Instructions for Survey Administrators

BCPS Youth Health & School Climate Survey

Instructions for Survey Administrators

1. Record on the Class-Level Information Form the number of students who are enrolled in the class.

2. Take attendance, and be sure only the students with parental permission are given a questionnaire (see your list of students whose parents have opted them out to verify if the student on the list is present).

3. Ensure students’ desks are spread throughout the classroom to minimize the chance students will see eachothers’ responses.

4. Do not allow students or teachers to wander around the room or talk while others are completing the survey.

5. Encourage students to keep the booklet somewhat closed to cover their responses as they work.

6. Read the script for Teacher Proctors/directions to the students before they begin. Remind students about the importance of the survey, that completing the survey is voluntary, that their responses are anonymous, and that their grade in the class will not be affected by whether or not they complete the survey. If a student has not been granted permission or does not want to take the survey, provide them with a blank survey booklet to complete the alternative activity, which will not be used in data analysis, or excuse them from the classroom, as appropriate.

7. Remind students not to place their name or school name on the questionnaire booklet. Explain that while there is an ID number on the booklet, their name will not be linked with the number. It is only for the purposes of keeping track of all the booklets once they are returned to the data collectors.

8. Allow enough time for students to complete the survey without feeling rushed. About 40 minutes should be sufficient for the students to complete the survey.

9. Make sure that only #2 pencils are used.

10. Do not review the answers to the survey as questionnaire booklets are returned, even if this means accepting incomplete data. Do not even appear to be looking at the booklets. Keep the cover closed on the booklet and allow students to deposit their booklet into the large envelope. Students must be confident that their privacy will be maintained and their participation will remain anonymous.

BCPS Youth Health & School Climate Survey

Instructions for Survey Administrators (continued)

11. When all students have returned their questionnaire booklets, record on the Class-Level Information Form the number of students in the class who have completed the survey.

Return the questionnaire booklets to the ICF/BCPS team:

12. Bundle the Class-Level Information Form and all the questionnaire booklets for your class together in the sealed envelope. The ICF/BCPS team will collect these from each classroom.

BCPS Youth Health & School Climate Survey

Script for Survey Administrators

STEP 1 – Verify that all assembled students have received passive parental consent forms and that non-participating students (if any) are provided the alternate activity booklet, or excused from the classroom as appropriate (use the list you created to verify which students do not have permission to participate).

STEP 2 – After students are seated, distribute pencils. Do not distribute questionnaire booklets.

STEP 3 – Introduce the survey to the class.

Good (morning/afternoon). ICF International and the Broward County Public Schools are conducting this student survey. I’d like to thank each of you for participating in the Youth Health & School Climate Survey.

Participating in this survey is voluntary and your grade in this class will not be affected, whether or not you answer the questions. You can choose to not participate if you wish. However, only a limited number of students like you are participating in this survey in schools all over the Broward County. The answers you give are very important so the results are accurate.

I would like to emphasize that this is not a test of you, or this school. To improve this school, educators and health officials want to know more about the climate at this school and students’ experiences here. The survey will also include questions about topics taught in schools, experiences with harassment and bullying, and about sexual behaviors that cause AIDS, other sexually transmitted disease, and pregnancy. The information will be used to improve the school environment at your school so that students feel safer and will help to improve health behavior.

STEP 4 – Distribute questionnaire booklets. Emphasize privacy/anonymity.

Throughout the entire survey process, I will maintain strict procedures to protect your privacy and allow for your anonymous participation. Please do not write your name on the questionnaire booklet. Your answers are private and we do not want to know your name. Results of this survey will never be reported by name or class. I will not look at any of your answers. When you finish, close the questionnaire booklet.

PAUSE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. ANSWER QUESTIONS RELATED TO UNIQUE ID ON THE BOOKLET IF STUDENTS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT PRIVACY

STEP 5 – INSTRUCT THE CLASS IN FILLING OUT THE QUESTIONNAIRE

Now I would like you to look at the questionnaire booklet. Please take a moment to read the instructions on the front cover of the questionnaire. Do you have any questions?

(PAUSE)

Use the # 2 pencil you have been given to fill out the questionnaire booklet. Do not use a pen or any other pencil. Notice that for each question on the questionnaire, there is a corresponding set of ovals. Please read each question in detail. At times only one oval should be filled in for each question. When the question asks you to mark all that apply, please fill in the appropriate responses, which may mean you select more than one answer. For each question, fill in the corresponding oval(s) on the questionnaire booklet. If you must change an answer, erase your old answer completely.

BCPS Youth Health & School Climate Survey

Script for Survey Administrators (continued)

If you are not comfortable answering a question, just leave it blank. If you choose to not participate in the survey, leave all of the answers blank.

Please be sure to read every question carefully. When you are finished, look over your questionnaire booklet to make sure that you have not skipped any questions you wanted to answer. You have the entire class period to complete the survey if you need it, which means that the survey will end at approximately _______ (a.m./p.m.). If you finish before that time, close the booklet to keep your completed questionnaire booklet covered. Then, please stay seated and remain quiet until I ask you to turn it in. Do not talk with other students. When everyone is done, I’ll ask you to place your completed questionnaire booklet in this large envelope. At that point, I will not look at any of your answers.

It is important that you answer the questions based on what you really know and do. Do not pick a response just because you think that’s what someone wants you to say. I am not allowed to answer any questions. Simply do the best that you can. Please begin.

STEP 6– AT THE END OF CLASS PERIOD, HAVE STUDENTS PLACE THE COMPLETED QUESTIONNAIRE BOOKLETS IN THE CLASSROOM ENVELOPE.

STEP 7– THANK PARTICIPANTS.

I would like to thank all of you for participating in the survey. The information you have provided will be used to the school environment for students like yourselves in Broward County.

STEP 8– ICF/BCPS DATA COLLECTORS WILL COME AROUND TO YOUR CLASSROOM TO COLLECT THE ENVELOPES CONTAINING THE COMPLETED SURVEYS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP!