SEELS Draft School Background Survey

May, 1999

	SPECIAL EDUCATION ELEMENTARY LONGITUDINAL STUDY (SEELS)

	DRAFT SCHOOL BACKGROUND SURVEY



	SRI Project 3421

THE SPECIAL EDUCATION ELEMENTARY LONGITUDINAL STUDY (SEELS)

Survey of School Characteristics

Dear Principal:

We urge you to take about XX minutes to complete this survey about your school. The Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study (SEELS), funded by the U.S. Department of Education, is studying the school experiences and outcomes of a variety of students, including students in special education. The study will give educators, policy-makers, practitioners, and parents important information about studentsí experiences and how they contribute to student performance. A brochure describing SEELS is enclosed.

More than 14,000 students nationwide are included in SEELS. They were in elementary and/or early middle school when SEELS began in the 1999-2000 school year; the study will follow these students through the 2003-2004 school year as they transition into middle and high school. One or more SEELS students attend your school this year.

Please return the completed survey as soon as possible in the enclosed postage-paid envelope. A $XX (gift certificate/check) will be mailed to you when we receive the completed survey and you will be eligible to be chosen to receive a thank you gift ofÖÖÖÖ.

Please be assured that your answers will be completely confidential. No information will be reported that identifies you or this school.

If you have any questions about the study or the survey, please feel free to call the SEELS hotline toll free at 1-800-XXX-XXXX, send e-mail to (address), or visit the SEELS Web site at (URL).

Thank you in advance for your contribution to this important study.

PLEASE TURN THE PAGE TO BEGIN THE SURVEY Ô Ô Ô Ô Ô Ô

A. School and community characteristics

A1. Which of the following best describes your school? PLEASE CIRCLE ONE NUMBER.

1	A regular elementary or secondary school that serves a wide variety of students
2	School that serves only students with disabilities
3	School that specializes in a particular subject area or theme, sometimes called a magnet school
4	Vocational-technical school
5	Alternative school
6	Charter school
7	Juvenile justice facility
8	Another kind of school (please describe): _________________________________

A2. Which of the following describes this school? PLEASE CIRCLE ALL THAT APPLY.

1	Public school
2	Private school
3	Residential/boarding school

A3. What grade levels are taught at this school? PLEASE CIRCLE ALL THAT APPLY.

0	Prekindergarten	4	4^th grade	9	9^th grade
K	Kindergarten	5	5^th grade	10	10^th grade
1	1^st grade	6	6^th grade	11	11^th grade
2	2^nd grade	7	7^th grade	12	12^th grade
3	3^rd grade	8	8^th grade	0	Ungraded

A4. As of October 1, how many students were enrolled at your school?

_______________

Number of students enrolled

A5. Which of the following best describes the community in which this school is located? PLEASE CIRCLE ONE NUMBER.

1	Rural community	6	A suburb of a large city
2	Small city or town	7	A very large city
3	A medium-sized city	8	A suburb of a very large city
4	A suburb of a medium-sized city	9	A military base or station
5	A large city	10	An Indian reservation

B. STUDENT CHARACTERISTICS

B1. On October 1, about how many students in your school belong to each of the following ethnic groups?

Number of Students
____________	African-American or Black
____________	American Indian or Alaskan Native
____________	Asian, native Hawaiian, or other Pacific Islander
____________	Caucasian or White
____________	Hispanic, Latino, or other Spanish origin (regardless of race)
____________	Other

B2. On October 1, about how many students who attend this school were in each of the following disability categories? PLEASE ENTER ONE NUMBER ON EACH LINE THAT REPRESENTS THE DISABILITIES OF STUDENTS ATTENDING THIS SCHOOL.

Number of students who receive special education services
____________	Autism
____________	Deaf-blindness
____________	Developmental delay
____________	Emotional or behavioral impairment
____________	Hearing impairment/deafness
____________	Learning disability
____________	Mental retardation
____________	Orthopedic impairment
____________	Other health impairment
____________	Multiple disabilities
____________	Speech or language impairment
____________	Traumatic brain injury
____________	Visual impairment/blindness
____________	Other:___________________________________

B3. On October 1, about how many students are identified as English-language learners, or are limited English proficient (LEP)?

_______________

Number of students identified as ELL or LEP

B4. How many students were absent (excused and unexcused) on the most recent school day? PLEASE RECORD ONE NUMBER ON EACH LINE.

Number of:
____________	Excused absences
____________	Unexcused absences

B5. About what percentage of your schoolís students are from low income families (e.g., having a child in the free or reduced price lunch program)? PLEASE CIRCLE ONE NUMBER.

1	More than 75%
2	51%-75%
3	26-50%
4	Less than 25%

B6. In the 1998-99 school year, about what percentage of students who enrolled at the beginning of the year moved away from your school during the school year?

___________

Percentage of students who moved

c. STAFF, programs, and resources

C1. How many of the following personnel work in your school during a typical week? Please report numbers in full time equivalents (e.g., 2.5, 2.25) PLEASE COUNT EACH PERSON IN ONLY ONE CATEGORY.

Approximate total FTE working in a typical week
____________	General education classroom teachers
____________	Special education self-contained classroom teachers
____________	Special education resource room teachers
____________	Reading specialists
____________	Speech/communication therapists or pathologists
____________	Nursing/medical personnel
____________	School psychologist or other diagnostic personnel
____________	Guidance counselors
____________	Other related services personnel (i.e., occupational or physical therapist)
____________	Paid teacher aides
____________	Librarians/library aides or library staff
____________	Itinerant personnel not already accounted for above (e.g., district music or physical education personnel who teach a specific subject at multiple schools)
___________	Administrators (e.g., principal, vice-principals)
____________	Volunteers

C2. Which of the following services, resources, or programs does your school have this school year, either as part of the curriculum, or before or after school hours? PLEASE CIRCLE ALL THAT APPLY.

	Additional Academic Programs
1	Supplemental instructional services in reading or language arts
2	Supplemental instructional services in math
3	Academic supports, such as academic clubs, tutoring or mentoring assistance outside of regular class offerings (e.g., homework club, Saturday academies)
4	Diagnostic and prescriptive services (services provided by trained professionals to diagnose learning problems and to plan and provide therapeutic or educational programs).
5	Programs for gifted and talented students
	Enrichment and Recreation Programs
6	Extended day, before-school or after-school enrichment programs (e.g., Beacons programs, cultural activity groups, special interest groups).
8	An extended school year program (e.g., classes or activities in the summer)
9	Weekend program for students
10	Band, chorus, drama, or other performing opportunities for students
11	Organized school sports activities during or after school
	Health/Mental Health Services
12	School-based health services - Services provided by trained professionals (e.g., physician, physician assistant, nurse, or nurse practitioner) to diagnose and treat health problems of students.
13	Counseling or pupil services
	Parent or Community Programs
14	A family literacy program
15	Parent education or other classes for parents
16	A parent liaison
17	A family resource center or drop-in center for parents or community members
18	Services for out-of-school youth
19	School-to-work activities
	Language-Learning Programs
20	Instruction in English for English-language-learners, such as ESL
21	Instruction in languages other than English, such as bilingual education
	Other Programs/Initiatives
22	Title 1
23	A class size reduction initiative
24	A school-wide improvement program (e.g., Success for All, Comer Schools, Accelerated Schools)
25	Conflict resolution/conflict management program

C3. What percentage of teachers in your school are fully credentialed for their primary teaching assignments?

____________

Percentage fully credentialed

C4. What percentage of teachers are new to this school this year?

____________

Percentage new this school year

C5. What percentage of your teaching staff has fewer than 3 years total of teaching experience?

____________

Percentage with less than 3 years teaching experience

C6. Which of the following placement options does your school have for special education students? PLEASE CIRCLE ALL THAT APPLY.

1	General education
2	Part-time resource room for special education students
3	Self-contained special education classrooms
4	Other :_____________________________________________________________

D. more about the school

D1. In your opinion, how much pressure is placed on your school to increase and/or improve student test scores for ALL students? PLEASE CIRCLE ONE NUMBER.

