Governor Martin O'Malley Unveils First Ever Statewide Teacher Survey
ANNAPOLIS, MD (February 17, 2009) – Governor Martin O’Malley, joined by state and local education officials, students, and teachers, today unveiled the first ever statewide survey of Maryland educators, an initiative titled “TELL Maryland.” The survey serves as a unique opportunity to gather information about school conditions, teacher satisfaction, and opportunities for improvement in the teaching and learning environments throughout the State. This web-based tool will be available to over 70,000 educators in Maryland’s 1,433 public school locations.
“We know the recruitment and retention of quality, dedicated teachers has a direct impact on student achievement,” said Governor O’Malley. “This data has the potential for both dramatic and subtle improvements in teaching and learning environments throughout Maryland, each with its own unique impact on student achievement. We honor our educators by listening to them, by including them in the process, and by engaging them so that we may continue to build upon our progress as the number one public school system in America.”
The “TELL Maryland” survey stands for Teaching, Empowering, Leading and Learning. The survey is a month-long initiative, available through mid-March to all licensed educators in Maryland public schools, including pre-K–12 classroom teachers, vocational-technical educators, and special area teachers. All certified personnel is included in the confidential survey, including guidance counselors, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and special education team leaders. School-based administrators including principals and assistant principals will also be included in the surveyed audience, and questions will relate specifically to qualities such as working conditions, teacher and principal support, school leadership, community support, and professional development.
“We have had a long-term commitment to continuous improvement for Maryland’s teachers and principals,” said State Superintendent of Schools Nancy S. Grasmick. “This survey could help provide information that will help our top-ranked schools provide even better service to our students, their families, and our communities.”
“We’re very proud we’re America’s number one school system, but we know we can and must continue to improve,” said Clara Floyd, President of the Maryland State Teachers Association. “That’s why this TELL Maryland survey is so important. This 30-minute confidential and anonymous survey will provide our teachers, principals, school officials, and policymakers with a tool to build upon the success we have already achieved. We strongly encourage all of the teachers and other certificated staff to take this online survey. It will provide us with the data we need to know where to focus our energies as we move forward together.”
The purpose of the survey is to support sound educational policies and practices based on the views of teachers, principals, and other certified educators in Maryland’s public schools. The TELL Maryland survey is supported by a coalition of education organizations, and is administered by the New Teacher Center at the University of California at Santa Cruz, a national organization dedicated to supporting the development of a high-quality teaching force. In most instances, the survey should take about thirty minutes, and participants will be asked to share perceptions on a scale of one to five on a series of questions.
Participant confidentiality and anonymity is 100 percent guaranteed by the survey administrator. Educators have received a randomized and unique security code to enter at the start of the survey, which makes it possible for each participant to submit the survey only once and allows for appropriate compilation of the data. Data from the survey will be used to immediately enhance the school improvement process statewide, and will also be available to teachers and administrators to act upon their own data in the school environment. In addition, school board members, superintendents and their staff will have the ability to discover common elements that can more appropriately be addressed in conjunction with stakeholders at a system level.
Since the passage of the Thornton Bridge to Excellence Plan, State funding for local school systems has increased by $2.029 billion dollars, an 82 percent increase. Governor O’Malley proposed a record $5.4 billion funding level for FY2010 despite difficult economic times. In addition, for the first time ever, Maryland will have invested more than $1 billion in school construction funding, including over $260 million proposed for FY2010 alone.
In early January, Education Week Magazine ranked Maryland’s public schools number one in the nation. Shortly thereafter, the College Board ranked Maryland’s high schools number one in the national for Advanced Placement participation and achievement.
