Tripod Student Survey FAQseesadmin.weebly.com/uploads/1/4/0/3/14039000/tri_faq_2014-02-12.pdf ·...

2/12/2014 Tripod Student Survey 1

Tripod Student Survey FAQs

This FAQ document is a collection of questions from teachers, administrators and community groups regarding the Tripod Student Surveys.

Table of Contents

Survey Philosophical Foundation & General Overview............................................. 4

1. What is the Educator Effectiveness System (EES) and its purposes? .......................... 4

2. How was the Tripod Student Perceptions Survey developed? What is the Tripod Project? ............................................................................................................. 5

3. Who participates in the survey? ............................................................................ 5

4. What does the Tripod Student Survey measure? ..................................................... 5

5. What are the 7Cs? .............................................................................................. 5

6. What kinds of questions are asked in the survey? ................................................... 6

7. How many questions or survey items are there per survey format? ........................... 7

8. Can HIDOE change some of the Tripod questions so that they are more accessible to our students? The questions stated in negative terms are confusing. .................... 7

9. What information is there regarding the reliability and validity of the Tripod Student Survey? ................................................................................................. 8

10. How will the survey data be used? ........................................................................ 8

11. Where can l find more information about the Tripod Project and Tripod Student Survey? ............................................................................................................. 8

Survey Administration Logistics .............................................................................. 8

12. Are the Tripod FAQs and the Tripod Guidelines the same? ........................................ 8

13. How are survey dates, teachers and classes selected? ............................................. 9

14. Which teachers will not be surveyed? .................................................................... 9

15. Will a student teacher soloing for at least 4 weeks prior to administration be surveyed? ........................................................................................................ 10

16. How will this impact the regular classroom teacher’s rating? .................................. 10

17. Are teachers of classes that meet infrequently (Instructional Resource Augmentation or elective classes) or classes that meet a few times a month and/or for a short duration surveyed? ................................................................. 10

18. If a special education teacher rostered 6 students for the survey and 2 did not participated, is she table to include another class that she provides direct instruction to, even though they were not rostered, to meet the 5-student minimum? ....................................................................................................... 10

19. Do we survey a classroom whose regular teacher is out on leave? .......................... 10

20. Can and should a long term substitute be surveyed? ............................................. 11


21. Will the same student group survey their same teacher for both Fall and Spring administrations? ............................................................................................... 11

22. How many classes are surveyed for each teacher per administration period? ............ 11

23. What do we do if the survey materials do not arrive by the first day of the survey administration window? ..................................................................................... 11

24. What is included with the survey material packet shipped by the vendor? ................ 11

25. If a teacher needs more than the 5 extra surveys included in the packet, can teacher use the surveys that are for students who were absent or had submitted a survey declination letter? ................................................................................ 12

26. Are the Class and the School Secured Cover Sheets on paper or online? .................. 12

27. What do we do if the wrong or incomplete survey materials are delivered to our school? ............................................................................................................ 12

28. Who makes the decision as to how the survey is administered at each school? ......... 12

29. How shall schools prepare their teachers to administer the survey? ........................ 12

30. What supports are available to schools to ensure teachers and coordinators are ready to administer the survey? ......................................................................... 13

31. How is student confidentiality protected? ............................................................. 13

32. What are the differences between the Early Elementary (K‐2), Upper Elementary (3‐5) and Secondary (6‐12) Tripod survey versions? ............................................. 13

33 How is the survey administered to students in the different age groups? ................. 13

34. If a teacher has students in multiple grade levels (K-5), what survey level will the class administer? .............................................................................................. 14

35. Is the survey on paper or online format? ............................................................. 14

36. Do I need to provide a survey make-up session for absent students? ...................... 14

37 What do we do with new students who transferred into our school after RV? ............ 14

38. What are the survey windows? ........................................................................... 14

39. Are the administration timelines for Multi-Track schools different? .......................... 15

40. Can principals change the survey dates once they have been scheduled?................. 15

41. What should we do if our quarterly scheduled classes meet during the survey window? .......................................................................................................... 15

42. How to administer survey with classes that have less than 5 students? ................... 15

43. What defines a small group for K-2 survey administration? .................................... 15

44. How do we coordinate small group administrations for proctored grades K-2 groups? ........................................................................................................... 15

45. If a student doesn’t comprehend a question, can the item be left blank? ................. 16

46. Will the blank responses affect the survey results? ................................................ 16

47. Will negative responses count against a teacher’s rating? ...................................... 16

48. How long does the survey take to complete? ........................................................ 16


49 What happens if we run out of time while administering the survey? ....................... 16

50. Who provides the black or blue ballpoint pens? ..................................................... 16

51. If students completed the surveys in pencil instead of pen, what should we do? ....... 16

52. Can a student’s answer be changed once it is bubbled in? ...................................... 17

Parent Notification and Declination Letter ............................................................ 17

53. Will parents be notified of the survey administration prior to the survey window? ..... 17

54. Are parents able to decline their child’s participation in the survey? How is this done? .............................................................................................................. 17

55. Do parents need to complete the informational declination letter for each administration period? ....................................................................................... 17

56. What do schools do with the returned parent signed declination letters? .................. 17

57. Is the declination letter valid if a parent signed the letter but did not check the decline box? ..................................................................................................... 18

