Data and Recommendations Matrix

Identifying Potential Reforms

By completing the previous sections of data analysis, you should have:

  • identified a broad working conditions area that is of the greatest concern to your school;
  • analyzed individual question responses from your school  to narrow the scope of the issue and identify a potential area of need to consider for implementing reform strategies; and
  • considered some of the working conditions realities faced by teachers in your school that may be at the heart of the areas of concern.

We hope that the research-based recommendations to improve working conditions profiled in the toolkit will help you address the issues unique to your school.  To help you identify strategies, the toolkit includes examples of schools that have successfully addressed this issue with  the “seeing it work” resources; concrete strategies, checklists, etc. in the "action tools"; and research and background information in the "knowledge" resources.

Recommendations that correspond with individual questions in each domain can be found in the tables below. For each domain, the first table includes core questions that appear in all versions of the survey. The second table includes supplementary questions that states may have chosen to include as well.

Domain: Leadership
 Key - (Leadership = L) (Time =T) (Empowerment = E) (Facilities & Resources = F&R) (Professional Development = PD)

Core Questions Recommendations to Consider for Reform Strategies
There is an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect within the school L4; E2; E3; T1
The school leadership communicates clear expectations to students, parents, faculty and staff L2
The faculty are committed to helping every student learn L1; E1; E3 ; PD1
The school leadership team makes an effort to address teacher concerns about: L2; L4; E1: E2: E3; T2; T4
a) leadership issues L2: L4; E1; E2; E3; T2; T4
b) facilities and resources L2; L4
c) the use of time in my school L4; T1; T2; T4
d) professional development L4; PD1
e) empowering teachers L5; E1; E2; E3
f) new teacher support L4; T1
Overall, the school leadership in my school is effective L1; L2; L3; L4; E1; E2; E3; T1; T2; PD3; PD5
Which position best describes the person who most often provides instructional leadership at your school? L1; L5; PD3; E2; E3
a) principal or school head (see above for a-g)
b) assistant or vice principal  
c) department chair or grade level chair  
d) school-based curriculum specialist  
e) director of curriculum and instruction or other central office based personnel  
f) other teachers  
g) none of the above  

A number of supplementary leadership questions may appear on a given state's teacher working conditions survey:

Supplementary Questions Recommendations to Consider for Reform Strategies
Teachers feel comfortable raising issues and concerns that are important for them L2; L4
School leadership shields teachers from disruptions, allowing teachers to focus on educating students L4
The school leadership consistently enforces rules for student conduct L2; FR1
Opportunities are available for members of the community to actively contribute to the school's success L2
My school leadership consistently supports me when I need it L2; L4; E1; E2; E3; T2; T4
The school improvement team provides effective leadership at this school E3
The faculty and staff have a shared vision L2; E2; E3
The leadership effectively communicates policies L2
Teachers are held to high professional standards for delivering instruction L2; L3; PD5
Teacher performance evaluations are handled in an appropriate manner L3; PD5
The procedures for teacher performance evaluations are consistent L3
Teachers receive feedback that can help them improve teaching L3; L4; PD5
Staff members are recognized for accomplishments L3

Domain: Professional Development

Core Questions Recommendations to Consider for Reform Strategies
Sufficient resources are available to allow teachers to take advantage of professional development activities PD2; PD4; FR1; FR4; T2
Professional development provides teachers with the knowledge and skills most needed to teach effectively PD1; PD2; PD3; PD4; PD5
In which of the following areas (if any) do you need additional support to effectively teach your students: special ed (disab.), special ed (academically gifted), LEP, closing the achievement gap, your content area, methods of teaching, student assessment, classroom management techniques, reading strategies PD1; PD3

A number of supplementary professional development questions may appear on a given state's teacher working conditions survey:

Supplementary Questions Recommendations to Consider for Reform Strategies
Enhancing teacher knowledge and skills receive priority as a strategy to improve student achievement PD1;PD5; L3; L4;
Teachers are provided opportunities to learn from one another. PD3; T1; E1
School leadership makes a sustained effort to provide quality professional development at my school L3; L4; PD3
Adequate time is provided for professional development PD2; E1; T3
Do you teach students who PD1
a) Have an Individualized Education Plan or 504 Plan? (see above for a and b)
b) Are Limited English Proficient?  
In the past two years, have you enrolled or participated in any of the following professional development activities?  
a) Graduate courses PD3
b) Workshops, institutes, and/or academies  
c) Informal professional development activities PD3
d) Participation in a coaching or mentoring program L4; T1
e) Attendance at conference or professional meetings PD3
f) National Board Certification PD1; PD3
g) State sponsored inservice program  

