At Least One of Grades 6–8



Early Childhood, Preschool, or

at Least One of Grades K–5



525 42% 70% 63% 243 33% 55% 51%

NOTE: This question was only asked of those who answered “yes” to Question 9. This question instructed the respondent to “select all that apply,” so the percentages will not add to 100 percent.

11 Through which of the following types of programs did you enter teaching? [N = 525 national sample teachers; N = 243 NGLC teachers]



Through an undergraduate teacher preparation program 62 35

Through a graduate teacher preparation program 23 25

Through an alternative teacher preparation program (for example, Teach for America, or a program aimed at mid-career changers)

5 23

Courses taken after attainment of undergraduate/bachelor’s degree, but not as part of a formalized graduate or alternative teacher preparation program

7 7

No formal preparation program 2 6



National Sample: Undergraduate (elementary education and graduate (special education); High School Student Teacher Program; Undergraduate and then graduate, could have started teaching with undergrad [degree]; Bachelors of Science; Post-bac program; Master’s in education after I began teaching; Montessori program then grad school to get my M.ed; Undergrad and graduate program—a 5-year Master’s degree program.

NGLC: I entered education by applying for a T.A. position while earning an A.A. degree at community college and transferring to a university; NYC Teaching Fellow; Courses taken during doctoral program; LAB Corp Fellowship; Certified in AMI Montessori Elementary, a 10-month full-time program; Montessori Master’s Degree; Montessori training; I did a Fulbright ETA and am now in a TA position; Undergraduate teacher prep, but then went through teacher residency program to get master’s in urban ed.; Teacher residency program.

12 To what extent do you feel that your teacher preparation program and prior experience prepared you (or is preparing you, if you are currently enrolled) to teach in a personalized learning environment?



Not At All

To a Small Extent

To a Moderate

ExtentTo a Great

ExtentNumber of

RespondentsNot At

All

To a Small Extent

To a Moderate

ExtentTo a Great

Extent

525 7% 26% 48% 19% 239 5% 22% 44% 29%


13 Please indicate whether the following characteristics, or layouts of physical space, exist in your school. For each that does exist in your school, please indicate the extent to which it facilitates or hinders personalized learning. [N = 525 national sample teachers; N = 226–236 NGLC teachers]

Design ElementsN

atio

nal

sam

ple

NG

LC

NG

LC

Nat

ion

alsa

mp

le

NG

LC

Nat

ion

alsa

mp

le

NG

LC

Nat

ion

alsa

mp

le

NG

LC

Nat

ion

alsa

mp

le

NG

LC

Nat

ion

alsa

mp

le

Nat

ion

alsa

mp

le

NG

LC

100

80

60

40

20

0

Traditionalclassrooms

with furniturethat cannot

be easilyrearranged

NOTE: Percentages may not add to 100 due to rounding.


with furniturethat is easy to

rearrange

Large, openinstructional

spaces

Open commonareas for

student use

Openinstructionalspaces with

smaller roomsfor individualor small-group

instruction

OtherComfortable,nontraditional

classroomfurniture

Perc

enta

ge

21%

9%

28%

17%

9% 7%

42%

5%

18%

21%

57%

4%

10%

37%

49%

9%

13%

42%

36%

5%

19%

36%

40%

3%

10%

37%

51%

4%

15%

23%

58%

5%

38%

23%

34%

7%

22%

31%

41%

5%

20%

27%

48%

68%

4%

40%

51%

5%

5%

17%

66%

12%

4%6%

90%

3%

FIGURE

1Please indicate whether the following characteristics, or layouts of physical space, exist in your school. For each that does exist in your school, please indicate the extent to which it facilitates or hinders personalized learning. [N = 525 national sample teachers; N = 226–236 NGLC teachers]

■ Exists and it facilitates personalized learning ■ Exists and has no impact on personalized learning

■ Exists and it hinders personalized learning ■ Does not exist in my school



National Sample: Computer lab; There are other small spaces with nontraditional furniture that are used for small-group instruction; Outside and hallway area space for students to sit and learn; Multiple gardens around the campus for different grade levels to work with; Greenhouses and chickens and chicken coops; Tinkering room for small groups to visit; Our school mostly has traditional spaces that do not allow for interaction and group learning; Co-curricular activities involving drama and stage acts and sport activities; The small size of desks in relation to larger-size students; They were a development plan that helped to deal with difficult or challenging students; Cross-curriculum and direct teaching cooperative learning; Standard rooms and hallways; Smaller classrooms; I used learning centers throughout my room—academic as well as creative/explorative centers/activities and it’s lovely for both students and the teacher, I feel it works best; Use of multipurpose room/café; Rules; Lack of technology; The rooms and grade levels were not ordered well; Space is very important to learning; Rugs for whole-group instruction; All of my answers pertained to my room. I have a comfortable VIP chair which aided personal growth. I use small-group tables that so-so helped with personal growth (I think slower kids felt pressure when faster kids finished and got bored waiting for them); We had small computer lab and library areas that were not conducive to learning; Having a reading corner; Our school used an open concept (limited walls) and open classrooms. This was distracting to learning and made it difficult to concentrate. On a positive side it made collaboration between subjects easier but group work was a challenge because of noise problems. We are currently under construction to remedy this problem and build real walls; Our classroom has a Google Chromebook cart in each classroom, which facilitates things like Flipped Classroom and Digital programs like Kahoot; We have a sanctuary where secondary school students can come together for chapel, assemblies, movies, performances, etc.; Just the way the school is designed; A library that was only open certain hours; Bookshelves upon a center desk in the back of the classroom; Break rooms; Buildings already existed at my school; Forced classrooms; Garden area; Good education; Houses; New technology; Area with tables that we utilized for reading and science class at times; Outside climbing wall for building support and trust; Shared rooms; Some classes had restrooms; Teachers unable to communicate; Use open area in library to teach classes; We used our cafeteria with stage to conduct musical programs for individual grade level, or school wide programs. We also utilized outdoor space, small picnic tables to provide extra small-group or one-on-one space for students. Our school library was also divided up into areas that could be utilized for personal learning, such as a computer lab, small-group work tables and individual seats. All of the areas enhanced and facilitated personalized learning in our school; Welcoming spaces, blank walls that did not over stimulate students; Very large classrooms, totally wireless to the School Board’s server, with individualized cubicles. In addition, I had four erase boards for group lessons and/or individualized ACT or SAT Math tutoring; Open classroom concept; Video learning system; An area where we could watch online presentations.

NGLC: Computer Lab; Laptops available for each student and individualized computer-based learning; Rooms for Guest Speakers; We have large rooms with three teachers [and] 65 students, movable furniture with areas for collaboration, teacher-led instruction, and independent work; I have an online classroom where 1 or more students can meet with me to work together or individually; Rolling desks with attached tables and wheels, rocking chairs, etc.; Combo of traditional with movable furniture and open spaces, and open spaces for students with IEPs and learning challenges hinders personalized instruction due to distractions from other instructions happening in same spaces; Small classrooms in portables with large desks and lots of furniture that is easily arranged; Cubicle walls; We have classrooms that are not fully closed, this limits the amount of activities we can do because the [noise] becomes a problem; Classrooms with no walls and sound masked by white noise and it is very distracting to students who [are] easily distracted; Computer learning labs; Resource and flex rooms are available.


14 Please indicate whether, in the past year, you received each of the following kinds of supports, and the extent to which you found it helpful for improving your instruction. [N = 525 national sample teachers; N = 235–237 NGLC teachers]

Response choices: I did not receive this support; I received it and found it unhelpful; I received it and found it somewhat helpful; I received it and found it very helpful.


Did Not Receive

Received; Unhelpful

Received; Somewhat

HelpfulReceived;

Very HelpfulDid Not Receive

Received; Unhelpful

Received; Somewhat

HelpfulReceived;

Very Helpful

Formally assigned mentor or coach 70 10 12 8 50 6 20 24

Informal mentor 60 9 22 9 48 3 22 27

Release time to observe other teachers

61 7 22 10 53 2 26 20

Observation of and feedback on your lessons by other teachers

44 12 32 13 47 4 27 22

Observation of and feedback on your lessons by administrators

21 22 39 18 19 9 37 36

Common planning time (formally scheduled) with other teachers

33 9 23 35 31 5 23 41

Access to professional learning communities where you can discuss concerns or engage in instructional planning with other teachers

28 8 42 22 30 6 29 35

Curriculum and Instructional Practices


15 Please indicate your level of agreement with each of the following statements about all of your professional development experiences during the current school year (2014–15, including summer 2014). [N = 525 national sample teachers; N = 229–232 NGLC teachers]


My professional development experiences this year . . . Disagree Strongly Disagree Agree Agree

StronglyDisagree Strongly Disagree Agree Agree

Strongly

. . . have been well aligned with the Common Core State Standards or other standards that my state or district has adopted.

3 21 59 17 7 19 51 23

. . . have been designed to address needs revealed by analysis of student data.

6 20 60 15 5 13 51 32

. . . have been useful for improving my instruction. 5 21 53 21 6 15 51 29

. . . have helped me understand how to personalize goals for students.

9 31 40 20 7 26 41 25

. . . have helped me implement the technology used in my classroom.

8 28 44 20 10 17 46 27

. . . have familiarized me with a variety of approaches to instructional delivery.

6 27 51 17 7 26 46 22

. . . have addressed ways to collaborate with students and families to develop instructional goals and approaches.

18 29 38 15 9 31 38 22

16 Rate your level of agreement with each of the following statements about your school. [N = 525 national sample teachers; N = 228–230 NGLC teachers]


Disagree Strongly Disagree Agree Agree


Strongly

Teachers at my school collaborate well with one another.

3 12 57 28 1 6 57 36

Teachers at my school are highly focused on the mission of improving student learning.

1 8 60 31 0 3 41 55

Administrators at my school are highly supportive of teachers.

12 13 54 21 4 11 42 43

Administrators at my school are highly focused on student learning.

4 15 59 22 2 7 43 49

Administrators at my school trust teachers to make decisions about their own instruction.

7 30 40 23 5 12 40 43

Students in this school respect one another. 9 24 57 10 3 24 59 13

Students in this school respect the school staff. 6 27 54 13 7 21 59 13

Students in this school are motivated to achieve. 4 39 42 15 5 26 55 14

Parents and other family members are involved in students’ education.

7 35 46 12 5 24 56 15


17 Please indicate whether the following conditions exist in your school and the degree to which each is an obstacle to your efforts to promote student learning using technology such as computers, smartphones, or tablets. If the condition does not exist in your school, please mark “Not applicable.” [N = 525 national sample teachers; N = 224–227 NGLC teachers]

Response choices: Not applicable: condition does not exist in my school; Condition exists but is not an obstacle; Condition exists and is a minor obstacle; Condition exists and is a major obstacle.


N/A; Does Not

Exist

Exists; Not an

Obstacle

Exists; Minor

Obstacle

Exists; Major

Obstacle

N/A; Does Not

Exist

Exists; Not an

Obstacle

Exists; Minor

Obstacle

Exists; Major

Obstacle

Inadequate technology skills among students

29 26 32 13 40 24 31 6

My own limited technology skills 41 35 21 4 68 18 13 0

Inadequate opportunities for teachers to provide input on how technology is used

35 19 35 11 56 17 19 7

Lack of support from technology specialists or other staff who can provide technical support

37 13 36 14 64 11 16 9

Lack of flexibility in deciding how I can use technology in my instruction

38 24 30 7 72 11 14 4

An inadequate number of computers or devices to accommodate all students

24 14 38 25 69 6 19 7

Slow Internet connection or inadequate bandwidth

29 17 29 25 54 13 25 8

Inadequate opportunities to participate in professional development related to technology use

31 26 34 9 52 20 24 5

Lack of high-quality content for technology-based instruction

31 22 34 13 54 15 23 8

Lack of alignment between the content students learn online and the content that I am trying to teach

41 22 31 6 58 14 18 10

Problems with hardware, such as insufficient computing power or lack of compatibility with software

27 22 30 22 72 10 13 5

Excessive amounts of time I need to spend developing content for technology-based instruction

30 27 29 14 50 14 25 11


18 Please indicate the extent to which each of the following conditions is an obstacle to your efforts to promote personalized learning for students. If the condition does not exist in your school, please mark “Not applicable.” [N=525 national sample teachers; N=216-219 NGLC teachers]

Response choices: Not applicable: condition does not exist in my school; Condition exists but is not an obstacle; Condition exists and is a minor obstacle; Condition exists and is a major obstacle.


