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Poll on School Reforms
Survey
questions from poll conducted by Franklin and Marshall College's
Center for Opinion Research for the Pennsylvania Economy League
and the Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition. Survey was
taken June 28 - August 1, 2004.
Does
[fill name] attend a public school, parochial school, or a private
school?
 Public
school
Parochial
school
Private
school
Home
school
Q1
- Would you say you are actively involved in [fill name] education?
(If YES – Is that very active or somewhat active?)
(If
NO – Is that not very active or not at all active?)
Very
active
Somewhat
active
Not
very active
Not
at all active
Q2
- What does it mean for a parent to be actively involved in their
child's education?
Help
with HOMEWORK, make sure it is completed
Communicate
with and know teachers
Aware
of classes, subjects, programs child involved in
Attend/participate
in school activities, functions, trips
Attend
meetings, parent-teacher conferences
Help,
support the child
Monitor
their GRADES, progress
Involved
and interested, in general
Volunteer
at school
Awareness,
in general
PTA
involvement
Visit
school
Participation,
in general
Spend
TIME, in general
Discipline
Other
Q3
- How much time does [fill name] WATCH TELEVISION on a normal school
night?
None
Less
than 30 minutes
30
- 60 minutes
1
to 2 hours
2
to 3 hours
3
to 4 hours
More
than 4 hours
Do
not know
Q4
- How much time does [fill name] normally spend DOING HOMEWORK each
evening?
None
Less
than 30 minutes
30
- 60 minutes
1
to 2 hours
2
to 3 hours
3
to 4 hours
More
than 4 hours
Do
not know
Q5
- Do you think [fill name] spends too much time, too little time,
or about the right amount of time doing [fill name] homework each
night?
Too
much time
Too
little time
About
the right amount of time
Do
not know
Q6
- Has [fill name] teacher asked you to come to school to provide
assistance in the classroom?
Yes
No
Q7
- During the past year, did you go to [fill name] school to provide
assistance in the classroom?
Yes
No
Q8
- How many times did you visit the school this past year?
None
Once
a month
2-3
times a month
Twice
a week
3-4
times a week
Every
day
Do
not know
Q9
- What kind of help did you provide?
Class
trips, activities
Supervise
students, discipline, classroom control
Tutoring,
homework help
General
help, many things
Lunch
room
Grading
Parties
in class
Help
principal
Buying
classroom supplies
Projects
in class
Bake
sales
Talking
with teacher to help child
New
program
Workshops
Career
day
Other
Q10
- How would you grade the OVERALL QUALITY of education provided
in [fill name] school? Would you rate the QUALITY of EDUCATION
as an A for excellent, B for above average, C for average, D for
below average, or F for failing?
A
for excellent
B
for above average
C
for average
D
for below average
F
for failing
Q11
- Do you think the QUALITY of education at [fill name] school has
IMPROVED or DECLINED over the PAST FEW YEARS?
Improved
Declined
Stayed
about the same
Do
not know
Q12
- Are you CURRENTLY thinking about sending [fill name] to a different
school, or not?
Yes
No
Do
not know
Q12
- Why are you thinking about changing schools?
Poor
quality of education, curriculum
Violence,
behavior problems at school, bad environment
School
system (negative)
Teachers
not supportive, too few
Current
school stops at his/her grade
Classroom
size too big, no one-on-one
Bad
neighborhood, area
Financial
reasons
Relocating
Would
like to get into charter, private
Prefer
different school
Negative
comment, in general
Attending
charter school
School
closed
Advancement
Religious
reasons
Other
Q13
- How would you grade the OVERALL quality of TEACHERS in [fill name]
school? Would you rate the overall QUALITY of teachers as an A for
excellent, B for above average, C for average, D for below average,
or F for failing?
A
for excellent
B
for above average
C
for average
D
for below average
F
for failing
Do
not know
Q14
- What qualities, characteristics do you think make a GOOD TEACHER?
Interest,
concern for child's learning, teaching
Knows,
helps with child's needs
Caring,
compassionate
Communicate
with parents
Individualized,
one-on-one attention
Knowledgeable,
certified, educated in subject
Patient
with children
Good
listener
Good
with children
Makes
learning fun, interesting
Good
classroom management
Fair,
flexible
Stern,
disciplinary
Helpful
Creative
High
expectations, challenge students
Good
time-management
Good
role model
Encourages,
praises, motivates students
Relates
to students
Approachable
Aware
of child's background
Respects
students
Other
Do
not know
Q15
- Are all of [fill name] teachers certified to teach the subjects
they are teaching?
Yes
No
Do
not know
Q16
- How would you grade the overall quality of the PRINCIPAL in [fill
name] school? Would you rate the overall QUALITY of the PRINCIPAL
as an A for excellent, B for above average, C for average, D for
below average, or F for failing?
A
for excellent
B
for above average
C
for average
D
for below average
F
for failing
Do
not know
Q17-Q19
- Do you have enough information or do you want more information
about [fill] at [fill name] school? Would
you say you need much more information, need a bit more information,
or you have enough information?
| |
Need much more information |
Need a bit more information |
Have enough information |
Do not know |
| Student
achievement |
|
|
|
|
| Safety
|
|
|
|
|
| Quality
of teaching |
|
|
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Q20
- Please tell me how much you think each of the following school
reforms could IMPROVE the QUALITY of EDUCATION at [fill name] school.