Domain: Facilities & Resources

Core Questions Recommendations to Consider for 
Reform Strategies
Teachers have sufficient access to appropriate instructional material and resources FR1
Teachers have sufficient access to instructional technology, including computers, printers, software, and internet access FR1
Teachers have sufficient training and support to fully utilize the available instructional technology FR2
Teachers have adequate professional space to work productively FR4; E1
Teachers and staff work in a school environment that is safe FR2

A number of supplementary facilities and resources questions may appear on a given state's teacher working conditions survey:

Supplementary Questions Recommendations to Consider for Reform Strategies
Teachers have access to reliable communication technology including phones, faxes and email FR1
Teachers have sufficient access to office equipment and supplies such as copy machines, paper, pens, etc. FR1
Teachers have sufficient access to a broad range of professional support personnel FR3
Teachers and staff work in a school environment that is clean and well maintained FR2
Overall, this school has adequate facilities and resources for me to do a good job teaching students FR1; FR2; FR3; FR4

Domain: Empowerment

Core Questions Recommendations to Consider for Reform Strategies
Teachers are centrally involved in decision making about important educational issues E2; E3
Teachers are trusted to make sound professional decisions about instruction E2; E3; L5
In this school we take steps to solve problems E2; E3; L2
The faculty has an effective process for making group decisions and solving problems E3; L2
Please indicate how large a role teachers have at your school in each of the following areas:  
a) Selecting instructional materials and resources E1; E2
b) Devising teaching techniques E1; E2
c) Setting grading and student assessment practices E2; E3
d) Determining the content of in-service professional development programs E1; E2; PD3
e) The hiring of new teachers E2; E3
f) Establishing and implementing policies and student discipline E2
g) Deciding how the school budget will be spent E2; E3
h) School improvement planning E2; E3

A number of supplementary empowerment questions may appear on a given state's teacher working conditions survey:

Supplementary Questions Recommendations to Consider for Reform Strategies
Teachers are recognized (or respected) as educational experts (or professionals) E2; E3
Opportunities for advancement within the teaching profession (other than administration) are available to me E2; E3
Teachers are encouraged to participate in professional leadership activities E2; E3; L5
Teachers are supported by the community in which they teach E3; T2

Domain: Time

Core Questions Recommendations to Consider for Reform Strategies
Teachers have reasonable class sizes affording them time to meet the educational needs of all students T2; T4; L4
Teachers have time available to collaborate with their colleagues T1; T2; PD3; E1
The non-instructional time provided for teachers in my school is sufficient T1; T2; T3
In an average week of teaching, how much non-instructional time do you have available? (not including time spent outside of the normal school day) T1; T2; T3
In an average week of teaching, how many hours do you spend on school related activities outside the regular school work day (before or after school, and/or on the weekend) T2; T4

A number of supplementary time questions may appear on a given state's teacher working conditions survey:

Supplementary Questions Recommendations to Consider for Reform Strategies
Teachers have a reasonable overall number of students, affording them time to meet the educational needs of all students T2; T4; L4
Teachers are protected from duties that interfere with their essential role of educating students T2; T4; E1
Of these hours, how many are typically spent on supervisory duties T2
New teachers are provided time to work with a mentor T1; T2; PD3
Efforts are made to minimize the amount of routine administrative paperwork that teachers are required to do T2; T4
It is necessary for me to work a second job  
In a typical year, how many days beyond your current contract do you devote to school and professional responsibilities?  

Next Step: Begin to focus on reform strategies by reading the introduction to the topic and looking at all of the recommendations.  After that, consider the strategies listed within each of the recommendations specific to your role group for ideas of where to begin your reform strategy.  Role groups include community members, teachers, principals, district officials and policymakers.

As more communities use this toolkit and consider reforms based on their working conditions data, we hope to profile successes and use them to provide tools on planning reform strategies.  The BellSouth Foundation, BellSouth-North Carolina , and the North Carolina Business Committee for Education will be using the toolkit in several North Carolina communities providing facilitated conversations and technical assistance in developing and implementing working conditions reform strategies.  Progress will be documented and tools will be developed and added to the toolkit based on their successes in assisting other communities. 

In the meantime, the Reinventing Education Change Toolkit can also assist you in developing an action plan once you’ve identified an issue and some potential reform strategies.  The site, sponsored by IBM (which requires registration but is free and available to those working in or working to improve K-12 education), provides online tools to organize, poll and communicate with community teams, helpful checklists and surveys to assess community capacity and willingness to undergo change.
If you have other resources to add or thoughts to share,
please email


data analysis | time | leadership | empowerment | prof development | facilities & resource