N/A; Does Not

Exist

Exists; Not an

Obstacle

Exists; Minor

Obstacle

Exists; Major

Obstacle

N/A; Does Not

Exist

Exists; Not an

Obstacle

Exists; Minor

Obstacle

Exists; Major

Obstacle

Lack of support from school administration 44 18 21 17 65 10 18 7

My own limited knowledge of how to effectively personalize instruction

46 28 23 4 49 16 29 7

Too many students for whom I am responsible

33 23 25 20 41 12 30 17

Too much diversity in achievement levels among my students

19 30 34 17 27 21 34 18

Too much variation in age or maturity among my students

35 29 24 12 48 22 23 7

Lack of flexibility in the curriculum I am required to teach (i.e., need to teach specific material in a specific time frame)

24 18 37 21 63 11 22 5

Pressure to cover specific material as a result of state or district standards or testing requirements

14 21 27 38 42 18 26 14

Excessive amounts of time I need to spend developing personalized content

29 24 25 21 29 20 28 24

Inadequate opportunities to participate in professional development related to personalizing learning

30 23 35 11 51 11 25 13

Inadequate data to help me personalize students’ instruction

46 20 28 6 67 11 18 3

Lack of high-quality content or materials 37 19 34 11 54 12 26 8

An inadequate amount of time to prepare personalized lessons for all students

23 19 31 27 29 10 24 36

High levels of student absenteeism 36 15 26 23 44 10 33 14

High levels of student disciplinary problems 22 21 32 25 35 12 28 24

Scheduling constraints 21 24 37 19 48 14 25 13


19 In general, how frequently do you receive or generate the following types of information about the performance of your students? [N = 525 national sample teachers; N = 213–215 NGLC teachers]


Never

Once a

Year

A Few

Times Per Year

Approx. Monthly

A Few

Times per

MonthApprox. Weekly

A Few

Times Per

Week

At Least Daily Never

Once a

Year

A Few

Times Per Year

Approx. Monthly

A Few

Times Per

MonthApprox. Weekly

A Few Times

Per Week

At Least Daily

Scores on assessments in mathematics or language arts

4 10 24 23 12 20 6 2 0 5 22 9 13 26 12 13

Scores on assessments in subjects other than mathematics or language arts

19 12 21 14 18 14 2 1 25 10 25 9 11 13 4 3

Information about student performance on specific concepts or skills

5 9 18 19 18 19 6 7 6 4 15 9 15 18 15 18

Identification of specific students who need extra assistance

5 4 15 25 18 19 6 9 2 3 14 11 17 15 16 22

Identification of specific students who have achieved mastery

9 5 15 20 26 12 7 5 2 3 16 10 12 22 16 19

Nonachievement outcomes (for example, student behavior, attitudes, or motivation)

8 5 15 15 15 25 6 10 11 3 10 9 9 19 7 32

Use of Student Assessment Data


20 This year, to what extent have you used student achievement/mastery data for each of the following purposes? (Consider data provided by instructional software, interim assessments or quizzes, unit or end-of-course tests, state accountability tests, district benchmark or interim tests, and other standardized tests.) If the activity is something that your school doesn’t do (for example, if you never tailor the pace of instruction), please mark “My school doesn’t do this.” [N = 525 national sample teachers; N = 211–214 NGLC teachers]

Response choices: My school doesn’t do this; Did not use data for this at all; Used data to a small extent; Used data to a moderate extent; Used data to a large extent.


My School Doesn’t Do This

Did Not Use

Used to a Small Extent

Used to a Moderate

Extent

Used to a Large Extent


Did Not Use


Used to a Moderate

Extent


Tailoring the pace of instruction to individual students’ needs

10 8 25 40 17 6 7 21 27 39

Tailoring the content of instruction to individual students’ needs

7 10 30 31 22 4 3 21 33 39

Developing recommendations for tutoring or other educational support services for particular students

10 6 31 34 18 7 6 23 27 37

Assigning or reassigning students to groups within my class(es)

12 10 24 39 16 10 7 18 27 39

Assigning students to extended learning opportunities (for example, extended-day programs, Saturday classes, or an extended school year)

32 14 24 21 10 37 8 19 18 17

Identifying topics requiring more or less emphasis in instruction

10 5 32 33 19 8 6 17 30 39

Identifying areas where I need to strengthen my content knowledge or teaching skills

15 7 30 34 13 8 7 23 34 27

Reflecting on and discussing teaching and learning with other teachers

8 8 31 40 12 5 7 22 30 36

Reflecting on and discussing learning with my students

7 8 40 31 14 5 6 19 40 31

Providing college/career advice or guidance 31 18 31 15 5 29 14 24 18 14

21 This year, have you used data on nonachievement outcomes (for example, student behavior, attitudes, or motivation?



525 57% 43% 220 75% 25%


22 This year, to what extent have you used data on nonachievement outcomes (for example, student behavior, attitudes, or motivation) for each of the following purposes? [N = 230 national sample teachers; N = 159–161 NGLC teachers]

Response choices: Did not use data for this at all; Used data to a small extent; Used data to a moderate extent; Used data to a large extent.



Did Not Use


Used to a Moderate

Extent



Did Not Use


Used to a Moderate

Extent



11 4 20 44 21 6 10 26 30 29


6 6 22 35 31 3 13 22 36 26

Developing recommendations for tutoring or other support services for particular students

11 10 21 43 15 8 8 19 30 35

Assigning or reassigning students to classes or to content

16 6 35 25 18 11 13 24 30 22


11 5 20 41 23 6 8 21 36 30


6 4 25 42 23 2 6 21 40 30

Providing college/career advice or guidance 40 11 21 19 10 26 19 20 22 14

NOTE: This question was only asked of those who answered “yes” to Question 21.


23 Please indicate your level of agreement with each of the following statements. [N = 525 national sample teachers; N = 213–217 NGLC teachers]


Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree

Strongly Agree

Not Applicable


Strongly Agree

Not Applicable

I have access to high-quality assessment data that help me adapt the pace or content of instruction to meet students’ needs.

8 23 43 22 4 3 12 41 41 3

The data system provides real-time data that is actionable.

9 31 38 17 4 5 16 37 37 6

Our school’s data system includes achievement measures that provide information about students of varying achievement levels, including students who are far above or below grade level.

7 13 53 24 3 3 11 42 41 4

Our school’s data system provides information at a level of detail that helps me inform my instruction (e.g., breakdowns for specific skills or topics).

8 25 47 16 5 6 15 41 33 5

I have plenty of data but need help in figuring out how to translate the data into instructional steps.

14 28 40 14 4 8 28 37 22 5

It is easy to create custom assessments that evaluate what students are learning.

9 25 44 18 4 7 25 39 22 7

Our school’s data system is easy to use.

14 27 38 15 7 8 23 45 22 3

I can use the school’s data system to easily produce the views or reports I need.

10 25 38 22 4 11 23 39 24 4

The technology provides data that are not typically available without that technology.

7 27 43 17 6 7 19 35 33 6

I have the necessary skills and experience to use data to guide my instruction.

4 11 48 33 4 2 18 42 33 4


24 Does your school use frequently updated, shared documents, either paper or electronic (such as learner profiles and learning plans), to document each student’s strengths, weaknesses, and goals along with individualized plans to accomplish those goals?



525 39% 61% 221 50% 50%

25 Do your school’s learner profiles or learning plans have these attributes? (By learner profiles and learning plans, we mean documents about student strengths, weaknesses, and goals, and individualized plans to accomplish those goals.) [N = 207 national sample teachers; N = 105–109 NGLC teachers]


These learner profiles . . .Not

At All

To a Small Extent

To a Moderate

Extent

To a Great Extent

Not At All

To a Small Extent

To a Moderate

Extent

To a Great Extent

. . . exist for every student. 14 12 39 35 11 17 32 39

. . . are frequently updated to incorporate new information.

5 29 43 23 6 22 40 31

. . . summarize the student’s strengths, weaknesses, and progress, drawing on multiple sources of information, including standardized tests and other information.

5 19 48 29 7 22 36 34

. . . summarize the student’s goals, interests, and aspirations.

10 31 37 21 16 18 34 32

. . . set forth a personalized plan for students to accomplish instructional goals.

8 24 44 24 10 21 32 37

. . . are routinely accessed/updated by teachers. 11 17 48 24 8 29 35 28

. . . are routinely accessed/updated by students. 27 27 31 15 25 36 21 18

. . . are routinely accessed/updated by parents or guardians.

21 28 40 11 31 37 23 9




26 On average throughout the school year, how many hours of instructional time do students experience per week in the class(es) you teach?




Hours of instructional time per week

[not asked] 219 1 60 15 8

27 What percentage of time is technology utilized in your classroom?




Technology in primary role for instruction

525 0% 100% 37% 30% 217 0% 100% 48% 50%

Technology plays a supporting role (e.g., electronic note-taking)

525 0% 100% 26% 20% 195 0% 100% 29% 25%

Technology not utilized

525 0% 100% 36% 30% 182 0% 100% 32% 20%


28 During a typical class, for what percentages of the time do you utilize the following activities with students? (The amount of time must add to 100 percent.)


Number ofRespondents Minimum Maximum Mean Median Number of


Large-group instruction

525 0% 100% 39% 40% 212 0% 70% 22% 20%

Small-group instruction

525 0% 100% 24% 20% 212 0% 100% 30% 25%

Individual tutoring 525 0% 100% 12% 10% 209 0% 95% 19% 10%

Coaching and support (e.g., while students work together in groups or individually)

525 0% 85% 14% 10% 214 0% 80% 22% 20%

Administering tests or engaging in other noninstructional activities

525 0% 60% 11% 10% 201 0% 80% 11% 10%


29 What percentage of time are the following modes of instruction employed in your classroom? (The amount of time does not need to add up to 100 percent.)




Teacher-led large-group or whole-class (more than 10 students) instruction

525 0% 100% 37% 30% 213 0% 100% 25% 20%

Teacher-led small-group (2–10 students) instruction

525 0% 100% 22% 20% 208 0% 100% 29% 23%

In-person individual tutoring

525 0% 100% 10% 10% 208 0% 100% 18% 10%

Live or pre-recorded tutoring provided via the Internet

525 0% 100% 3% 0% 199 0% 100% 7% 0%

Small-group collaboration (such as team projects, partner work, peer-to-peer instruction)

525 0% 80% 14% 10% 207 0% 100% 22% 20%

Independent practice without software (such as reading, writing)

525 0% 100% 16% 10% 205 0% 100% 22% 15%

Independent practice using software or other digital content (such as websites)

525 0% 100% 9% 5% 208 0% 100% 26% 20%

Paper-and-pencil assessment

525 0% 100% 16% 10% 206 0% 90% 12% 10%

Computer-based assessment

525 0% 100% 9% 5% 205 0% 100% 19% 10%


30 Do you group students of similar ability levels together?



525 67% 33% 219 74% 26%

31 How frequently do you change the composition of these groups based on students’ learning? [N = 353 national sample teachers; N = 162 NGLC teachers]


At Least Weekly

Once or Twice a Month

A Few Times a Year

Never, Students Remain in the Same Groups for the

Entire School YearAt Least Weekly


A Few Times a Year


Entire School Year

4 25 54 17 29 32 36 3


32 Do you assign homework or other out-of-school learning activities to your students at least once a week?



525 81% 19% 219 78% 22%

33 To what extent do the out-of-school activities you assign to your students . . . [N = 423 national sample teachers; N = 170 NGLC teachers]


Not at All

To a Small Extent

To a Moderate Extent

To a Great Extent

Not at All

To a Small Extent


To a Great Extent

. . . differ from traditional homework?

18 44 33 5 24 44 23 10

. . . enable you to make more efficient use of your time with the students in school?

4 36 42 18 11 28 36 25



34 For this question, we are interested in the activities students are engaged in when they are using technology. Please indicate the extent to which students are engaged in the following types of activities. Choices may sum to more than 100 percent. [N = 525 national sample teachers; N = 213–216 NGLC teachers]


Not at All

To Some Extent


To a Great Extent

Not at All

To Some Extent


To a Great Extent

Using structured curriculum materials online

20 42 25 14 16 20 24 40

Reading 21 28 33 17 14 26 33 27

Watching videos, animations, or simulations

11 47 31 12 7 33 37 23

Adjusting parameters of simulations and observing the results

46 26 23 5 52 27 12 9

Solving problems with clear solutions (e.g., multiple-choice math problems or vocabulary drills)

17 30 41 11 20 28 27 25

Solving multistep, open-ended problems or conducting investigations

20 40 30 10 18 31 30 21

Receiving immediate feedback on problem solutions

23 36 24 18 14 22 29 35

Receiving problem-solving help from an automated tutoring system

45 26 23 6 43 23 19 15

Receiving feedback about strengths and weaknesses from an automated system

31 38 26 5 42 29 19 9

Receiving help from an online human acting as a teacher, tutor, or mentor

59 18 19 5 55 22 12 11

Taking assessments 11 42 32 14 10 37 31 21

Engaging in discussions or collaborative problem-solving with other students in the school

43 26 23 8 35 27 25 13

Engaging in discussions or collaborative problem-solving with other students not from the same school

63 13 19 5 72 12 10 6

Using online reference materials 16 38 34 12 15 28 40 17

Searching for relevant materials on the web

16 34 37 13 17 28 35 20


35 Please indicate the extent to which you agree with each of the following statements about your curriculum and instruction. [N = 525 national sample teachers; N = 208–214 NGLC teachers]


Not at All

To a Small Extent

To a Moderate

Extent

To a Great Extent

Not at All

To a Small Extent

To a Moderate

Extent

To a Great Extent

Students have opportunities to choose what instructional materials (such as books or computer software) they use in class.

