Study of Instructional Improvement

Teacher & Leader Reports

Below are Teacher Questionnaire (TQ) and School Leader Questionnaire (SLQ) scale items developed by Rowan and Miller (2007). Using Winsteps Rasch model software, we developed person level-measures for each year of survey administration. The year-to-year Rasch measurement properties are listed for each scale. We then used HLM to develop school-level residuals for each scale. With "instructional guidance" as an example, we attempt to illustrate some of our methodological procedures. For the "instructional guidance" scale on the table below, selecting a variable name will open codebook frequencies for that item (pdf format). The "Winsteps file(s)" open to the control file syntax for a given year, "output" opens the full Rasch scaling properties report for the measure, and "HLM model" follows the steps in the development of the HLM models. Additional commentary is embedded within some documents. The TQ and SLQ data files are available here. Readers interested in viewing a preliminary, broader range, of TQ and SLQ scales and measures developed by SII may find them here.

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4

TQ – Instructional Guidance (4-point scale, strongly disagree to strongly agree)

0.83 (output) 0.80 (output) 0.83 (output) 0.82 (output)
Steps carefully staged and sequenced
TQ1_47b TQ2_48b TQ3_45b TQ4_48b
Steps to promote improvement are clearly outlined
TQ1_47c TQ2_48c TQ3_45c TQ4_48c
Exposed me to program examples of classroom teaching
TQ1_47f TQ2_48f TQ3_45f TQ4_48f
Staff of CSR provided ideas/resources to improve teaching
TQ1_47g TQ2_48g TQ3_45g TQ4_48g
Winsteps_file Winsteps_file Winsteps_file Winsteps_file
HLM model

SLQ – Press for Instructional Standardization (4-point scale, strongly disagree to strongly agree)

0.72 0.71 0.71 0.71
Use the same or similar instructional practices - Reading
SL1_27D SL2_30D SL3_30D SL4_30D
Teachers expected to follow same curriculum – Reading
SL1_27E SL2_30E SL3_30E SL4_30E
Use the same or similar instructional practices - Math
SL1_34D SL2_37D SL3_37D SL4_37D
Teachers expected to follow the same curriculum – Math
SL1_34E SL2_37E SL3_37E SL4_37E

TQ – Leaders Monitor for Fidelity (5-point scale, never to more than 10 times)

0.71 0.71 0.72 0.69
Time watching instructional leader
TQ1_55a TQ2_56a TQ3_53a TQ4_56a
Instructional lead watch my teach techniques
TQ1_55b TQ2_56b TQ3_53b TQ4_56b
Instructional leader watched my use of curricular material
TQ1_55c TQ2_56c TQ3_53c TQ4_56c
Instructional leader studied student work
TQ1_55d TQ2_56d TQ3_53d TQ4_56d

SLQ – Leaders’ Set Vision (4-point scale, no priority to among highest 3 priorities)

0.82 0.76 0.77 0.80
Framing/communicating goals for school improvement
SL1_9A SL2_8A SL3_8A SL4_8A
Examining progress toward its school improvement goals
SL1_9B SL2_8B SL3_8B SL4_8B
Setting explicit timelines for instructional improvement
SL1_9C SL2_8C SL3_8C SL4_8C
Clarifying expectations for students' performance
SL1_9D SL2_8D SL3_8D SL4_8D

SLQ – Leaders Advise Teachers About Instruction  (5-point scale, never to more than 2 days per week)

0.84 0.82 0.82 0.81
Demonstrate instructional practices/materials in classroom
SL1_8A SL2_7A SL3_7A SL4_7A
Observe teacher trying new instructional practices
SL1_8B SL2_7B SL3_7B SL4_7B
Share information or advice about classroom practices
SL1_8C SL2_7C SL3_7C SL4_7C
Examine/discuss what students were working on
SL1_8D SL2_7D SL3_7D SL4_7D

