Instrument 13: Follow-up administrator survey

VIQI Follow-up Administrator Survey

December 2020

FOLLOW-UP ADMINISTRATOR SURVEY

The purpose of the Follow-up Administrator Self-Report Survey is to collect information on characteristics of administrators and early care and education centers that are theorized to: 1) affect implementation; and 2) moderate the impacts of the interventions, or the effects of early care and education quality on child outcomes, as indicated in the VIQI conceptual model. This attachment includes the following: (a) the follow-up survey, and (b) communication to administrators regarding this survey.

1. Introduction

Thank you for participating in the Variations in Implementation of Quality Interventions (VIQI) Project! As part of this study, we would like you to answer some questions about yourself and your experiences as an administrator or director of early care and education. This information is crucial to helping us understand the role of administrators and directors in promoting quality of teaching and learning in early care and education settings.

Your participation is completely voluntary, and you may skip any questions you do not wish to answer. You may stop the survey at any time. Your responses to these questions will be kept private to the extent permitted by law and will not be shared with your supervisor or other staff. There are no direct benefits to you for participating. Participation does not involve any risks other than what you would encounter in daily life. There is a small risk that your information could be lost, stolen, or misused, even though we follow strict rules to protect your information.  The study team will follow strict procedures to protect your responses, and your responses will only be used for research and program improvement purposes. Your responses will be stored in password protected computer files and in locked research facilities. The data will be used only by the research team and other researchers bound by the same security requirements described here. We also may share de-identified responses with researchers looking at other education research topics who agree that they will protect your information.

Please complete this questionnaire within the next [X] days. [If PAPER COPY, INCLUDE: Once complete, please send it back to [ADDRESS].] The questionnaire will take approximately 30 minutes in total to complete. If you have any questions, please contact your project liaison at [PHONE] or [email].

Thank you!

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB number for this information collection is 0970-0508 and the expiration date is XX/XX/XXXX. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to [Contractor Contact Name]; [Contractor Contact Address].

B. Background Information

1. 		/			/	2022
   M	M		D	D

   Today’s Date:

2. What is your job title?

1	Center director/Executive director
2	Instructional or educational director/coordinator
3	Other (please specify: ___________________________________________________)

3. Staffing

The next section includes questions about staff who work at your early care and education center. The categories listed are for staff who may work directly with children. We are also interested in learning about the number of full-time and part-time specialists, administrators, and support staff who may also work in your center.

The terms may not be the same as those being used in your center. But, please do your best to put staff working directly with children into one of the categories listed below.

• Here, and throughout the survey, the term “teacher” is used to refer to a teaching position with primary responsibility for providing instruction and supervision of children in a classroom.

• The term “assistant teacher” is used to refer to an assistant teacher, paraprofessional, or aide that works under the supervision of a lead teacher to give additional attention, support and instruction to children in the classroom.

• The term “coach” is used to refer to a professional who provides teachers/assistant teachers with feedback and support to help improve what they do in the classroom.

3. How many individuals who work directly with children ages 3 to 4 have left the center by their own decision this year (2021-2022)? Do not include staff who have been terminated.

number of teachers number of assistant teachers

4. How many individuals who work directly with children ages 3 to 4 have been terminated this year (2021-2022)?

number of teachers number of assistant teachers

5. During this year (2021-2022), did any full-time positions for teachers or assistant teachers go unfilled when there was a vacancy?

1	Yes
2	No  SKIP TO 7

6. How long did the following full-time positions go unfilled when there was a vacancy during this this year (2021-2022)?

SELECT ONE PER ROW.

	No vacancy	Less than one week	More than one week, but less than a month	One to two months	Three to four months	More than four months
Teachers who work with children ages 3 to 4	1	2	3	4	5	6
Assistant teachers who work with children ages 3 to 4	1	2	3	4	5	6

7. Select the option that best characterizes teacher assignments (pairings of co-teachers or teacher and assistant teacher) in classrooms working with children ages 3 to 4 in your early care and education center this year (2021-2022).

SELECT ONE.

