Appendix E - Prekindergarten Director Survey

APPENDIX e

preKINDERGARTEN director survey

TITLE I EARLY CHILDHOOD LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT STUDY

Prekindergarten Director Survey

A ugust 1, 2011

Notice of Confidentiality

Information collected for this study come under the confidentiality and data protection requirements of the Institute of Education Sciences (The Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002, Title I, Part E, Section 183). Information that could identify an individual or institution will be separated from the survey responses submitted, kept in secured locations, and be destroyed as soon as they are no longer required. Survey responses will be used only for research purposes. The reports prepared for the study will summarize findings across individuals and institutions and will not associate responses with a specific district, school, or person.

Conducted by: Mathematica Policy Research

www.mathematica-mpr.com

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 time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 15 minutes per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering the data needed, and completing and reviewing the information collected. The obligation to respond to this collection is voluntary. Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20210-4537 or email [email protected] and reference the OMB Control Number 1850-0871. Note: Please do not return the completed Title I Early Childhood Language Development Study: Prekindergarten Director Survey to this address.

This questionnaire is an important part of a larger study supported under a contract from the U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences. The overall purpose of the National Title I Study of Implementation and Outcomes: Early Childhood Language Development is to understand more about school programs and instructional practices associated with improved language development, background knowledge, and comprehension outcomes for children in prekindergarten through third grade.

The prekindergarten director questionnaire is divided into five sections. Each section includes a small set of questions about your prekindergarten program, including program services and practices, staff development, and student characteristics. The questions in these sections should be answered by the person who is most knowledgeable about the prekindergarten program operating in the school(s) listed on the cover page of the questionnaire.

Some questions may request information that is not readily available from your records. Informed estimates are acceptable for such questions. Please answer each question by checking the appropriate box or by writing your answers in the space provided.

Thank you very much for your help.

A1. Do prekindergarten classes in your program go on field trips (e.g. trips to museums, historical sites, farms)?

1 □ Yes

0 □ No GO TO A3a

A2. On average, how many field trips would a single prekindergarten class typically take in a school year?

IF NONE WRITE “0.”

| | | AVERAGE NUMBER OF FIELD TRIPS

A3a. Does your prekindergarten program have a policy for dedicating a period of the day, minimum amount of time, or block for reading or language arts instruction for students?

1 □ Yes

0 □ No GO TO B1, PAGE 2

A3b. How many minutes per day are set aside for reading or language arts instruction?

| | | MINUTES PER DAY

B1. Do prekindergarten teachers receive assistance from a reading/literacy coach?

A reading/literacy coach is a staff member whose primary role is to provide ongoing training and support to school staff in the delivery of reading and language arts instruction.

1 □ Yes

0 □ No GO TO C1, PAGE 3

B2. Does the reading/literacy coach…

	MARK ONE PER ROW
	YES	NO
a. Provide professional development for teachers?	1 □	0 □
b. Administer or coordinate reading assessments?	1 □	0 □
c. Order/manage reading instructional materials?	1 □	0 □
d. Provide direct reading instruction to children?	1 □	0 □
e. Organize professional development for teachers?	1 □	0 □
f. Other (Specify)	1 □	0 □

B3a. Are prekindergarten teachers in your program given time for planning lessons and curriculum with other prekindergarten teachers?

1 □ Yes

0 □ No

B3b. Are they given time for planning lessons and curriculum with teachers in other grades in the school?

1 □ Yes

0 □ No

C1. During this school year (2011-2012), how many prekindergarten students in total do you serve in your program?

WRITE IN NUMBER BELOW.

Total prekindergarten students | | | | |

C2a. Do any prekindergarten students in your program have an Individual Education Plan (IEP) or Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) because they have special needs?

1 □ Yes

0 □ No GO TO C3

C2b. What percentage of prekindergarten students has an Individual Education Plan (IEP) or Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) because they have special needs?

WRITE IN PERCENTAGE BELOW.

IF NONE WRITE “0.”