58. What do I do if a student who submitted a declination letter is mistakenly surveyed? ........................................................................................................ 18

59. Will students with completed parent declination letters be removed during the RV process? .......................................................................................................... 18

Special Needs ........................................................................................................ 18

60. Can a teacher/proctor read the items to a student who is having difficulty understanding the survey? ................................................................................. 18

61. Which teacher will students survey in an inclusion classroom? ................................ 18

62. What accommodations can be made for students with special needs participating in the survey? .................................................................................................. 19

63. Are students who are cognitively limited and/or language or vocabulary challenged exempt from the survey administration? .............................................. 19

64. Do teachers have the option to opt a student out of survey administration? ............. 19

65. Are there considerations for Non-English Proficient (NEP) and Limited English Proficient (LEP) students who are administered the survey? ................................... 19

Translated Versions .............................................................................................. 19

66. What languages are the surveys available in? ....................................................... 19

67. Will the Hawaiian Language survey packets include the translated scripts and instructions? .................................................................................................... 19

68. Can the teacher or proctor read the survey items in English to a class that is taking the survey in Hawaiian? ........................................................................... 19

Breaches and Violations ........................................................................................ 20

69. What do I do if I suspect that someone has violated the standard administration protocol? ......................................................................................................... 20

70. If students completed survey for proctor, not their classroom teacher (survey completed for wrong teacher) what should we do? ................................................ 20


Technical Information ........................................................................................... 20

71. Is there a specific browser, version t or plug-ins needed for the online administration? ................................................................................................ 20

72. Will the survey URL info be with the login cards that are shipped to the schools? ...... 20

73. What should we do with completed surveys? ........................................................ 20

Survey Results ...................................................................................................... 21

74. Should principals prepare teachers with information prior to Tripod results release? .......................................................................................................... 21

75. How long after the administration of the survey will reports be available to teachers? ........................................................................................................ 21

76. What if I have not yet received my report or no longer have the link to access my report? ............................................................................................................ 21

77. Will Tripod Summary Scores be posted for the public to see? ................................. 21

78. What kind of score reports do we receive as a result of the Tripod administration?.... 21

79. Please clarify how scores are calculated? ............................................................. 22

80 Who analyzes the results? How do I know that the results are accurate? ................. 22

81. Will teachers’ survey results be identified in their school and complex area reports? .......................................................................................................... 22

82 Will principals receive individual teacher names linked to the teacher-specific data? .............................................................................................................. 23

83. Will individual teacher survey information be made publicly available? .................... 23

84. What does a principal do if they have difficulty opening their survey reports? ........... 23

85. Will fall and spring results be combined to meet the 5-student minimum? ............... 23

86. How do teachers and principals use survey results to inform professional learning? ......................................................................................................... 23

Survey Philosophical Foundation & General Overview

1. What is the Educator Effectiveness System (EES) and its purposes? The Educator Effectiveness System (EES), a comprehensive process replacing the Professional Evaluation Program for Teachers (PEP-T), will better evaluate the performance of teachers in the Hawaii State Department of Education. The EES was created over the course of twelve months of planning and a two-year pilot of its measures. Driven by the Department’s beliefs on the value and importance of teacher development, the EES will provide teachers with constructive feedback and structures of support throughout the school year.

The Tripod Student Survey is one of the multiple measures of the teacher’s performance ratings.

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2. How was the Tripod Student Perceptions Survey developed? What is the Tripod Project? The Tripod Project is supported and operated as a partnership between Cambridge Education and Dr. Ronald F. Ferguson, the project’s founder. Dr. Ferguson is also the Director of the Achievement Gap Initiative at Harvard University. For more than a decade, Dr. Ferguson and the Tripod Project have used student and teacher survey data to study conditions in schools and classrooms. Hundreds of schools and many thousands of classrooms in more than 25 states have participated. The survey is utilized in Canada and China. Plans are currently in the works to expand to England.


3. Who participates in the survey? All students statewide in grades K-12 will have the opportunity to take the Tripod Student Survey. Students must have been enrolled continuously in a class for at least 4 weeks with the same teacher in order to participate in the survey just as teachers must have taught their students for a minimum of 4 weeks.


4. What does the Tripod Student Survey measure? The “tripod” in the Tripod Project refers to three “legs” of quality teaching: content, pedagogy and relationships. This survey model emphasizes the importance of teachers’ content knowledge, pedagogic skills and their capacity to form and sustain effective student-teacher relationships. The model’s premise is that students will engage more deeply and learn more effectively when their perception (or experience) of all three legs are strong.

To build on this overarching idea, the Tripod Project framework identifies targets for student engagement. It also identifies seven elements of teaching practices —the 7Cs— that correspond to key elements of teaching quality. The survey generates information on how students experience teaching practices, learn conditions in the classroom, as well as be informed on assessing their own engagement. The elements of teaching practices organized by the Seven Cs closely align with teacher observation tools and rubrics used by most districts. The Tripod survey also includes measures of school climate and youth culture, and gathers information about family and student demographics.


