PISA School Administrator Questionnaire

OECD Program for
International Student Assessment 2009
USA
Main Study PISA 2009

/

Date
Month

/ 2009
Day

SCHOOL QUESTIONNAIRE

Place Label Here

School ID

U.S. participation in this study is sponsored by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), U.S. Department of
Education. The information you provide about you and your school will be used for statistical purposes only. Your responses
will be kept confidential and will not be disclosed in identifiable form. By law, everyone working on this NCES survey is subject
to a jail term, a fine, or both if he or she willfully discloses ANY information that could identify you.
According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such
collection displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1850-0755.
The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 30 minutes per response, including the time to
review instructions, search existing data resources, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collection.
If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate(s) or suggestions for improving the form, please
write to: U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C. 20202-4651. If you have comments or concerns regarding the
status of your individual submission of this form, write directly to: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department
of Education, 1990 K Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20006-5650.
O.M.B. No. 1850-0755, Approval Expires 03/31/2011

Core B Consortium
Cito Institute for Educational Measurement
University of Twente
University of Jyväskyla, Institute for Educational Research
Direction de l’Evaluation de la Prospective et de la Performance (DEPP)

This questionnaire asks for information including:
The structure and organization of the school;
The student body and teachers;
The school’s resources;
The school’s instruction, curriculum and assessment;
The school climate;
The school policies and practices;
The characteristics of the principal or designee.
This information helps illustrate the similarities and differences between groups
of schools in order to better establish the context for students’ test results.
The questionnaire should be completed by the principal or designee.
It should take about 30 minutes to complete.
For some questions, specific expertise may be needed. You may consult experts
to help you answer these questions.
If you do not know an answer precisely, your best estimate will be adequate for
the purposes of the study.
Some questions ask about 10th grade or 10th graders. If you do not have a
10th grade in your school, then answer these questions for the grade in
your school that contains the most 15-year-olds.
Your answers will be kept confidential. They will be combined with
answers from other principals to calculate totals and averages in which no
one school can be identified.

3

SECTION A: THE STRUCTURE AND ORGANIZATION OF THE
SCHOOL
Q1

Do you have the following grade levels in your school?
(Please check one box in each row)
Yes

a) Grade 1

No

1

2

1

2

c) Grade 3

1

2

d) Grade 4

1

2

1

2

f) Grade 6

1

2

g) Grade 7

1

2

1

2

i) Grade 9

1

2

j) Grade 10

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

b) Grade 2

e) Grade 5

h) Grade 8

k) Grade 11
l) Grade 12
m) Ungraded school

4

Q2

Is your school a public or a private school?
(Please check only one box)
A public school
1

A private school
2

Q3

About what percentage of your total funding for a typical
school year comes from the following sources?
(Please write a number in each row. Write 0 (zero) if no funding comes
from that source.)
%

a) Government (includes local, state and federal)

_________________

b) Tuition, student fees, or school charges paid by parents

_________________

c) Benefactors, donations, bequests, sponsorships, parent fundraising

_________________

d) Other

_________________
Total

5

100%

Q4

Which of the following definitions best describes the
community in which your school is located?
(Please check only one box)

Q5a

A village, hamlet or rural area (fewer than 3,000 people)

1

A small town (3,000 to about 15,000 people)

2

A town (15,000 to about 100,000 people)

3

A city (100,000 to about 1,000,000 people)

4

A large city (with over 1,000,000 people)

5

We are interested in the options parents have when choosing a
school for their children.
Which of the following statements best describes the
schooling available to students in your location?
(Please check only one box)
There are two or more other schools in this area that compete for our students.

Q5b

1

There is one other school in this area that competes for our students.

2

There are no other schools in this area that compete for our students.

3

Other than your school, how many public and private schools
in this area compete for your students?
(Please write a number in each line. Write 0 (zero) if there are none.)
a) Number of
public schools:

_______________________________________________________

b) Number of
private schools:

_______________________________________________________
6

SECTION B: THE STUDENT BODY AND TEACHERS
Q6

As of September 1, 2009, what was the total school enrollment
(number of students)?
(Please write a number in each line. Write 0 (zero) if there are none.)