28 30 34 8 29 44 21 6

Students have opportunities to choose what topics they focus on in class.

32 34 26 9 29 41 24 7

I frequently adapt course content to meet students’ needs by providing additional assignments, resources, and activities for remediation or enrichment.

5 24 43 29 8 20 40 32

I clearly present the goal or objective for each assignment.

2 19 30 50 2 11 40 47

I have adopted strategies that allow students to keep track of their own learning progress.

16 27 41 16 10 19 39 32

I require students to show that they understand a topic before they can move on to a new topic.

8 24 49 19 7 27 33 33

Different students work on different topics or skills at the same time.

9 40 35 16 6 24 29 41

I give students the chance to work through instructional material at a faster or slower pace than other students in this class.

5 36 43 16 3 20 32 45

When students are working on an assignment or activity, they know what the goals of the assignment or activity are.

2 14 39 46 1 15 41 44

Students keep track of their own learning progress using technology (for example, by using an online gradebook or portfolio).

22 25 39 14 18 20 26 35

If students have trouble understanding the material, they are able to get help quickly.

3 17 50 30 0 11 49 40

Students have opportunities to review or practice new material until they fully understand it.

5 27 48 21 2 23 32 42

I am usually accessible to students via electronic communication when I am not available face-to-face.

26 20 35 18 13 15 30 43

When students are working independently, I require them to get through a certain amount of material even if they are working at their own pace.

14 24 43 19 6 15 44 35

Students are able to access instructional materials both in and outside of the classroom.

13 19 47 21 9 14 29 48

I provide a variety of materials or instructional approaches to accommodate individual needs and interests.

5 23 48 24 3 21 43 33

I connect what students are learning with experiences they have throughout the rest of the school day or outside of school.

5 32 40 24 5 24 39 33

I assign projects that extend over several weeks or months.

26 30 32 13 32 25 24 19

I assign projects that are interdisciplinary (e.g., combining science and literature).

13 32 40 14 24 31 25 20

Students have opportunities to provide input into the design and focus of project work.

17 31 38 14 30 33 22 15%


36 I have adequate access to technology-based curriculum materials that . . . [N = 525 national sample teachers; N = 212–215 NGLC teachers]



Strongly Agree


Strongly Agree

. . . are of high quality. 9 15 62 15 7 16 54 23

. . . address the learning needs of all of my students.

9 18 58 14 8 21 51 20

. . . are easy for me to use in the classroom.

[not asked]

8 12 54 25

. . . are easy for my students to use. 7 10 60 23

. . . do not require frequent technical support. 9 15 53 23

. . . contribute to my efforts to promote college and career readiness.

15 28 45 12 10 18 51 21

. . . support anytime/anywhere learning by being accessible at other times and in other places.

11 16 61 12 9 13 47 32

37 I have adequate access to non-technology–based curriculum materials that . . . [N = 525 national sample teachers; N = 210–214 NGLC teachers]



Strongly Agree


Strongly Agree



3 15 66 16 9 27 45 19


9 20 49 23 10 20 50 19


6 23 58 14 13 32 39 16


38 Approximately what proportion of the curriculum and instructional materials you use were provided to you by your school or district? [N = 525 national sample teachers; N = 216 NGLC teachers]


All of the Materials

A Majority

About Half

Fewer than Half

None, I Don’t Receive Any Materials from my

School or DistrictAll of the Materials

A Majority

About Half

Fewer than Half

None, I Don’t Receive Any Materials from my

School or District

12 56 15 15 1 15 36 13 21 15

39 Approximately what proportion of the curriculum and instructional materials you use consists of existing material that you searched for (e.g., from websites) to supplement the curriculum that was provided to you? [N = 525 national sample teachers; N = 216 NGLC teachers]



A Majority

About Half

Fewer than Half

None, I Don’t Search for Supplemental

MaterialsAll of the Materials

A Majority

About Half

Fewer than Half


Materials

4 21 23 49 4 7 24 27 38 5

40 Approximately what proportion of the curriculum and instructional materials you use consists of original material you created to supplement the curriculum that was provided to you? [N = 525 national sample teachers; N = 217 NGLC teachers]



A Majority

About Half

Fewer than Half

None, I Don’t Create Original Material


A Majority

About Half

Fewer than Half


6 23 23 45 4 5 24 23 43 6


Student Survey Results, National and NGLC Samples, Spring 2015


1 What is the highest level of education you plan to complete? [N = 864 national sample students; N = 6,115 NGLC students]

Percentage of National Sample Students Percentage of NGLC Students

Will not finish high school 1 0

High school 11 7

Career/technical school 6 3

Two-year community college or junior college 7 6

Four-year college or university degree (Bachelor’s) 42 32

Graduate or professional school 22 35

Undecided 12 16

2 Have you ever done any of the following activities to prepare for life after high school? [N = 864 national sample students; N = 5,846–5,931 NGLC students]


Attended a career day or job fair 31 49

Toured, visited, or attended a program at a college campus

33 60

Sat in on or taken a college class 17 28

Participated in an internship or apprenticeship related to your career goals

13 29

Worked or volunteered in a job related to your career goals

22 38

Searched the Internet for college options or read college guides

46 64

Talked with a counselor or teacher to plan out courses and other educational experiences so you’ll be able to meet your goals for life after high school

49 48

Taken a survey or inventory to measure career interests 34 61

3 How many times, if any, have you taken the following tests? [N = 864 national sample students; N = 5,870–5,917 NGLC students]


Never Once Twice

Three or More Times

I Don’t Know What

This Is Never Once Twice

Three or More Times

I Don’t Know What

This Is

PSAT or PLAN 56 22 7 3 12 47 13 5 4 31

SAT or ACT 56 23 9 6 7 54 14 6 8 18

Any Advanced Placement (AP) test 56 22 6 6 10 56 11 4 5 25

Any International Baccalaureate (IB) test 71 5 1 1 21 60 3 1 2 34


4 Has anyone AT YOUR SCHOOL discussed the following with you? [N = 864 national sample students; N = 5,789–5,851 NGLC students]


Did Not Discuss

Discussed Briefly

Discussed in Depth

Did Not Discuss

Discussed Briefly

Discussed in Depth

Admissions requirements at various four-year colleges

52 34 14 38 43 19

Admissions requirements at two-year (community) colleges, technical schools, or certificate programs

54 34 12 45 40 15

How to decide which college to attend 48 38 14 32 42 26

Your likelihood of being accepted at different types of colleges

50 37 13 38 41 21

What ACT/SAT scores you need to get into the colleges you want to attend

51 34 15 42 35 23

Opportunities to attend out-of-state colleges 59 31 10 46 37 17

How to pay for college 56 31 13 39 40 22

Possible jobs or careers you might pursue 33 49 17 28 45 28

5 How much do you agree with the following statements? [N = 864 national sample students; N = 5,728–5,774 NGLC students]



Strongly Agree


Strongly Agree

My performance in school matters for success in college.

1 3 40 56 4 3 34 59

My classes give me useful preparation for what I plan to do in life.

3 15 55 27 6 15 50 29

School teaches me valuable skills. 1 10 55 34 5 10 53 33

Working hard in school matters for success in the workforce.

1 5 46 48 3 6 40 51

What we learn in class is necessary for success in the future.

1 13 54 32 5 12 45 37





Strongly Agree


Strongly Agree

I pay attention and resist distractions when I’m doing schoolwork.

3 18 57 21 5 21 59 15

I sometimes stop working on an assignment if it seems difficult.

17 34 43 7 10 32 47 12

When I am not in school, I set aside time to do schoolwork.

2 16 55 27 8 26 52 15

I try to do well on my schoolwork even when it isn’t interesting to me.

1 6 56 37 3 8 58 32

When I am not in school, I sometimes don’t get my schoolwork done because I choose to spend time on other fun activities.

22 35 34 9 12 28 44 17

7 How much do you agree with the following statement? [N = 864 national sample students; N = 6,263 NGLC students]



Strongly Agree


Strongly Agree

You have a certain amount of intelligence, and you really can’t do much to change it.

21 46 28 5 33 29 21 7


8 To what extent do the following items describe what you think? [N = 864 national sample students; N = 5,367–5,441 NGLC students]


Not At All True

Not Very True

Somewhat True

Mostly True

Very True

Not At All True

Not Very True

Somewhat True

Mostly True

Very True

It’s important to me that I learn a lot of new concepts this year.

1 5 27 36 30 3 4 27 32 35

It’s important to me that other students in my school think I am good at my schoolwork.

6 19 34 27 14 13 17 34 21 15

I try to avoid having other students in school think I’m not smart.

9 22 30 25 15 15 16 32 20 18

I’m certain I can master the skills taught in school this year.

0 4 19 44 32 2 6 29 34 29

One of my goals in school is to learn as much as I can.

1 5 23 33 39 2 4 24 29 40

One of my goals is to show others that schoolwork is easy for me.

9 29 34 18 10 17 24 31 16 12

I’m certain I can figure out how to do the most difficult schoolwork.

2 9 30 37 23 4 9 37 30 21

One of my goals is to master a lot of new skills this year.

1 5 28 38 29 2 5 28 30 35

I don’t want my teachers to think that I know less than others in school.

6 13 29 32 20 12 15 30 22 22

I can do almost all the work in school if I don’t give up.

1 3 18 38 40 2 5 23 30 39

It’s important to me that I thoroughly understand my schoolwork.

0 4 25 32 39 2 4 25 32 38

It’s important to me that I look smart compared to others in my school.

8 20 33 24 15 21 21 30 15 13

One of my goals in school is to avoid looking like I have trouble doing the work.

8 20 37 23 13 17 21 31 17 14

Even if the work is hard, I can learn it. 1 4 21 37 36 2 4 25 30 39

9 To what extent do the following statements describe you? [N = 864 national sample students; N = 5,409–5,440 NGLC students]


Not Like Me At All

Not Much

Like MeSomewhat

Like Me

Mostly Like Me

Very Much

Like Me

Not Like Me At All

Not Much

Like MeSomewhat

Like Me

Mostly Like Me

Very Much

Like Me

I finish whatever I begin. 1 6 21 37 34 3 6 33 36 23

I am a hard worker. 1 4 19 30 46 1 5 23 33 38

I continue steadily toward my goals.

1 3 22 33 41 1 4 24 34 36

I don’t give up easily. 2 6 21 32 38 3 7 25 29 36


10 During a typical school week, how many hours do you spend on schoolwork outside of your regular school hours?

National Sample Students NGLC Students

Number of Respondents Minimum Maximum Mean Median


Hours of schoolwork 864 0 40 8 7 5,503 0 99 5 2

Percentage of Students

National Sample NGLC

Zero 2 8

1 hour or less 4 22

More than 1 hour and up to 3 hours 15 33

More than 3 hours and up to 7 hours 28 20




More than 35 hours 0 1

10a How much do you agree with the following statements about the schoolwork you do outside of your regular school hours? [N = 848 national sample students; N = 4,928–4,957 NGLC students]

Note: This question was asked only of students who entered numbers greater than zero in Question 10.


Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly

AgreeStrongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly

Agree

The schoolwork I do outside of school is connected with what I am learning in school.

1 4 53 42 3 11 59 27

The schoolwork I do outside of school helps me learn.

1 9 63 27 4 16 57 23

I am able to access the materials I need to learn effectively outside of school.

1 6 58 36 3 13 57 27


11 When you are working on schoolwork on the computer outside of school, how long do you typically work before taking a break (for example, before using Facebook or watching a video that is not related to your schoolwork, or leaving the computer to do something else)?

National Sample Students

Number of RespondentsLess than 5 Minutes 5–10 Minutes 10–30 Minutes 30–60 Minutes

More than 60 Minutes

I Don’t Take Any Breaks

848 0% 6% 29% 37% 17% 9%

NGLC Students

Number of RespondentsLess than 5 Minutes 5–10 Minutes 10–30 Minutes 30–60 Minutes

More than 60 Minutes

I Don’t Take Any Breaks

5,366 7% 13% 31% 27% 11% 11%

12 Please rate the following items based on your behavior in this school. [N = 864 national sample students; N = 5,151–5,214 NGLC students]


Not At All True

Not Very True

Somewhat True

Mostly True

Very True

Not At All True

Not Very True

Somewhat True

Mostly True

Very True

It is hard for me to identify the main ideas when I am reading.

27 33 20 15 6 18 32 32 11 7

I use what I have learned from previous assignments and what I have learned in school to do new assignments.

1 3 29 43 24 2 5 33 35 25

When I am studying a topic, I try to make everything fit together.

1 4 33 40 21 2 6 35 34 22

When I am learning something new, I try to connect the things that I am learning with what I already know.

