public opinion polling and survey research

The Strategic Research Group (SRG) is currently conducting eight case studies of Schools of Promise for the Ohio Department of Education (ODE). Schools of Promise are schools with high concentrations of minority and/or low-income populations with high levels of student proficiency and achievement. The underlying goals of the project are to capture and share compelling stories of achievement to spark continued innovation and to transfer creative solutions to other Ohio educators. In addition, SRG will conduct cross-case analysis to identify similarities and differences between sites to promote school improvement.

In the commission of this research, ODE has asked SRG to focus primarily on the issue of teacher quality, and the role teachers play in these high performing schools. Therefore, protocols have been established to examine issues related to teacher quality in these schools and key stakeholders beliefs and expectations regarding teacher quality. Questions focus on the roles of teachers, the school's climate and culture, and what factors the key stakeholders believe have contributed to the success of their school.  

SRG is conducting eight site visits. Schools have been selected based on a combination of criteria:   percentage of minority and/or low-income students, sustainability as a school of promise, and urban vs. non-urban setting. Activities planned during site visits include interviews and focus groups with school administrators, teachers, parents, and students; a school level survey and a teacher survey; and classroom observations of instruction.