Q7

a) Number of boys:

_______________________________________________________

b) Number of girls:

_______________________________________________________

About what percentage of students in your school repeated a
grade, at these levels, last academic year?
(Please write a number in each row. Write 0 (zero) if nobody repeated a
grade. Check the ‘not available’ box if the level does not exist in your
school.)

%

a) The approximate percentage of students repeating a grade
at the middle/junior high school level (grades 7-9) in this
school last year was:
b) The approximate percentage of students repeating a grade
at the high school level (grades 10-12) in this school last
year was:

7

Level not
available in
this school

_________________________
996

_________________________
996

Q8

About how many students in the 10th grade in your
school have a first language that is not English?
(Please check only one box)

Q9

60% or more

1

40% or more but less than 60%

2

20% or more but less than 40%

3

10% or more but less than 20%

4

More than 0%, but less than 10%

5

None

6

How many of the following teachers are on the staff of your
school?
Include both full-time and part-time teachers. A full-time teacher is employed at least 90% of
the time as a teacher for the full school year. All other teachers should be considered part-time.

(Please write a number in each space provided. Write 0 (zero) if there are
none.)
Full-time

Part-time

a) Teachers in TOTAL

____

____

b) Teachers fully certified by the state in the main assignment
field

____

____

c) Teachers with at least a bachelor’s degree

____

____

8

SECTION C: THE SCHOOL’S RESOURCES
The goal of the following set of four questions is to gather information about the
student-computer ratio for students in the 10th grade at your school.
Number

Q10a At your school, what is the total number of
students in the 10th grade?

____________________

Q10b Approximately, how many computers are
available for these students for educational
purposes?

____________________

Q10c Approximately, how many of the computers
listed in Question 10b are connected to the
Internet/World Wide Web?

____________________

Q10d Approximately, how many computers are
available for all students in your school for
educational purposes?

9

____________

Q11

Is your school’s capacity to provide instruction hindered by
any of the following issues?
(Please check one box in each row)
Not at
all

a) A lack of qualified science teachers

Very
little

To some
extent

A lot

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

c) A lack of qualified English teachers

1

2

3

4

d) A lack of qualified teachers of other subjects

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

b) A lack of qualified mathematics teachers

e) A lack of library staff
f) A lack of other support personnel
g) Shortage or inadequacy of science laboratory
equipment
h) Shortage or inadequacy of instructional
materials (e.g., textbooks)
i) Shortage or inadequacy of computers for
instruction
j) Lack or inadequacy of Internet connectivity
k) Shortage or inadequacy of computer software
for instruction
l) Shortage or inadequacy of library materials
m) Shortage or inadequacy of audio-visual
resources

10

SECTION D: SCHOOL CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT
Q12

Some schools organize instruction differently for students with
different abilities. What is your school’s policy about this for
students in the 10th grade?
(Please check one box in each row)
For all
subjects

a) Students are grouped by ability into different
classes.
b) Students are grouped by ability within their
classes.

11

For some
subjects

Not for any
subject

1

2

3

1

2

3

Q13

In this academic year, which of the following activities does
your school offer to students in the 10th grade?
(Please check one box in each row)
Yes

a) Band, orchestra or choir

No

1

2

1

2

c) School yearbook, newspaper or magazine

1

2

d) Volunteer or service activities

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

i) Art club or art activities

1

2

j) Sports team or sports activities

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

b) School play or school musical

e) Book club
f) Debate club or debating activities
g) School club or school competition for
foreign language, mathematics or science
h) Academic club (e.g., honor society)

k) Lectures and/or seminars (e.g., guest
speakers such as writers or journalists)
l) Collaboration with local libraries
m) Collaboration with local newspapers
n) School-wide scheduled reading periods