5. What are the 7Cs? The 7Cs are:

• Care: “Your success and wellbeing really matter to me in a serious way.” • Control: “Our class is orderly, on task and respectful, with learning as our first

priority.” • Challenge: “I insist upon rigor – understanding, not just memorization – and

your best effort.” • Clarify: “I have multiple good explanations; when you are confused I will help

you understand.”


• Captivate: “I make lessons intellectually relevant and stimulating because they are important.”

• Confer: “You must talk with me to help me understand your ideas and support your learning.”

• Consolidate: “I summarize lessons and check for understanding to make learning coherent.”

(EES Manual, page 17)


6. What kinds of questions are asked in the survey? Most questions in the Tripod survey use Likert-scale response options using a 3-point scale (No, Maybe and Yes) in grades K-2 and a 5-point scale for grades 3-12 (Totally Untrue to Totally True). Each question measures an underlying construct from the Tripod framework.

Examples from the Upper Elementary survey format, grades 3-5 are included below:

CARE

• I like the way my teacher treats me when I need help. • My teacher is nice to me when I ask questions. • My teacher in this class makes me feel that he/she really cares about me. • If I am sad or angry, my teacher helps me feel better. • My teacher in this class encourages me to do my best. • My teacher seems to know if something is bothering me. • My teacher gives us time to explain our ideas.

CONTROL

• My classmates behave the way the teacher wants them to. • Our class stays busy and does not waste time. • Students behave so badly in this class that it slows down our learning. • Everybody knows what they should be doing and learning in this class.

CLARIFY

• My teacher explains things in very orderly ways. • In this class, we learn to correct our mistakes. • My teacher explains difficult things clearly. • My teacher has several good ways to explain each topic that we cover in this

class. • I understand what I’m supposed to be learning in class. • My teacher knows when the class understands, and when we do not. • This class is neat – everything has a place and things are easy to find. • If you don’t understand something, my teacher explains it another way. • My teacher wants me to explain my answers – why I think what I think.

CONSOLIDATE

• My teacher takes the time to summarize what we learn each day.

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• When my teacher marks my work, he/she writes on my papers to help me understand.

CHALLENGE

• My teacher pushes us to think hard about the things we read. • My teacher pushes everyone to work hard. • In this class, we have to think about the writing we do. • In this class, my teacher accepts nothing less than our full effort.

CAPTIVATE

• School work is interesting. • We have interesting homework. • Homework helps me learn. • School work is not very enjoyable. (Do you agree?)

CONFER

• When he/she is teaching us, my teacher asks us whether we understand. • My teacher asks questions to be sure we are following along when he/she is

teaching. • My teacher checks to make sure we understand what he/she is teaching us. • My teacher tells us what we are learning and why. • My teacher wants us to share our thoughts. • Students speak up and share their ideas about class work.


7. How many questions or survey items are there per survey format? Hawaii is using the Tripod Survey version 16. The numbers of questions or survey items per survey format are listed below:

• Early Elementary (K-2): 32 survey items / 6 are demographic items • Upper Elementary (3-5): 60 survey items / 8 are demographic items • Secondary (6-12): 90 survey items / 12 are demographic items


8. Can HIDOE change some of the Tripod questions so that they are more accessible to our students? The questions stated in negative terms are confusing. No, HIDOE is not able to change the question format. Changing survey items between administrations or for specific student groups introduce variables that would limit survey reliability. The survey items that are included in the current version of the survey have been selected through over ten years of research led by Dr. Ron Ferguson at Harvard University around content and word choice. In some cases, specific items may evoke one set of thoughts or emotions from an adult with a totally different set of opinions from a student, as evidence shows that the format that the items appear in addressing the specific “C”. Additionally, survey items may appear to be repeated with different wording in a second item, to ensure the survey’s reliability. For example, if a


student answers one item one way and then answers a similar question in an opposite way, this raises a flag that their response may not be reliable. This is one of the ways that Tripod accounts for those students that may not take the survey seriously and enter answers arbitrarily.

For additional information: www.tripodproject.org


9. What information is there regarding the reliability and validity of the Tripod Student Survey? Tripod Student Survey Assessments are featured in the Gates Foundation MET study of teaching quality. Using a sample of more than 44,500 students, the results of the MET study in December 2010, January 2012 and January 2013 reinforce a growing consensus that integrating student survey assessment results with high-quality observations and student gain-scores on achievement tests creates a much more valid and reliable teacher evaluation system compared to current standard practices.

For additional information: www.tripodproject.org


10. How will the survey data be used? The primary purpose of the survey is to provide valuable information for educators who are working to improve the classroom and school learning environment. Data can also be aggregated to provide school and district level feedback. These data can help focus priorities, track improvement and evaluate programs. Please refer to Page 25 through 28 in Hawaii Educator Effectiveness System Manual for Evaluators and Participants.


11. Where can l find more information about the Tripod Project and Tripod Student Survey? Please visit www.tripodproject.org. The Tripod Student Survey was studied by the national Measures of Effective Teaching Research Project; research information and results are available at www.metproject.org and on the Hawaii State Department of Education (HIDOE) EES website: http://eesteacher.weebly.com/tripod-student-surveys.html for teachers and http://eesadmin.weebly.com/tripod-student-surveys.html for administrators and survey coordinators. You may also contact the Tripod Help Desk at 855-287-4763.


