tif
TEACHER
INCENTIVE
FUND
Learning From the Experts: How Evaluation and
Professional Development Help Make Great Teachers
Catherine Jacques
Ellen Sherratt, Ph.D.
Introduction
In the past decade, education leaders and policymakers have increasingly recognized the importance of teacher
effectiveness on student achievement. As often noted, research has shown that teachers are the single most important
school-level factor affecting student achievement (McCaffrey, Lockwood, Koretz, & Hamilton, 2003; Rivkin,
Hanushek, & Kain, 2005; Rowan, Correnti & Miller, 2002). In the past five years, there has been a dramatic increase in
the number of states and districts that have designed and begun to implement more rigorous teacher evaluation systems,
nearly all of which incorporate both assessments of teacher professional performance as well as measures of student
growth. But the new evaluation systems will only be of limited value if districts do not use the results to help teachers
identify their strengths and weaknesses and to identify meaningful professional development and learning opportunities.
There is a large body of research on the qualities and characteristics of effective professional development (Bill & Melinda
Gates Foundation, 2014; Center for Public Education, 2013; Coggshall, 2015; Odden & Kelly, 2008). However, there
is scant research on what types of professional development experiences exemplary teachers themselves consider to have
improved their practice. Likewise, there are few data on how teachers and school leaders use evaluation results to guide
professional development and on the types of school- or district-level professional development opportunities that
directly contribute to improved teacher practice.
This paper explores what highly effective1 master teachers think are the most important professional development
experiences for improving teaching effectiveness. This paper describes the importance of professional development
experiences across the teacher career continuum and includes considerations for policymakers at all levels for improving
professional development experiences and their link to teacher evaluation systems. The findings in this paper are based
on the results of a recent exploratory survey of National and State Teachers of the Year. The full report on these survey
results, From Good to Great: Exemplary Teachers Share Perspectives on Increasing Teacher Effectiveness Across the
Career Continuum (Sherratt et al., 2014) is available from the Center on Great Teachers and Leaders (gtlcenter.org).
1
For the purposes of this brief, we stipulate that the vast majority of national and state teachers of the year, identified through a rigorous peer
nomination and review system, can be considered as “highly effective” or “exemplary,” even if they have not explicitly received such a summative
rating through the newer type of teacher evaluation system that weighs both professional practice and student growth.
Learning From the Experts
1
Study Design
About the Study
The National Network of State Teachers of the Year (NNSTOY) and the Center on Great Teachers and Leaders
(GTL Center) at American Institutes for Research collaborated with the American Association of Colleges of Teacher
Education, the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, the Council of Chief State School Officers, the
National Council on Teaching Quality, and the National Education Association to explore the types of systemic
supports that are most useful for teachers in becoming effective. Researchers surveyed over 300 teachers and former
teachers who had been honored with a state teacher of the year award2 between the mid-1970s and 2013. Overall, these
teachers were broadly representative of the teaching population with regard to grade and subject assignments, school
assignments, and experience with students of differing socio-economic levels (see appendix A for more information).
The survey asked these master teachers what the supports were that were most important for developing their
effectiveness at different points in their teaching career. The survey questions were generally grouped into several series,
each with three questions, and with skip logic:
• First, which supports respondents received
• Second, how respondents rated the importance of the supports received (on a Likert scale from 1 to 5, 1 being not
at all important and 5 being very important)
• Third, which supports were the top most important
The majority of respondents experienced most of the supports described in the survey; however, respondents generally
identified specific supports that they considered most important for developing their effectiveness. These findings will
be explored further in this paper.
Survey questions were also focused on different stages of a teacher’s career, with specific questions for the pre-service
stage, novice stage (teachers’ first five years in the classroom), the career stage (after five years’ classroom teaching
experience), and the teacher leader stage (after taking on a teacher leadership role). Because the most targeted questions
about evaluation and professional development related to the novice and career stages, this paper focuses on
respondents’ feedback during the novice and career stage only. For information on respondents’ feedback about their
pre-service and teacher leader stages, please see the full From Good to Great report.
Limitations
There are two main limitations to keep in mind when interpreting these findings. First, many respondents may not
have experienced recent evaluation or professional growth systems. The vast majority of respondents had more than
10 years’ teaching experience—in fact, 58 percent of respondents had more than 20 years of teaching experience.
Likewise, only about half of the respondents were currently serving as classroom teachers at the time of the survey.