1	A great deal of pressure
2	A fair amount of pressure
3	Little pressure
4	No pressure at all

D2. In a typical month, about how many incidents of violence (e.g., student fights, other acts of violence) occurred at your school?

_______________

Number of incidents of violence per month

D3. So far, this school year, how many incidents involving the following disciplinary actions have been taken?

	Number of incidents
Expulsions
Out-of-school suspensions
In-school suspensions

E. special education Policies and Practices

E1. Do you have a formal and systematic written procedure for providing alternatives to special education services for students who are identified with learning problems (i.e., prereferral interventions)?

1	Yes PLEASE CONTINUE WITH QUESTION E1b.
2	No PLEASE GO TO QUESTION E2.

b. Which of the following are involved in this procedure? PLEASE CIRCLE ALL THAT APPLY.

1	School team conference (e.g., multidisciplinary team)
2	Individual consultation provided to teachers by a specialist
3	Special education pre-referral intervention team
4	Other:_____________________________________________________________

E2. Which of the following are available to general education teachers when special education students are included in their classes? PLEASE CIRCLE ALL THAT APPLY.

1	Consultation by special education staff or other staff
2	Special materials to use with the special education students
3	Inservice training on the needs of the special education students
4	Teacher aides, instructional assistants, or aides for individual students
5	Smaller student load or class size
6	Other:______________________________________________________________
7	None of these

E3. When students take standardized tests or performance assessments, what percentage of students with high incidence disabilities participate (e.g., students with learning, speech, or emotional disabilities or mild mental retardation)? PLEASE CIRCLE ONE NUMBER.

1	More than 90%
2	75%-90%
3	51%-74%
4	26%-50%
5	Less than 25%
6	Do not have students with high incidence disabilities

E4. When students in your school take mandated standardized or tests performance assessments, what percentage of students with low incidence disabilities participate (e.g., students who are deaf, blind, significant cognitive impairments, or have physical impairments)? PLEASE CIRCLE ONE NUMBER.

1	More than 90%
2	75%-90%
3	51%-74%
4	26%-50%
5	Less than 25%
6	Do not have students with low incidence disabilities

E5. How are exemptions from mandated standardized tests or performance assessments granted for individual students with disabilities? PLEASE CIRCLE ALL THAT APPLY.

0	Not applicable; no students with disabilities were exempted from tests or no students with disabilities attend this school
1	Principal decision
2	IEP committee decision
3	Individual general education teacher(s) decision
4	Individual special education teacher(s) decision
5	Parental request
6	Other:______________________________________________________________

E6. Which of the following statements best characterizes your schoolís practice regarding special education students who take mandated standardized tests or performance assessments? PLEASE CIRCLE ALL THAT APPLY.

When standardized assessments are mandated, special education students are . . .

1	Required to follow the same procedures and meet the same standards for successful completion as regular education students
2	Provided special accommodation in taking the test (e.g., reader, dictation, more time)
3	Provided with a modified version of the test (e.g., shortened version, different test materials covering same content)
4	Complete an alternate assessment

E7. In the most recent reporting of your schoolís mandated standardized test scores, were the test scores of special education students included with the test scores of general education students in the school?

1	Yes: All special education student test scores reported.
2	Yes: Some special education student test scores reported
3	No

E8a. Standards-based reform is being implemented in various ways around the country. Are students with disabilities addressed in your schoolís academic content standards (e.g., for math, reading)?

0	Not applicable; our school does not use specific content standards
1	Yes PLEASE GO ON TO QUESTION E8b
2	No PLEASE GO TO QUESTION E9

b. How are students with disabilities addressed? PLEASE CIRCLE ONE NUMBER.

1	General policy statement (e.g., "standards will apply to all students")
2	Specific references to students with disabilities (e.g., "standards will apply to students with a diversity of learner styles, including students with disabilities")
3	Specific written accommodations and adaptations
4	Individual students handled on a case-by-case basis
5	No special references to students with disabilities
6	Other:______________________________________________________________

E9. Does your school arrange alternative services or placements for special education students who are expelled and/or suspended from your school,? PLEASE CIRCLE ONE NUMBER.

0	Not applicable; special education students are not expelled or suspended or do not attend this school
1	Yes
2	No

E10. Does your school have a policy that prohibits the promotion of students who are performing poorly (i.e., social promotions)?

YES

For general education students?

For special education students?

N/A (no special education students attend this school)

F. Parent involvement

F1. Which of the following does your school offer to promote parent involvement? PLEASE CIRCLE ALL THAT APPLY.

1	Open house or "back to school night"
2	Regularly scheduled school-wide parent-teacher conferences
3	Special subject-area events to which parents are invited (e.g., science fairs)
4	Parent presentations at "career days" or other occupational development activities
5	Parent education workshops or courses
6	Written contract between school and parent
7	Parent-child learning activities at school (e.g., "Family Math")
8	Parents as volunteers in the school
9	Parents as paid classroom aides
10	Parents involved in instructional issues (e.g., materials selection)
11	Parents involved in governance (e.g., on school site management council)
12	At-home parent-child learning activities to support school objectives
13	Services to support parent involvement (e.g., child care for school events)
14	Translation of school information into languages other than English used by parents
15	Other:_____________________________________________________________
16	None of these

F2. Which of the following forms of communication between parents and staff occur at your school? PLEASE CIRCLE ALL THAT APPLY.

1	Parents are given interim reports or report cards on student performance or attendance.
2	Parents are asked to sign off on homework.
3	Parents are given positive phone calls or notes from teachers.
4	Parents have access to a school-sponsored "homework hotline"
5	Parents are given examples of work that meet high standards.
6	Parents have access to the schoolís Web site with information specific to them.
7	A regular system for communicating with parents exists, such as a newsletter or phone tree
8	None of these

F3. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statement: "This school does a good job of reaching out to parents who are typically not involved at the school." PLEASE CIRCLE ONE NUMBER.

1	Strongly agree
2	Agree
3	Disagree
4	Strongly disagree

If your school is an elementary or middle school, please complete Section G below. If your school is a high school, please go to Section H, page 12
G. MOVING ON (FOR ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS ONLY)

G1. Which of the following are provided to support student's transitions from your school to the schools that serve higher grade levels (i.e., the transition from elementary to middle or middle to high school)? PLEASE CIRCLE ALL THAT APPLY.

1	Groups of students visit their next school before school starts.
2	Staff from receiving school come to your school to give presentations to students.
3	Information is provided the receiving school about this student (e.g., student performance information, disability awareness).
4	Your school staff meet with those from the receiving school specifically about individual students.
5	Parents and/or students are encouraged to meet with staff of the receiving school individually before starting school there.
6	Preparatory strategies are developed for individual students who need them (e.g., behavior plans, school scheduling modifications, etc.)
7	Other:______________________________________________________________
8	None of these

G2. To what school[s] do students from your school typically go after finishing this school?

Name of School: ________________________________________________________

Address:_______________________________________________________________

Name of School: ________________________________________________________

Address:_______________________________________________________________

THANK YOU FOR COMPLETING THIS QUESTIONNAIRE!

Please return it in the postage-paid envelope to:

The Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study (SEELS)

SRI International

Center for Education and Human Services

333 Ravenswood Avenue

Menlo Park, CA 94025

H. about High Schools

H1a. During the previous school year, how many 12^th grade students were enrolled at your school?

_________

Number of 12^th grade students enrolled

b. How many of these were special education students?

_________

Number of 12^th grade special education students enrolled

H2a. During the previous school year, how many 12^th grade students graduated with a regular diploma from your school?

_________

Number of 12^th grade students who graduated

b. How many of these were special education students?

_________

Number of 12^th grade special education students who graduated

H3. During the previous school year, about how many students who had been enrolled in your school were considered to be drop-outs by the end of that year? Please give your best estimate.

_________

Number of total students who dropped out the previous year

b. How many of these were special education students?

_________

12^th grade special education students who dropped out

H4. For students who are receiving special education services or are covered by a 504 plan, at what age does vocational or post-secondary transition planning usually begin?

Age of students

SEELS DESIGN DOCUMENTS