Survey Administration Logistics

12. Are the Tripod FAQs and the Tripod Guidelines the same? No, the Tripod FAQs provides the most current information and is a separate document from the Guidelines. FAQs are updated on a regular basis and are available on the DOE EES Website (http://doehr.weebly.com/). The survey Guidelines are contained in

http://www.tripodproject.org/

http://www.metproject.org/

http://eesteacher.weebly.com/tripod-student-surveys.html

http://eesteacher.weebly.com/tripod-student-surveys.html

http://eesadmin.weebly.com/tripod-student-surveys.html

http://eesadmin.weebly.com/tripod-student-surveys.html

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a document available on the DOE EES website page for Implementation Staff (http://eesadmin.weebly.com/).


13. How are survey dates, teachers and classes selected? The selection process begins by determining the date(s) and time(s) within the Tripod Student Survey window. Once this has been established, school survey coordinators work with their school based teams on roster verification ensuring the following:

• Date(s) and time(s) are identified on days of maximum attendance by teachers and students (not on assembly days, field trips or alternate schedules).

• The selected date(s) and time(s) allows for teachers responsible for delivering direct classroom instruction and monitoring student performance for at least one class of students completing the surveys.

• For teachers with smaller class sizes, classes are selected in the following order of preference:

1. Class has a minimum of 5 students 2. Combine students from different classes who meet the 4 week direct

instruction time and are taught by the same teacher to achieve the 5 student pool requirement (We recommend that teachers of small class sizes over-roster to maximize the probability of 5-student survey completion rate for a report).

Example: Teacher A has a first period with 4 students, a second period with 2 students and a third period with 5 students. The survey coordinator should combine the first and third periods for a total that ensures meeting the minimum class size.


14. Which teachers will not be surveyed? Those teachers in the following roles will not be surveyed:

• Teachers with students who all take the HSA-Alt. • Teachers with a total class size of less than 5 students. • Educational Assistants. • Student Teachers. • Part Time Teachers (PTTs) who are not certificated. • Probationary 3-4 teachers who are being evaluated through PEP-T.

(Administrators may choose to administer survey to these teachers for informational purposes only.)

• Visiting lecturers.

Teachers who are responsible for delivering direct classroom instruction and monitor student performance will administer the survey.


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15. Will a student teacher soloing for at least 4 weeks prior to administration be surveyed? No, the survey administered will be for the regular classroom teacher. Student teachers may support the classroom by proctoring that teacher’s class as well as reminding the students that they are completing the survey for their regular classroom teacher.


16. How will this impact the regular classroom teacher’s rating? Teacher ratings will not be impacted as students will be reminded by the student teacher or proctor that they are completing their surveys for their regular classroom teacher.


17. Are teachers of classes that meet infrequently (Instructional Resource Augmentation or elective classes) or classes that meet a few times a month and/or for a short duration surveyed? Teachers that are classified as classroom teachers (see pages 2-3 of the EES Manual) and not specifically excluded (see FAQ titled “Which teachers will not be surveyed?“) should have the Tripod Survey administered to their students. The students surveyed are those who have had at least 4 weeks of direct instruction and monitoring of their performance by the same teacher. While any class a teacher delivers instruction and monitors students’ performance may be surveyed. However, it is recommended that survey coordinators avoid surveying classes with nonstandard or unusual schedules.

Attempting to adjust for situations on a case-by-case basis for teachers and classes that are already covered by existing instructions could mask systemic problems. Also note that non-classroom type teachers identified by their administrator, who do not have student surveys factored into their evaluation, do not have to participate in the survey process.


18. If a special education teacher rostered 6 students for the survey and 2 did not participated, is she table to include another class that she provides direct instruction to, even though they were not rostered, to meet the 5-student minimum? Yes, as long as those students meet the 4-week minimum direct instructions and classroom monitoring by that teacher, she may provide these students with the extra blank surveys from her class packet that are coded to her.


19. Do we survey a classroom whose regular teacher is out on leave? Surveys are to be administered to classes where students have been with the regular classroom teacher for a minimum of 4 weeks). If a teacher meets all participation criteria, is registered in the eSIS system as the classroom teacher, receives a class pack correctly addressed to him/her, but is out during the administration window, the

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teacher’s class will be surveyed by the substitute or proctor. Students are to be reminded that they are completing their survey for their classroom teacher not the substitute teacher. Please contact your survey coordinator or the Help Desk (808-586-4072) for additional clarification.


20. Can and should a long term substitute be surveyed? A long term sub may be surveyed given ALL of the following conditions:

• Taught the class for a minimum of 4 weeks; • Be at the school until the end of the school year; AND • Have a minimum of 5 or more students eligible to take the survey.

Substitute teachers’ Tripod results are not used for evaluation purposes but are helpful in enhancing their classroom implementation strategies, support overall school efforts and information that is welcomed by their administration team.


21. Will the same student group survey their same teacher for both Fall and Spring administrations? It is possible, especially in the elementary K-6 grades, as elementary students typically have only one teacher per school year.

Whenever possible, secondary students should be scheduled to survey a different class or period in each administration (i.e., period 2 vs. period 5).


