Teacher & Leader Reports | Study of Instructional Improvement

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