Percentage of prekindergarten students with an IEP/IFSP | | | %

C3. What percentage of prekindergarten children in your program receive bilingual or English as a Second Language (ESL) services or both? If none, write “0.”

	mark only ONE PER ROW
	RECEIVE BILINGUAL SERVICES ONLY	receivE ESL SERVICES ONLY	RECEIVE BOTH ESL AND BILINGUAL SERVICES
Prekindergarten children	| | | %	| | | %	| | | %

C4. Are any of the following special services provided to families of English Language Learner (ELL) children in your prekindergarten program?

	MARK ONE PER ROW
	YES	NO
a. Translators are made available to parents for parent/teacher and other parent/staff (e.g., counselor) meetings and/or meetings are conducted in the parents’ non-English language.	1 □	0 □
b. Translation of written communications are provided in the parents’ non-English language	1 □	0 □
c. An outreach worker assists in enrolling children	1 □	0 □
d. The program conducts special parent meetings for non-English background families	1 □	0 □
e. Other (Specify)	1 □	0 □

C5. Are any of the following programs or services available for parents and families who use your prekindergarten program? Please include services run by your program that are directly offered to families with children in your prekindergarten program.

	MARK ONE PER ROW
	YES	NO
a. Parenting education programs (e.g., classes on child development, education in being a parent, understanding children with special needs)	1 □	0 □
b. Adult literacy program (including Adult Basic Education)	1 □	0 □
c. Program providing interactive literacy activities between parents and children	1 □	0 □
d. Health or social services offered collaboratively by service agencies such as hospitals	1 □	0 □
e. Orientation to school setting for new families	1 □	0 □
f. Other (Specify)	1 □	0 □

C6. Were any prekindergarten students expelled from your program in the LAST school year (2010-2011)—that is, removed or transferred for at least the remainder of the school year?

1 □ Yes

0 □ No GO TO D1, PAGE 5

C6a. How many were expelled in the LAST school year (2010-2011)?

WRITE IN NUMBER BELOW. If none write “0.”

Number of prekindergarten students expelled | | |

D1. Did (or will) your prekindergarten program receive money from the following sources for the 2011-2012 school year?

	MARK ONE PER ROW
	YES	NO	DON’T KNOW
a. State or local education funds	1 □	0 □	d □
b. Head Start	1 □	0 □	d □
c. Title I funds	1 □	0 □	d □
d. Federal or local programs for children with disabilities	1 □	0 □	d □
e. Child care funds through a state or local agency	1 □	0 □	d □
f. Other (Specify)	1 □	0 □	d □

The next questions ask about steps that schools may take to coordinate their prekindergarten and kindergarten programs and to ease students’ transitions from prekindergarten to kindergarten.

E1. How does your prekindergarten program coordinate with the kindergarten in the same school building? Do prekindergarten and kindergarten staff…

	MARK ONE PER ROW
	YES	NO
a. Participate in joint trainings and professional development?	1 □	0 □
b. Use a common curriculum?	1 □	0 □
c. Examine and modify the scope and sequence of coverage of topics to align instruction better between prekindergarten and kindergarten?	1 □	0 □
d. Develop cross-grade themes to integrate instruction between prekindergarten and kindergarten?	1 □	0 □
e. Share information about rules and program policies?	1 □	0 □
f. Share information on expectations of children and families?	1 □	0 □
g. Share information about individual children’s performance and any difficulties children are experiencing?	1 □	0 □
h. Jointly participate in the development of IEPs/IFSPs for children with disabilities?	1 □	0 □
i. Do anything else? (Specify)	1 □	0 □

E2. Does your prekindergarten program do any of the following?

	MARK ONE PER ROW
	YES	NO
a. Invite parents to attend informational meetings or discussions with school staff about kindergarten transition	1 □	1 □
b. Children visit kindergarten classrooms and meet kindergarten teachers prior to the start of the school year	1 □	1 □
c. Kindergarten teachers visit the prekindergarten classes to talk with parents and children	1 □	1 □
d. Anything else? (Specify)	1 □	1 □