12

Q14

Does your school offer any of the following options to students
in the 10th grade whose first language is not English?
(Please check one box in each row)
Yes

a) These students attend regular classes and
receive additional periods of instruction
aimed at developing English skills (e.g.,
reading literacy, grammar, vocabulary,
communication).
b) Before transferring to regular classes,
these students attend a preparatory
program aimed at developing English
skills (e.g., reading literacy, grammar,
vocabulary, communication).
c) Before transferring to regular classes,
these students receive some instruction in
school subjects through their first
language.
d) These students receive significant amounts
of instruction in their first language aimed
at developing proficiency in both
languages.
e) Class size is reduced to cater to the special
needs of these students.

13

No

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

Q15

Generally, in your school, how often are students in the
10th grade assessed using the following methods?
(Please check only one box in each row)
4

Never

a) Standardized tests
b) Teacher-developed tests
c) Teachers’ judgmental ratings
d) Student portfolios
e) Student assignments/
projects/homework

14

1–2
3–5
times a times a
year
year

Monthly

More
than
once a
month

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

Q16

In your school, are assessments of students in the 10th
grade used for any of the following purposes?
(Please check only one box in each row)
4

Yes

No

a) To inform parents about their child’s progress

1

2

b) To make decisions about students’ retention or promotion

1

2

c) To group students for instructional purposes

1

2

d) To compare the school to district, state, or national
performance

1

2

e) To monitor the school’s progress from year to year

1

2

f) To make judgments about teachers’ effectiveness

1

2

g) To identify aspects of instruction or the curriculum
that could be improved

1

2

1

2

h) To compare the school with other schools

15

SECTION E: SCHOOL CLIMATE
Q17 In your school, to what extent is the learning of students
hindered by the following phenomena?
(Please check one box in each row)
Not at
all

Very
little

a) Teachers’ low expectations of students

1

2

3

4

b) Student absenteeism

1

2

3

4

c) Poor student-teacher relations

1

2

3

4

d) Disruption of classes by students

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

f) Teacher absenteeism

1

2

3

4

g) Students skipping classes

1

2

3

4

h) Students lacking respect for teachers

1

2

3

4

i) Staff resisting change

1

2

3

4

j) Student use of alcohol or illegal drugs

1

2

3

4

k) Teachers being too strict with students

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

e) Teachers not meeting individual students’ needs

l) Students intimidating or bullying other students
m) Students not being encouraged to achieve their full
potential

16

To some
extent

A
lot

Q18

Which statement below best characterizes parental
expectations towards your school?
(Please check only one box)
There is constant pressure from many parents, who expect our school to set
very high academic standards and to have our students achieve them.
Pressure on the school to achieve higher academic standards among students
comes from a minority of parents.
Pressure from parents on the school to achieve higher academic standards
among students is largely absent.

17

1

2

3

SECTION F: SCHOOL POLICIES AND PRACTICES
Q19

How often are the following factors considered when students
are admitted to your school?
(Please check one box in each row)
Never

a) Residence in a particular area
b) Student’s record of academic performance
(including placement tests)
c) Recommendation of feeder schools
d) Parents’ endorsement of the instructional
or religious philosophy of the school
e) Whether the student requires, or is
interested in, a special program
f) Preference given to family members of
current or former students
g) Other

18

Sometimes

Always

1

2

3

1

2

3

1

2

3

1

2

3

1

2

3

1

2

3

1

2

3

Q20

In your school, how likely is it that a student in the 10th grade
would be transferred to another school because of the
following reasons?
(Please check one box in each row)
If students are never transferred, go to Q21.
Not likely

Very likely

a) Low academic achievement

1

2

3

b) High academic achievement

1

2

3

1

2

3

d) Special learning needs

1

2

3

e) Parents’ or guardians’ request

1

2

3

1

2

3

c) Behavioral problems

f) Other

Q21

Likely

This set of questions explores aspects of the school’s
accountability to parents.
(Please check one box in each row)
Yes

a) Does your school provide information to parents of students in the
10th grade on their child’s academic performance relative to other
students in the 10th grade in your school?
b) Does your school provide information to parents of students in the
10th grade on their child’s academic performance relative to national
or state benchmarks?
c) Does your school provide information to parents on the academic
performance of students in the 10th grade as a group relative to
students in the same grade in other schools?

