The Administrator's Guidebook includes a timeline and tips on communicating information about the My Voice™ Surveys, as well as information about interpreting the survey results.
Welcome from the Pearson Foundation and the Quaglia Institute for Student Aspirations.
Dear Colleagues,
The Pearson Foundation and the Quaglia Institute for Student Aspirations believe that all educators can improve today’s teaching and learning environments by understanding the importance of student aspirations. The My Voice Surveys gather and analyze the aspirations of students in grades 3 through 12 (years 3 through 13 in the U.K.), as well as the perceptions of staff and parents. The aim of the My Voice Surveys is simple and one we all share: to create learning environments where all students reach their fullest potential and learn to lead fruitful and enriching lives. By asking students, staff, and/or parents for their perceptions of students’ teaching and learning environments, and valuing their responses, you embrace this goal.
Your involvement in the My Voice Surveys has three stages. You will survey your students, staff, and/or parents. After the surveys are complete, we will send you the results so that you can put them to use right away. Our team will then cull data from the entire base of participating schools for a long-term research initiative meant to improve all schools. Please note that individual school results will not be made public.
This website is the gateway to the My Voice Surveys. Inside, you will find sample reports and resources to make the most out of your school's survey results. These tools are the product of two decades of research and practice and have been created from our experiences working in schools throughout the United States and around the world. In the future, you will find fresh research and analysis from some of the leading minds in student aspirations to expand your understanding of your students' experience at school.
Today’s schools are expected to guide students toward multiple goals, from the personal and social to the physical and academic. Yet in the 21st century world of high-stakes education, we can all easily lose sight of the students and what they need to reach their fullest potential. When you involve your students and value their input, you are helping to improve education by deepening our understanding of students and the role their aspirations play in school success.
Thanks to you, the dreams of the students we serve are well within our reach.
Mark Nieker, President
Pearson Foundation
Dr. Russell J. Quaglia, Founder/President
Quaglia Institute for Student Aspirations
The Pearson Foundation and the Quaglia Institute for Student Aspirations developed the Administrator’s Guidebook to assist educators with administering the My Voice Surveys to students in grades 3 through 12 (years 3 through 13 in the U.K.), as well as staff and parents. My Voice gathers and analyzes student perceptions of their experience at school, as well as the perceptions of staff and parents.
My Voice has three main components:
We recommend that school administrators use the following format when communicating the objectives of the My Voice Survey:
My Voice asks students, staff, and parents about the teaching and learning environment in schools. The results provide educators with detailed data that can be used to improve teaching and learning.
Step 1: Order
Step 2: Survey
This includes the time frame for administering surveys. (NOTE: You will only be able to schedule surveys that have already been ordered. Your school must complete the survey within two weeks of the start date you selected. At any time, you can log in to view survey links in the "Administer Surveys" section of your account.)
Step 3: Report
Step 1: Order
Step 2: Communicate
Step 3: Report
My Voice measures conditions that support Self-Worth, Active Engagement, and Purpose in schools. It takes an average of 15 to 20 minutes for each individual to take the survey, and all responses are confidential – no personally identifiable information is captured.
When administering the online survey to students, staff, and/or parents, follow the steps below as appropriate for your role (technical staff or survey administrator). We recommend that you administer the survey in a computer lab where all computers are ready to administer the survey before participants arrive.
Prior to survey administration, complete the following steps on each computer that will be used for survey administration:
(See Appendix 3 for example email templates)
(See Appendix 4 for Protocol Sheets for student, staff, and parent surveys: Online Versions)
When administering the survey (paper version) to students, staff, and/or parents, we recommend that you administer the survey in a quiet location where all participants can take the survey at the same time.
(See Appendix 4 for Protocol Sheets for student, staff, and parent surveys: Paper Versions)
“We do a good job of asking students what they know in school; we need to do much better asking students what they think and feel about their school.”
– Dr. Russell Quaglia
All My Voice reports categorize answers to the My Voice Survey in tables organized by the 8 Conditions that Make a Difference®: Belonging, Heroes, Sense of Accomplishment, Fun & Excitement, Curiosity & Creativity, Spirit of Adventure, Leadership & Responsibility, and Confidence to Take Action.