SLQ – Leaders Conduct Staff Development (4-point scale, no priority to among highest 3 priorities)

0.70 0.66 0.68 0.67
Examining/discussing exemplars of students' work
SL1_9E SL2_8E SL3_8E SL4_8E
Developing the staff development program in school
SL1_9K SL2_8K SL3_8K SL4_8K
Personally providing staff development
SL1_9L SL2_8L SL3_8L SL4_8L
Working on plans to improve the teaching
SL1_9O SL2_8O SL3_8O SL4_8O

TQ – Trust and Respect Among Faculty (4-point scale, strongly disagree to strongly agree)

0.83 0.81 0.78 0.78
Teachers respect colleagues who are expert in their craft
TQ1_1a TQ2_1a TQ3_1a TQ4_1a
Teachers in this school trust each other
TQ1_1b TQ2_1b TQ3_1b TQ4_1b
Teachers in this school really care about each other
TQ1_1c TQ2_1c TQ3_1c TQ4_1c
Teachers respect other teachers who take lead
TQ1_1d TQ2_1d TQ3_1d TQ4_1d

TQ – Critical Discourse (Staff) (4-point scale, strongly disagree to strongly agree)

0.78 0.77 0.76 0.76
Teachers openly express professional views at  meetings
TQ1_1e TQ2_1e TQ3_1e TQ4_1e
Teachers are willing to question one another's views
TQ1_1f TQ2_1f TQ3_1f TQ4_1f
Good job of talking through views, opinions, and values
TQ1_1g TQ2_1g TQ3_1g TQ4_1g

TQ - Teacher Collaboration on Instructional Program (5-point scale, never to more than 10 times)

0.81 0.80 0.81 0.81
Clarifying standards for student learning
TQ1_53a TQ2_54a TQ3_51a TQ4_54a
Developing thematic units across curricular areas
TQ1_53b TQ2_54b TQ3_51b TQ4_54b
Examining/changing the scope/sequence
TQ1_53c TQ2_54c TQ3_51c TQ4_54c
Examining the alignment of materials and assessments…
TQ1_53d TQ2_54d TQ3_51d TQ4_54d

SLQ - Teacher Autonomy - private practice (4-point scale, strongly disagree to strongly agree)

0.75 0.77 0.77 0.79
Teachers develop their own 'teaching style' - Reading
SL1_27A SL2_30A SL3_30A SL4_30A
Teachers pick and choose the curricular content - Reading
SL1_27B SL2_30B SL3_30B SL4_30B
Teachers develop their own 'teaching style' - Math
SL1_34A SL2_37A SL3_37A SL4_37A
Teachers pick and choose the curricular content – Math
SL1_34B SL2_37B SL3_37B SL4_37B

TQ – Innovative Climate (4-point scale, strongly disagree to strongly agree)

0.77 0.78 0.79 0.80
Teachers expected to continually learn and seek out ideas
TQ1_1h TQ2_1h TQ3_1h TQ4_1h
Teachers are encouraged to experiment in classrooms
TQ1_1i TQ2_1i TQ3_1i TQ4_1i
Teachers encouraged to take risks to improve teaching
TQ1_1j TQ2_1j TQ3_1j TQ4_1j
Teachers expected to continually learn and seek out ideas
TQ1_1h TQ2_1h TQ3_1h TQ4_1h

SLQ – Value-Based Decision Making (7-point scale, strongly disagree to strongly agree)

0.85 0.85 0.85 0.85
Set of shared values guide improvement efforts
SL1_16A SL2_19A SL3_19A SL4_19A
Careful review process - program compatible with goals
SL1_16E SL2_19E SL3_19E SL4_19E
Decisions: alternatives are always carefully researched
SL1_16B SL2_19B SL3_19B SL4_19B
Use process: identifying issues for school improvement
SL1_16M SL2_19K SL3_19K SL4_19K
Group investigation and problem-solving
SL1_16P SL2_19N SL3_19N SL4_19N