22. How many classes are surveyed for each teacher per administration period? Typically, each teacher is to roster one class to survey during each administration and to roster a different class for each administration (i.e., period 2 vs. period 5 or 8:30 vs. 10:30 class). Most students are surveyed no more than twice within a survey period.


23. What do we do if the survey materials do not arrive by the first day of the survey administration window? Every effort is made to have the materials delivered to schools on time. However, a back-up plan with alternate survey administration dates in place is recommended for schools to ensure smooth administration.


24. What is included with the survey material packet shipped by the vendor? The survey packet includes:

• Surveys linked to a specific student and classroom teacher, blank surveys linked to the specific teacher, envelopes for each survey, survey instructions, and scripts.


• A Secured Class Cover Sheet for each teacher and a Secured School Cover Sheet for the survey coordinator to complete.

• Shipping labels and instructions to return paper survey materials to the vendor.


25. If a teacher needs more than the 5 extra surveys included in the packet, can teacher use the surveys that are for students who were absent or had submitted a survey declination letter? No, only the blank surveys may be distributed; survey sharing is not allowed even within the same class. All survey packs including the extras are coded specifically to a teacher and students linked to that teacher.


26. Are the Class and the School Secured Cover Sheets on paper or online? Schools that administer paper surveys will complete paper Cover Sheets; those who have selected online administration complete the Cover Sheets online.


27. What do we do if the wrong or incomplete survey materials are delivered to our school? Please contact the Tripod Help Desk at [email protected] or call toll free at 855-2-TRIPOD (855-287-4763) immediately to report the error. Tripod help Desk is available from February 24 to March 21, 2014, Monday to Friday, from 7:30 am to 3:30 pm Hawaii Standard Time (HST).


28. Who makes the decision as to how the survey is administered at each school? Following Tripod administration protocols, all grades K-2 administer the survey in paper format and will be proctored by someone other than the classroom teacher. This means that all survey items will be read to grades K-2. For grades 3-12, the decision to have the classroom teacher or someone other than the classroom teacher administer the survey as well as the choice of paper or online survey format is made by the school administrators.


29. How shall schools prepare their teachers to administer the survey? It is recommended that school survey coordinators along with their administrators conduct an orientation for teachers that cover the points below prior to the survey administration:

• The date(s) and time(s) selected for the survey. • The survey administration protocols as well as the importance of adhering to

the guidelines provided in the class packets. Copies of survey scripts and instructions are also available on the DOE EES website (http://eesadmin.weebly.com/) and can be distributed during the meeting and returned with all survey materials upon completion.

mailto:[email protected]


• Confirmation of teacher’s role during survey administration: 1. The Tripod Student Survey is conducted in the same manner and

culture as an assessment; 2. Disruption or conversations are not allowed during the survey; 3. The survey is untimed; 4. Students are informed that teachers may not interpret survey items but

may read and define individual words (all items are read by proctor for students in grades K-2);

5. Ensuring that the accommodations documented in student’s IEP are provided as appropriate;

6. Ensure that students who had submitted declination letters are not to administer the survey and to provide with an alternate class activity.


30. What supports are available to schools to ensure teachers and coordinators are ready to administer the survey? Tripod and the HIDOE provide the following information and supports including but not limited to, webinars, live and recorded, trainings and the EES Weebly site (http://eesteacher.weebly.com/) to provide guidance for teachers and survey coordinators to ensure successful survey administration. The EES Help Desk is available to answer questions at 808-586-4072 as well as the Tripod Help Desk, available from February 24 to March 21, 2014 at 855-287-4763 during the hours of 7:30 am to 3:30 pm HST to answer additional questions regarding the materials or the survey process.


31. How is student confidentiality protected? All surveys have individual identifiers are to remove by the students prior to survey completion. Each student is to place his/her completed survey into a blank envelope and seal it before submitting envelope to the proctor.


32. What are the differences between the Early Elementary (K‐2), Upper Elementary (3‐5) and Secondary (6‐12) Tripod survey versions? The Early Elementary (K-2) survey contains fewer answer choices, fewer questions and simplistic language. Similarly, the Upper Elementary (3-5) survey has fewer items than the secondary and uses shorter sentence structure. The Secondary (6-12) survey is designed for older students with more answer choices and a greater number of complex items.


33 How is the survey administered to students in the different age groups? For grades K-2, someone other than the students’ teacher must proctor the survey. At this level, the survey is administered in smaller groups of 5-10, whereas, grades 3-12 administer the survey to the whole class. Students in grades 3–12 follow a standard protocol that typically involves the teacher serving as the proctor with the students

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reading the survey themselves. Specific details and instructions are outlined in separate administration instructions and scripts for the survey levels.


34. If a teacher has students in multiple grade levels (K-5), what survey level will the class administer? Classes with multiple grade levels will default to the lowest survey level (i.e., a class with students in grades 5-7 will administer the upper elementary survey) to the entire class.


35. Is the survey on paper or online format? The K-2 survey format is mandatory paper/pen. Schools may decide either (but not both) paper or online survey for grades 3-12. The selection is made during roster verification.


36. Do I need to provide a survey make-up session for absent students? No, if a student was absent, survey make-up administration is not required. However, if student returned to school within the survey window, the school may decide to have student administer the survey.


