Critical Needs Elementary Self-Survey
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Dear Visitors,

Based on the findings of our elementary school critical needs study, we developed this survey as a tool for school- and district-based educators to take the pulse of their own organizations in terms of the four key elements of what works for critical needs students in elementary school.

For more about each element, see the full report (available as a PDF) on the NY Kids Website. To access it, please copy and past the following URL into your Web browser:

http://www.albany.edu/nykids/files/NY_Kids_Critical_Needs_Elementary_Full_Report_2011.pdf

and we invite you to use this survey with colleagues in your own setting.

Note that absolute confidentiality cannot be guaranteed due to the limited protections of Internet access. As you will see in this brief survey, no questions as to your name or other identifiable personal information is required.

Thank you for your responses.

Sincerely,
The NY Kids Team

Please indicate how well you think your school or district is addressing the following:

[Not at all well; somewhat well; well; very well]
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1. Close Engagement with and Understanding of the Population . . . What is your school like?

Consider how well you think your school or district is addressing each of the following:
not at all wellsomewhat wellwellvery wellN/A
(1) We are a "family" that takes care of and takes responsibility for children's emotional and social growth AND academic achievement.
(2) We consistently and actively forge parent/legal guardian relationships, and our efforts are supported by school-level activities that recognize and celebrate our community's diversity.
(3) Teachers, teacher-leaders or coaches, principals, and district administrators consistently analyze student performance data and use these analyses to inform systematic instructional and other changes.
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2. Literacy and Technology-Enriched Instruction . . . What is your school like?

Please indicate how well you think your school or district is addressing the following:
not at all wellsomewhat wellwellvery wellN/A
(1) We use balanced strategies to build literacy intensively and early in the elementary years (with the goal of all children reading at grade level by third grade) and with consistency from class to class and grade level to grade level.
(2) Our mainstream teachers either embed instructional adaptations specifically for ELLs and/or provide native language instruction to improve literacy development among ELLs.
(3) We use technology to target specific skills that are directly connected to the curriculum and at the level and pace of student need, continually monitoring performance and supplementing instruction for special needs students and ELLs and extending instruction to the home.
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3. Enlightened Approach to Curriculum and Data . . . What is your school like?

Please indicate how well you think your school or district is addressing the following:
not at all wellsomewhat wellwellvery wellN/A
(1) We view curriculum revision as a continuing, revelatory process that includes revamping, rethinking, and retooling to deliver curricula in new ways.
(2) We use a variety of performance data (often selected with teacher input), which are generated regularly, shared vertically, and acted upon to inform instructional changes and curriculum revision.
(3) We have adapted our curricula to meet the needs of special education and ELL students.
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4. Fluid Adaptation and Deployment of Resources . . . What is your school like?

Please indicate how well you think your school or district is addressing the following:
not at all wellsomewhat wellwellvery wellN/A
(1) Our stance toward the use of specialists, instructional space, and time maximizes levels of inclusion for ELL and special needs students.
(2) We use an extensive array of intervention strategies, including Response to Intervention.
(3) We specifically target funding for extra support to ELLs and special needs students, pursuing and garnering additional funding for that purpose.
5. Please indicate your: