Survey of Former Public School Principals
The purpose of this feasibility study is to determine if it is possible to collect background demographic data on public school principals who left the profession between the 2006-07 and 2007-08 school years, and to learn about their reasons for leaving. The study will start with a sample of 1,200 such principals, selected to be nationally representative of the universe of principal leavers with probability proportional to the size of school and stratification by locale and percent minority enrollment.
For each principal, the CCD school and district variables for the last school they worked at are available, and recent contact information address and phone number will be provided through an independent tracing activity. The survey items will be drawn from the 2007-08 Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) Principal questionnaire and from the 2004-05 Teacher Follow Survey (TFS) Leaver questionnaire. We anticipate that the questionnaire will be 3 to 4 pages in length to be administered by telephone.
PRINCIPAL LEAVER SURVEY
PRINCIPAL EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING
[New Screener, to confirm tracing results]
1a. I would like to confirm that you were a school principal in the 2006-07 school year
Yes
No (terminate)
[New Screener, to confirm tracing results]
1b. Please tell me the name of the school where you were employed in the 2006-07 school year.
(Ideally this field would be populated with the information from the sample frame, and the interviewer would simply be confirming the name, if not, the interviewer would have to ask and record the name of the 2006-07 school).
[SASS 2007-08 Principal Survey Question 1]
2. How many years did you serve as the principal of THAT OR ANY OTHER school?
(This question is new and may need some work in presentation. In CATI, the word “that” in this question and the next should be populated with the name of the school from 1b.)
Count part of a year as 1 year.
Year(s) as principal of this or any other school
[SASS 2007-08 Principal Survey Question 2]
3. How many years did you serve as the principal of THAT school?
Count part of a year as 1 year.
Year(s) as principal of this school
[TFS 2003-04 Former Teacher Survey Question 19]
4. What is your current MAIN occupational status? Mark (X) only one box.
Not working
Working as a principal
If yes,
Did you also work as a principal last year?
Yes
Was it in the same school as 2006-07?
Yes (terminate the interview and code as a stayer)
No (ask 5-7 and then terminate the interview and code as a mover)
No
Working in a position in the field of education, but not as a principal
Working in an occupation outside the field of education
[TFS 2007-08 Former Teacher Survey, New item cognitive testing completed]
5. What are your estimated annual before-tax earnings at your current job? (Include earnings from commissions, merit pay bonuses, and other bonuses from this job. Record earnings in whole numbers)
$ per year
[TFS 2007-08 Former Teacher Survey, New item cognitive testing completed]
6. Are you currently receiving a pension from a teacher/principal retirement system?
Yes How much, BEFORE TAXES $ Per year
No
[TFS 2007-08 Former Teacher Survey, New item cognitive testing completed]
7a. Did you receive an incentive to retire from the position of principal at your 2006-07 school?
Yes
No (go to 8)
[TFS 2007-08 Former Teacher Survey, New item cognitive testing completed]
7b. Would you have remained in your position as a principal if you had not received an incentive to retire?
Yes
No
[SASS 2007-08 Principal Survey Question 3]
8. Before you became a principal, how many years of elementary or secondary teaching experience did you have?
Count part of a year as 1 year.
If none, please mark (X) the box.
None or
Year(s) of teaching before becoming a principal
[SASS 2007-08 Principal Survey Question 7-The response categories under yes are new, and may require further response options for coding purposes.]
9. Before you became a principal, did you have any management experience outside of the field of education?
Yes
What was that?
How long did you do that?
No
[SASS 2007-08 Principal Survey Question 8-Field of study, and please specify are new to this item, and may require further response categories for coding.]
10. What is the highest degree you have earned?
Do not have a degree (GO TO item 13 below.)
Associate degree (GO TO item 13 below.)
Bachelor’s degree (B.A., B.S., etc.) (GO TO item 13 below.)
What was your field of study?
Master’s degree (M.A., M.A.T., M.B.A., M.Ed., M.S., etc.) please specify
Educational specialist or professional diploma (at least one year beyond master’s level) Doctorate or first professional degree (Ph.D., Ed.D., M.D., L.L.B., J.D., D.D.S.) please specify
[SASS 2007-08 Principal Survey Question 9]
11. Do you have a master’s degree or higher in Education Administration?
Yes
No
[New item, added per Mark Schneider]
12. Do you have a doctoral degree in Education Administration?
Yes
No
VIII DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION
[SASS 2007-08 Principal Survey Question 39]
13. Are you male or female?
Male
Female
[SASS 2007-08 Principal Survey Question 40]
14. Are you of Hispanic or Latino origin?
Yes
No
[SASS 2007-08 Principal Survey Question 41a]
15a. What is your race?
Mark (X) one or more races to indicate what you consider yourself to be.
White (GO TO item 16 below.)
Black or African-American (GO TO item 16 below.)
Asian (GO TO item 16 below.)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander (GO TO item 16 below.)
American Indian or Alaska Native
[SASS 2007-08 Principal Survey Question 41b]
15b. Are you enrolled in a state or federally recognized tribe?
Yes
No
[SASS 2007-08 Principal Survey Question 42]
16. What is your year of birth?
Year of birth
[SASS 2007-08 Principal Survey Question 43]
17. What was your ANNUAL salary the last year you were a principal before taxes
and deductions?
(Consider whether to use categories)
If your position includes multiple duties (e.g., you teach a class and serve as principal at this school), please include your entire salary before taxes and deductions.
Please report in whole dollars.
$ per year
INFORMATION ON LEAVING THE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION PROFESSION
[TFS 2007-08 Former Teacher Survey Question 13]
18. Indicate the level of importance EACH of the following played in your decision to
leave your 2006-07 position as a K–12 principal.
Mark (X) one box on each line. (Not at all important, Slightly important, Somewhat important, Very important, Extremely important
Health
Retirement
School staffing action (e.g., reduction-in-force, lay-off, school closing, school reorganization, reassignment)
For better salary or benefits
To pursue a position other than that of a K–12 principal
To take courses to improve career opportunities WITHIN the field of education
To take courses to improve career opportunities OUTSIDE the field of education
Dissatisfied with previous school or administrator assignment
Change in residence
Pregnancy/child rearing
Other family or personal reasons
[TFS 2007-08 Former Teacher Survey Question 14]
19. From the items above, which do you consider the most important reason in your
decision to leave your 2006-07 position as a K–12 principal?
Enter the letter from item 18 above.
IF currently employed as a principal terminate now
[TFS 2007-08 Former Teacher Survey Question 20]
20. How would you rate your current position relative to school administration in terms of each of the following aspects?
Mark (X) one box on each line. (Better in current position, Not better or worse, Better as principal)
a. Salary
b. Benefits (e.g., health insurance, retirement plan)
c. Opportunities for professional ADVANCEMENT or PROMOTION
d. Opportunities for professional DEVELOPMENT
e. Opportunities for learning from colleagues
f. Social relationships with colleagues
g. Recognition and support from administrators/managers
h. Safety of environment
i. Influence over workplace policies and practices
j. Autonomy or control over your own work
k. Professional prestige
l. Procedures for performance evaluation
m. Manageability of workload
n. Ability to balance personal life and work
o. Availability of resources and materials/equipment for doing job
p. General work conditions
q. Job security
r. Intellectual challenge
s. Sense of personal accomplishment
t. Opportunities to make a difference in the lives of others
[TFS 2007-08 Former Teacher Survey Question 21]
21. Thinking about all the factors that influence your job satisfaction, overall, how satisfied are you with your current position compared to the position of a K–12 principal?
Mark (X) only one box.
More satisfied as a principal
More satisfied in current position
No difference
[TFS 2007-08 Former Teacher Survey Question 23]
22. Would you consider returning to the position of a K–12 principal?
Mark (X) only one box.
Yes
No (GO TO 26)
IF YES:
[TFS 2007-08 Former Teacher Survey Question 24]
23. At what level would you most like to work?
Mark (X) only one box.
Elementary (including kindergarten)
Junior high/Middle school
Senior high➜
[TFS 2007-08 Former Teacher Survey Question 27]
24. What is the LOWEST salary, not including benefits, you would accept to return to the position of a K–12 principal?
$ , .0 0
[TFS 2007-08 Former Teacher Survey Question 28]
25. How soon might you return to the position of a K–12 principal?
Mark (X) only one box.
Later this school year (2008–09)
Next school year (2009–10)
After the 2009–10 school year but before the 2014–15 school year
(Consider rewording as: Not next year but within the following 5 years)
During the 2014–15 school year or later
(Consider rewording as: More than 6 years from now)
Undecided
CONTACT INFORMATION (If we decide we want it)
[TFS 2007-08 Former Teacher Survey Question 36]
26. The survey you have completed may involve a brief follow-up at a later time in order to gain additional information on former principals’ movements in the labor force. The following information would assist us in contacting you if you have moved or changed jobs.
(Verify current address and telephone information provided from search, populated in a CATI, then collect)
Street address
City
State
ZIP code + 4
Home phone number– –
In whose name is the telephone number listed?
Mobile phone number– –
Home email address
Check here if you are the only person who receives email at this address.
I am the only person who receives email at this address.
Work email address
Check here if you are the only person who receives email at this address.
I am the only person who receives email at this address.
[TFS 2007-08 Former Teacher Survey Question 37]
27. What are the names and addresses of two other people who would know where to get in touch with you during the coming years? Please do not list more than one person who now lives with you. Remember to record the relationship of these persons to you (for example, parent, friend, sister, cousin, etc.)
First person
(1) Name
(2) Relationship to you
(3) Street address
(4) City
(5) State
(6) ZIP code + 4
(7) Home phone number
(8) In whose name is the telephone number listed?
b. Second person
What is the name and address of another person who would know where to get in
touch with you during the coming years?
(1) Name
(2) Relationship to you
(3) Street address
(4) City
(5) State
(6) ZIP code + 4
(7) Home phone number
(8) In whose name is the telephone number listed?
| File Type | application/msword |
| File Title | Survey of Former Public School Principals |
| Author | marilyn.seastrom |
| Last Modified By | kathy.axt |
| File Modified | 2008-07-22 |
| File Created | 2008-07-22 |