19

No

1

2

1

2

1

2

Q22

In your school, are achievement data used in any of the
following ways?
Achievement data include aggregated school or grade-level test scores or
grades, or graduation rates.
(Please check one box in each row)
Yes

a) Achievement data are posted publicly (e.g., in the media).
b) Achievement data are used in evaluation of the principal’s
performance.
c) Achievement data are used in evaluation of teachers’ performances.
d) Achievement data are used in decisions about instructional resource
allocation to the school.
e) Achievement data are tracked over time by an administrative authority
(such as a district, state, or federal education agency).

Q23

During the last year, have any of the following methods
been used to monitor the practice of English teachers at
your school?
(Please check one box in each row)
Yes

a) Tests or assessments of student
achievement
b) Teacher peer review (of lesson plans,
assessment instruments, lessons)
c) Principal or senior staff observations of
lessons
d) Observation of classes by other persons
external to the school

20

No
1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

No

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

Q24

Regarding your school, who has a considerable responsibility
for the following tasks?
(Please check as many boxes as appropriate in each row)

Principals

a) Selecting teachers for hire
b) Firing teachers
c) Establishing teachers’
starting salaries
d) Determining teachers’
salary increases
e) Formulating the school
budget
f) Deciding on budget
allocations within the
school
g) Establishing student
disciplinary policies
h) Establishing student
assessment policies
i) Approving students for
admission to the school
j) Choosing which textbooks
are used
k) Determining course
content
l) Deciding which courses are
offered

Teachers

School-level
governing
board

State or local

education
agency

U.S.
Department
of Education

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

21

Q25

Regarding your school, which of the following bodies exert a
direct influence on decision making about staffing, budgeting,
instructional content and assessment practices?
(Please check as many boxes as apply)
Area of influence

Staffing

a) State or federal education
agencies (e.g., state education
department)
b) Local education agency or
local school board
c) School-level governing board
d) Parent groups
e) Teacher groups
(e.g., staff association,
curriculum committees, trade
union)
f) Student groups
(e.g., student association,
youth organization)
g) External examination
boards

Budgeting

Instructional
content

Assessment
practices

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

22

Q26

Below you can find statements about your management of this
school. Please indicate the frequency of the following activities
and behaviors in your school during the last school year.
(Please check only one box in each row)
Never

a) I make sure that the professional
development activities of teachers
are in accordance with the teaching
goals of the school.
b) I ensure that teachers work
according to the school’s
educational goals.
c) I observe instruction in classrooms.
d) I use student performance results to
develop the school’s educational
goals.
e) I give teachers suggestions as to
how they can improve their
teaching.
f) I monitor students’ work.
g) When a teacher has problems in
his/her classroom, I take the
initiative to discuss matters.
h) I inform teachers about
possibilities for updating their
knowledge and skills.

23

Seldom

Quite often

Very often

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

Never

i) I check to see whether classroom
activities are in keeping with our
educational goals.
j) I take exam results into account in
decisions regarding curriculum
development.
k) I ensure that there is clarity
concerning the responsibility for
coordinating the curriculum.
l) When a teacher brings up a
classroom problem, we solve the
problem together.
m) I pay attention to disruptive
behavior in classrooms.
n) I take over lessons from teachers
who are unexpectedly absent.

Q27

Seldom

Quite often

Very often

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

Approximately what percentage of students at this
school last year were eligible for free- or reduced-price
lunches through the National School Lunch Program?
(Please write a number on the line. Write 0 (zero) if there are
none.)
Percentage of students eligible

____________________________________________

24

SECTION G: ABOUT YOU

Q28

Are you female or male?
Female
1

Male
2

Thank you very much for your cooperation in
completing this questionnaire!

25