Draft OMB Clearance Request

Promoting Student Success in Algebra I

Appendix C: Protocols for 

Professional Development for Algebra I

March 2014
OMB Approval No.: 0000-0000

Expires: 00/00/0000

PROMOTING STUDENT SUCCESS IN ALGEBRA I

Professional Development (PD) Topical Area

District Math Coordinator Interview

Name: Title:

State: District:

Interviewed by: Date:

INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

Good morning/afternoon. First of all, thank you so much for being here and for being willing to 

participate in this project for the U.S. Department of Education. Before we start, we would like 

to introduce ourselves, provide a little background on our work, and answer any questions you 

might have.

My name is [name], and this is [name of the other site visitor]. We are researchers from 

American Institutes for Research and Windwalker Corporation, organizations that conduct 

research and technical assistance in education. We are here today to interview you as part of a 

collaborative effort to provide program developers and administrators with information to 

promote student success in Algebra I. We are particularly interested in Algebra I because it’s a 

gatekeeper course in that it’s a prerequisite for subsequent high school mathematics and science 

courses considered essential for getting into college. So, it is an important stepping-stone for 

success in high school and college. 

As part of this project for the U.S. Department of Education, we are speaking with district staff, 

school administrators, math department chairs/leaders, and teachers about the approach to 

professional development practices and how it may contribute to student success in Algebra I. 

We’re particularly interested in your perspective on how [district name] has contributed to 

professional development for Algebra I education. The data we collect will be used to develop 

technical assistance tools to help program developers and administrators implement similar 

programs to support struggling students.

I’ll talk more about the topics of this interview, but for now, are there any questions about the 

project or why we are here?

DESCRIPTION OF INTERVIEW PROCEDURE AND CONFIDENTIALITY

Next, I’d like to say a few things about the process for this discussion. Responses to this data 

collection will be used to summarize findings in an aggregate manner (within a school or district), or will 

be used to provide examples of implementation in a manner that does not associate responses with a 

specific site or individual. In the publications, pseudonyms will be used for each site. The project team 
may refer to the generic title of an individual (e.g., "project director," or "eighth grade teacher") but 

neither the site name nor the individual name will be used. All efforts will be made to keep the 

description of the site general enough so that a reader would never be able to determine the true name or 

identity of the site or individuals at the site. The contractor will not provide information that associates 

responses or findings with a subject or district to anyone outside the study team, except as required by 

law.

I’d like to ask you to sign a consent form before we begin. It outlines some of the issues I’ve just 

mentioned with regard to confidentiality. Please take a minute to read it and let me know if you 

have any questions.

PRA Burden Statement

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of 

information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control 

number for this information collection is 1810-xxxx. Public reporting burden for this collection of 

information is estimated to average 44 hours for professional development, including time for reviewing 

instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing 

and reviewing the collection of information. The obligation to respond to this collection is voluntary. If 

you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission of this survey, please 

contact (Project Director, Kirk Walters, at the American Institutes for Research at 202-403-5838 or at 

kwalters@air.org) directly. [Note: Please do not return the completed survey to this address.]

Are there any questions before we get started?

Notes to interviewer: 

- Throughout the interview, possible probes are set aside following each general question. We 

would like to gather information relative to each of those probes. If, when the general question is 

asked, the respondent provides the information requested by the probes, you do not need to ask 

the probing questions. In addition to providing additional information, asking the probing 

questions may help move the interview pace or may prompt a less talkative respondent. Keep the 

tone conversational and comfortable.

- To the extent that this information can be retrieved from other data sources (e.g., school 

records) beforehand, document that information below prior to the interview. During the 

interview, prompt the District Math Coordinator to confirm its accuracy if his or her initial 

response does not do so.
BACKGROUND ON ROLE AND EXPERIENCE

Let’s begin with some information about you.

1. Can you tell me a bit about your background and how you came to serve as the 

mathematics coordinator for [district name]?

Listen for:

o How long have you worked for [district name]?

o How long have you served as the mathematics coordinator? 

o What, if any, experience do you having teaching mathematics?

2. Could you describe your current role in the district? What are your primary 

responsibilities? 

Listen for:

o What is your role with regard to professional development for mathematics teachers?

o How much of your time is dedicated to professional development responsibilities?

o How much of your time is dedicated to Algebra I issues specifically?

o Do you share any of these responsibilities with anyone else in the district? If so, how is 

this works shared?

OK, thank you for sharing some personal information about yourself. For the remainder 

of the interview, I’d like to get your perspective on professional development activities 

related to helping students succeed in Algebra I. This would include PD opportunities 

provided directly to Algebra I teachers, but it might also include PD opportunities for 

teachers in elementary or middle school, with an explicit focus on helping students 

Notes to interviewer:

- Based on preliminary research and responses to questions on job responsibilities above, 

determine if the interviewee is able to speak about the PD program at the elementary and/or 

secondary school level. Also, try to focus the scope of the interview as closely as possible on

PD for Algebra I. For example, ask the respondent to speak to the PD program for math

education before asking the respondent to provide perspective on the PD program more 

generally (e.g., PD for math and science).

- If the respondent can speak to secondary math education, try to focus the scope of the 

interview as closely as possible to Algebra I education, by asking the respondent to speak to 

the PD program for Algebra I education before asking the respondent to provide speak to the 

PD program for secondary math education more generally.

- If the scope has to be broadened or altered from Algebra I education, tailor the following 

questions accordingly, for example, by specifying elementary or secondary math education, 

instead of Algebra I education.
eventually succeed in Algebra I [(see notes to interviewer below for instructions)]. I’d like 

you to focus on that subject area alone when you respond to these questions, okay?

IMPETUS FOR AND DEVELOPMENT OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 

PROGRAM

I’d like to get a general idea of the professional development program and how it was 

developed.

3. What were the district’s main reasons for developing the professional development 

program?

Listen for:

o To enhance teachers’ mathematical content knowledge

o To improve teachers’ ability to strengthen students’ reasoning and conceptual 

understanding

o To improve communication and aligned expectations between middle school math 

teachers and high school Algebra I teachers

o To support the implementation of Algebra I or other mathematics initiatives

4. Were you involved in the development of the professional development program? If so, 

do you feel like your contributions were valued and reflected in the current program?

5. Can you describe in detail how the professional development program was developed?

Listen for:

o Who was involved in the developing it, and what were their roles?

o What specific roles did district representatives have compared to school leaders or 

teachers?

o How long did it take to develop the program?

o How long has the professional development program been in place?

6. Could you explain any underlying principles that guided the development of the 

professional development program?

Listen for:

o Extent to which philosophy/principles were informed by data and/or research

o Including a focus on teachers’ mathematical content knowledge

o Ensuring PD is tightly linked to classroom practice

o Creating sustained, intensive opportunities for teacher learning

o Providing structured opportunities for teachers to collaborate with one another and with 

other experts

o Incorporating technology
7. We understand that your district provides tools (e.g., PD curriculum, lesson planning 

guide, personalized PD plan) to support the implementation of professional 

development for Algebra I. What was the process for developing these tools?

Listen for:

o Who was involved and what were their roles?

o Did school-level staff have the opportunity to provide input?

8. How was the professional development program initially funded, and how is it being 

sustained? 

Listen for:

o Federal or district support; grant funding 

o Strategies for and steps taken to promote efficient use of resources

o Strategies for and steps taken to promote sustainability

IMPLEMENTATION OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

Now that we have a better sense of how your professional development program was 

developed, I am interested in how it is implemented.

Implementation Features and Context

9. Could you describe the key features of the professional development program? What is 

the rationale behind these features?

Listen for:

o What types of content does the professional development cover and how does the content 

unfold over time? How is the content determined?

o In what ways is the professional development connected to teacher practice?

o How often do professional development activities occur? For how long? Over what 

span of time?

o To what extent do professional development activities include structured opportunities 

for teachers to collaborate?

o To what extent does the professional development incorporate technology (e.g., online 

resources, videos, graphing calculators)?