37 What do we do with new students who transferred into our school after RV? If the new students entered school after the class roster verification has completed; meet the minimum 4 weeks instruction time with their teachers, and whose parents have not declined students’ participation, are to be given a blank survey provided in the survey packet, that are coded to that teacher, to complete. Note, surveys must not be shared between teachers as they are coded to specific individual teachers.


38. What are the survey windows? Classroom teachers and proctors will administer the Tripod Student Surveys for ONE class (where possible) for each teacher (noting exceptions #20 and #21)) during the designated Tripod Survey windows. The 2013-14 school year survey windows:

Tracks Spring 2014

Yellow 2/24 – 3/07/14

Red 2/24 – 3/07/14 or 3/03 – 3/21/14

Green 3/03 – 3/21/14

Blue 3/03 – 3/21/14

Single 3/03 – 3/14/14



39. Are the administration timelines for Multi-Track schools different? Yes. The spring survey administration window for Yellow track is February 24 – March 7, Red track has the option to administer during the February 24-March 3 or March 3- 21, 2014 window. Green and Blue tracks from March 3 – March 21, and Single Track Schools from March 3- 14, 2014. Please remember that the single track schools will be on spring break from March 17-21, 2014, therefore, please make arrangements for the return your completed surveys and materials to the vendor by March 14, 2014.


40. Can principals change the survey dates once they have been scheduled? Yes, as long as the changes are within the survey administration window.


41. What should we do if our quarterly scheduled classes meet during the survey window? Schools with quarterly course changes that take place within designated survey window should select survey day(s) and time(s) that occur before quarterly course changes take place.


42. How to administer survey with classes that have less than 5 students? Teachers with small class/period sizes may combine their classes to meet the minimum survey size of 5 students when possible. Best practice would be to over roster 5 student counts; that way if one or more students are absent on the given survey day, it is likely that the teachers will meet the 5 students minimum. Reports are generated for classes that have 5 or more students and have at least 3 responses for each item within each 7Cs. Alternate methods of teacher evaluations are identified and determined by administrators should a report not be generated for a teacher.


43. What defines a small group for K-2 survey administration? Schools are asked to use their knowledge of their students and school environment in making the decision of their group size. A group of 5-10 students is recommended, however, depending on the class, schools may choose to use smaller groupings that support smoother administration.


44. How do we coordinate small group administrations for proctored grades K-2 groups? It has been shown to be highly effective to proctor grades K-2 in small group therefore, students in grades K-2 will be surveyed in small groups of 5-10 students by a teacher other than that classroom teacher. Schools may organize small learning centers and rotate teachers into different classrooms to complete this task. Administration, counselors, librarians, and curriculum coordinators may all be requested to assist.



45. If a student doesn’t comprehend a question, can the item be left blank? Yes, if student does not know, does not understand, or feel uncomfortable in answering a question, it may be left blank. Proctors may define words but not interpret survey items to the class. K-2 grades have all items read to them by a proctor other than the classroom teacher.


46. Will the blank responses affect the survey results? A minimum of 3 responses per item for each of the 7Cs is needed in order to calculate favorable scores. An N/A will be given to those items that do not meet the minimum response rate. A composite score cannot be generated without all 7Cs having adequate responses.


47. Will negative responses count against a teacher’s rating? No, negative survey responses do not count against a teacher’s favorability rating but will be included in their NCE. Blanks are not counted.


48. How long does the survey take to complete? Usually, 30 minutes is ample time to complete the entire process for the comprehensive version of the survey, for all levels, including material distribution and instruction.


49 What happens if we run out of time while administering the survey? If the survey cannot be completed in one class period and the students need to leave the room for some reason, we recommend that they place their survey in the provided envelope but do NOT seal it; leave envelope on their desk and complete the survey after they return. For online administration, the students will sign back onto the online survey (use their unique login information), the survey will take them back to where they had left off. Please note for online administration that there is only a 4-hour window to complete the survey from sign on to submit. There is no recovery period after the 4-hour window closes. If survey is not completed in the 4-hour window, survey will be submitted incomplete.


50. Who provides the black or blue ballpoint pens? Schools will provide the pens for survey completion.


51. If students completed the surveys in pencil instead of pen, what should we do? If students used pencils instead of black or blue ink pens, they will place their pencil completed surveys in the envelopes provided, seal them and submit them to their


teacher or proctor. Teachers are to write “PENCIL” across the sealed envelopes and return them along with all survey packets to the vendor.


52. Can a student’s answer be changed once it is bubbled in? Yes, if students change their mind of an answer already bubbled in, cross out that answer with an “X” and bubble in their new answer.


Parent Notification and Declination Letter 53. Will parents be notified of the survey administration prior to the survey

window? Yes, prior to the survey administration, an informational declination letter is sent home by the school informing parents of the survey activities.


54. Are parents able to decline their child’s participation in the survey? How is this done? Yes, parents who choose not to have their child participate in the survey must complete the declination letter by signing and checking the declination box and return it to the school prior to the schools’ survey administration date.


55. Do parents need to complete the informational declination letter for each administration period? Yes, a completed declination letter, signed and declination box checked by parents, must be submitted for each administration period.