1	I/We tried to keep teacher assignments the same as last year. If teacher assignments changed, it was because someone left the center.
2	I/We rotated or changed up the teacher assignments this year.
3	Assistant teachers rotated around to different classrooms on a frequent (daily/weekly/monthly) basis.
4	Unsure/Don’t know

4. Classroom Assessments

We are interested in learning about the child assessments used in your center.

8. What kinds of child assessments are teachers required to use in classrooms with children ages 3 to 4 this year (2021-2022)?
   
   

SELECT ALL THAT APPLY.

1	Work Sampling System®
2	Teaching Strategies GOLD®
3	High/Scope Child Observation Record (COR)
4	Other published assessment tools (e.g., Ages and Stages Questionnaires, Brigance Preschool Screen, Galileo, Hawaii Early Learning Profile (HELP), Learning Accomplishment Profile Screening (E-LAP, LAP-R, LAP-D))
5	Child Portfolios and/or Work Samples (Electronic or Hardcopy)
6	Teacher observation of specific objectives
7	Locally-designed, or teacher- or center-created assessment

9. How have you used the results from any of the above assessments?

SELECT ALL THAT APPLY.

1	Identify children who may need additional testing (for a learning problem, for example)
2	Share or discuss results with teachers in a group setting such as a staff meeting or Common Planning Time
3	Share or review results with coaches or mentors
4	Inform plans for professional development opportunities for teachers or staff
5	Develop or modify center or classroom goals
6	Include in formal teacher evaluations
7	Include in reporting requirements (for example, for Head Start, QRIS, or other funding requirements)

10. Are teachers required to submit child assessment data to you or another administrator at your center this year (2021-2022)?

1	Yes
2	No  SKIP TO 12

11. How often are teachers required to submit child assessment data?

1	Monthly or more often
2	Quarterly
3	Twice per year
4	Once per year

5. Professional Supports

We are interested in learning about the professional supports provided for teachers and assistant teachers in your center this year (2021-2022).

TEACHERS

For the next questions, please think about the teachers at your center. (You will report on assistant teachers at your center in later questions.)

12. Please indicate which of the following professional support opportunities were offered to teachers of children ages 3 to 4 in your center this year (2021-2022).

SELECT ONE PER ROW.

During the workday, are teachers able to…	Yes	No
Plan or prepare for teaching/their classroom on their own	1	2
Plan or prepare for teaching/their classroom with another teacher or assistant teacher assigned to the same classroom	1	2
Meet with other teachers to collaborate and plan (e.g., as part of common planning time or a professional learning community)	1	2
Observe other teachers while their class is covered	1	2
Participate in peer mentoring as part of a formal arrangement recognized or supported by your center	1	2
Attend workshops, conferences or training sessions (including training provided by your center)	1	2
Attend coaching sessions or be observed by a coach while teaching	1	2

13. Did your center provide teachers with time for the professional support opportunities listed above during regularly scheduled hours this year (2021-2022)?

1	Yes
2	No  SKIP TO 15

14. Which of the following were used to provide teachers in your center with time for professional support opportunities during regularly scheduled hours?

SELECT ALL THAT APPLY.

1	Substitute teachers to cover teachers’ classes
2	Early dismissal or late start for children
3	Professional days built in during breaks of one week or more
4	Professional days built in during weeks when children are in attendance
5	Common planning time for teachers
6	Reduced teacher workloads (less time in the classroom with children or less time on other assigned duties)

15. How many total “professional days” of training did teachers receive this year (2021-2022) as part of their regular scheduled hours? ROUND TO THE NEAREST WHOLE NUMBER.

days

16. How many minutes per week do teachers typically have for lesson planning this year (2021-2022)? If no time is formally allocated to teachers’ planning time, please type in 0. ROUND TO THE NEAREST WHOLE NUMBER.

minutes

ASSISTANT TEACHERS

For the next questions, please think about the assistant teachers at your center.

17. Please indicate which of the following professional support opportunities were offered to assistant teachers of children ages 3 to 4 in your center this year (2021-20229).

SELECT ONE PER ROW.