10. Who participates in the professional development activities? How does the district 

support or encourage these individuals to attend?

Listen for:

o Is it for volunteers, or are teachers required to attend?
o Are particular types of teachers targeted (e.g., new teachers, struggling teachers, teacher 

leaders, teachers from different grade levels) to participate?

o What, if any, tools or resources does the district provide to support teachers’ 

participation (e.g., teacher professional development plans, release time, stipends, 

substitutes)?

Tools Supporting Implementation

Now, we would like to ask specific questions about tools or resources that the district 

provides to support teachers’ [and schools’] implementation of the PD program (e.g., PD 

curriculum, lesson planning guide, personalized PD plan).

11. You provided us with a copy of the {insert PD planning tool}. In what ways are 

teachers expected to use this tool to support what they are learning through the PD 

program?

Listen for:

o What are its distinguishing features?

o Are the tools and resources available online?

o How are the tools linked to the district’s algebra curriculum?

12. You provided us with a copy of the {insert PD reference tool}. In what ways are 

teachers expected to use this tool to support what they are learning through the PD 

program?

Listen for:

o What are its distinguishing features?

o Are the tools and resources available online?

o How are the tools linked to the district’s algebra curriculum?

13. Can you describe any other tools (e.g., frameworks, software or other technology) that 

are used to support the design or delivery of professional development?

Listen for:

o Who is intended to use these tools and for what specific purposes?

o To what extent are these tools useful in identifying and addressing teacher professional 

learning needs?

o What limitations do they present?

o What additional resources, financial or otherwise, are needed to provide these resources 

to teachers?

o How, when, and by whom are these tools refined?
14. Are there additional tools or resources that would improve the success of the 

professional development program for teachers? What would be most useful?

Professional Development Providers and Support

15. Can you describe how the individuals who deliver or facilitate professional development 

activities are selected? 

Listen for:

o What criteria are used to select professional development providers?

o Who selects them (e.g., district-level staff, school-level staff, teachers)?

o To what extent are providers selected from outside the district (e.g., consultants, external 

organizations) and to what extent are they district- or school-level staff?

16. What would you say are the key characteristics of a successful professional 

development provider/facilitator?

17. [if applicable] For professional development providers/facilitators who are not district 

employees (e.g., consultants, representatives from external organizations), what types of 

guidance or support do they receive from the district to implement the components of 

the professional development program?

Listen for:

o In what format is the guidance/support provided (e.g., meetings with district staff, 

materials to review)?

o Who provides the guidance/support, and who receives it?

o When and how often is it provided?

18. For professional development providers/facilitators who are district employees, what 

types of training and support do they receive to help them implement the components of 

the professional development program?

NOTE: These could include, but are not limited to, workshops, webinars, instructional 

coaching, and professional learning communities.

Listen for:

o What is the format for this training (e.g., webinar, in-person, Web-based materials to 

review)?

o Who provides the training, and who receives it?

o When and how often does the training occur? Is training provided only once or repeated 

regularly (e.g., annually, biannually)?

o What are the training objectives?
o Is there anything that is not currently covered in the training that should be?

o What resources, financial or otherwise, are needed to support this training?

19. In what ways do you, as the district mathematics coordinator, support the 

implementation of the professional development program?

Listen for:

o How frequently do you meet with PD providers individually or collectively? For what 

purpose?

o Do you conduct observations of professional development activities? If so, how often? 

Do you provide feedback to PD providers on their professional development activities? 

o Do you feel like you are adequately supported to do this work?

Implementation Challenges

20. What are the major challenges that schools and teachers face in implementing the 

professional development program? In what ways have you addressed these 

challenges?

Listen for:

o What strategies did and did not work and why?

21. What are the major challenges that your district has faced in implementing the 

professional development program? In what ways have you addressed these 

challenges?

Listen for:

o What strategies did and did not work and why?

22. What changes would you make to the professional development program to increase its 

success?

