State Superintendent Catherine Truitt’s tweet from today concerning the latest Teacher Working Conditions Survey is worth investigating because it illuminates a rather stark disconnect when it comes to teacher attitudes in working in NC.

The results seem to make the profession an enviable one.

It’s worth looking at the item analysis of the results in their entirety.

Maybe go through each question and see what is asked. There is a recurring theme. They are all about the perspective of the local school setting.

Not the state.

It should ask teachers’ views not only of their school, but MORE of their perceptions of the county / LEA leadership and state leadership.

Below are the main questions (there are subsets) asked on the survey that actual teachers answer.

• Please rate how strongly you agree or disagree with the following statements about the use of time in your school.
• Please rate how strongly you agree or disagree with the following statements about your school facilities and resources.
• Please rate how strongly you agree or disagree with the following statements about community support and involvement in your school.
• Please rate how strongly you agree or disagree with the following statements about managing student conduct in your school.
• Please rate how strongly you agree or disagree with the following statements about teacher leadership in your school.
• Please indicate the role teachers have in each of the following areas in your school.
• Please rate how strongly you agree or disagree with statements about leadership in your school.
• Please rate how strongly you agree or disagree with statements about professional development in your school.
• Please rate how strongly you agree or disagree with the following statements about instructional practices and support in your school.

There is nothing about how teachers feel about the state’s role in how public schools operate or are funded. If Truitt and DPI were really keen on “listening” to teachers concerning their views about working in NC public schools, then the questions need to go beyond the “School” and explore the “state.”

Imagine if we as teachers got to answer questions such as:

• Please rate how strongly you agree or disagree with the following statements about how the state helps schools with facilities and resources.
• Please rate how strongly you agree or disagree with the following statements about the state’s support and involvement in your school.
• Please rate how strongly you agree or disagree with the following statements about state leadership at the Department of Public Instruction.
• Please rate how strongly you agree or disagree with statements about state leadership.
• Please rate how strongly you agree or disagree with statements about professional development sponsored by the state.
• Please rate how strongly you agree or disagree with the following statements about  support for schools from the state.

When NC public schools receive a majority of their funds, mandates, stipulations, guidelines, and marching orders from the state, then should not the NC Teacher Working Condition Survey include teacher perceptions on the role of the state and its influence?

Yes.