During the workday, are assistant teachers able to…	Yes	No
Plan or prepare for teaching/their classroom on their own	1	2
Plan or prepare for teaching/their classroom with another teacher or assistant teacher assigned to the same classroom	1	2
Meet with other teachers to collaborate and plan (e.g., as part of common planning time or a professional learning community)	1	2
Observe other teachers while their class is covered	1	2
Participate in peer mentoring as part of a formal arrangement recognized or supported by your center	1	2
Attend workshops, conferences or training sessions (including training provided by your center)	1	2
Attend coaching sessions or be observed by a coach while teaching	1	2

18. Did your center provide assistant teachers with time for the professional support opportunities listed above during their regularly scheduled hours this year (2021-2022)?

1	Yes
2	No  SKIP TO 20

19. Which of the following were used to provide assistant teachers in your center with time for professional support opportunities during regularly scheduled hours?

SELECT ALL THAT APPLY.

1	Substitute teachers to cover classes
2	Early dismissal or late start for children
3	Professional days built in during breaks of one week or more
4	Professional days built in during weeks when children are in attendance
5	Common planning time for teachers
6	Reduced teacher workloads (less time in the classroom with children or less time on other assigned duties)

20. How many total “professional days” of training did assistant teachers receive this year (2021-2022) as part of their regularly scheduled hours?

days

GENERAL PROFESSIONAL SUPPORTS AND RESOURCES

21. To what extent is your center’s capacity to support children’s learning and development impacted by any of the following issues?

SELECT ONE PER ROW.

	Not at all	Very little	To some extent	A lot
Lack of opportunities and support for professional development for myself	1	2	3	4
Lack of opportunities and support for professional development for teachers	1	2	3	4
Difficulties with covering classrooms so teachers can go to trainings	1	2	3	4
Difficulties with covering classrooms so teachers can go to coaching sessions	1	2	3	4
Shortage of qualified and/or high-performing teachers	1	2	3	4
Shortage of teachers with competence in teaching children with special needs	1	2	3	4
Shortage of teachers with competence in teaching dual language learner children	1	2	3	4
High turnover among classroom staff	1	2	3	4
Shortage or inadequacy of classroom materials (e.g., books, art supplies, manipulatives)	1	2	3	4
Shortage or inadequacy of technology (e.g., computers, tablets)	1	2	3	4
Prevalence of children with behavior problems	1	2	3	4
Lack of a curriculum or prescribed classroom activities	1	2	3	4

6. Supervision

We are interested in learning about supervision provided for teachers and assistant teachers in your center this year (2021-2022).

TEACHERS

For these questions, please think about the supervision provided only to teachers at your center.

22. Who is the direct supervisor of teachers of children ages 3 to 4?

1	Center director/Executive director
2	Instructional or educational director/coordinator
3	Other

23. What is the format for supervision of teachers and how often does it occur?

SELECT ONE PER ROW.

	Frequency
Type of Supervision	Never	Weekly	Monthly	Quarterly	Yearly	As needed
One-on-one	1	2	3	4	5	6
Group meeting	1	2	3	4	5	6

[PROGRAMMING NOTE: IF ‘1’ NEVER WAS SELECTED IN 23A AND 23B, SKIP TO 26.]

24. Which of the following topics were covered during any formal supervision that you reported teachers receiving above?

SELECT ALL THAT APPLY.

1	Implementing lessons or activities from a curriculum
2	Children’s language or literacy/reading development
3	Children’s mathematics development
4	Children’s scientific knowledge development
5	Teaching practices and/or classroom quality
6	Professional, state and national standards (e.g., NAEYC; Curriculum Frameworks; Common Core; QRIS)
7	Using quality observational tools to improve classroom quality (e.g. CLASS or ECERS)
8	Conducting child assessments through observation, screening, and/or formal instruments
9	Supporting or fostering children’s social/emotional development
10	Behavior management
11	Family engagement
12	Supporting children with special needs in the classroom
13	Supporting English Language Learners (ELLs) or Dual Language Learners (DLLs)
14	Cultural competence for working with diverse populations
15	Organization and management (e.g., classroom routines and schedules)
16	Classroom set up and physical environment
17	Health and safety
18	None of the above

25. How often are teachers observed formally as part of an official performance appraisal process (i.e., formal evaluation)?

1	Never
2	Yearly
3	Quarterly
4	Monthly
5	Weekly
6	As needed

ASSISTANT TEACHERS

For these questions, please think about the supervision provided to assistant teachers at your center.

26. Who is the direct supervisor of assistant teachers of children ages 3 to 4?

1	Teacher
2	Center director/Executive director
3	Instructional or educational director/coordinator
4	Other

27. What is the format for supervision of assistant teachers and how often does it occur?

SELECT ONE PER ROW.

	Frequency
Type of Supervision	Never	Weekly	Monthly	Quarterly	Yearly	As needed
One-on-one	1	2	3	4	5	6
Group meeting	1	2	3	4	5	6

[PROGRAMMING NOTE: IF ‘1’ NEVER WAS SELECTED IN 27A AND 27B, SKIP TO 30.]

28. Which of the following topics were covered during any formal supervision that you reported assistant teachers receiving above?

SELECT ALL THAT APPLY.

1	Implementing lesson or activities from a curriculum
2	Children’s language or literacy/reading development
3	Children’s mathematics development
4	Children’s scientific knowledge development
5	Teaching practices and/or classroom quality
6	Professional, state and national standards (e.g., NAEYC; Curriculum Frameworks; Common Core; QRIS)
7	Using quality observational tools to improve classroom quality (e.g. CLASS or ECERS)
8	Conducting child assessments through observation, screening, and/or formal instruments
9	Supporting or fostering children’s social/emotional development
10	Behavior management
11	Family engagement
12	Supporting children with special needs in the classroom
13	Supporting English Language Learners (ELLs) or Dual Language Learners (DLLs)
14	Cultural competence for working with diverse populations
15	Organization and management (e.g., classroom routines and schedules)
16	Classroom set up and physical environment
17	Health and safety
18	None of the above

29. How often are assistant teachers observed formally as part of an official performance appraisal process (i.e., formal evaluation)?

1	Never
2	Yearly
3	Quarterly
4	Monthly
5	Weekly
6	As needed

7. Coaching

We are interested in learning about any coaching provided for teachers in your center this year (2021-2022). A coach is a professional who provides teachers with feedback and support to help improve what teachers do in the classroom. Do NOT include any coaching provided by a coach from the VIQI project. Do NOT include observations completed by center directors, other center administrators or supervisors, or master teachers.

TEACHERS

For these questions, please think about the coaching provided only to teachers at your center.

30. How often was coaching offered to teachers during this year (2021-2022)? Do NOT include any coaching provided by a coach from the VIQI project. Do NOT include observations completed by center directors, other center administrators or supervisors, or master teachers.

	Frequency
Type of Coaching	Never	Weekly	Monthly	Quarterly	Yearly	As needed
One-on-one	1	2	3	4	5	6
In a group	1	2	3	4	5	6

[PROGRAMMING NOTES: If “never” (1) is chosen for 30a or 30b, skip to 33. If any other option (2 through 6) is chosen for 30a or 30b, go to 31.]

31. Which of the following topics were covered during coaching sessions that you reported teachers receiving above?

SELECT ALL THAT APPLY.

1	Implementing lessons or activities from a curriculum
2	Children’s language or literacy/reading development
3	Children’s mathematics development
4	Children’s scientific knowledge development
5	Teaching practices and/or classroom quality
6	Professional, state and national standards (e.g., NAEYC; Curriculum Frameworks; Common Core; QRIS)
7	Using quality observational tools to improve classroom quality (e.g. CLASS or ECERS)
8	Conducting child assessments through observation, screening, and/or formal instruments
9	Supporting or fostering children’s social/emotional development
10	Behavior management
11	Family engagement
12	Supporting children with special needs in the classroom
13	Supporting English Language Learners (ELLs) or Dual Language Learners (DLLs)
14	Cultural competence for working with diverse populations
15	Organization and management (e.g., classroom routines and schedules)
16	Classroom set up and physical environment
17	Health and safety
18	None of the above
19	Don’t know

32. Which organizations provided coaching to teachers?

SELECT ALL THAT APPLY.

