Annenberg Institute for School Reform. Reasons for Hope, Voices for Change. Providence, RI: Author, Brown University, 1998.
Describes processes — interviews and focus groups in particular — for conducting surveys in a variety of communities. Includes outcome information in context of community involvement and school improvement. Reports on factors contributing to successful innovative collaborations among schools, communities, and parents in the United States.
First copy free. Each additional copy $10; bulk discounts available. 88 pages.
Available from: Annenberg Institute, Brown University, Box 1985, Providence, RI 02912. Telephone: 401 863-7990, Fax: 401-863-1290,
Web: http://www.annenberginstitute.org/publications/civicpubs.html#reasons

Bernhardt, Victoria. Data Analysis for Comprehensive Schoolwide Improvement. Larchmont, NY: Eye on Education, Inc., 1998.
An approach to data analysis that is described in simple and concrete terms, this book would make a good basic text for a study group. It includes a very useful appendix with sample surveys and information on questionnaire design. One sample rating scale for use with young children has smiles and frowns. Also included are questionnaires for older students, staff, and parents. The author describes steps in an inquiry process using sample data from a variety of places.
$29.95. 292 pages.
Available from: Eye on Education, 6 Depot Way West, Larchmont, NY 10538. Telephone: 914 833-0551, Fax 914 833-0761.

Fierros, Edward G., Cengiz Gulek and Anne Wheelock. "Using Multiple Methods of Assessment to Promote District Level Reflection about Instructional Improvement." Paper presented at Annual Convention of the AERA; Chicago, Illinois, March 25, 1997.
This paper presents the work, in two school districts, of Boston College Researchers at the Center for the Study of Testing, Evaluation and Educational Policy. Teachers were involved in assessment design, and in sampling and interpretation of results. Several methods of assessment, including student drawings were used. The paper describes the process of developing a collaborative assessment.
Free. 19 pages
Available from: Center for the Study of Testing, Evaluation and Educational Policy, 323 Campion Hall, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA 02167. Telephone: 617-552-4521, Fax: 617 552-8419, Web: http://www.csteep.bc.edu.

Fink, Arlene, and Jacqueline Kosecoff. How to Conduct Surveys: A Step-by-Step Guide. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc., 1998.
This is the second edition of a guidebook for survey development. It contains checklists and suggestions of alternative approaches to consider when developing surveys. This book is a staple for anyone involved in developing and using surveys.
$25.95, 103 pages.
Available from: Sage Publications, Inc., 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Telephone: 805-499-9734. Fax: 805-499-0871.

Freiberg, H. J., ed., School Climate: Measuring, Improving and Sustaining Healthy Learning Environments. Levittown, PA: Falmer Press, 1999.
Freiberg, believing that school climate has a powerful influence on student learning, describes alternative ways to measure school climate including surveys, entrance and exit interviews and a cafeteria-noise checklist. An article on assessment of school climate in the September 1998 Educational Leadership is drawn from the book. $26.95, 230 pages.
Available from: Freiberg, H. J., ed., School Climate: Measuring, Improving and Sustaining Healthy Learning Environments. Levittown, PA: Falmer Press, 47 Runway Road, Suite G, Levittown, PA 19057. Telephone: 800 821-8312.

Herman, Joan L., and Lynn Winters. Tracking Your School’s Success: A Guide to Sensible Evaluation. Thousand Oaks, CA, Corwin Press, 1992.
As the title suggests, this publication provides a guide for undertaking a comprehensive evaluation. It is a valuable overview, with some good points about surveys. Purchase of this book gives the owner the right to use sample parent, teacher, and student questionnaires included in the back of the book. The student questionnaire is comprehensive.
$29.95, 155 pages.
Available from: Corwin Press, Inc., 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Telephone: 805-499-9734. Fax: 805-499-0871, e-mail: order@corwinpress.com, Web: http://www.corwinpress.com.

Johnson, Ruth S. Setting Our Sights: Measuring Equity in School Change. Los Angeles: The Achievement Council, 1996.
This publication contains several sample surveys: "Perceptions of Attitudes, Readiness and Commitment to Change" and "High School Student Questionnaire" to name two. Although the focus is on equity, it demonstrates an inquiry process that can be applied to any area of concern. It is easy to understand. It would be a good book to use for text-based discussions about accountability.
$29 plus $3.75 shipping and handling. Bulk discount for 10 or more.
Available from: The Achievement Council, 3460 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 420, Los Angeles, CA 90010. Telephone: 213 487-3194

Lindle, Jane C. "What Do Parents Want from Principals and Teachers?" Educational Leadership, October 1989, pp. 12-14.
This article summarizes results of interviews with parents. It concludes that parents prefer the "personal touch" to "professionalism," that phone calls and notes are often preferable to conferences. This short article is a good starting point for those developing an interview protocol for parents.

Phi Delta Kappa International. PACE: Polling Attitudes of Community on Education Manual. Revised Edition. Bloomington, Indiana: Phi Delta Kappa, 1999.
Practical information on conducting telephone polls based on years of experience. The manual contains the national questionnaire, sampling advice, a complete listing of questions and answers broken down for each year the questions were asked. The binder also contains a handbook on conducting telephone interviews.
$60, 297 pages.
Available from: Center for Professional Development Services, Phi Delta Kappa International, 408 N. Union Street, Bloomington, IN 47402-0789. Telephone: 812 339-1156 or 800 766-1156.
Web: http://www.pdkintl.org.

Rose, Lowell C., and Alec M. Gallup. "The 30th annual Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll of the Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public Schools" Phi Delta Kappan, September 1998. pp 41-56.
The data in this article will enable you to compare your community’s attitudes to those of the nation. Survey questions and national totals are listed in the article. It includes information on perceptions about private, church-related, and public schools; effectiveness of public schools; school finance; problems facing schools; curriculum and more.

Schaps, Eric. "How Students Experience Their Schools." Education Week. April 1, 1998.
Describes work of the Developmental Studies Center (See Organizations, below.) in Oakland, CA to measure "a sense of community" in upper-elementary classrooms.

Shepard, Lorrie A. and Carribeth L. Bleim. An Analysis of Parent Opinions and Changes in Opinions Regarding Standardized Tests, Teacher’s Information, and Performance Assessments. CSE Technical Report 397. Los Angeles: National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing, 1995.
This paper reports on a survey of parent opinions about assessment, which found that that "even the 46% subsample of parents who favored standardized national tests on the Gallup Poll rated report cards, talking to the teacher, and seeing student work as more useful than standardized tests. . . . Therefore survey data like the Gallup Poll showing approval of standardized national tests should not be taken to mean that parents are opposed to the use of alternative measures." The appendix contains the Assessment and Testing Questionnaire. Procedures used in comparing forms of assessment would be easy to replicate or adapt to a local situation.
$5 plus $1.50 postage, 39 pages.
Available from: National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing, 1995. (CRESST), Graduate School of Education & Information Services, UCLA, 90095-1522. Telephone: 310-206-1532.

Thomas, Susan J. Designing Surveys that Work. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, 1999.
Thomas’s how-to book – containing checklists, timelines, and questions – provides a straightforward perspective and valuable support for those who are brand-new to survey development. It is easy to read and contains useful examples of letters, checklists, etc. It steers clear of statistical issues.
$18.99, 97 pages.
Available from: Corwin Press, 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Telephone: 805 499-9734 or Fax: 805 499-0871, e-mail: order@corwinpress.com, Web: http://www.corwinpress.com.

ORGANIZATIONS

The Center for the Study of Testing, Evaluation, and Education Policy
Boston College
The Center for the Study of Testing, Evaluation, and Educational Policy (CSTEEP) is an educational research organization located at the Boston College School of Education. Since its inception in 1980, CSTEEP has conducted research on testing, evaluation, and public policy. CSTEEP’s Drawing on Education Project, including information on participation, is included on the website. CSTEEP works to advance educational testing practices and policy and to improve the quality and equity of education in individual schools, districts and states as well as whole countries.
http://www.bc.edu/research/csteep/.
Walt Haney, Director, CSTEEP, Campion Hall, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA 02167. Telephone: 617 552-4521.

Developmental Studies Center
Oakland, CA
A school-support organization, the Developmental Studies Center, has developed survey measures of students’ development in the social and ethical domains, measures of students’ experience of school, and a classroom observation procedure. (See Tool Folder 2 Measuring School Climate for an example of a home-grown survey instrument measuring students’ experience of their school.) Their web site describes other activities of the DSC. The not-for profit research and development program began in 1980 to "integrate children’s intellectual, ethical, and social development" through school-based programs; after school and parent-involvement projects, and through producing and disseminating educational resources. The Child Development Project (CDP) is a Comprehensive School Reform Model under the Obey-Porter Program.http://www.devstu.org
Eric Schaps, Director, Developmental Studies Center, 2000 Embarcadero, Suite 305, Oakland, CA 94606-5300. Telephone: 510 464-3670. Fax: 510 464-3670.

Howard W. Odum Institute for Research in Social Science
UNCC, Chapel Hill
The Institute provides consultation in research design, construction of measurement instruments, sample design, and selection of appropriate data collection methods, especially the use of personal, telephones, and mail surveys. The Institute’s statistical and computing services include short courses and individual consultation in data analysis, data management, programming, and use of hardware. Services are available to the general public on a cost-recovery basis.
http://www2.irss.unc.edu/irss/home.asp
John Shelton Reed, Director, Howard W. Odum Institute for Research in Social Science, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599. Telephone: 919 962-0781.

National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing
University of California at Los Angeles
The National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing (CRESST) at UCLA has sample surveys available through its website. The site contains a useful glossary, files of articles by CRESST researchers, CRESST newsletters, resource papers, and other products. CRESST is working with the LA Unified School District to develop a Comprehensive Assessment System including a performance-based assessment component. Cresst is also developing performance assessments and rubrics in several fields. Work with LAUSD includes a teacher capacity-building component. The US Department of Education and the Office of Educational Research and Improvement fund this not-for-profit center.
http://www.cse.ucla.edu
Eva Baker, Co-Director, CRESST, UCLA, 3011 Graduate School of Education & Information Services, Mailbox 951522, 300 Charles E. Young Drive North, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1522. Telephone: 310 206-1532. Fax: 310 825-3883.