0 4 34 41 21 2 6 32 33 27

When work is hard I either give up or study only the easy parts.

25 31 23 15 7 16 27 34 15 8

Before I begin working on an assignment I think about the things I will need to do to complete the assignment.

2 10 38 31 19 3 9 38 30 20

I often find that I have been studying for class but don’t know what it is all about.

19 30 32 13 6 13 24 38 15 9

I often find that when the teacher is talking I think of other things and don’t really listen to what is being said.

14 30 33 16 8 13 24 38 16 10

When I’m reading I stop once in a while to go over what I have read.

4 15 42 27 13 10 14 39 23 14


13 The following questions ask about your classroom experiences. When you answer them, please think about your experiences with all of your teachers in mathematics, English/reading, science, and social studies this year, and mark the response that indicates your typical experience. [N = 864 national sample students; N = 4,923–5,014 NGLC students]


Not At All True

Not Very True

Somewhat True

Mostly True

Very True

Not At All True

Not Very True

Somewhat True

Mostly True

Very True

My teachers ask questions to be sure students are following along with what we are being taught.

2 7 34 36 22 4 5 30 31 31

My classes do not keep my attention— I get bored.

15 27 35 14 9 8 22 41 17 13

My teachers want us to share our thoughts. 3 9 34 33 22 3 7 35 31 24

I like the way we learn in my classes. 4 12 36 32 16 8 11 39 26 17

The feedback that I get on my schoolwork helps me understand how to improve.

2 12 34 32 19 4 7 34 31 23

My teachers accept nothing less than our full effort.

2 12 32 32 22 4 7 32 30 28

Students get to decide how activities are done in my classes.

15 32 30 16 9 17 23 37 14 8

My teachers don’t let students give up when the work gets hard.

4 8 32 34 21 4 8 35 27 25

In my classes, learning is enjoyable. 4 11 40 31 14 9 12 43 22 13

My teachers want students to explain our answers—why we think what we think.

2 7 31 35 26 3 5 31 30 30

My teachers check to make sure students understand what we are learning.

3 9 35 35 19 3 6 32 32 27

Students get helpful comments to let us know what we did wrong on assignments.

2 15 36 30 17 4 7 36 29 23

My teachers respect my ideas and suggestions. 4 9 37 31 19 4 6 35 30 25

Students share their ideas with each other about what they are working on during class.

5 15 39 26 15 5 8 39 29 19

In my classes, we learn a lot almost every day. 3 12 38 30 18 4 8 37 30 22

The material I am learning in my classes is interesting.

1 11 41 30 16 7 12 41 26 15

I am given opportunities to demonstrate my strengths and weaknesses so that teachers can adjust instruction to address them.

7 16 35 26 16 5 9 37 29 20

My teachers take into account my interests and experiences when deciding what I will work on.

10 25 31 23 11 8 13 39 24 16

My classmates and I have opportunities to work together and give each other feedback.

3 9 36 34 19 3 6 37 30 24

Most of the activities I work on in school are challenging enough to be interesting, but not too challenging to complete.

4 11 39 29 16 5 9 41 28 17

My teachers and I work together to set personal goals for my own learning.

9 21 31 25 14 8 11 36 23 20


14 The following questions ask about your classroom experiences. When you answer them, please think about your experiences with all of your classes in mathematics, English/reading, science, and social studies this year, and mark the response that indicates your typical experience. [N = 864 national sample students; N = 4,745–4,835 NGLC students]


Never Rarely SometimesMost of the Time Always Never Rarely Sometimes

Most of the Time Always

I have opportunities to choose what instructional materials (such as books or computer software) I use in class.

14 28 30 19 9 11 18 38 21 12

I have opportunities to choose what topics I focus on in class.

14 29 30 20 7 13 21 39 17 9

I am required to show that I understand a topic before I move on to a new topic.

6 15 40 26 14 5 8 37 29 22

I work on different topics or skills than what my classmates are working on at the same time.

12 27 32 21 8 9 15 41 22 13

I am given the chance to work through instructional material at a faster or slower pace than other students in this class.

12 21 36 21 10 7 11 40 24 19

During a single lesson, I have opportunities to learn in different ways, such as listening to the teacher present to the whole class, working in small groups, or working by myself.

5 13 44 27 12 5 9 39 27 19

I work on projects that combine more than one subject (for example, science and literature).

8 23 39 23 8 8 15 39 23 15

We connect what we are learning to life outside the classroom.

4 19 43 23 10 7 13 41 23 16

I work on projects that extend over several weeks or months.

4 16 49 21 9 9 16 40 21 14

When I am working on an assignment or activity, I know what the goals of the assignment or activity are.

0 3 31 45 20 3 7 37 31 22

I keep track of my learning progress using technology (for example, by using an online gradebook or portfolio).

11 17 28 29 16 5 8 35 25 27

I keep track of my learning progress using paper (for example, a binder or a poster) rather than on a computer.

11 21 31 23 14 13 15 37 20 14

I discuss my learning progress with my teachers.

5 17 39 27 12 8 14 40 22 16

I discuss my learning progress with my parents.

1 10 32 34 24 8 12 38 23 19

If I have trouble understanding material when I’m working on my own, I am able to get help quickly.

2 11 37 37 12 5 11 40 26 17

I have opportunities to review or practice new material until I really understand it.

3 12 43 30 12 4 8 39 28 21


15 When the focus of your learning is reading and writing (for example, in an English class), how often do you do the following? [N = 864 national sample students; N = 4,755–4,803 NGLC students]


NeverSome of the Time

Most of the Time

Almost All of the Time Never

Some of the Time

Most of the Time

Almost All of the Time

I discuss my point of view about something I’ve read.

8 43 35 14 9 40 33 18

I discuss connections between what we are reading in class and real-life people or situations.

10 47 30 13 8 37 36 18

I discuss how culture, time, or place affects an author’s writing.

17 44 28 12 11 36 34 19

I explain how writers use tools like symbolism and metaphor to communicate meaning.

16 45 28 12 9 35 35 21

I improve a piece of writing as a class or with partners.

16 46 26 12 10 35 35 20

I debate the meaning of what we are reading in class.

18 47 23 12 13 37 31 19

16 When the focus of your learning is math, how often do you do the following? [N = 864 national sample students; N = 4,732–4,780 NGLC students]



Most of the Time

Almost all of the Time Never

Some of the Time

Most of the Time

Almost all of the Time

I write a few sentences to explain how I solved a math problem.

19 45 25 11 20 40 26 14

I write a math problem for other students to solve.

48 31 15 6 35 35 20 10

I discuss possible solutions to problems with other students.

16 47 28 9 13 28 32 16

I use math to solve real-world problems. 15 46 28 11 14 38 30 18

I solve a problem with multiple steps that take more than 20 minutes.

22 47 22 10 22 42 23 14


17 How much do you agree with the following statements about your school? [N = 864 national sample students; N = 4,611–4,694 NGLC students]



Strongly Agree


Strongly Agree

Teachers make sure that all students are planning for life after graduation.

6 21 54 18 8 16 53 23

Teachers work hard to make sure that all students are learning.

3 11 61 25 4 11 54 31

School is seen as preparation for the future. 1 6 60 33 4 10 53 32

All students are encouraged to go to college. 3 15 52 30 4 12 50 34

Teachers pay attention to all students, not just the top students.

5 15 57 23 6 15 50 29

Teachers work hard to make sure that students stay in school.

3 9 60 28 5 14 52 29

Overall, I feel good about being in this school. 3 8 56 33 9 15 50 27

I care about this school. 3 10 60 27 8 16 50 26

I feel safe in this school. 2 6 54 28 7 14 52 26

My opinions are respected in this school. 3 14 61 22 8 15 52 24

There is at least one adult in this school who knows me well.

3 12 49 37 8 15 45 32

I can be creative in classroom assignments and projects.

4 8 61 27 5 12 53 30

I am comfortable being myself at this school. 2 9 54 35 7 14 50 29

I am an important part of my school community. 5 16 54 25 9 19 50 22

If I could choose a school right now, I would choose this school.

7 14 50 29 13 18 46 23






Agree

I have access to technology (such as a computer, tablet, or smartphone) and the Internet outside of school whenever I need them.

1 5 39 56 5 8 40 47

If I need help using technology when I’m at home, I have someone who can help me.

1 6 46 48 8 15 46 31

If I need help using technology when I’m at school, I have someone who can help me.

2 7 57 34 5 9 49 38

At my school, we learn how to tell whether or not information on the Internet is trustworthy.

3 17 57 24 6 13 49 32

19 I feel supported by the following people at this school: [N = 864 national sample students; N = 4,763–4,784 NGLC students]


Rarely or Never Sometimes




Teachers 4 21 42 33 9 27 31 33

Other adults (principals, counselors, etc.) 7 27 37 29 13 27 30 31

Other students 7 34 40 19 13 32 31 23


Teacher Survey Results, NGLC District and Charter Schools, Spring 2015


1 In addition to your work instructing students, do you also serve in any of the following formal roles this year? [N = 66 district teachers; N = 175 charter teachers]

Percentage of District Teachers Percentage of Charter Teachers

Administrator (e.g., assistant principal) 6 3

Master teacher 0 10

Coach or mentor for other teachers 11 22

Department head or lead teacher 17 15

Professional development provider 3 12

Technology support provider 2 3

Guidance counselor or provider of nonacademic support to students 0 4

None of the above 59 50




District teachers: GSRP Program Director; Special Education Case Manager; Co-Special Education Liaison (SEL); SBDM Member; Facilitator for Special Education Services; Special Education Liaison; Roster Chair; Principal designee, Union building representative; Staff Leader for Event Planning Committee; Testing Coordinator; CELDT coordinator; Teacher.

Charter teachers: Curriculum Team; Rifton Tram training, Canvas training, proctoring the CAHSEE exam with numerous accommodations; Data Systems and Implementation Lead; Credit Recovery Instructor for At-Risk Students; Leadership Advisor; Curriculum Designer/Developer; Yearbook Advisor and Exhibition Work Group Lead; Individual IEP student support; Data Analyst; Illuminate Data Champion; Case management for 504 plans and health plans; Dean of Students; Assistant Teacher in Science; Coach for other preceptors; Operations Assistant; Data Driver; Teacher Effectiveness Driver

Teaching Background


2 Which of the following best describes your teaching arrangement this year? [N = 66 district teachers; N = 170 charter teachers]


Traditional elementary arrangement; sometimes called “self-contained”

12 13

Traditional secondary arrangement; sometimes called “subject-specific,” “subject-matter specialist,” or “departmentalized”

73 46

“Pull-Out” or “Push-In” Instruction 6 10

Co-teaching or Job Share (one of two or more teachers who are jointly responsible for teaching the same subject[s] to a group of students [i.e., in the same classroom])

3 17

I work under the supervision of another teacher 2 7

I primarily supervise the work of other teachers rather than directly instructing students

5 0

I teach students exclusively online, with no in-person interaction 0 6


NOTE: In this question, respondents could include written responses in the “other” box in addition to one of the response choices, so the percentages may not add to 100 percent.


District teachers: I teach three groups of students according to the academic level; I teach a group of 20 students in the morning facilitating cross-curricular projects. I teach English to a separate group of students in the afternoon; I teach project-based learning to one group of students in the morning and in the afternoon I teach math to two different groups of students; I teach a single English class per day; A combination of several: I am an advisor to a group of students for half of the day and then I teach a specific class to certain groups of students throughout the other half of the day; I teach several classes of different students during the day in 5 subjects; I teach one stand-alone literacy class and provide push-in support for math.

Charter teachers: I teach virtually to 90 students in Grades 6–8; I teach students exclusively online with regular communication individually and in small groups; I teach students exclusively online with lots of virtual in-person interaction; Co-Teach math and reading and SETTS pull-out skills lab; I also teach an art elective 3 times a week that rotates in children from different classes; Montessori-all subject areas, 3-year age range (pre-k3–K); I teach kindergarten math for two different classes and otherwise only teach one group of 18 students; I teach a core group of 18 students most of the day all core subjects. I also work with my team teacher’s students (the 18 other Kindergarteners) every day teaching them reading and literacy. My team teacher teaches all kindergarteners math; I assist students as they work on online curriculum and also teach small groups in a classroom setting; I teach character development and work readiness and support students with online curriculum; I teach small-group instruction, support in the learning labs, and pull-out individual instruction.


3 What subject area(s) are you teaching (or supervising) this year (2014–15)? [N = 66 district teachers; N = 175 charter teachers]


English/language arts/reading/writing 56 63

Mathematics 64 55

Science 26 23

Social studies 21 26

Foreign language(s) 0 3

Visual or performing arts (art, music, etc.) 8 7

Physical education/health education 3 6

Career/technical education 5 4

Other subject area(s) 20 14


Written responses for the “Other” category:

District teachers: Was at first doing a computer exploratory; Cross-curricular projects (contain standards from English, math, social studies and science); Special ed; Project-based learning; Project-based courses that are interdisciplinary and include all of these courses; Computer Programming; Life Skills Support; English as a Second Language Dept.—Course is called English 4; Learning Strategies; Personal Finance; Personalized Studio.