56. What do schools do with the returned parent signed declination letters? Each school will collect, document, and file the signed declination letters in a secure location in the school office. A list of declined students is to provide to the survey coordinators to ensure that these students do not participate in the survey and that alternate classroom activities are provided during their class survey period.



57. Is the declination letter valid if a parent signed the letter but did not check the decline box? No, if the declination box is not checked, but the letter is signed, the student will participate in the survey. Schools may remind parents that the declination box on the letter MUST be checked as well as signed to be valid.


58. What do I do if a student who submitted a declination letter is mistakenly surveyed? Completed and submitted survey results will not be deleted from the survey data file. Administrators will inform parents of the error and the inclusion of their child’s survey. Should the error be discovered prior to the sealing of the envelope, place the erroneous survey in a sealed envelope and mark “DELETE” across the envelope. Submit this envelope with the rest of the surveys. If school is not sure of which sealed envelopes contain the opted out student’s survey, do not open envelopes; submit the erroneous survey along with all completed surveys to vendor for processing.


59. Will students with completed parent declination letters be removed during the RV process? Yes, school survey coordinators are to ensure that the names of the students with parent declination letters are removed from the survey list during roster verification or if later, remove from the survey packets upon receipt by the school.


Special Needs 60. Can a teacher/proctor read the items to a student who is having difficulty

understanding the survey? Teachers/proctors may read:

• Individual words; • Define words; • Read items if it is an accommodation that is listed in the student’s IEP; • All K-2 are read the items and responses; • Read items that students’ requests.


61. Which teacher will students survey in an inclusion classroom? If both general education and special education teachers provide direct instructions, contribute to the students’ grades and monitor students’ progress, both teachers will be surveyed. Each will roster the same class but administer their surveys separately on different days.



62. What accommodations can be made for students with special needs participating in the survey? Documented accommodations for students with special needs are identified in their IEPs and will be provided during the survey administration.


63. Are students who are cognitively limited and/or language or vocabulary challenged exempt from the survey administration? No, all students in grades K-12 administer the Tripod Student Survey, except those who are administered the HSA-Alt and whose parents have declined their participation in the survey.


64. Do teachers have the option to opt a student out of survey administration? No, only students who are administered the HSA-Alt and those whose parents have submitted a signed declination letter with the decline box checked are exempt from participating in the survey.


65. Are there considerations for Non-English Proficient (NEP) and Limited English Proficient (LEP) students who are administered the survey? Like all students who take the HSA, the NEP or LEP students are administered the Tripod Survey in either English or Hawaiian. Students will be provided with the same documented accommodation as they receive for regular classroom instruction.


Translated Versions

66. What languages are the surveys available in? The survey is available in English and Hawaiian at this time.


67. Will the Hawaiian Language survey packets include the translated scripts and instructions? Yes, Hawaiian translated surveys, scripts and instructions are included in the school packets as well as an English version for each survey ordered.


68. Can the teacher or proctor read the survey items in English to a class that is taking the survey in Hawaiian? Yes, the survey instructions, scripts and items may be read in English to students who are completing the survey in Hawaiian by the teacher or proctor.



Breaches and Violations 69. What do I do if I suspect that someone has violated the standard

administration protocol? Teachers should report incidents to your administrator and your survey coordinator. The survey coordinator will document the incident in a detailed written report, in a standard Word document, including the name of the teacher, date of incident, description of the circumstances as well as information on the individuals (if any) who witnessed the event. Once the incident has been reported to your administrator, your survey coordinator will submit the report to your EES EO and the [email protected] for follow up. All breaches and incidents are to be reported in writing by Friday, March 21, 2014.


70. If students completed survey for proctor, not their classroom teacher (survey completed for wrong teacher) what should we do? If survey was completed for the wrong teacher, the survey is invalid. Please band all completed and sealed envelopes together, write “INVALID” in large bold letter across each of the envelopes and return the packet to your survey coordinator. The error is to be documented and submitted in the same manner as a breach described above.


Technical Information

71. Is there a specific browser, version t or plug-ins needed for the online administration? No, schools may use any browser and version; plug-ins not needed. The survey may be taken on desktops, laptops and iPads.


72. Will the survey URL info be with the login cards that are shipped to the schools? Yes, the URL address to the Tripod website will be on the login cards shipped to the schools.

• Secondary Surveys: 808.tripodsurveys.org • Upper Elementary: 101.tripodsurveys.org

All Early Elementary level surveys are administered in paper/pen format and have all items read to students.


Completed Surveys

73. What should we do with completed surveys? Paper surveys only: Place all material (completed surveys, blank surveys, instructions and scripts, School and Classroom Secured Cover Sheets, etc.) from the



vendor into the same boxes that they arrived in, affix the FedEx shipping label(s) that were provided and schedule FedEx pickup no later than Friday, March 21, 2014. (Note: Please note FedEx mail label tracking numbers in order to trace your shipments’ progress.)