Therefore, these findings represent a wide range of teacher experiences over many years rather than perspectives on
recent reforms. Second, respondents were able to interpret the term “effective” in their own way as they responded to
questions. There may be differences in how respondents interpreted this term when responding to survey items.
Although these limitations are important to consider, these findings can still provide valuable insights for policymakers
to consider as they work to link results from the more recent evaluation systems to relevant and effective professional
learning opportunities.
2
Annually, a National Teacher of the Year is selected from among the State Teachers of the Year.
Learning From the Experts
2
Main Findings
The survey asked questions on both evaluation and professional development experiences. Specifically, the survey
asked questions about:
•
•
•
•
Mentoring
Formal and Informal Evaluation
Traditional Professional Development
Teacher-led Professional Development
Because the survey asked respondents to reflect on their experiences and perspectives on these supports during specific
phases of their teaching career, these findings may inform policies and practices for leveraging professional development
to improve teacher effectiveness during key stages of teachers’ development and professional experience. Likewise, these
findings are important to consider with regard to human capital management policies, strategies, and priorities.
Also note that the findings in this report can help frame the types of professional development that teachers most
value, provide insight into the qualities that make for effective teacher leaders and mentors, and be useful in planning
for career ladder/lattice approaches or other strategies to promote teacher career advancement.
Mentoring Matters
Some districts offer mentoring programs for new teachers, usually in their first year but sometimes extending into their
second year of teaching. These mentoring programs are often designed to help new teachers cope with common
challenges and develop effective teaching practices in their classrooms. These mentoring programs may be part of an
induction program, a peer assistance or review program, or aligned with other support for new teachers. Research has
shown that mentoring programs can help new teachers better improve and develop instructional and classroom
management skills, as well as improve their impact on student achievement (Ingersoll & Strong, 2011). Likewise,
research has also shown that new teachers generally value having an experienced mentor (Coggshall, BehrstockSherratt, & Drill, 2011; Ingersoll & Kralik, 2004; Ingersoll & May, 2011; Johnson & Birkeland, 2003).
Access to Mentoring During the Novice Stage. Of all the supports that respondents had during the novice phase of their careers,
the most highly rated support was access to mentoring. Over half of respondents reported that they had access to a formal or
informal mentor during the novice phase of their career, and nearly 70 percent of respondents who had access to mentoring (and
nearly 40 percent of respondents overall) rated it as one of the top supports that contributed to their effectiveness. Access to
a specific mentor may be more important than just having access to common planning time with other teachers: about half
as many respondents had common planning time as had access to a mentor, and few respondents considered common
planning time to be in their top supports, compared to other novice stage supports that contributed to their effectiveness.
Chart 1: Access to a Mentor (Formal or Informal) and Common Planning Time During the
Novice Phase of Teaching
Received
In Top 3 Most Important
Access to a mentor
Common planning time with other teachers
0
20
40
60
80
100
Percentage of Respondents
Learning From the Experts
3
Important Qualities in Effective Mentors. Respondents considered some qualities or traits in their mentors to be
especially important for developing their effectiveness. The top-rated qualities or traits in mentors were:
• Modeling effective teaching practices
• Providing helpful support and/or advice
• Being a great teacher
Although other qualities were also ranked as important by some respondents, such as being in the same subject or grade
area and having sufficient time to spend together, very few respondents ranked having a mentor with previous mentoring
experience as important for developing their effectiveness. This may indicate that novice teachers valued the type and
quality of support their mentors provided more than having a veteran mentor. These findings indicate that seeing practical
examples of effective teaching coupled with performance feedback were most important for developing teachers’
effectiveness at the novice stage (relative to other supports and characteristics included in this survey).
Chart 2: Ratings of Qualities of Official (Assigned) Mentors
Received
In Top 3 Most Important
Modeling effective teaching practices
Providing helpful support and/or advice
Was a great teacher
Had sufficient time to spend together
Was in the same subject area or grade level
Had previous mentoring experience
0
20
40
60
80
100
80
100
Percentage of Respondents
Chart 3: Ratings of Qualities of Unofficial Mentors
Received
In Top 3 Most Important
Modeling effective teaching practices
Providing helpful support and/or advice
Was a great teacher
Had sufficient time to spend together
Was in the same subject area or grade level
Had previous mentoring experience
0
20
40
60
Percentage of Respondents
Learning From the Experts
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This finding has implications for how evaluation systems provide novice teachers with feedback and professional
development opportunities. Although evaluation systems may provide teachers with targeted feedback on their
performance, linking this feedback to practical examples of effective teaching practices may help teachers to better utilize
this feedback. Some districts have already begun using video examples of effective teaching practices, linked to evaluation
practice standards, to clarify performance expectations and better support teachers in improving their practice.