Charter teachers: As a grade-level chair, I supervise the math, science, history, PE, and Spanish teachers in my grade level; Advisory; Special Education; Student Council; Computer Science and Software Engineering; Support students in all subjects and content; Theater, Cinema and Film Production; Media Literacy; Yearbook; Practical Life, Sensorial; General-Primary Montessori Teacher; Coding; Academic coordinator overseeing all curricular decisions; Character development; Extracurricular science and computer coding; Early Childhood; Social Emotional Learning; Cooperative Play.


4 Please indicate the grade levels of the students you teach. [N = 66 Charter teachers; N = 175 District teachers]


Kindergarten 3 6

1st 2 6

2nd 2 5

3rd 2 3

4th 5 1

5th 5 10

6th 17 29

7th 24 26

8th 26 18

9th 55 29

10th 39 21

11th 32 15

12th 32 8

Our school doesn’t use grade levels 3 1

5 What percentage of the students you teach:

District Teachers Charter Teachers


More Than Zero to

25 PercentMore Than 25 Percent


More Than Zero to

25 PercentMore Than 25 Percent

Have individualized education programs (IEPs) for special education services

59 10% 54% 36% 145 5% 75% 20%

Are considered English-language learners or limited-English proficient

55 33% 62% 5% 125 36% 31% 33%

Participate in a gifted and talented program

53 64% 23% 13% 108 84% 13% 3%


6 Including this school year (2014–15), how many total years have you been teaching, regardless of location?




Years teaching 66 1 33 8 6 175 1 45 8 5



One Year


11–20 Years

More Than 20 Years


One Year


11–20 Years

More Than 20 Years

Years teaching 66 5% 62% 21% 12% 172 22% 60% 14% 5%

7 Prior to teaching, did you have a career outside the field of education?



66 30% 70% 171 31% 69%

8 Was your previous career focused on technology?



66 8% 92% 171 6% 94%

9 Do you hold a regular or standard certificate to teach in this state?



No, but I am currently enrolled in a

certification program

No, and I am not currently enrolled in a certification program


No, but I am currently enrolled in a

certification program

No, and I am not currently enrolled in a certification program

66 92% 5% 3% 171 71% 15% 14%


10 In what content area and grade range does your certificate allow you to teach?



Early Childhood, Preschool, or at Least

One of Grades K–5At Least One of Grades 6–8



Early Childhood, Preschool, or at Least

One of Grades K–5At Least One of Grades 6–8


66 32% 70% 70% 175 32% 49% 43%

NOTE: This question was only asked of those who answered “yes” to Question 9. This question instructed the respondent to “select all that apply,” so the percentages will not add to 100 percent.

11 Through which of the following types of programs did you enter teaching? [N = 66 district teachers; N = 166 charter teachers]


Through an undergraduate teacher preparation program 59 28

Through a graduate teacher preparation program 24 27

Through an alternative teacher preparation program (for example, Teach for America, or a program aimed at mid-career changers)

14 27

Courses taken after attainment of undergraduate/bachelor’s degree, but not as part of a formalized graduate or alternative teacher preparation program

3 8

No formal preparation program 2 7


NOTE: Values shown are rounded to the nearest whole number and do not always sum to 100 percent.


District teachers: Courses taken during doctoral program.

Charter teachers: I entered education by applying for a T.A. position while earning an A.A. degree at community college and transferring to a university; NYC Teaching Fellow; LAB Corp Fellowship; Certified in AMI Montessori Elementary, a 10-month full-time program; Montessori Master’s Degree; Montessori training; I did a Fulbright ETA and am now in a TA position; Undergraduate teacher prep, but then went through teacher residency program to get masters in urban ed.; Teacher residency program.

12 To what extent do you feel that your teacher preparation program and prior experience prepared you (or is preparing you, if you are currently enrolled) to teach in a personalized learning environment?



Not At All

To a Small Extent


To a Great Extent


Not At All

To a Small Extent


To a Great Extent

66 6% 24% 47% 23% 171 5% 21% 43% 32%


13 Please indicate whether the following characteristics, or layouts of physical space, exist in your school. For each that does exist in your school, please indicate the extent to which it facilitates or hinders personalized learning. [N = 23–65 district teachers; N = 96–169 charter teachers]

Design ElementsD

istr

ict

Ch

arte

r

Ch

arte

r

Dis

tric

t

Ch

arte

r

Dis

tric

t

Ch

arte

r

Dis

tric

t

Ch

arte

r

Dis

tric

t

Ch

arte

r

Dis

tric

t

Dis

tric

t

Ch

arte

r

100

80

60

40

20

0


with furniturethat cannot

be easilyrearranged

NOTE: Percentages may not add to 100 due to rounding.


with furniturethat is easy to

rearrange

Large, openinstructional

spaces

Open commonareas for

student use

Openinstructionalspaces with

smaller roomsfor individualor small-group

instruction

OtherComfortable,nontraditional

classroomfurniture

Perc

enta

ge

11%7%

20%

16%

9% 6%

59%

5%5%

30%

60%

4%

13%

38%

45%

10%

12%

45%

32%

5%

16%

40%

39%

2%10%

39%

48%

2%

28%

28%

42%

3%10%

30%

57%

7%

13%

34%

46%

71%3%

26%

66%

5%

5%

13%

67%

15%

5%8%

100%86%

3%

FIGURE

2Please indicate whether the following characteristics, or layouts of physical space, exist in your school. For each that does exist in your school, please indicate the extent to which it facilitates or hinders personalized learning. [N = 23–65 district teachers; N = 96–169 charter teachers]

■ Exists and it facilitates personalized learning ■ Exists and has no impact on personalized learning

■ Exists and it hinders personalized learning ■ Does not exist in my school



District teachers: No responses.

Charter teachers: Computer Lab; Laptops available for each student and individualized computer-based learning; Rooms for Guest Speakers; We have large rooms with three teachers [and] 65 students, movable furniture with areas for collaboration, teacher-led instruction, and independent work; I have an online classroom where 1 or more students can meet with me to work together or individually; Rolling desks with attached tables and wheels, rocking chairs, etc.; Combo of traditional with movable furniture and open spaces, and open spaces for students with IEPs and learning challenges hinders personalized instruction due to distractions from other instructions happening in same spaces; Small classrooms in portables with large desks and lots of furniture that is easily arranged; Cubicle walls; We have classrooms that are not fully closed, this limits the amount of activities we can do because the [noise] becomes a problem; Classrooms with no walls and sound masked by white noise and it is very distracting to students who [are] easily distracted; Computer learning labs; Resource and flex rooms are available.


14 Please indicate whether, in the past year, you received each of the following kinds of supports, and the extent to which you found it helpful for improving your instruction. [N = 64–65 district teachers; N = 168–170 charter teachers]

Response choices: I did not receive this support; I received it and found it unhelpful; I received it and found it somewhat helpful; I received it and found it very helpful.


Did Not Receive

Received; Unhelpful

Received; Somewhat

Helpful

Received; Very

HelpfulDid Not Receive

Received; Unhelpful

Received; Somewhat

Helpful

Received; Very

Helpful

Formally assigned mentor or coach 75 3 9 12 39 8 24 29

Informal mentor 63 2 17 18 42 4 24 31

Release time to observe other teachers 62 5 25 9 49 1 26 24

Observation of and feedback on your lessons by other teachers

48 5 32 15 46 4 25 25

Observation of and feedback on your lessons by administrators

27 9 39 25 15 9 36 40

Common planning time (formally scheduled) with other teachers

35 2 22 42 29 6 24 41

Access to professional learning communities where you can discuss concerns or engage in instructional planning with other teachers

23 2 38 37 33 8 26 34



15 Please indicate your level of agreement with each of the following statements about all of your professional development experiences during the current school year (2014–15, including summer 2014). [N = 63–64 district teachers; N = 165–168 charter teachers]


My professional development experiences this year . . . Disagree Strongly Disagree Agree

Agree Strongly

Disagree Strongly Disagree Agree

Agree Strongly

Have been well aligned with the Common Core State Standards or other standards that my state or district has adopted

11 16 49 24 4 21 52 23

Have been designed to address needs revealed by analysis of student data

9 19 55 17 3 10 50 37

Have been useful for improving my instruction 6 17 52 25 5 14 51 30

Have helped me understand how to personalize goals for students

9 31 38 22 7 24 43 26

Have helped me implement the technology used in my classroom

6 13 55 27 10 19 42 28

Have familiarized me with a variety of approaches to instructional delivery

8 25 44 22 5 26 47 22

Have addressed ways to collaborate with students and families to develop instructional goals and approaches

13 37 31 19 8 29 40 23

16 Rate your level of agreement with each of the following statements about your school. [N = 63–64 district teachers; N = 163–165 charter teachers]


Disagree Strongly Disagree Agree Agree


Strongly

Teachers at my school collaborate well with one another.

2 3 70 25 1 7 53 40

Teachers at my school are highly focused on the mission of improving student learning.

0 3 53 44 0 3 37 59


2 13 52 34 5 11 38 46


0 13 55 33 2 4 38 55


3 11 44 42 6 13 38 43

Students in this school respect one another. 0 33 63 5 5 21 57 17

Students in this school respect the school staff. 8 30 61 2 6 18 59 17

Students in this school are motivated to achieve. 8 46 43 3 4 18 60 18


8 40 51 2 4 18 58 21


17 Please indicate whether the following conditions exist in your school and the degree to which each is an obstacle to your efforts to promote student learning using technology such as computers, smartphones, or tablets. If the condition does not exist in your school, please mark “Not applicable.” [N = 62–63 district teachers; N = 160–163 charter teachers]

Full response choices: Not applicable; Condition does not exist in my school; Condition exists but is not an obstacle; Condition exists and is a minor obstacle; Condition exists and is a major obstacle.


N/A; Does Not

Exist

Exists; Not an

Obstacle

Exists; Minor

Obstacle

Exists; Major

Obstacle

N/A; Does Not

Exist

Exists; Not an

Obstacle

Exists; Minor

Obstacle

Exists; Major

Obstacle

Inadequate technology skills among students 35 27 32 6 41 23 30 6

My own limited technology skills 56 27 16 0 73 14 12 1

Inadequate opportunities for teachers to provide input on how technology is used

48 19 22 11 60 17 18 6

Lack of support from technology specialists or other staff who can provide technical support

63 13 11 13 64 10 18 8

Lack of flexibility in deciding how I can use technology in my instruction

77 10 13 0 70 12 14 5

An inadequate number of computers or devices to accommodate all students

59 6 24 11 72 6 17 6

Slow Internet connection or inadequate bandwidth

38 19 32 11 60 11 23 7

Inadequate opportunities to participate in professional development related to technology use

60 14 22 3 48 22 24 6

Lack of high-quality content for technology-based instruction

58 15 21 6 53 15 23 9

Lack of alignment between the content students learn online and the content that I am trying to teach

59 19 16 6 57 12 19 12

Problems with hardware, such as insufficient computing power or lack of compatibility with software

65 11 19 5 74 9 11 5

Excessive amounts of time I need to spend developing content for technology-based instruction

40 14 30 16 54 14 23 9


18 Please indicate the extent to which each of the following conditions is an obstacle to your efforts to promote personalized learning for students. If the condition does not exist in your school, please mark “Not applicable.” [N = 61–63 district teachers; N = 153–156 charter teachers]

Full response choices: Not applicable; Condition does not exist in my school; Condition exists but is not an obstacle; Condition exists and is a minor obstacle; Condition exists and is a major obstacle.


N/A; Does Not Exist

Exists; Not an

Obstacle

Exists, Minor

Obstacle

Exists; Major

ObstacleN/A; Does Not Exist

Exists; Not an

Obstacle

Exists, Minor

Obstacle

Exists; Major

Obstacle

Lack of support from school administration 67 10 21 2 65 10 17 9

My own limited knowledge of how to effectively personalize instruction

52 19 19 10 47 14 33 6

Too many students for whom I am responsible

37 10 32 22 43 13 30 15

Too much diversity in achievement levels among my students

25 16 33 25 27 23 34 15

Too much variation in age or maturity among my students

42 21 24 13 50 22 23 5

Lack of flexibility in the curriculum I am required to teach (i.e., need to teach specific material in a specific time frame)

65 10 17 8 61 12 24 3

Pressure to cover specific material as a result of state or district standards or testing requirements

41 21 24 14 42 17 27 14

Excessive amounts of time I need to spend developing personalized content

24 25 30 21 31 18 27 25

Inadequate opportunities to participate in professional development related to personalizing learning

51 16 22 11 51 8 27 14

Inadequate data to help me personalize students’ instruction

61 11 23 5 69 12 17 3

Lack of high-quality content or materials 51 16 25 8 55 10 26 8

An inadequate amount of time to prepare personalized lessons for all students

27 11 22 40 31 10 25 35

High levels of student absenteeism 27 10 27 35 50 10 35 5

High levels of student disciplinary problems 25 14 30 30 39 12 28 21

Scheduling constraints 43 13 27 17 51 14 24 11


Use of Student Assessment Data

19 In general, how frequently do you receive or generate the following types of information about the performance of your students? [N = 62 district teachers; N = 150–152 charter teachers]


NeverOnce a Year

A Few

Times Per Year

Approx. Monthly

A Few Times

Per Month

Approx. Weekly

A Few

Times Per

Week

At Least Daily Never

Once a Year

A Few

Times Per Year

Approx. Monthly

A Few Times

Per Month

Approx. Weekly

A Few

Times Per

Week

At Least Daily

Scores on assessments in mathematics or language arts

0 10 44 6 8 21 6 5 1 3 14 10 15 28 14 16

Scores on assessments in subjects other than mathematics or language arts

21 24 32 3 8 8 0 3 27 4 22 11 12 15 5 3

Information about student performance on specific concepts or skills

3 6 29 8 19 18 8 8 7 3 9 10 14 18 18 22

Identification of specific students who need extra assistance

2 6 26 3 19 16 11 16 2 1 9 14 16 15 18 25

Identification of specific students who have achieved mastery

3 5 29 6 15 23 8 11 2 3 11 11 11 22 19 22

Nonachievement outcomes (for example, student behavior, attitudes, or motivation)

19 3 16 10 10 18 5 19 8 3 8 9 9 20 7 38


20 This year, to what extent have you used student achievement/mastery data for each of the following purposes? (Consider data provided by instructional software, interim assessments or quizzes, unit or end-of-course tests, state accountability tests, district benchmark or interim tests, and other standardized tests.) If the activity is something that your school doesn’t do (for example, if you never tailor the pace of instruction), please mark “My school doesn’t do this.” [N = 59–61 district teachers; N = 150–152 charter teachers]

Full response choices: My school doesn’t do this; Did not use data for this at all; Used data to a small extent; Used data to a moderate extent; Used data to a large extent.



Did Not Use


Used to a Moderate

Extent

Used to a

Large Extent


Did Not Use


Used to a Moderate

Extent



7 8 30 33 23 6 6 18 24 45


5 3 33 33 26 3 3 17 32 44

Developing recommendations for tutoring or other educational support services for particular students

3 11 31 30 25 8 4 19 26 43


10 10 25 26 30 10 5 15 28 42

Assigning students to extended learning opportunities (for example, extended-day programs, Saturday classes, or an extended school year)

33 12 25 20 10 38 7 17 18 20

Identifying topics requiring more or less emphasis in instruction

7 7 20 39 28 8 5 17 27 43

Identifying areas where I need to strengthen my content knowledge or teaching skills

11 10 30 26 23 7 6 21 37 29

Reflecting on and discussing teaching and learning with other teachers

3 12 29 31 25 5 5 20 30 40


8 3 20 42 27 3 7 18 39 32

Providing college/career advice or guidance

20 15 31 25 10 33 14 22 16 16


21 This year, have you used data on nonachievement outcomes (for example, student behavior, attitudes, or motivation?



62 63% 37% 157 79% 21%

22 This year, to what extent have you used data on nonachievement outcomes (for example, student behavior, attitudes, or motivation) for each of the following purposes? [N = 39–40 district teachers; N = 118–121 charter teachers]

Full response choices: Did not use data for this at all; Used data to a small extent; Used data to a moderate extent; Used data to a large extent.



Did Not Use


Used to a Moderate

Extent



Did Not Use


Used to a Moderate

Extent



3 8 23 38 28 7 11 26 27 29


5 8 13 46 28 3 14 24 33 26

Developing recommendations for tutoring or other support services for particular students

10 8 23 28 33 7 8 17 31 36

Assigning or reassigning students to classes or to content

8 8 31 28 26 12 14 22 31 22


5 8 25 30 33 7 8 18 38 29


3 3 15 41 38 3 7 22 41 28

Providing college/career advice or guidance

13 13 28 28 18 29 21 18 20 13



23 Please indicate your level of agreement with each of the following statements. [N = 61–63 district teachers; N = 151–153 charter teachers]


Not Applicable


Strongly Agree

Not Applicable


Strongly Agree


3 0 22 38 37 3 5 9 41 43


8 3 25 39 25 5 5 13 35 42

Our school’s data system includes achievement measures that provide information about students of varying achievement levels, including students who are far above or below grade level.

5 0 16 49 30 4 4 8 39 45


7 3 23 47 21 5 7 12 39 38

I have plenty of data but need help in figuring out how to translate the data into instructional steps.

2 5 41 35 17 7 10 22 38 24

It is easy to create custom assessments that evaluate what students are learning.

0 6 25 51 17 10 7 25 34 24


3 6 30 43 17 3 9 19 46 24


5 11 30 37 17 3 11 19 40 27

The technology provides data that are not typically available without that technology.

10 5 29 38 19 5 8 16 33 39

I have the necessary skills and experience to use data to guide my instruction.

3 0 22 43 32 4 3 17 42 34


24 Does your school use frequently updated, shared documents, either paper or electronic (such as learner profiles and learning plans), to document each student’s strengths, weaknesses, and goals along with individualized plans to accomplish those goals?



63 46% 54% 157 52% 48%

25 Do your school’s learner profiles or learning plans have these attributes? (By learner profiles and learning plans, we mean documents about student strengths, weaknesses, and goals, and individualized plans to accomplish those goals) [N = 27–29 district teachers; N = 77–80 charter teachers]


These learner profiles . . . Not At All

To a Small Extent

To a Moderate

Extent

To a Great Extent

Not At All

To a Small Extent

To a Moderate

Extent

To a Great Extent

. . . exist for every student 7 7 41 45 13 21 29 38

. . . are frequently updated to incorporate new information 3 21 45 31 8 23 39 31

. . . summarize the student’s strengths, weaknesses, and progress, drawing on multiple sources of information, including standardized tests and other information

0 21 38 41 10 23 35 32

. . . summarize the student’s goals, interests, and aspirations 3 10 48 38 20 20 29 30

. . . set forth a personalized plan for students to accomplish instructional goals

7 24 31 38 12 19 33 36

. . . are routinely accessed/updated by teachers 4 32 43 21 10 28 32 30

. . . are routinely accessed/updated by students 22 30 30 19 26 38 18 18

. . . are routinely accessed/updated by parents or guardians 44 26 22 7 27 41 23 10



26 On average throughout the school year, how many hours of instructional time do students experience per week in the class(es) you teach?




Hours of instructional time per week

62 2 60 14 7 156 1 60 16 8

27 What percentage of time is technology utilized in your classroom?




Technology in primary role for instruction

51 0% 100% 25% 15% 130 0% 99% 35% 25%

Technology plays a supporting role (e.g., electronic note-taking)

57 0% 100% 37% 30% 137 0% 100% 26% 20%

Technology not utilized

61 0% 100% 48% 50% 155 0% 100% 48% 40%



28 During a typical class, for what percentage of the time do you utilize the following activities with students? (The amount of time must add to 100 percent)




Large-group instruction

61 0% 70% 29% 25% 150 0% 70% 19% 15%

Small-group instruction

60 0% 90% 24% 20% 151 0% 100% 33% 25%

Individual tutoring 60 0% 40% 15% 10% 148 0% 95% 20% 10%

Coaching and support (e.g., while students work together in groups or individually)

62 0% 75% 25% 22% 151 0% 80% 20% 20%

Administering tests or engaging in other noninstructional activities

56 0% 30% 10% 10% 144 0% 80% 11% 10%


29 What percentage of time are the following modes of instruction employed in your classroom? (The amount of time does not need to add up to 100 percent)




Teacher-led large-group or whole-class (more than 10 students) instruction

62 0% 85% 31% 25% 150 0% 100% 23% 20%

Teacher-led small-group (2–10 students) instruction

59 0% 90% 24% 20% 148 0% 100% 31% 25%

In-person individual tutoring

60 0% 75% 15% 10% 147 0% 100% 19% 10%

Live or pre-recorded tutoring provided via the Internet

56 0% 40% 5% 0% 142 0% 100% 8% 0%

Small-group collaboration (such as team projects, partner work, peer-to-peer instruction)

58 0% 80% 24% 20% 148 0% 100% 21% 20%

Independent practice without software (such as reading, writing)

56 0% 80% 21% 20% 148 0% 100% 23% 15%

Independent practice using software or other digital content (such as websites)

59 0% 90% 27% 25% 148 0% 100% 25% 20%

Paper-and-pencil assessment

57 0% 90% 15% 10% 148 0% 80% 11% 10%

Computer-based assessment

55 0% 90% 19% 10% 149 0% 100% 19% 10%


30 Do you group students of similar ability levels together?



62 69% 31% 156 76% 24%

31 How frequently do you change the composition of these groups based on students’ learning? [N = 43 district teachers; N = 119 charter teachers]


At Least Weekly


A Few Times a Year


Entire School YearAt Least Weekly


A Few Times a Year


Entire School Year

44 30 21 5 24 33 41 3


32 Do you assign homework or other out-of-school learning activities to your students at least once a week?



62 71% 29% 156 81% 19%

33 To what extent do the out-of-school activities you assign to your students . . . [N = 44 district teachers; N = 126 charter teachers]


Not At All

To a Small Extent

To a Moderate

ExtentTo a Great

ExtentNot

At AllTo a Small

Extent

To a Moderate

ExtentTo a Great

Extent

. . . differ from traditional homework 27 50 16 7 22 41 25 11

. . . enable you to make more efficient use of your time with the students in school

18 25 34 23 9 29 37 25



34 For this question, we are interested in the activities students are engaged in when they are using technology. Please indicate the extent to which students are engaged in the following types of activities. Choices may sum to greater than 100 percent. [N = 59–61 district teachers; N = 151–154 charter teachers]


Not At All

To Some Extent

To a Moderate

ExtentTo a Great

ExtentNot

At AllTo Some Extent

To a Moderate

ExtentTo a Great

Extent

Using structured curriculum materials online

18 25 28 30 16 19 21 44

Reading 15 28 38 20 14 25 31 30

Watching videos, animations, or simulations

2 47 46 5 9 27 34 29

Adjusting parameters of simulations and observing the results

51 36 11 2 53 24 11 12

Solving problems with clear solutions (e.g., multiple-choice math problems or vocabulary drills)

20 36 23 21 20 25 29 26

Solving multi-step, open-ended problems or conducting investigations

16 36 30 18 19 29 30 22

Receiving immediate feedback on problem solutions

11 30 33 26 15 18 29 38

Receiving problem-solving help from an automated tutoring system

43 20 23 15 42 25 18 15

Receiving feedback about strengths and weaknesses from an automated system

45 25 17 13 41 31 20 8

Receiving help from an online human acting as a teacher, tutor, or mentor

57 23 13 7 54 22 11 13

Taking assessments 8 56 25 11 11 30 34 25

Engaging in discussions or collaborative problem solving with other students in the school

35 37 22 7 35 23 26 16

Engaging in discussions or collaborative problem solving with other students not from the same school

77 15 7 2 70 11 11 7

Using online reference materials 10 41 34 15 17 23 42 18

Searching for relevant materials on the web

11 34 33 21 19 26 35 20


35 Please indicate the extent to which you agree with each of the following statements about your curriculum and instruction. [N = 59–61 district teachers; N = 148–152 charter teachers]


Not At All

To Some Extent

To a Moderate

ExtentTo a Great

ExtentNot


To a Moderate

ExtentTo a Great

Extent

Students have opportunities to choose what instructional materials (such as books or computer software) they use in class

31 46 18 5 27 43 23 7

Students have opportunities to choose what topics they focus on in class

25 46 26 3 31 38 23 8

I frequently adapt course content to meet students’ needs by providing additional assignments, resources, and activities for remediation or enrichment

5 25 45 25 9 18 38 36

I clearly present the goal or objective for each assignment

2 13 34 51 2 10 42 46

I have adopted strategies that allow students to keep track of their own learning progress

8 25 38 28 11 17 39 34

I require students to show that they understand a topic before they can move on to a new topic

14 39 20 27 5 22 37 36

Different students work on different topics or skills at the same time

10 33 31 26 5 21 28 46

I give students the chance to work through instructional material at a faster or slower pace than other students in this class

8 28 26 38 1 17 34 47

When students are working on an assignment or activity, they know what the goals of the assignment or activity are

2 15 36 48 1 15 42 42

Students keep track of their own learning progress using technology (for example, by using an online gradebook or portfolio)

10 34 26 30 22 15 26 37

If students have trouble understanding the material, they are able to get help quickly

0 8 57 34 0 12 45 43

Students have opportunities to review or practice new material until they fully understand it

7 23 42 28 0 23 29 48

I am usually accessible to students via electronic communication when I am not available face-to-face

8 16 36 39 15 15 26 44

When students are working independently, I require them to get through a certain amount of material even if they are working at their own pace

5 18 52 25 6 13 41 40

(continued on next page)