My Voice Student Report (U.S. grades 6-12; U.K. years 7-13): For each indicator, the tables in this report display the “total in agreement” (the sum of responses marked “strongly agree” and “agree” divided by all those who responded to that question). In addition, the "total in agreement" is broken down by gender and grade level.
My Voice Student Report (U.S. grades 3-5; U.K. Key Stage 2): For each indicator, the tables in this report display percentages for all "yes," "no," and "sometimes" responses. In addition, the "yes" responses are broken down by gender and grade level.
My Voice Staff Report: For each indicator, the tables in this report display the "total in agreement" (the sum of responses marked “strongly agree” and “agree” divided by all those who responded to that question).
My Voice Parent Report: For each indicator, the tables in this report display the "total in agreement" (the sum of responses marked “strongly agree” and “agree” divided by all those who responded to that question).
Reporting “total in agreement” provides schools with the most reliable information available from the survey and helps those reading the results to stay action oriented. Try not to get bogged down in a discussion about participants who marked “undecided” or “sometimes.” They cannot be counted among those who agree, and agreement is ultimately the goal for each indicator.
Each school is asked to survey every individual in a designated group – students, staff, parents; as a result, there is no “sampling error” in the report. This provides schools with a solid foundation for interpretation and closes the door on wondering whether those who responded happened to be “axe-grinders” or, conversely, were those who “see the world through rose-colored glasses.” Your school can be confident that the results reflect the general sentiments of the entire student body, staff, or parents.
There are three important concepts to keep in mind when analyzing your survey results:
My Voice Surveys are opinion surveys. As such, the results reflect the respondents’ perceptions of reality, not necessarily reality. That is not to dismiss the results (as some are inclined to do) as merely respondents’ perceptions or opinions: “That’s just what the students think, we know what the truth is.”
On the contrary, your students’ perceptions shape what they think and how they act in your school and so provide an accurate picture of your school’s climate and culture. The fact of the matter is that reality is complex; to truly understand it, we need to hear various points of view on the same realities.
When students’ perceptions are put in dialogue with the staff and parents’ perceptions, insights emerge and can form a basis for sound decision-making and action.
Numbers contain no insights, judgments of fact or value, decisions, or action plans. Mistakes sometimes made in reacting to data include:
Rather, interpreting results is a process of moving from data to insights (What do these numbers mean?) to judgments of fact (Have we understood the data correctly?), then value (Is this important to us?) and from there to action (What should we do?).
This process begins with inquiry and dialogue among colleagues, students, and parents. In these conversations, staff can question the data and form hypotheses that might explain the results. For example, if only 35% of your students report feeling proud of their school, what might be the source of that diminished pride? A lack of success in sports? An aging physical plant? Failing to meet AYP? If 93% of staff report that your school is a dynamic and creative learning environment, what contributes to this? Collaboration among teachers? A respectful atmosphere that encourages risk-taking?
While the process begins with collegial conversation, it must not end there. "Analysis paralysis" is also a danger. QISA and the Pearson Foundation recommend conducting focus groups to learn whether adults have correctly understood what students, staff, and parents are saying. (See Appendix 2 of this Administrator's Guidebook for instructions on conducting focus groups.) Only when you verify that you have understood correctly can you decide what actions to take to improve the Conditions that affect students' aspirations.
Many schools want to interpret their results in comparison to a national or state aggregate. While this can be interesting, it is not always helpful. The 8 Conditions are not norms, they are ideals. We want every member of the school to feel like he or she belongs. Every student should feel a sense of accomplishment. We should not be satisfied that a few percent less of our students are bored in school than the national average. As ideals, the “normative” level for each Condition is 100%. Likewise, we want every staff member to know the school’s mission statement and every parent to feel welcome in our school.