OUTCOMES OF THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

Next, I would like to talk about outcomes of the professional development program.

23. How is the success of the professional development program measured?

Listen for:

o Changes in observed teacher practices

o Student achievement measures

o Course grades or failure rates

o Graduation or drop-out rates

o Other metrics
24. Has the program been successful according to these measures? Why or why not?

25. Does the program appear to be more successful with certain types of teachers or 

students than others?

If yes:

Which teachers or students have benefitted the most? Why do you think that is?

Which teachers or students have benefitted the least? Why do you think that is?

FINAL THOUGHTS AND CONCLUSION

OK, please take a step back to provide some key take-away thoughts from this interview 

today.

26. What do you think are the key components—the active ingredients—of a successful 

professional development program?

27. Do you have anything else that you would like to add before we conclude this interview?

Those are all the questions I have. Thank you for your time and for participating in this 

project.
OMB Approval No.: 0000-0000

Expires: 00/00/0000

PROMOTING STUDENT SUCCESS IN ALGEBRA I

Professional Development (PD) Topical Area

Teacher Focus Group

Name: Title:

State: District:

Interviewed by: Date:

INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

Good morning/afternoon. First of all, thank you so much for being here and for being willing to 

participate in this project for the U.S. Department of Education. Before we start, we would like 

to introduce ourselves, provide a little background on our work, and answer any questions you 

might have.

My name is [name], and this is [name of the other site visitor]. We are researchers from 

American Institutes for Research and Windwalker Corporation, organizations that conduct 

research and technical assistance in education. We are here today to interview you as part of a 

collaborative effort to provide program developers and administrators with information to 

promote student success in Algebra I. We are particularly interested in Algebra I because it’s a 

gatekeeper course in that it’s a prerequisite for subsequent high school mathematics and science 

courses considered essential for getting into college. So, it is an important stepping-stone for 

success in high school and college. 

As part of this project for the U.S. Department of Education, we are speaking with district staff, 

school administrators, math department chairs/leaders, and teachers about the approach to 

professional development practices and how it may contribute to student success in Algebra I. 

We’re particularly interested in your perspective on how your school has contributed to 

professional development for Algebra I education. The data we collect will be used to develop 

technical assistance tools to help program developers and administrators implement similar 

programs to support struggling students.

I’ll talk more about the topics of this interview, but for now, are there any questions about the 

project or why we are here?

DESCRIPTION OF INTERVIEW PROCEDURE AND CONFIDENTIALITY

Next, I’d like to say a few things about the process for this discussion. During our session today, 

I’ll be asking you some questions, and [another site visitor] will be taking notes on what you are 

saying. [S/he] will not record your names. If you don’t mind, I would also like to record our 

conversation simply for note-taking purposes. No one outside of our project team will hear the 

recording; it will just be for our own reference. If you would like us to turn off the recorder at 
any point, just let me know. Would that be OK?

I want to assure you that we will treat the information you provide in a confidential manner. The 

recorded interview will be transcribed by a member of the project team, and only selected 

research staff will have access to the data, except as required by law. We will not use your name 

or attribute any quotes to you, instead, we will use pseudonyms in practice profiles. All efforts 

will be made to keep the description of the site general enough so that a reader would never be 

able to determine the true name or identity of the site or individuals at the site. Therefore, no one 

who reads the profiles of practice will know that the statements came from you. 

I’d like to ask you to sign a consent form before we begin. It outlines some of the issues I’ve just 

mentioned with regard to anonymity and confidentiality. Please take a minute to read it and let 

me know if you have any questions.

Are there any questions before we get started?

Notes to interviewer:

- Throughout the interview, possible probes are set aside following each general question. We 

would like to gather information relative to each of those probes. If, when the general question is 

asked, respondents provide the information requested by the probes, you do not need to ask the 

probing questions. In addition to providing additional information, asking the probing questions 

may help move the interview pace or may prompt a less talkative respondent. Keep the tone 

conversational and comfortable.

- To the extent that this information can be retrieved from other data sources (e.g., school 

records) beforehand, document that information below prior to the interview. During the 

interview, prompt the Teachers to confirm its accuracy if their initial response does not do so.
BACKGROUND ON ROLE AND EXPERIENCE

Let’s begin with some information about you.

1. Could each of you tell me a little bit about your teaching experience, including how long 

you have worked for this district and your current school? What courses are you 

currently teaching?

Listen for:

o How long have you been a teacher?

o How long have you worked for [district name] and at [school name] specifically? 

o How many classes are you currently teaching? Are they all Algebra I?

OK, thank you for sharing some personal information about yourself. For the remainder 

of the interview, I’d like to get your perspective on professional development activities 

related to helping students succeed in Algebra I. This would include PD opportunities 

provided directly to Algebra I teachers, but it might also include PD opportunities for 

teachers in elementary or middle school, with an explicit focus on helping students 

eventually succeed in Algebra I [(see notes to interviewer below for instructions)]. I’d like 

you to focus on that subject area alone when you respond to these questions, OK?

IMPETUS FOR AND DEVELOPMENT OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 

PROGRAM

I’d like to get a general idea of the professional development program in your district [or 

school] and how it was developed.

Notes to interviewer:

- Based on preliminary research and responses to questions on job responsibilities above, 

determine if the interviewee is able to speak about the PD program at the elementary and/or 

secondary school level. Also, try to focus the scope of the interview as closely as possible to 

PD for Algebra I. For example, ask the respondent to speak to the PD program for math

education before asking the respondent to provide perspective on the PD program more 

generally (e.g., PD for math and science).

- If the respondent can speak to secondary math education, try to focus the scope of the 

interview as closely as possible to Algebra I education, by asking the respondent to speak to 

the PD program for Algebra I education before asking the respondent to provide speak to the 

PD program for secondary math education more generally.

- If the scope has to be broadened or altered from Algebra I education, tailor the following 

questions accordingly, for example, by specifying elementary or secondary math education, 

instead of Algebra I education.
2. Do you know what the main reasons for developing the professional development 

program were?

Listen for:

o To enhance teachers’ mathematical content knowledge

o To improve teachers’ ability to strengthen students’ reasoning and conceptual 

understanding

o To improve communication and aligned expectations between middle school math 

teachers and high school Algebra I teachers

o To support the implementation of Algebra I or other mathematics initiatives

3. Were you involved in the development of the professional development program? If so, 

what was that process like and did you feel like your contributions were valued and 

reflected in the current model?

Listen for:

o Who was involved in the developing it, and what were their roles?

o What specific roles did district representatives have compared with school leaders or 

teachers?

o How long did it take to develop the program?

o How long has the professional development program been in place?

IMPLEMENTATION OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

Now that we have a better sense of how your professional development program was 

developed, I am interested in how it is implemented.

Implementation Features and Context

4. What kinds of professional development activities do you participate in and which of 

these do you find most useful?

Listen for:

o What types of content does the professional development cover and how does the content 

unfold over time? How is the content determined?

o In what ways is the professional development connected to your practice?

o How often do professional development activities occur? For how long? Over what 

span of time?

o To what extent do professional development activities include structured opportunities 

for you to collaborate with other teachers?

o To what extent does the professional development incorporate technology (e.g., online 

resources, videos, graphing calculators)?
5. How structured and coherent are professional development activities within the 

program? 

Listen for:

o Is a clear timeline of events provided from the start and adhered to throughout? 

o Are objectives, guidelines, and expectations made clear from the start and consistently 

upheld throughout?

o Do the various activities fit together and build on each other? Are these connections 

explicit?

6. Who participates in the professional development activities? How does the district 

support or encourage these individuals to attend?

Listen for:

o Is it for volunteers or are teachers required to attend?

o Are particular types of teachers targeted (e.g., new teachers, struggling teachers, teacher 

leaders, teachers from different grade levels) to participate?

o What, if any, tools or resources does the district provide to support your participation 

(e.g., teacher professional development plans, release time, stipends, substitutes)?