Not At All

To Some Extent

To a Moderate

ExtentTo a Great

ExtentNot


To a Moderate

ExtentTo a Great

Extent

Students are able to access instructional materials both in and outside of the classroom

3 13 33 51 11 15 27 48

I provide a variety of materials or instructional approaches to accommodate individual needs and interests

2 18 48 33 3 23 41 33

I connect what students are learning with experiences they have throughout the rest of the school day or outside of school

3 30 40 27 5 21 39 35

I assign projects that extend over several weeks or months

27 34 24 15 34 22 24 20

I assign projects that are interdisciplinary (e.g., combining science and literature)

23 33 30 15 24 31 22 22

Students have opportunities to provide input into the design and focus of project work

28 41 21 10 30 30 23 17

36 I have adequate access to technology-based curriculum materials that . . . [N = 61–62 district teachers; N = 150–152 charter teachers]



Strongly Agree


Strongly Agree



5 23 56 16 9 20 49 22

. . . are easy for me to use in the classroom. 5 18 60 18 10 10 52 28

. . . are easy for my students to use. 5 15 63 18 9 8 59 25

. . . do not require frequent technical support. 8 18 57 16 10 13 51 25


6 19 53 21 11 18 49 22


5 15 53 27 11 13 43 34

(continued from previous page)


37 I have adequate access to non-technology–based curriculum materials that . . . [N = 61–62 district teachers; N = 148–151 charter teachers]



Strongly Agree


Strongly Agree



6 26 53 15 10 27 42 21


7 23 56 15 12 20 47 21


7 33 51 10 15 31 35 19

38 Approximately what proportion of the curriculum and instructional materials you use were provided to you by your school or district? [N = 62 district teachers; N = 153 charter teachers]



A Majority

About Half

Fewer Than Half

None, I Don’t Receive Any Materials From

my School or DistrictAll of the Materials

A Majority

About Half

Fewer Than Half

None, I Don’t Receive Any Materials From

my School or District

8 39 19 23 11 18 34 11 21 17

39 Approximately what proportion of the curriculum and instructional materials you use consists of existing material that you searched for (e.g., from websites) to supplement the curriculum that was provided to you? [N = 61 district teachers; N = 154 charter teachers]



A Majority

About Half

Fewer Than Half


Materials


A Majority

About Half

Fewer Than Half


Materials

3 21 39 31 5 8 25 22 40 5

40 Approximately what proportion of the curriculum and instructional materials you use consists of original material you created to supplement the curriculum that was provided to you? [N = 62 district teachers; N = 154 charter teachers]



A Majority

About Half

Fewer Than Half



A Majority

About Half

Fewer Than Half


6 21 27 40 5 4 25 21 44 6


Student Survey Results, NGLC District and Charter Schools, Spring 2015


1 What is the highest level of education you plan to complete? [N = 2,331 district students; N = 3,672 charter students]

Percentage of District Students Percentage of Charter Students

Will not finish high school 1 0

High school 9 6

Career/technical school 6 2

Two-year community college or junior college 8 5

Four-year college or university degree (Bachelor’s) 32 32

Graduate or professional school 31 38

Undecided 14 17

2 Have you ever done any of the following activities to prepare for life after high school? [N = 2,218–2,258 district students; N = 3,523–3,570 charter students]


Attended a career day or job fair 54 47

Toured, visited, or attended a program at a college campus 56 63

Sat in on or taken a college class 26 29

Participated in an internship or apprenticeship related to your career goals

32 27

Worked or volunteered in a job related to your career goals 40 38

Searched the Internet for college options or read college guides 65 63

Talked with a counselor or teacher to plan out courses and other educational experiences so you’ll be able to meet your goals for life after high school

53 46

Taken a survey or inventory to measure career interests 71 55


3 How many times, if any, have you taken the following tests? [N = 2,206–2,232 district students; N = 3,555–3,575 charter students]


Never Once TwiceThree or

More TimesI Don’t Know What This Is Never Once Twice

Three or More Times

I Don’t Know What This Is

PSAT or PLAN 45 18 7 4 27 48 11 4 4 33

SAT or ACT 51 18 7 9 15 55 11 5 8 21

Any Advanced Placement (AP) test

55 11 4 5 24 55 11 4 4 26

Any International Baccalaureate (IB) test

62 3 1 1 32 59 3 1 1 35

4 Has anyone AT YOUR SCHOOL discussed the following with you? [N = 2,176–2,189 district students; N = 3,505–3,555 charter students]


Did Not Discuss

Discussed Briefly

Discussed in Depth

Did Not Discuss

Discussed Briefly

Discussed in Depth

Admissions requirements at various four-year colleges 39 46 15 38 41 21

Admissions requirements at two-year (community) colleges, technical schools, or certificate programs

42 45 13 47 37 16

How to decide which college to attend 30 45 24 33 41 26

Your likelihood of being accepted at different types of colleges 38 44 18 39 39 22

What ACT/SAT scores you need to get into the colleges you want to attend

39 41 21 45 32 24

Opportunities to attend out-of-state colleges 46 39 15 46 35 18

How to pay for college 36 44 20 41 36 23

Possible jobs or careers you might pursue 24 47 29 30 43 27


5 How much do you agree with the following statements? [N = 2,129–2,143 district students; N = 3,491–3,524 charter students]



Strongly Agree


Strongly Agree


4 4 36 56 3 2 33 61


6 18 50 26 6 14 50 31

School teaches me valuable skills. 5 12 53 30 4 8 53 35

Working hard in school matters for success in the work force.

3 8 41 47 3 5 39 53

What we learn in class is necessary for success in the future.

6 15 45 34 5 11 45 39




Strongly Agree


Strongly Agree


6 22 58 15 4 21 61 15

I sometimes stop working on an assignment if it seems difficult.

9 30 48 13 10 33 46 11


9 27 51 14 7 25 53 16


3 9 57 30 2 8 58 33

When I am not in school, I sometimes don’t get my schoolwork done because I choose to spend time on other fun activities.

10 23 47 19 13 30 42 15

7 How much do you agree with the following statement? [N = 2,086 district students; N = 3,481 charter students]




Agree

You have a certain amount of intelligence, and you really can’t do much to change it.

33 31 27 9 38 33 21 7


8 To what extent do the following items describe what you think? [N = 1,967–1,986 district students; N = 3,293–3,353 charter students]


Not At All True

Not Very True

Somewhat True

Mostly True

Very True

Not At All True

Not Very True

Somewhat True

Mostly True

Very True


4 4 31 30 31 2 3 25 33 37


13 16 35 21 15 14 17 34 21 15


13 16 32 21 18 15 16 31 19 17


3 6 32 33 26 2 5 27 35 31


3 5 28 29 36 2 4 22 30 43


14 22 32 17 14 19 25 31 14 11


4 9 39 29 19 3 8 35 31 22


3 7 30 29 31 2 5 26 30 38


11 13 30 24 22 12 17 29 21 21


2 5 26 31 36 2 5 22 30 41


2 5 27 31 35 1 3 23 33 40


19 19 30 18 14 22 22 30 14 12


15 18 34 18 15 18 23 30 16 13

Even if the work is hard, I can learn it. 3 4 27 30 35 2 4 23 30 41

9 To what extent do the following statements describe you? [N = 1,959–1,970 district students; N = 3,347–3,367 charter students]


Not Like Me At All

Not Much Like Me

Somewhat Like Me

Mostly Like Me

Very Much Like Me

Not Like Me At All

Not Much Like Me

Somewhat Like Me

Mostly Like Me

Very Much Like Me

I finish whatever I begin.

3 5 33 36 22 2 6 33 36 23

I am a hard worker. 2 4 23 32 39 1 5 23 34 37


2 4 23 34 37 1 4 25 34 36

I don’t give up easily. 4 6 25 29 37 2 7 25 30 36


10 During a typical school week, how many hours do you spend on schoolwork outside of your regular school hours?

District Students Charter Students



Hours of schoolwork 1,991 0 99 3 2 3,408 0 99 5 2


Zero 10 7

1 hour or less 24 20

More than 1 hour and up to 3 hours 32 34





More than 35 hours 1 1

10a How much do you agree with the following statements about the schoolwork you do outside of your regular school hours? [N = 1,741–1,747 district students; N = 3,094–3,117 charter students]

Note: Asked only of students who entered numbers greater than zero in Question 10




Agree


4 11 61 25 3 11 58 28


4 20 57 20 3 14 58 25


4 13 57 26 3 12 56 29


11 When you are working on schoolwork on the computer outside of school, how long do you typically work before taking a break (for example, before using Facebook or watching a video that is not related to your schoolwork, or leaving the computer to do something else)?

District Students

Number of RespondentsLess than 5 minutes 5–10 minutes 10–30 minutes 30–60 minutes

More than 60 minutes

I don’t take any breaks

1,937 8% 14% 32% 26% 9% 10%

Charter Students

Number of Respondents Less than 5 minutes 5–10 minutes 10–30 minutes 30–60 minutes

More than 60 minutes

I don’t take any breaks

3,329 6% 12% 30% 28% 12% 11%

12 Please rate the following items based on your behavior in this school. [N = 1,855–1,868 district students; N = 3,195–3,249 charter students]


Not At All True

Not Very True

Somewhat True

Mostly True

Very True

Not At All True

Not Very True

Somewhat True

Mostly True

Very True


18 28 33 13 8 19 34 31 10 7


3 4 35 34 23 2 5 31 35 27


3 6 35 35 21 2 6 35 35 23

When I am learning something new, I try to connect the things that I am learning with what I already know.

3 5 33 33 26 2 6 32 34 27


14 22 37 17 9 17 29 33 13 8

Before I begin working on an assignment I think about the things I will need to do to complete the assignment.

3 9 39 29 20 3 9 37 30 20


11 20 40 18 11 14 27 36 14 8


12 21 37 18 11 14 25 38 14 9

When I’m reading I stop once in a while to go over what I have read.

9 14 40 23 14 10 15 39 23 14


13 The following questions ask about your classroom experiences. When you answer them, please think about your experiences with all of your teachers in mathematics, English/reading, science, and social studies this year, and mark the response that indicates your typical experience. [N = 1,781–1,804 district students; N = 3,049–3,115 charter students]


Not At All True

Not Very True

Somewhat True

Mostly True

Very True

Not at all true

Not Very True

Somewhat True

Mostly True

Very True


5 6 33 29 27 3 4 28 32 33

My classes do not keep my attention— I get bored.

8 18 40 20 15 8 24 41 15 12

My teachers want us to share our thoughts. 5 8 40 28 20 2 6 32 32 27

I like the way we learn in my classes. 10 12 40 24 15 6 10 39 27 18


6 9 37 28 20 3 6 33 32 26


5 9 35 27 24 3 5 30 32 30

Students get to decide how activities are done in my classes.

18 21 37 15 9 17 24 38 14 8


6 10 38 25 21 3 7 34 29 28

In my classes, learning is enjoyable. 11 14 42 20 13 8 12 43 24 14


4 7 37 29 23 2 4 28 32 34


4 8 35 29 24 2 4 30 33 30


6 9 38 27 20 3 6 35 30 25

My teachers respect my ideas and suggestions. 6 8 39 28 20 3 6 33 30 28


6 9 40 28 17 4 7 38 30 21

In my classes, we learn a lot almost every day. 5 9 39 28 19 3 7 35 31 24

The material I am learning in my classes interesting.

8 14 41 24 13 6 11 42 27 15

I am given opportunities to demonstrate my strengths and weaknesses so that teachers can adjust instruction to address them.

7 11 39 25 18 4 7 36 31 22

My teachers take into account my interests and experiences when deciding what I will work on.

10 14 39 23 14 7 12 40 25 17


4 8 39 29 20 3 5 35 30 26

Most of the activities I work on in school are challenging enough to be interesting, but not too challenging to complete.

6 10 42 26 16 4 9 39 30 18

My teachers and I work together to set personal goals for my own learning.

10 13 37 21 19 7 10 36 25 21


14 The following questions ask about your classroom experiences. When you answer them, please think about your experiences with all of your classes in mathematics, English/reading, science, and social studies this year, and mark the response that indicates your typical experience. [N = 1,714–1,740 district students; N = 2,942–3,005 charter students]


Never Rarely SometimesMost of the Time Always Never Rarely Sometimes



11 16 40 20 13 11 18 38 22 12


13 21 40 16 11 13 22 39 18 9


6 10 40 26 18 4 7 34 31 24


10 15 41 20 15 9 15 41 22 12

I am given the chance to work through instructional material at a faster or slower pace than other students in this class.

8 11 41 24 17 6 10 39 25 20

During a single lesson, I have opportunities to learn in different ways, such as listening to the teacher present to the whole class, working in small groups, or working by myself.

6 10 41 24 19 5 9 38 28 20

I work on projects that combine more than one subject (for example, science and literature).

9 13 42 22 14 8 15 38 23 16

We connect what we are learning to life outside the classroom.

