Questions
What are the open-ended question(s) on the fall survey?
"I am" / "I am not" questions
"One thing I want my teacher to know about how I learn is ..."
"Is there anything else you would like to share with your teacher?"
Also: Teacher and period, questions about race, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality
What languages can students take the survey in?
Spanish, Vietnamese, Somali, Chinese, Russian, and English (the 6 core PPS languages)
When are classrooms able to take the fall 2023 survey?
September 5-22
A student doesn't feel comfortable answering a question or doesn't want to answer a question. What do you do/say?
The student has every right to skip/not answer any question they do not want to answer, and no questions are required. The purpose of the survey is to provide them a chance to give feedback about the things they would like to share.
Who should you reach out to if you have questions before, during, or after the survey administration?
Savanna, the GEAR UP evaluation team logistics coordinator: svest@pps.net
Or anyone else on the evaluation team!
What are the scale questions asking students about? How do students answer them?
They ask students about their experiences in the classroom and correspond to GEAR UP's developmental practices.
Students answer by choosing how much they feel is correct for them - ranging from "Almost all the time" to "Hardly ever"
What is the difference between confidentiality and anonymity?
Confidentiality - students identities are not connected to their responses - with the exception of any responses that require mandatory reporting (ex.: responses that demonstrate potential or actual harm to themselves or others)
Anonymity - there is no way anyone will ever know how the student responded and that they responded, no matter the circumstances
Which classes do mentors support for survey administration and when?
The class(es) you are a mentor for, during the periods scheduled to take the survey
A student is having difficulty signing into the survey online. What do you do?
Ask if they have already taken the survey in another classroom or period. If they have, that is why they cannot sign in, and they do not need to take the survey again.
Ask if the student is new to the class. If they are, they may not be in the database of students yet.
If the student cannot sign in, provide them a physical copy of the survey in the language of their choosing.
Who should teachers contact if they have questions after survey administration?
Savanna, the GU evaluation team logistics coordinator: svest@pps.net
Jessaca, the GU evaluation team supervisor: jwillis1@pps.net
Students are asked to think about what the highest level of education they believe these groups/people expect them to achieve
Their teacher, their family, their friends, and themselves (the individual student)
What is the purpose of the "Our Story" slideshow?
To provide context to students about the survey they are about to take and describe the types of questions they will see on the survey. To emphasize that this is an opportunity for students to share their genuine feedback about their classroom.
Which classes of partner teachers take the survey?
All partner teacher classes: both mentor-supported classrooms and classrooms that do not have a mentor
A student has spent 20 minutes on the same question and is unsure of how to answer. What should you do?
Share that students do not have to come up with answers for questions they are unsure of how to answer. Share that they can move on to other questions and return to it before submitting if they would like.
What is the feedback loop's purpose and how will it work after survey administration?
The eval team will meet with mentors at a date and time to be set shortly after survey administration. The purpose is to obtain feedback about the survey administration process and survey itself, and this feedback will be integrated shortly after so that it is accounted for already by the time the next semester's survey comes.
How do students answer questions pertaining to their identity (questions which ask about race, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality)?
Students can select as many categories as they identify with; they do not have to choose just one answer. The open-response section provides students the ability to describe their identity in their own words, beyond the limitations of categorical questions.
Students can choose to not answer these questions if they do not feel comfortable doing so or if they just do not want to answer them.
What are the benefits of classrooms taking the survey?
Findings from the survey and other parts of the evaluation will inform how to improve our services to your school, students, and families.
Access to vital information about what students are experiencing in schools. The results of the survey will be shared with schools and teachers via an interactive dashboard.
GEAR UP TOSAs will be available to help schools and students interact with the data for school improvement and instructional needs. The dashboard will be available roughly 3-4 weeks after the survey administration window ends.
Which PPS schools take the survey?
All Partner Teacher classrooms across nine PPS comprehensive high schools: McDaniel, Roosevelt, Jefferson, Alliance, Grant, Ida B. Wells, Franklin, Cleveland, & Benson.
A student has already taken the survey in another class. Do they need to take it again?
No.
Where will the data from the survey go/how will it be used?
The data will be confidentially consolidated into a filterable, interactive dashboard shortly after the survey period ends.
TOSAs will train partner teachers on how to use the dashboard so that teachers and mentors can utilize the data to inform their practice in their classrooms, share it back with their students, and create interactive lessons with their students about their responses/the data.
The confidential data will be shared with some district and possibly national-level institutions in order to show the impact of GEAR UP - specifically the positive impact that TOSAs, mentors, and partner teachers have.
How has the survey been updated for this semester?
"I am" and "I am not" statements are back
A question was added asking the student about anything else they would like to share with their teacher
What materials do you need to prepare for and conduct survey administration?
The "Our Story" slideshow, virtual and physical copies of the survey (including copies in other languages), survey 1-pager, student survey administration guide
Optional: a device for students to take the survey on if they do not have one and if you have one to share
Who schedules the survey for the classrooms you support?
The TOSA of your school (Steve, Shannon, or Noel) will schedule with your Partner Teacher. When dates/times are decided, they will tell the logistics coordinator (Savanna) who will send calendar invitations to everyone.
A student would like to ask you something about a survey question, but they're taking the survey in a language you do not know. What should you do?
Use a physical or digital copy of the survey in a language of your choice to see which question they are asking about to then answer their question. (You can cross-reference questions by the number the question is assigned.)
How does the data come back to students and the community?
Community Meaning Making sessions, teacher- or mentor-led lessons in class