Research for Better Schools

Recent Evaluation Projects

Title: Pennsylvania School Administrator's Survey

Sponsor/Funder: Pennsylvania Academy for the Profession of Teaching and Learning and the Pennsylvania State Department of Education

Target Audience: Pennsylvania Academy for Teaching and Learning and Pennsylvania Department of Education

Collaborating Agencies: Pennsylvania Academy for Teaching and Learning, Pennsylvania Department of Education, and Pennsylvania Association of Elementary and Secondary School Principals

Dates: 2003 - 2004

Description: Based on the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) and Pennsylvania standards for school principals, RBS created and administered to a sample of principals in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania a survey to assess professional development needs. Professional development resources were lined matched with professional development needs, as expressed through the survey. The intention of collecting these data about the perceived value of potential resources was to support decisionmaking about the content of professional development to be offered to principals attending future Pennsylvania Academy events. Specifically, RBS:

  • Designed a needs assessment survey based in ISLLC standards and Pennsylvania law.
  • Provided a sampling design.
  • Designed SPSS databases.
  • Worked collaboratively to involve clients in the survey design process.
  • Created and supported an organizational infrastructure that ensured smooth data collection.
  • Performed descriptive statistical analyses.
  • Wrote a comprehensive evaluation report.
  • Made specific programmatic recommendations regarding potential professional developers.
  • Worked with Pennsylvania Academy staff to help them use data to support formative improvement decisions.

Outcomes: Pennsylvania Academy for Teaching and Learning used data produced by the survey to make decisions about content and presenters for a program of professional development for principals.

Products and/or Web Links:

  • Bradley, M. (2004 August). Pennsylvania School Leader's Survey: Analysis and Recommendations . Philadelphia, PA: Research for Better Schools.

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