1	My center	7		A college or university
2	Head Start Grantee agency	8		School district
3	Child care umbrella organization	9		Curriculum author or publisher
4	State or local resource and referral agency	10		Other: ______________________________
5	State or local QRIS agency	11		Don’t know
6	External institution (e.g., professional association; non-profit education organization)

ASSISTANT TEACHERS

For these questions, please think about the coaching provided only to assistant teachers at your center.

33. How often was coaching offered to assistant teachers this year (2021-2022)? Do NOT include observations completed by center directors, other center administrators or supervisors, or master teachers.

	Frequency
Type of Coaching	Never	Weekly	Monthly	Quarterly	Yearly	As needed
One-on-one	1	2	3	4	5	6
In a group	1	2	3	4	5	6

PROGRAMMING NOTES: If “never” (1) is chosen for 33a or 33b, skip to 36. If any other option (2 through 6) is chosen for 33a or 33b, go to 34.]

34. Which of the following topics were covered during coaching sessions that you reported assistant teachers receiving above?

SELECT ALL THAT APPLY.

1	Implementing lessons or activities from a curriculum
2	Children’s language or literacy/reading development
3	Children’s mathematics development
4	Children’s scientific knowledge development
5	Teaching practices and/or classroom quality
6	Professional, state and national standards (e.g., NAEYC; Curriculum Frameworks; Common Core; QRIS)
7	Using quality observational tools to improve classroom quality (e.g. CLASS or ECERS)
8	Conducting child assessments through observation, screening, and/or formal instruments
9	Supporting or fostering children’s social/emotional development
10	Behavior management
11	Family engagement
12	Supporting children with special needs in the classroom
13	Supporting English Language Learners (ELLs) or Dual Language Learners (DLLs)
14	Cultural competence for working with diverse populations
15	Organization and management (e.g., classroom routines and schedules)
16	Classroom set up and physical environment
17	Health and safety
18	None of the above
19	Don’t know

35. Which organizations provided coaching to assistant teachers?

SELECT ALL THAT APPLY.

1	My center	7		A college or university
2	Head Start Grantee agency	8		School district
3	Child care umbrella organization	9		Curriculum author or publisher
4	State or local resource and referral agency	10		Other: ______________________________
5	State or local QRIS agency	11		Don’t know
6	External institution (e.g., professional association; non-profit education organization)

8. Teaching and Learning

36. Recognizing that some things in early care and education centers are required by external sources, what are YOUR OWN PERSONAL BELIEFS about early care and education centers?

Please select the number that most nearly represents YOUR BELIEFS about each item’s importance for early care and education centers for children ages 3 to 4.

(1 = Strongly disagree; 5 = Strongly agree)

	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neither agree nor disagree	Agree	Strongly agree
ECE classroom activities should be responsive to individual differences in development.	1	2	3	4	5
Each curriculum area should be taught as a separate subject at separate times.	1	2	3	4	5
Children should be allowed to select many of their own activities from a variety of learning areas that the teacher has prepared (writing, science center, etc.).	1	2	3	4	5
Children should be allowed to cut their own shapes, perform their own steps in an experiment, and plan their own creative drama, art, and writing activities.	1	2	3	4	5
Children should work silently and alone on seatwork.	1	2	3	4	5
Children in ECE classrooms should learn through active explorations.	1	2	3	4	5
ECE teachers should use treats, stickers, or stars to encourage appropriate behavior.	1	2	3	4	5
ECE teachers should use punishments or reprimands to encourage appropriate behavior.	1	2	3	4	5
Children should be involved in establishing rules for the classroom.	1	2	3	4	5
Children should be instructed in recognizing the single letters of the alphabet, isolated from words.	1	2	3	4	5
Children should learn to color within predefined lines.	1	2	3	4	5
Children should learn to form letters correctly on a printed page.	1	2	3	4	5
Children should dictate stories to the teacher.	1	2	3	4	5
Children should know their letter sounds before they learn to read.	1	2	3	4	5
Children should form letters correctly before they are allowed to create a story.	1	2	3	4	5
Source: Burts, Buchanan, Benedict, Broussard, Dunaway, Richardson & Sciaraffa, 2000; Charlesworth et al., 1993; FACES, 2006.

