Study on Sustaining the Positive Effects of Preschool

Appendix C. Pre-interview Survey for Districts and Principals

Study on Sustaining the

Positive Effects of Preschool

Pre-interview Survey for Districts and Principals

American Institutes for Research (AIR), under contract with the Policy and Program Studies Service (PPSS) within the U.S. Department of Education, is conducting a study of practices in early elementary school to sustain the effects of preschool. The purpose of the study is to document characteristics of programs and policies in early elementary school that support student growth and development, such as PK–3 alignment, differentiated instruction, and other programs designed to sustain the advantages of preschool. This brief survey aims to gather some basic information in advance of our interview.

Our research is focused on making connections between early elementary school and earlier preschool experiences that students may have had. Therefore this set of questions focuses on preschool-related data and other district data that the district or school might collect.

1. Which best describes your role?

   School principal
   District staff member
   Other (Specify: ___________________)

2. Does your district [OR SCHOOL] track which students have participated in preschool programs (e.g., private preschools or nursery schools, public state or district funded programs, Head Start)?

_____ yes ______ no

1. If preschool participation is tracked, approximately what percentage of district [OR SCHOOL] kindergartners attended preschool of any type?

_________%

1. We are interested in what type of preschool programs those students attended. What percentage of kindergartners in your district [OR SCHOOL] attended the following types of preschool programs? (Note: These categories may overlap.)

   Private preschools or nursery schools	_______%
   Public state or district funded programs	_______%
   Preschool programs that are intentionally aligned with elementary schools in your [district/school, or located at your school]	_______%
   Head Start	_______%

1. We are interested in staff and student stability in your district [SCHOOL].

1. (For district) In the past three years, what percentage of elementary schools in your district that are implementing [program] have changed principals? __________%

2. (For principal) In the past three years, what percentage of teachers in grades PreK–3 have left your school? ___________%

3. (For principal) What is the average mobility rate for all students in your school over the last three years? _________%

4. (For both) Does mobility tend to be higher at one or more grade levels in elementary school[s]? If so, which grade(s)? _________________________

5. (For principal) Please complete the table below so we learn about the demographics of students in your school [for PreK-3 alignment sites only: and students who enter kindergarten having attended the aligned (or on-site) preschool program].

	Schoolwide	[ For PreK-3 alignment sites only: ] Incoming kindergartners (fall 2015) from aligned/on-site preschool program
Race/Ethnicity American Indian or Alaska Native Asian Black or African American Hispanic or Latino Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander White	_______% _______% _______% _______% _______% _______%	_______% _______% _______% _______% _______% _______%
Percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch	_______%	_______%
Percentage of students designated as English learners	_______%	_______%
Percentage of students with an IEP	_______%	_______%
Most common languages spoken other than English (list)

6. (For both) If your district or school tracks preschool participation, do you analyze early elementary student outcomes based on whether or not students attended preschool?

_____ yes (GO TO NEXT QUESTION) ______ no (END)

1. If your district or school analyzes outcomes based on preschool attendance, please describe your analyses. How do you compare students who attended preschool versus those who did not? Which outcomes and assessments are used?

   
   

2. If your district or school analyzes outcomes based on preschool attendance, what patterns do you see in the data?

Thank you for providing this information!

American Institutes for Research Task Order 18: Study on Sustaining the Positive Effects of Preschool—C-1

1875_06/15