What Washington Teachers Think About “Race to the Top” Issues

Highlights From a Statewide Survey

December 2009

2

A Collaboration Between a Consortium of Non-Profits Advocating for Public Education In Washington

DHM |2

3

Telephone Survey o 500 interviews with public K-12 teachers across the stateo Quotas set by age, gender, area of state, and school type

based on the total number of teachers to assure a representative sample

o Conducted November 14 to 15, 2009o Margin of error for n=500 is +/- 4.4%, at the 95% confidence

level

METHODOLOGY

DHM |3

DHM |4

DEMOGRAPHICS

Demographic GroupStatewide

N=500Age

18-24 0%25-34 11%35-44 23%45-54 33%55-64 28%65+ 4%

GenderFemale 72%Male 28%

Area of StateKing County 21%Puget Sound 40%Southwestern Washington 14%Eastern Washington 26%

DEMOGRAPHICS

Demographic GroupStatewide

N=500School Type

Elementary (K-6) 48%Middle/Junior 20%K-8 2%High school 26%Other 3%Refused 0%

DHM |5

6

Section 1: STANDARDS AND ASSESSMENTS

Section 2: DATA SYSTEMS TO SUPPORT INSTRUCTION

Section 3: GREAT TEACHERS AND LEADERS

Section 4: TURNING AROUND LOWEST ACHIEVING SCHOOLS

SECTIONS

DHM |6

DHM | 7

STANDARDS AND ASSESSMENTS

Do you oppose or support the Obama administration’s priority of adopting internationally benchmarked standards and assessments

that prepare students for success in college and the workplace?

STANDARDS AND ASSESSMENTS

Should students who graduate from high school have the credits to apply to one of Washington’s publically funded four year

universities?

DHM |7

DHM | 9

STANDARDS AND ASSESSMENTS

Do you oppose or support raising high school graduation to 24 credits so that all high school graduates have the option of

applying to college?

DHM | 10

DATA SYSTEMS TO SUPPORT INSTRUCTION

Do you oppose or support the Obama administration’s priority of building data systems that measure growth in student success and

inform teachers and principals how they can improve their practices?

DHM | 11

GREAT TEACHERS AND LEADERS

Do you oppose or support the Obama administration’s priority of recruiting, developing, retaining, and rewarding effective teachers

and leaders?

DHM | 12

GREAT TEACHERS AND LEADERS

We need a fair way to differentiate teacher and principal effectiveness based on performance.

DHM | 13

GREAT TEACHERS AND LEADERS

Teacher effectiveness should be the predominant factor when making staffing decisions, such as placement, transfers, and

reduction in force. That means seniority and other factors would be secondary considerations.

DHM | 14

GREAT TEACHERS AND LEADERS

Reform teacher compensation, including higher starting teacher pay, paying more to teachers for increased responsibility, growth in

student achievement, and teaching in shortage subject areas like math, science, and special education.

DHM | 15

GREAT TEACHERS AND LEADERS(split sample) Do you oppose or support extending the probationary

period of teachers to five years and allowing principals to grant, deny, or extend contracts based on evaluations?

Statewide (N=250)

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

29% 31% 12% 14% 14%

Strongly support Somewhat support Somewhat opposeStrongly oppose Don’t know

DHM | 16

GREAT TEACHERS AND LEADERSTeachers should have access to multiple career pathways including

increased compensation, instead of just receiving stipends or bonuses for taking on increased responsibility.

DHM | 17

TURNING AROUND LOWEST ACHIEVING SCHOOLSDo you oppose or support the Obama administration’s priority of

turning around the lowest performing schools?

DHM | 18

TURNING AROUND LOWEST ACHIEVING SCHOOLS(split sample) We need a comprehensive system of school improvement that includes voluntary and required actions for

schools that chronically underperform year after year.

DHM | 19

TURNING AROUND LOWEST ACHIEVING SCHOOLSLow performing schools should have more flexibility in their ability

to hire teachers.

DHM | 20

TURNING AROUND LOWEST ACHIEVING SCHOOLSEffective teachers who teach in high poverty schools should be

paid more than other teachers.

DHM | 21

TURNING AROUND LOWEST ACHIEVING SCHOOLSIncentives for teachers to teach in high poverty or troubled

schools.

Statewide

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

38% 46% 7%4%5%

Strongly support Somewhat support Somewhat oppose Strongly opposeDon’t know