9. Work Environment

The next set of questions asks about your work environment. Your responses will only be used for research and program improvement purposes.

JOB EXPERIENCES

37. This next set of questions is used to assess how staff members feel about their job and their reactions to work. Please read each statement carefully and decide if you ever feel this way about your job.

	Never	A few times a year or less	Once a month or less	A few times a month	Once a week	A few times a week	Every day
I feel emotionally drained from my work.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
I feel used up at the end of the workday.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
I feel fatigued when I get up in the morning and have to face another day on the job.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Working with people all day is really a strain for me.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
I feel burned out from my work.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
I feel frustrated by my job.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
I feel I’m working too hard on my job.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Working with people directly puts too much stress on me.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
I feel like I’m at the end of my rope.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Source: Maslach, 1997

38. How long do you plan to remain in early care and education? 

1	As long as I’m able
2	Until I am eligible for retirement benefits from this job
3	Until I am eligible for retirement benefits from another job
4	Until I am eligible for Social Security benefits
5	Until a specific life event occurs (e.g., parenthood, marriage)
6	Until a more desirable opportunity comes along
7	Definitely plan to leave as soon as I can
8	Undecided at this time

Source: National Center for Education Statistics, 2011-2012  

10. Program Implementation [For Administrators in Intervention Centers ONLY]

The questions in this section are about your experience with the VIQI intervention – meaning the curriculum, training, and coaching provided to your center from the VIQI project.

39. How strongly do you agree or disagree with the following statements?
    
    

	Strongly Disagree								Strongly Agree
I think my center benefitted from the VIQI intervention.	1	2	3		4			5		6	7
Our center is more productive when we implement the VIQI intervention.	1	2	3		4			5		6	7
Since we adopted the VIQI intervention, we were better equipped to meet our children’s needs.	1	2	3		4			5		6	7
The VIQI intervention has improved our center’s overall efficiency.	1	2	3		4			5		6	7
Our center lost some valuable assets when we adopted the VIQI intervention.	1	2	3		4			5		6	7
The VIQI intervention matches the priorities of our center.	1	2	3		4			5		6	7
The VIQI intervention replaced outdated aspects of my center while building on its positive attributes.	1	2	3		4			5		6	7
The VIQI intervention was an improvement over our current practices.	1	2	3		4			5		6	7
Source: Holt, Armenakis, Field & Harris, 2007

40. To what extent is your center’s capacity to consistently and effectively implement the VIQI intervention in participating classrooms hindered by any of the following issues?

Issue	Not at all	Very little	To some extent	A lot
Shortage of staff to cover participating teachers so that they can attend training sessions	1	2	3	4
Shortage of staff to cover participating teachers so that they can attend coaching sessions	1	2	3	4
High turnover among teaching staff or shortage of staff on a daily basis	1	2	3	4
Lack of support to help my understanding of the VIQI intervention	1	2	3	4
Shortage or inadequacy of classroom materials (e.g., books, art supplies, manipulatives)	1	2	3	4
Shortage or inadequacy of technology (e.g., computers, tablets)	1	2	3	4
Prevalence of children with behavior problems in participating classrooms	1	2	3	4
Lack of support to help my understanding of how to best support my teachers in implementing the VIQI intervention	1	2	3	4

This is the end of the survey. Thank you!

Communication to Participants Regarding the Survey

Overview: The follow-up survey that will be administered to administrators of participating centers will be accompanied by an email or letter that introduces the survey. If a survey is not received, a follow-up reminder email(s) or letter(s) may be sent.

SURVEY EMAILS/LETTERS

The following items will be addressed in communications to administrators regarding the survey administered at follow-up:

• Brief reminder about the study and a brief description of the survey

• Link to the online survey [If needed: Description of how to return the survey]

• Deadline for submission

• Toll-free number or study email address for technical issues or questions about the survey

THANK YOU LETTERS/EMAILS

Administrators who submit a survey will receive a thank you email or letter. The note will thank them for their time and encourage future participation. The following items will be addressed in thank you notes:

• Thank you for participation

• Study importance

• If needed: Reminder about future data collections

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