8 14 42 21 16 6 13 40 25 16

I work on projects that extend over several weeks or months.

9 16 40% 22 13 10 15 39 21 15

When I am working on an assignment or activity, I know what the goals of the assignment or activity are.

4 8 39 29 20 2 6 35 33 23

I keep track of my learning progress using technology (for example, by using an online gradebook or portfolio).

5 7 36 25 26 5 8 34 26 27

I keep track of my learning progress using paper (for example, a binder or a poster) rather than on a computer.

13 14 38 20 16 13 16 37 21 14

I discuss my learning progress with my teachers.

9 14 40 21 15 7 14 40 23 17

I discuss my learning progress with my parents.

8 13 39 23 17 7 12 37 24 20

If I have trouble understanding material when I’m working on my own, I am able to get help quickly.

7 11 43 24 16 4 1 39 28 18


6 9 41 26 19 3 7 38 29 22


15 When the focus of your learning is reading and writing (for example, in an English class), how often do you do the following? [N=1,718-1,728 district students; N=2,942-2,987 charter students]



Most of the Time


Some of the Time

Most of the Time

Almost all of the Time


11 42 30 17 7 38 35 19


10 39 35 16 7 36 37 20


12 40 31 17 10 34 36 20


11 38 33 18 9 33 36 22


11 37 34 19 9 34 36 21


13 40 29 17 12 35 33 20

16 When the focus of your learning is math, how often do you do the following? [N=1,700-1,715 district students; N=2,943-2,977 charter students]



Most of the Time


Some of the Time

Most of the Time

Almost All of the Time


23 40 23 14 18 41 27 14


37 33 20 11 34 36 20 10


16 39 30 16 12 37 34 17

I use math to solve real-world problems. 16 39 27 18 13 37 32 18


23 40 23 15 21 43 23 13


17 How much do you agree with the following statements about your school? [N = 1,673–1,691 district students; N = 2,851–2,916 charter students]

Percentage of District Percentage of Charter


Strongly Agree


Strongly Agree


10 18 51 21 6 14 55 25


6 15 53 26 3 9 54 34

School is seen as preparation for the future. 5 12 54 29 4 9 53 34

All students are encouraged to go to college. 6 14 52 28 4 10 49 38


7 18 50 24 5 12 50 33

Teachers work hard to make sure that students stay in school.

6 17 51 25 4 12 53 31

Overall, I feel good about being in this school. 10 16 50 24 8 14 50 28

I care about this school. 8 16 52 23 8 15 49 28

I feel safe in this school. 8 16 53 23 7 13 52 28

My opinions are respected in this school. 9 18 52 21 8 14 52 26


8 14 48 31 8 15 44 33


5 13 54 28 4 12 52 31

I am comfortable being myself at this school. 8 15 50 27 7 13 50 30

I am an important part of my school community. 10 20 48 21 8 19 51 22


12 18 48 22 13 18 44 25





Strongly Agree


Strongly Agree

I have access to technology (such as a computer, tablet, or smartphone) and the Internet outside of school whenever I need them.

7 9 41 44 4 7 39 49


9 17 46 28 7 15 46 33

If I need help using technology when I’m at school, I have someone who can help me.

5 11 49 35 4 8 48 40


6 13 49 31 5 14 49 32

19 I feel supported by the following people at this school: [N = 1,693–1,703 district students; N = 2,974–2,992 charter students]






Teachers 10 29 30 30 8 26 32 34

Other adults (principals, counselors, etc.) 13 27 29 31 13 26 30 31

Other students 15 35 29 20 12 31 33 25


Teacher Survey Scales, NGLC and National Samples, Spring 2015


Scale Name Question/Item (Alpha)

NGLC National Sample

Scale Mean Scale Mean

Professional development (Quality and usefulness of professional development) (0.88) 2.91 2.77

Please indicate your level of agreement with each of the following statements about all of your professional development experiences during the current school year (2014–15, including summer 2014). My professional development experiences this year . . . 1 (strongly disagree); 4 (strongly agree)

. . . have been well aligned with the Common Core State Standards or other standards that my state or district has adopted.

. . . have been designed to address needs revealed by analysis of student data.

. . . have been useful for improving my instruction.

. . . have helped me understand how to personalize goals for students.

. . . have helped me implement the technology used in my classroom.

. . . have familiarized me with a variety of approaches to instructional delivery.

. . . have addressed ways to collaborate with students and families to develop instructional goals and approaches.

*School professional environment (Staff collegiality and perceptions of administrator support) (0.80) 3.32 2.99

Rate your level of agreement with each of the following statements about your school. 1 (strongly disagree); 4 (strongly agree)

The teachers at my school collaborate well with one another.

The teachers at my school are highly focused on the mission of improving student learning.




Student respect and motivation (Extent to which students are respectful and motivated) (0.88) 2.80 2.68

Rate your level of agreement with each of the following statements about your school. 1 (strongly disagree); 4 (strongly agree)

Students in this school respect one another.

Students in this school respect the school staff.

Students in this school are motivated to achieve.


School data systems (Perceptions of the quality and usefulness of data and data systems) (0.91) 3.13 2.86

Please indicate your level of agreement with each of the following statements. 1 (N/A); 5 (strongly agree)



Our school’s data system includes achievement measures that provide information about students of varying achievement levels, including students who are above or below grade level.








Learner profiles (Characteristics of student learner profiles) (0.91) 2.76 2.74

Do your school’s learner profiles or learning plans have these attributes? 1 (not at all); 4 (a great extent)

Exists for every student.

Are frequently updated to incorporate new information.

Summarize the student’s strengths, weaknesses, and progress, drawing on multiple sources of information, including standardized tests and other information.

Summarize the student’s goals, interests, and aspirations.

Set forth a personalized plan for students to accomplish instructional goals.

Are routinely accessed/updated by teachers.

Are routinely accessed/updated by students.

Are routinely accessed/updated by parents or guardians.

Project-based learning (Extent of project-based learning practices) (0.86) 2.32 2.45

Please indicate the extent to which each of the following statements describes your curriculum and instruction. 1 (not at all); 4 (a great extent)

I assign projects that extend over several weeks or months.

I assign projects that are interdisciplinary (e.g., combining science and literature).

Students have opportunities to provide input into the design and focus of project work.

Student awareness of goals and progress (Extent of practices to support goal awareness and progress monitoring) (0.71) 3.18 3.04


I clearly present the goal or objective for each assignment.

I have devised strategies that allow students to keep track of their own learning progress.

When students are working on an assignment or activity, they know what the goals of the assignment or activity are.

*Competency-based learning (Extent of practices to support competency-based learning) (0.81) 3.07 2.73


I require students to show that they understand a topic before they can move on to a new topic.

Different students work on different topics or skills at the same time.

I give students the chance to work through instructional material at a faster or slower pace than other students in this class.

Students have opportunities to review or practice new material until they fully understand it.

*Technology for personalization (Use of technology to support personalization) (0.76) 2.99 2.56


Students keep track of their own learning progress using technology (for example, by using an online gradebook or portfolio).

I am usually accessible to students via electronic communication when I am not available face-to-face.

Students are able to access instructional materials both in and outside of the classroom.





Student choice and engagement (Emphasis on student choice and engagement) (0.77) 2.63 2.61


Students have opportunities to choose what instructional materials (such as books or computer software) they use in class.

Students have opportunities to choose what topics they focus on in class.

I provide a variety of materials or instructional approaches to accommodate individual needs and interests.

I connect what students are learning with experiences they have throughout the rest of the school day or outside of school.

I frequently adapt course content to meet students’ needs by providing additional assignments, resources, and activities for remediation or enrichment.

Technology curriculum (Access to high-quality technology-based curriculum materials) (0.95) 2.92 2.72

I have adequate access to technology-based curriculum materials that . . . 1 (strongly disagree); 4 (strongly agree)

. . . are of high quality.


. . . are easy for me to use in the classroom.

. . . are easy for my students to use.

. . . do not require frequent technical support.



Non-technology curriculum (Access to high-quality non-technology–based curriculum materials) (0.94) 2.73 2.88

I have adequate access to non-technology–based curriculum materials that . . . 1 (strongly disagree); 4 (strongly agree)

. . . are of high quality.




Note: * indicates significance at the p < 0.05 level after correction for multiple hypothesis tests


Student Survey Scales, NGLC and National Samples, Spring 2015


Scale Name Question and Items Included in Scale (Alpha)



School useful (Perceptions of relevance of school to future) (0.87) 3.23 3.28

How much do you agree with the following statements? 1 (strongly disagree); 4 (strongly agree)



School teaches me valuable skills.

Working hard in school matters for success in the workforce.

What we learn in class is necessary for success in in the future.

*Academic self-control (Ability to prioritize schoolwork) (0.66) 2.92 3.11





Mastery orientation (Emphasis on mastering academic content) (0.87) 3.96 3.96

Please rate the following items that best describe what you think. 1 (not at all true); 5 (very true)





*Efficacy (Belief in ability to master schoolwork) (0.84) 3.84 3.97





Even if the work is hard, I can learn it.

*Performance orientation (Emphasis on making a good impression) (0.87) 2.99 3.18












*Grit (Willingness to sustain effort toward long-term goals) (0.86) 3.90 4.05

To what extent do the following statements describe you? 1 (not like me at all); 5 (very much like me)

I finish whatever I begin.

I am a hard worker.


I don’t give up easily.

Study habits (Use of effective study habits) (0.85) 3.68 3.74

Please rate the following items based on your typical behavior in this school. 1 (not at all true); 5 (very true)

Before I begin working on an assignment, I think about the things I will need to do to complete that assignment.



When I’m learning something new, I try to connect the things I’m learning about with what I already know.

*Study challenges (Challenges encountered while doing schoolwork) (0.77) 2.74 2.56

Please rate the following items based on your typical behavior in this school. 1 (not at all true); 5 (very true)





*Homework quality (Quality of out-of-school work) (0.75) 3.05 3.27

How much do you agree with the following statements about the schoolwork you do outside of your regular school hours? 1 (strongly disagree); 4 (strongly agree)








The following questions ask about your classroom experiences. When you answer them, please think about your experiences with all of your teachers in mathematics, English/reading, science, and social studies this year, and mark the response that indicates your typical experience.

. . . mark the response that indicates your typical experience. 1 (not at all true); 5 (very true)

Instructional support (Perceptions of how well teachers support student learning) (0.94) 3.66 3.56


My teachers want us to share our thoughts.







My teachers respect my ideas and suggestions.


In my classes, we learn a lot almost every day.


*Enjoyment of learning (Extent to which students are engaged in, and enjoy, schoolwork) (0.85) 3.27 3.45

The material I am learning in my classes is interesting.

I like the way we learn in my classes.

In my classes, learning is enjoyable.

Mastery learning (Perceptions of whether instruction is mastery-based) (0.84) 3.54 3.43


When I am working on an assignment or activity, I know what the goals of that assignment or activity are.

I keep track of my learning progress using technology (for example, using an online gradebook or portfolio).

If I have trouble understanding the material when I’m using technology, I am able to get help quickly.


*Student choice (Perceptions of extent to which students are able to make choices about their learning) (0.80) 3.12 2.85




I am given the chance to work through instructional material at a faster or slower pace than other students in the class.





*English-language arts instruction (Perception of quality of English-language arts instruction) (0.90) 2.62 2.39

When the focus of your learning is reading and writing (e.g., in an English class), how often do you do the following? 1 (never); 4 (almost all the time)







*Mathematics instruction (Perception of quality of mathematics instruction) (0.83) 2.34 2.18

When the focus of your learning is math, how often do you do the following? 1 (never); 4 (almost all the time)




I use math to solve real-world problems.


Schoolwide future orientation (Extent to which teachers help students plan for the future) (0.89) 3.06 3.06

How much do you agree with the following statements about your school? 1 (strongly disagree); 4 (strongly agree)



School is seen as preparation for the future.

All students are encouraged to go to college.


Teachers work hard to make sure that students stay in school

*Student engagement (Extent to which students enjoy and feel comfortable in school) (0.92) 2.94 3.12

How much do you agree with the following statements about your school? 1 (strongly disagree); 4 (strongly agree)

Overall, I feel good about being in this school.

I care about this school.

I feel safe in this school.

My opinions are respected in this school.



I am comfortable being myself at this school.

I am an important part of my school community.






*Tech use (Access to, and support for, technology) (0.76) 3.14 3.29


I have access to technology outside of school whenever I need them.


If I need help using technology when I’m at school I have someone who can help me.


Note: * indicates significance at the p < .05 level after correction for multiple hypothesis tests

Response coding differed from that used to create survey scales in John F. Pane, Elizabeth D. Steiner, Matthew D. Baird, and Laura S. Hamilton, Continued Progress: Promising Evidence on Personalized Learning, Santa Monica, Calif.: RAND Corporation, RR-1365-BMGF, 2015, (available at: http://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR1365.html); results are not directly comparable.

http://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR1365.html

Documents

Informing Progress -- Personalized Learning: Teacher and Student Survey Results