Tools Supporting Implementation

Now, we would like to ask specific questions about tools or resources that the district 

provides to support teachers’ [and schools’] implementation of the PD program (e.g., PD 

curriculum, lesson planning guide, personalized PD plan).

7. You provided us with a copy of the {insert PD planning tool}. In what ways do you use 

this tool to support what you are learning through the PD program?

Listen for:

o What are its distinguishing features?

o Are the tools and resources available online?

o How are the tools linked to the district’s algebra curriculum?

o Have you adapted the tools in any way?

8. You provided us with a copy of the {insert PD reference tool}. In what ways do you use 

this tool to support what you are learning through the PD program?

Listen for:

o What are its distinguishing features?

o Are the tools and resources available online?

o How are the tools linked to the district’s algebra curriculum?

o Have you adapted the tools in any way?
9. Can you describe any other tools (e.g., frameworks, software or other technology) that 

are used to support the design or delivery of professional development?

Listen for:

o Who is intended to use these tools and for what specific purposes?

o To what extent are these tools useful in identifying and addressing teacher professional 

learning needs?

o What limitations do they present?

o What additional resources, financial or otherwise, are needed to provide these resources 

to teachers?

o How, when, and by whom are these tools refined?

10. What additional tools or resources do you think are needed to improve the PD 

program? Which of these would make your job easier?

Professional Development Providers 

11. What would you say are the key characteristics of a successful professional 

development provider/facilitator?

Implementation Challenges

12. What are the major challenges that you, as a teacher, have faced regarding the 

professional development program’s implementation? In what ways have you 

addressed these challenges?

Listen for:

o What strategies did and did not work and why?

13. Were there any professional development activities that you didn’t really find 

worthwhile? If so, why don’t you think they worked in your situation?

Listen for:

o How did they fall below expectations? 

o What can be done to make them successful or worthwhile? 

14. What changes would you make to the professional development program to increase its 

success?

OUTCOMES OF THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

Next, I would like to talk about outcomes of the professional development program.
15. Reflecting on the professional development program as a whole, in what was has it 

helped Algebra I teachers in your school? 

Listen for:

o Student engagement or student-teacher relationships

o Teachers’ own content knowledge

o Lesson planning for Algebra I instruction

o Overall pedagogical principles or techniques for Algebra I instruction

o Specific instructional practices or materials to teach a particular concept, or help 

students’ overcome a learning challenge 

16. Do you think the professional development program has benefitted certain types of 

teachers and students more than others? If so, which teachers and students seemed to 

benefit more than others, and why do you think this was the case?

FINAL THOUGHTS AND CONCLUSION

OK, please take a step back to provide some key take-away thoughts from this interview 

today.

17. What do you think are the key components—the active ingredients—of a successful 

professional development program?

Listen for:

o Specific activities/practices

o Policies

18. Do you have anything else that you would like to add before we conclude this interview?

Those are all the questions I have. Thank you for your time and for participating in this 

project.
OMB Approval No.: 0000-0000

Expires: 00/00/0000

PROMOTING STUDENT SUCCESS IN ALGEBRA I

Professional Development (PD) Topical Area

Principal Focus Group

Name: Title:

State: District:

Interviewed by: Date:

INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

Good morning/afternoon. First of all, thank you so much for being here and for being willing to 

participate in this project for the U.S. Department of Education. Before we start, we would like 

to introduce ourselves, provide a little background on our work, and answer any questions you 

might have.

My name is [name], and this is [name of the other site visitor]. We are researchers from 

American Institutes for Research and Windwalker Corporation, organizations that conduct 

research and technical assistance in education. We are here today to interview you as part of a 

collaborative effort to provide program developers and administrators with information to 

promote student success in Algebra I. We are particularly interested in Algebra I because it’s a 

gatekeeper course in that it’s a prerequisite for subsequent high school mathematics and science 

courses considered essential for getting into college. So, it is an important stepping-stone for 

success in high school and college. 