It is important to note that whether the mentoring supports were official or unofficial did not seem to matter
with regard to respondents’ perception of the mentors’ effect on their performance. Although respondents clearly
considered mentoring to be one of the key factors for developing their effectiveness, more teachers reported having an
unofficial mentor (53 percent, 163 respondents) than an official or assigned mentor (37 percent, 115 respondents).
Likewise, respondents rated the qualities of official and unofficial mentors in similar ways. This indicates that
informal mentoring activities, if provided by the right person, have the potential to have the same impact on teaching
effectiveness as formal mentoring activities.
Evaluation
Nearly all states and districts have implemented new evaluation systems for educators in the past five years, and many
states explicitly link the purpose of evaluations to feedback and professional growth. To date, however, there is limited
research on whether these evaluation systems are actually able to provide teachers with meaningful performance
feedback to improve their practice. The key to ensuring that educators view evaluation systems as beneficial may
depend on whether they are able to provide teachers with useful information about their relative strengths and areas
for improvement.
Although most of the survey respondents may not have experienced these new evaluation systems, most respondents
did experience formal evaluations during their time as a classroom teacher. During the career stage, the majority
(about 75 percent) of respondents reported receiving actionable feedback through formal or informal evaluations,
but only 16 percent of respondents considered this feedback to be one of the top supports that contributed to their
effectiveness. This indicates that although actionable feedback has been a common element of evaluation systems,
it has generally not been targeted, delivered, or connected with professional development in a way that truly helps
promote teacher practice.
Chart 4: Evaluations at the Novice and Career Stage
Received
In Top 3 Most Important
Actionable feedback through
evaluations at the career stage
Informal evaluations of strengths and
weaknesses at the novice stage
Formal evaluations of strengths and
weaknesses at the novice stage
0
20
40
60
80
100
Percentage of Respondents
Learning From the Experts
5
It is worth noting that respondents rated evaluations higher during the novice stage than during the career stage: the
majority of teachers had formal or informal evaluations of their strengths and weaknesses as novice teachers, and just
under half considered these evaluations to be one of the top-rated supports that contributed to their effectiveness. This
indicates that although evaluations have not generally been considered important by experienced or effective teachers,
novice teachers were more likely to value the experience of receiving performance feedback through evaluations and to
feel that these experiences contributed to their effectiveness. However, all respondents generally ranked some professional
development supports higher than evaluation feedback (as discussed further below). This indicates that for these
effective teachers, professional development may be seen as a more direct method of improving one’s effectiveness than
performance evaluations.
Traditional Professional Development
Most teachers experience regular professional development in order to maintain their teaching license, which is often
offered by districts or external professional development providers. This was true for the respondents for this survey as
well: nearly all the respondents reported experiencing district-mandated professional development or district-funded
professional development offered through external providers during their career stage of teaching. Most respondents did
not, however, consider either of these more traditional types of professional development to be important for developing
their effectiveness.
Chart 5: Participation in Professional Development at the Career Stage
Received
In Top 3 Most Important
School- or district-mandated
professional development
External self-selected professional
development funded by the district
0
20
40
60
80
100
Percentage of Respondents
One significant finding was that respondents reported that self-selected professional development was more important for
developing their effectiveness: of the small number of respondents who considered district-mandated professional
development to be one of the top supports that contributed to their effectiveness, about 40 percent reported that it was
important because it was self-selected to be specifically relevant. Likewise, of those who considered external self-chosen
professional development to be in the top most important supports, a large majority (nearly 80 percent) indicated that it
was important because it was self-selected to be specifically relevant. This finding builds on a growing body of research
indicating that teachers perceive self-chosen, sustained, and teacher-driven professional development to be more effective
than other models (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, 2014; Center for Public Education, 2013). These findings indicate
that it is important for teachers to have choice in determining at least a portion of their professional
development experiences.