Online surveys only: Upon schools completion of the online survey, all survey materials received from vendor are to be sent to the DOE-System Planning & Improvement Section (SPIS) Office via DOE Inter-Department Mail Courier. Place all survey materials (log-in cards assigned and blanks, instructions and scripts) into an inter-departmental envelope, addressed to SPIS at Kaimuki Middle School. Then place the envelope(s) in the school’s Blue Pouch to be pickup by DOE Mail Courier. Due to space limitations in the Blue Pouch, schools having multiple envelopes need not send them all on the same day. Schools to include a total number (1/2, 2/2, 3/3 etc.) of all survey envelopes that SPIS will receive. All online materials are to be sent to SPIS no later than April 18, 2014.


Survey Results

74. Should principals prepare teachers with information prior to Tripod results release? We strongly recommend that principals provide support to their teachers to unpack their reports. This information will help teachers in understanding what the scores mean as well as decided upon action steps to be taken by teachers and schools.


75. How long after the administration of the survey will reports be available to teachers? The Fall 2013 report is available indefinitely through the secure Tripod System. Tripod recommends that teachers download their reports within 90 days upon receipt of notice. The Spring 2014 reports are projected to be available on April 25, 2014.


76. What if I have not yet received my report or no longer have the link to access my report? Please email: [email protected] for assistance and follow up.


77. Will Tripod Summary Scores be posted for the public to see? Yes, the Tripod Summary Scores will be posted on the DOE web page.


78. What kind of score reports do we receive as a result of the Tripod administration? Teachers receive their individual Favorability Percentile and Normal Curve Equivalent (NCE) reports for each administration. Other reports distributed are, school principal



report that includes individual teachers’ as well as the school composite favorability %. Complex Area Superintendents’ report includes overall Favorability % of their individual schools and composite of the complex area for each of the 7Cs.


79. Please clarify how scores are calculated? Favorability percentile are the number of responses that fall into the favorable category per question divided by all of the questions with responses. Favorability is further split up into the 7Cs constructs and score reports are disaggregated by C for teachers. The same formula is applied per C to create these disaggregated views - # of favorable answers for survey questions within that C/# of total questions answered within that C. This scoring measure is most useful in the formative context.

NCE accounts for the raw score of the values selected. You will see in the horizontal red/yellow/green colored bars displayed in each of the teacher and school reports that each survey response corresponds with a point value. The raw score is the total sum of values 1-3 or 1-5 (depending on survey) of the responses.

A formula is applied to the total score as a way of standardizing scores received into a 1- 99 scale similar to a percentile-rank, but preserving the valuable equal-interval properties of a z-score.


80 Who analyzes the results? How do I know that the results are accurate? Dr. Ronald F. Ferguson, the developer of the Tripod survey methodology, designs analytical models and protocols. All data from the surveys are processed independently by Tripod through its partnership with Dr. Ferguson. Password protected reports are made available to Complex Area Superintendents, principals, and every participating teacher with a class of more than 5 respondents who had a report generated for them. These reports provide comprehensive, anonymous results, including breakdowns of responses for each survey item. The reports provide teachers with concrete, quantitative information about their students’ perceptions, and how those compare with other students in other classrooms.


81. Will teachers’ survey results be identified in their school and complex area reports? The individual teacher identities are available in the school report only, not the complex area report. The survey results are provided in password protected reports to administrators that are encrypted with unique teacher IDs providing an extra layer of identity protection. Administrators must have the decryption key to identify individual teacher names in their school reports.



82 Will principals receive individual teacher names linked to the teacher-specific data? Yes, the Tripod Student Survey is in full statewide implementation as of fall 2013. Teachers are identified along with their scores to their principals. This is done in encrypted files to further protect their results.


83. Will individual teacher survey information be made publicly available? No, data for individual teachers are confidential and not publicly released except to their principals through encrypted files.


84. What does a principal do if they have difficulty opening their survey reports? A link to a zip file is sent to each principal with their school report. To download and unpack a zip file containing Tripod Reports:

1. Check if computer has one of the utilities installed which enable open file, examples: WinRAR, WinZip, 7zip

2. If unable open file, install one of the following: Windows Users: 7zip_920.exe OS X Users: Keka After installed, again open file using one of the utilities

For further assistance, please email: [email protected]


85. Will fall and spring results be combined to meet the 5-student minimum? No, each survey period report count is separate and are not combined. A report is generated if there is a minimum of 5 students, and at least 3 responses in each of the items per 7Cs. Please refer to #43 for additional information.


86. How do teachers and principals use survey results to inform professional learning? Tripod surveys capture key dimensions of classroom life and teaching practice as students experience them. Surveys can deliver valid, reliable and detailed insights on teaching and learning. Using the Tripod survey assessments, educators have the ability to measure student perceptions in the following areas:

• Teaching Effectiveness: Measures tied to each teacher are quality assured and benchmarked against national norms.

• Student Engagement: Data concerning effort and motivation indicate for each classroom how students judge their own attitudes, behavior, and effort.

• Student Satisfaction: Data indicate whether each classroom, building and district is a place where students feel safe, welcome and satisfied with their progress.



• Whole school Climate: Data from individual classrooms can be aggregated up to measures of whole school climate. In addition, surveys include questions that pertain to the school as a whole.

Findings can inform and promote discussions on school quality and whole-school priorities, as well as focus teacher professional development and student engagement projects. The survey measures enable decision-makers at every level to focus priorities and track progress; helping to ensure investments in professional development and school improvement produce positive results.


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