The most illuminating and helpful comparisons are internal. What do boys in your school say as compared to girls? If there is a discrepancy, what accounts for it? Is the gap acceptable? What is happening from grade level to grade level? You might also compare your survey results to your mission statement or core beliefs. Does your school profess the centrality of community? How does that compare with what your staff say about Belonging? Does your mission statement espouse the importance of actively engaging students in the learning process? If so, is this reflected in the tables having to do with Fun & Excitement, Curiosity & Creativity, and Spirit of Adventure? Do your school’s goals include fostering a sense of purpose among students and staff? Do your results for Leadership & Responsibility and Confidence to Take Action bear out this emphasis?
The process described above is critical to improving aspirations at your school. You can make a difference when you take the time to listen, take what you have heard seriously, and take on the challenge of improving the teaching and learning environment for you and your students.
Responses are given on a Likert Scale of 1 to 5, where 5 indicates strong agreement and 1 indicates strong disagreement. When different, a sample U.K. statement immediately follows its parallel U.S. statement.
My Voice Student Survey (U.S. grades 3-5/U.K. Key Stage 2)
My Voice Student Survey (U.S. grades 6-12/U.K. years 7-13)
My Voice Staff Survey
My Voice Parent Survey
Keep in mind that My Voice focus groups differ from the My Voice Survey in important ways:
| My Voice Focus Group | My Voice Survey |
| Insights | Data |
| Confidential, but personal | Anonymous |
| Homogenous group | Heterogeneous |
| Flexible | Standardized |
| Unrestricted | Restricted to Likert Scale |
| Results in words | Results in numbers |
Assure the participants of confidentiality. Let them know that you will share what they say, but not who said it. Confirm that participants understand this, providing examples as needed.
Be cautious not to lead participants in a particular direction or act surprised, hurt, or disappointed by their responses. Be aware of your own biases. Are you focusing on what you want to hear, as compared to what the participants are really saying?
After a question is asked, listen not only for content, but for emotions, paradoxes, contradictions, and discomfort. This will help you learn or confirm not merely the facts (available in the survey), but the meaning behind the facts. The result of a focus group should be further insight into the information you already have from the survey.
Keep in mind that the personal, non-anonymous nature of focus groups shapes the results. The conversation among participants should result in a picture of combined perspectives. The interviewers should strive to see how the information “all fits together.” Do not conclude that one student’s agreement with another is that student’s final word on that matter. Probe students who agree with another’s comments for their particular point of view.
The goal of focus groups is to produce meaningful conversation about the topics you are discussing, rather than a series of short answers. You want participants to “color in” the black and white sketch provided by the survey. Good conversation includes laughter (humor is important to pay attention to), personal (not private) stories, connections to things that were said earlier, disagreement, contradiction, interruption, and silences (these can be important to notice, as well). With that said, balance participants' need to have input with the need to stay focused.
Keep in mind that, unlike a survey situation, in a focus group the interviewers share control of the process with the individuals being interviewed. Feel free to take advantage of the spontaneous and surprising moments. Encourage spontaneity and watch how participants respond. Be sure to observe body language. As long as the conversation is on track and you are learning (not just rehashing something), pursue the line of conversation. Ask follow-up questions. You may learn something that you can then use in a subsequent session.
When analyzing the results of focus groups, look for patterns in the conversations. What themes emerged, both positive and negative? What particular perspectives were evident? Did males answer differently than females? Did 11th graders have a different point of view on an issue than 9th graders?
Do not report the results of focus groups by percentage (e.g., 75% of the males we talked to said that most bullying happened in the locker rooms). Instead, report that “a common theme among the boys regarding bullying was that it typically took place in the locker room. Several boys mentioned that they had witnessed incidents that they considered bullying after gym class.” When the particular way a student has said something captures or highlights a theme, include the exact statement in the report (e.g., "One boy said, 'I saw some older guys kick a younger kid and no one did anything to stop it.'")
Be sure to report what you, as an interviewer, learned. What insights did the conversations provide for you? What previous judgments were confirmed or called into question? Also include follow-up questions you believe remain and should be discussed further.
Share your findings with the appropriate audience. Use the information gathered during focus groups, in conjunction with the My Voice Survey results, to inform your next steps. Create an action plan focused on improving areas of weakness, as well as celebrating and maintaining identified strengths at your school.