Learning From the Experts
6
Chart 6: Qualities of Important External or District-Provided Professional Development at
the Career Stage
In Top 3 Most Important (external)
In Top 3 Most Important (district)
Job-embedded or grounded in
day-to-day teaching practice
Self-selected to be
specifically relevant
Sustained over a period
of at least 6 months
Led by individuals with
recent teaching experience
0
20
40
60
80
100
Percentage of Respondents
Another significant finding was the preference for professional development that related more closely to respondents’
everyday teaching experiences. The majority of respondents who considered district-led or external self-chosen professional
development to be in the top most important supports indicated that it was job-embedded or grounded in their everyday
teaching practice. For external professional development, the majority of respondents also indicated that it was important
that the professional development was led by individuals with recent teaching experience. It is also important to note that
few respondents who considered district-led or external self-chosen professional development to be in the top most
important supports indicated that it was sustained over a period of at least six months. These findings indicate that in order
to develop teaching effectiveness, professional development needs to be more job-embedded and closely linked to everyday
practices, allowing teachers time to practice and integrate new skills into their daily practice.
These findings have two major implications for evaluation systems. First, it is important that the professional development
opportunities that evaluation systems highlight are meaningful and actionable. Evaluation systems that link to jobembedded professional development opportunities may be more likely to truly help teachers improve their practice.
Second, including teacher choice in selecting targeted professional development opportunities may help promote better
buy-in for evaluation systems and help teachers see the overall system as a meaningful tool for developing their practice
rather than an accountability system. Some states and districts have already created more job-embedded professional
development opportunities as part of their overall evaluation system design.
Teacher-led Professional Development
Some teachers may experience teacher-led professional development through self-study, professional learning communities,
or other types of activities that are closely aligned to their everyday teaching practices. Research has shown that although
implementation may affect the quality of these programs, professional learning communities, coaching and mentoring, and
similar teacher-led professional development activities can be powerful levers for improving teacher practice and student
outcomes (Vescio et al., 2006, 2008). Overall, respondents rated teacher-led professional development highly in
contributing to their effectiveness, especially in comparison to more traditional types of professional development.
Learning From the Experts
7
Accelerating Professional Growth at the Novice Stage. During the novice phase, the majority of respondents participated
in some types of leader-led activities that they reported accelerated their professional growth, such as developing their own
professional growth plan and participating in collaborative activities with colleagues. Fewer respondents experienced formal
opportunities for self-reflection or were able to participate in a professional learning community. The majority of
respondents who experienced these supports, however, considered them to be one of the top supports that helped to
accelerate their professional growth. These findings indicate that these types of teacher-led professional development
activities are especially important for novice teachers who are working toward improving their effectiveness.
Chart 7: Teacher-led Activities That Accelerated Teachers’ Professional Growth at the
Novice Stage
Received
In Top 3 Most Important
Participated in collaborative
activities with colleagues
Participated in a
professional learning community
Developed own
professional growth plan
Formal opportunities
for self-reflection
0
20
40
60
80
100
Percentage of Respondents
Promoting Effectiveness at the Career Stage. During the career stage, almost all respondents reported participating in
professional learning communities or collaboration activities with other teachers. These types of activities were the highest
rated professional development activity and the third highest rated overall (behind achieving National Board certification
and ongoing formal education) in contributing to their effectiveness. In contrast, although almost all respondents received
some type of professional development delivered by teachers, only a few respondents considered it to be one of the top
supports that contributed to their effectiveness. Respondents may have considered collaboration activities more important
because they may have been more job-embedded than more traditional professional development led by teachers.
Chart 8: Professional Learning Communities and Teacher-led Professional Development
During the Career Stage
Received
In Top 3 Most Important
Participated in professional
learning communities or collaborative
activities with other teachers
Received professional development
delivered by teachers
0
20
40
60
80
100
Percentage of Respondents
Learning From the Experts
8
Respondents identified several types of collaboration and ongoing professional learning that were important to them.
Having a collegial and collaborative school culture and colleagues was one of the highest-rated supports that contributed to
respondents’ effectiveness and was rated higher than having a specific group of peers with whom to collaborate or an
ongoing mentor. In fact, having a collegial and collaborative school culture and colleagues was the second-highest rated
support overall (behind access to supportive school leadership). This may indicate that more informal and schoolwide
collaborative professional development experiences are more important to career stage teachers than more formal
collaborative arrangements.
Chart 9: Collaboration and Professional Learning Activities at the Career Stage
Received
In Top 3 Most Important
Collegial and collaborative school
culture and colleagues
A specific group of peers
with whom to collaborate
Ongoing mentors
Opportunities for self-selection
of learning activities
0
20
40
60
80
100
Percentage of Respondents
These findings have implications for how states and districts structure job-embedded professional learning as part of an
aligned evaluation system. Because job-embedded collaborative activities and a collaborative school culture are important
for developing teaching effectiveness, states and districts may consider using professional learning communities and other
existing collaborative structures to focus teacher conversations on practice. For instance, districts or schools may identify
performance goals based on trends in teachers’ evaluation data and utilize professional learning communities as a venue for
ongoing, teacher-led professional development on these topics. Likewise, districts and schools may consider developing
several teacher leaders (which can include but are not limited to assigned mentors and master teachers) per building who
can be available to support other staff.
Considerations for Policymakers
The findings from this survey present several key considerations for policymakers and stakeholders who are tasked with
developing and implementing educator evaluation systems that can provide meaningful feedback that, in turn, can guide
the types of professional learning opportunities that will be most effective for each teacher.
• Novice teachers benefit from mentors that take the time to share practical examples of effective teaching, rather
than simply sharing performance feedback.
• Professional development should be job-embedded and connected to teachers’ day-to-day practice to truly affect
teacher effectiveness.
• Teacher choice in professional development may help to ensure its relevancy.
• Evaluation and professional development systems that are designed with these considerations in mind may require
additional supports, such as time for teacher collaboration and access to additional school-level teacher leaders.
• A school culture that promotes collaboration and collegiality is critical to successful teaching.
Learning From the Experts
9
These considerations should not be taken as discrete recommendations, but as considerations for comprehensive systems
that promote continuous professional growth for all teachers. Most importantly, these considerations highlight the
importance of teacher participation in improving their own practice and that of their colleagues.
Resources
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. (2014). Teachers know best: Teachers’ views on professional development. Washington,
DC: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Retrieved from http://collegeready.gatesfoundation.org/sites/default/files/GatesPDMarketResearch-Dec5.pdf
Center for Public Education. (2013). Teaching the teachers: Effective professional development in an era of high stakes
accountability. Alexandria, VA: Center for Public Education. Retrieved from http://www.centerforpubliceducation.org/
Main-Menu/Staffingstudents/Teaching-the-Teachers-Effective-Professional-Development-in-an-Era-of-High-StakesAccountability/Teaching-the-Teachers-Full-Report.pdf
Coggshall, J. G., Behrstock-Sherratt, E., & Drill, K. (2011). Workplaces that support high-performing teaching and
learning: Insights from Generation Y teachers. Washington, DC: American Institutes for Research. Retrieved from
http://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED518392
Coggshall, J. G. (2015). Title II, Part A: Don’t scrap it, don’t dilute it, fix it. Washington, DC: Education Policy Center at
American Institutes for Research. Retrieved from http://educationpolicy.air.org/sites/default/files/FixItBrief.pdf
Ingersoll, R., & Kralik, J. M. (2004). The impact of mentoring on teacher retention: What the research says. Denver, CO:
Education Commission of the States. Retrieved from http://www.ecs.org/clearinghouse/50/36/5036.htm
Ingersoll, R., & May, H. (2011). Recruitment, retention and the minority teacher shortage.
Consortium for Policy Research in Education. CPRE Research Report #RR-69. Retrieved from
http://repository.upenn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1232&context=gse_pubs
Johnson, S. M., & Birkeland, S. E. (2003). “Sense of success”: New teachers explain their
career decisions. American Educational Research Journal, 40(3), 581–617. Retrieved from
http://n3v3rl4nd.wikispaces.com/file/view/Johnson+%26+Birkeland+2003.pdf
McCaffrey, J. R., Lockwood, D. F., Koretz, D. M., & Hamilton, L. S. (2003). Evaluating value
added models for teacher accountability. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation. Retrieved from
http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/2004/RAND_MG158.pdf
Odden, A., & Kelly, J. A. (2008). Strategic management of human capital in public
education. Madison, WI: Consortium for Policy Research in Education. Retrieved from
http://www.smhc-cpre.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/what-is-smhc-final.pdf
Rivkin, S. G., Hanushek, E. A., & Kain, J. F. (2005). Teachers, schools, and academic achievement. Econometrica, 73(2),
417–458.
Rowan, B., Correnti, R., & Miller, R. J. (2002). What large-scale survey research tells us about teacher effects on student
achievement: Insights from the Prospects study of elementary schools. Teachers College Record, 104, 1525–1567.
