How to Use the School Survey of Practices Associated with High Performance

This report describes and explains how to use the School Survey of Practices Associated with High Performance, which measures the degree to which schools are engaging in practices associated with high performance. State education departments and school districts can use the survey results to identify and describe school practices associated with high performance, compare practices across school subgroups, target schools for specific interventions, and design interventions. The survey, designed to be taken by teachers and school administrators, measures practices in the domains of effective leadership, strong curriculum, professional development, school culture, and ongoing data use for school improvement. The survey has undergone psychometric validation. The report also includes the survey and describes its development and validation. The following are appended: (1) Surveys reviewed in developing the School Survey of Practices Associated with High Performance; (2) Cognitive interviews; (3) Related literature on schools that beat the odds; (4) Piloting and psychometric validation of the survey; (5) Calculating domain scores.