First, how much you think [fill] could improve the quality
of education at [fill name] school? Would you say.a great
deal, somewhat, not much, or not at all?
| |
A
great deal |
Somewhat
|
Not
much |
Not
at all |
Do
not know |
| Smaller
class sizes |
|
|
|
|
|
| Improved
teacher training |
|
|
|
|
|
| Hiring
more qualified teachers |
|
|
|
|
|
| More
resources such as books and computers |
|
|
|
|
|
| More
diverse after-school programs
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Improved
school facilities |
|
|
|
|
|
| Giving
principals more authority to manage the schools |
|
|
|
|
|
| Giving
principals more authority to hire and fire teachers |
|
|
|
|
|
| Giving
school districts more authority to increase work hours for
teachers |
|
|
|
|
|
| Giving
principals more authority to relate teacher pay to teacher
performance |
|
|
|
|
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Q21
- What was the highest grade level of schooling YOU have completed?
Non
high school graduate
High
school graduate
Some
college
Two-year
or tech degree
Four
year college degree
Postgraduate
degree
Q22
- How important was getting a good education to YOUR own PARENTS?
Would you say it was.
Very
important
Somewhat
important
Not
very important
Not
important at all
Do
not know
Q23
- How important do you personally feel getting a good education
is to [fill name] future success? Would you say it was...
Very
important
Somewhat
important
Not
very important
Q24
- What kind of grades does [fill name] normally receive?
Would you say...
Straight
As
Mostly
As and Bs
Some
Bs
Mostly
Cs
Cs
and Ds
Do
not know
Q25
- Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with [fill name] grades?
(Is that VERY or SOMEWHAT satisfied/dissatisfied?)
Very
satisfied
Somewhat
satisfied
Somewhat
dissatisfied
Very
dissatisfied
Do
not know
Q26
- What is the LOWEST grade [fill name] can bring home without you
getting upset about [his/her] performance? Would you say...
A-
B
B-
C
C-
D
D-
F
Q27
- Please note whether you AGREE or DISAGREE with each of the following
statements...
|
|
Strongly
Agree
|
Somewhat
Agree
|
Somewhat
Disagree
|
Strongly
Disagree
|
Do
not
know
|
| The
average black and Hispanic student scores four years behind
white students on standardized tests. |
|
|
|
|
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| The
average black and Hispanic student who scores at the same
level as white students on standardized tests ends up earning
the same amount of money. |
|
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| Students
in my child's school really try their hardest to succeed
in school. |
|
|
|
|
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| Teachers
in my child's school are committed to their students. |
|
|
|
|
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| Teachers
in my child's school are more concerned about their pay
and work hours than they are about educating their students.
|
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| Teachers
in my child's school maintain discipline in their classrooms.
|
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|
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| Teachers
in my child's school challenge their students to succeed.
|
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| My
child's teacher gives my child the attention he/she needs.
|
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| Teachers welcome parents
into the classroom. |
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| My
child's school is so big that I don't know how to get involved.
|
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| I
know how to monitor my child's academic progress in school.
|
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| I
know how to register a complaint within the school system.
|
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| My
efforts to get involved in my child's school go to waste
because the administration does not care about me or my
child. |
|
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|
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| My
efforts to get involved in my child's school go to waste
because the teachers do not care about me or my child. |
|
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Q28
- What language is most often spoken in your home?
English
Spanish
Spanish
and English equally
Creole
French
Other
AGE
- What was YOUR age on your last birthday?
18-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65
and over
What
was [fill child's name] AGE on [his/her] LAST birthday?
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
NumC
- How many children ages 5 and YOUNGER live in your home?
None
1
2
3
How
many children ages 6 to 12 live in your home?
None
1
2
3
4
How
many children ages 13 to 17 live in your home?
None
1
2
3
Q29
- Is [fill child's name] / Is this child / How many of the [fill]
are cared for by someone other than you or your partner so that
you can go to work or school? Child care can include care provided
by relatives, neighbors, and day care centers.
| |
Children
ages
5 and younger |
Children
ages
6 to 12 |
| 0 |
|
|
| 1 |
|
|
| 2 |
|
|
| 3 |
|
|
| 4 |
|
|
| 5 |
|
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Q30
- Where does [fill child's name] / this child / do these children
go for child care?
|
|
Children
ages
5 and younger |
Children
ages
6 to 12 |
| Family
|
|
|
| Neighbor
|
|
|
| Friend
|
|
|
| Formal
program |
|
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Q31
- What is the reason [fill child's name] is / this child is / these
children are NOT in child care?
| |
Children
ages
5
and younger |
Children
ages
6
to 12 |
Parent
at home, not working |
|
|
Do
not need it, in general
|
|
|
Do
not trust childcare
|
|
|
Have
babysitter, other family member |
|
|
In
school
|
|
|
Too
expensive |
|
|
Summertime,
out of school
|
|
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Other
|
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|
Do
not know |
|
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Q35
- Does [fill name] / How many of the children between 6 and 12
years of age participate in an organized AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM
that is held AT LEAST THREE TIMES A WEEK for two hours or more?
0
1
2
3
What
is your current marital status?
Single,
Never Married
Married
Separated
Divorced
Widow,
Widower
Are
you Hispanic or Latino?
Yes
No
Which
one or more of the following best describes your racial background?
White
Black
or African American
Asian
Native
Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
American
Indian, Alaska Native
Other
How
many ADULTS 18 years of age or older are CURRENTLY living in your
home? Please include yourself.
1
2
3
4
Are
you currently working full-time, part-time, going to school, keeping
house or something else?
Full-time
Part-time
Going
to school
Keeping
house
Unemployed
Disabled
Retired
Do
not know
And,
just for statistical purposes, we need to know if your total family
income is above or below $30,000 per year?
Under
$15,000
$15-30,000
$30-40,000
$40-50,000
$50-75,000
Over
$75,000
Do
not know
Gender
Male
Female
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