Learning From the Experts
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Sherratt, E., Bassett, K., Olson, D., & Jacques, C. (2014). From good to great: Exemplary teachers share perspectives on
increasing teacher effectiveness across the career continuum. Washington, DC: American Institutes for Research.
Vescio, V., Ross, D., & Adams, A. (2006). A review of research on professional learning communities: What do we know? Paper
presented at the NSRF Research Forum. Retrieved from http://plcwashington.org/cms/lib3/WA07001774/Centricity/
Domain/56/a-review-of-research-on-professional-learning-communities.pdf
Vescio, V., Ross, D., & Adams, A. (2008). A review of research on the impact of professional learning communities
on teaching practice and student learning. Teaching and Teacher Education, 24, 80–91. Retrieved from
http://www.k12.wa.us/Compensation/pubdocs/Vescio2008PLC-paper.pdf?_sm_au_=iVVrt7R8Vt40WS17
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Appendix A. Respondent Demographics
Table X.1. Characteristics of NNSTOY survey respondents: 2013
1. Are you currently teaching in a PK–12 classroom?
%
n
40.51
126
9
28
10.29
32
d. No, I am currently in an in-building teacher leadership role
2.25
7
e. No, I am currently teaching at the college level
4.18
13
f. No, I am currently at a non-profit education organization
3.22
10
g. No, I am currently at a for-profit education organization
0.32
1
0
0
i. No, I am currently retired but am still involved in education through community work
9.65
30
j. No, I am currently retired and am not currently involved in education
5.47
17
15.11
47
%
n
a. Yes, as a classroom teacher
b. Yes, in a specialist role
c. No, I am currently in school or district administration
h. No, I left the field of education
k. Other (specify): _________________
2. Excluding student teaching, what is your total number of years of teaching
experience overall in a PK–12 setting?
a. Less than 5 years
0
0
7.74
24
c. 11–15 years
17.42
54
d. 16–20 years
16.77
52
e. More than 20 years
58.06
180
3. How old are you?
%
n
b. 5–10 years
a. Under 25
0
0
b. 25–30
1.29
4
c. 31–35
6.43
20
d. 36–40
10.61
33
e. 41–45
11.9
37
f. 46–50
11.9
37
g. 51–55
15.11
47
h. 56–60
13.83
43
i. Over 60
28.94
90
4. What grade level(s) have you taught during your teaching career, excluding
student teaching?
%
n
a. PreK
6.43
20
b. K-3rd Grade
37.3
116
43.41
135
c. 4th-6th Grade
d. 7th-8th Grade
46.95
146
e. 9th-12th Grade
60.77
189
Learning From the Experts
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5. What teaching assignment(s) have you held during your career, excluding
student teaching?
%
n
34.08
106
20.9
65
c. Science
23.47
73
d. English
33.76
105
e. Social Studies
24.44
76
a. Elementary General Education
b. Math
7.4
23
g. English as a Second Language
f. World Language
6.11
19
h. Special Education
9.97
31
27.97
87
j. Early Education
5.14
16
k. Physical Education
6.75
21
11.25
35
m. Family and Consumer Science
2.25
7
n. Library Media Specialist
2.25
7
o. School Guidance Counselor
0.96
3
p. Career Education
4.82
15
9
28
17.04
53
i. Reading/Language Arts
l. Fine Arts (Music, Drama, Art)
q. Technology Literacy
r. Other (specify):
6. What type(s) of school(s) have you taught in during your teaching career,
excluding student teaching?
%
n
98.71
307
4.18
13
11.25
35
d. Alternative public school
4.82
15
e. Department of Defense Activity School
1.29
4
f. Other (specify): ___________________
8.36
26
7. In which type of school location(s) have you taught in during your teaching
career, excluding student teaching?
%
n
a. Urban school
41.16
128
b. Suburban school
54.66
170
c. Rural school
42.44
132
d. School in a foreign country
6.43
20
8. What percentage of students in the school(s) where you have taught during
your teaching career were approved for free or reduced-price lunch?
%
n
a. 0–25 percent
34.41
109
b. 26–50 percent
39.87
124
c. 51–75 percent
29.26
91
d. 76–100 percent
24.44
76
2.89
9
a. Traditional public school
b. Charter school
c. Private school
e. Don’t know
Learning From the Experts
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