As part of this project for the U.S. Department of Education, we are speaking with district staff, 

school administrators, math department chairs/leaders, and teachers about the approach to 

professional development practices and how it may contribute to student success in Algebra I. 

We’re particularly interested in your perspective on how [district name] has contributed to 

professional development for Algebra I education. The data we collect will be used to develop 

technical assistance tools to help program developers and administrators implement similar 

programs to support struggling students.

I’ll talk more about the topics of this interview, but for now, are there any questions about the 

project or why we are here?

DESCRIPTION OF INTERVIEW PROCEDURE AND CONFIDENTIALITY

Next, I’d like to say a few things about the process for this discussion. During our session today, 

I’ll be asking you some questions, and [another site visitor] will be taking notes on what you are 

saying. [S/he] will not record your names. If you don’t mind, I would also like to record our 

conversation simply for note-taking purposes. No one outside of our project team will hear the 

recording; it will just be for our own reference. If you would like us to turn off the recorder at 

any point, just let me know. Would that be OK?
I want to assure you that we will treat the information you provide in a confidential manner. The 

recorded interview will be transcribed by a member of the project team, and only selected 

research staff will have access to the data, except as required by law. We will not use your name 

or attribute any quotes to you, instead, we will use pseudonyms in practice profiles. All efforts 

will be made to keep the description of the site general enough so that a reader would never be 

able to determine the true name or identity of the site or individuals at the site. Therefore, no one 

who reads the profiles of practice will know that the statements came from you. 

I’d like to ask you to sign a consent form before we begin. It outlines some of the issues I’ve just 

mentioned with regard to anonymity and confidentiality. Please take a minute to read it and let 

me know if you have any questions.

Are there any questions before we get started?

Notes to interviewer:

- Throughout the interview, possible probes are set aside following each general question. We 

would like to gather information relative to each of those probes. If, when the general question is 

asked, respondents provide the information requested by the probes, you do not need to ask the 

probing questions. In addition to providing additional information, asking the probing questions 

may help move the interview pace or may prompt a less talkative respondent. Keep the tone 

conversational and comfortable.

- To the extent that this information can be retrieved from other data sources (e.g., school 

records) beforehand, document that information below prior to the interview. During the 

interview, prompt the Principals to confirm its accuracy if their initial response does not do so.
BACKGROUND ON ROLE AND EXPERIENCE

Let’s begin with some information about you.

1. Could you each tell me a little bit about your background and how you came to serve as

a principal for [district name]?

Listen for:

o How long have you worked for [district name]?

o How long have you served as the principal of your current school? 

o What, if any, experience do you have teaching mathematics?

2. What role do you have with regard to teacher professional development and 

professional development for teachers of mathematics in particular? 

Listen for:

o What is your role with regard to professional development for mathematics teachers?

o How much of your time is dedicated to professional development responsibilities?

o How much of your time is dedicated to Algebra I issues specifically?

OK, thank you for sharing some personal information about yourself. For the remainder 

of the interview, I’d like to get your perspective on professional development activities 

related to helping students succeed in Algebra I. This would include PD opportunities 

provided directly to Algebra I teachers, but it might also include PD opportunities for 

teachers in elementary or middle school, with an explicit focus of helping students 

eventually succeed in Algebra I [(see notes to interviewer below for instructions)]. I’d like 

you to focus on that subject area alone when you respond to these questions, OK?

Notes to interviewer:

- Based on preliminary research and responses to questions on job responsibilities above, 

determine if the interviewee is able to speak about the PD program at the elementary and/or 

secondary school level. Also, try to focus the scope of the interview as closely as possible to 

PD for Algebra I. For example, ask the respondent to speak to the PD program for math

education before asking the respondent to provide perspective on the PD program more 

generally (e.g., PD for math and science).

- If the respondent can speak to secondary math education, try to focus the scope of the 

interview as closely as possible on Algebra I education by asking the respondent to speak to 

the PD program for Algebra I education before asking the respondent to provide speak to the 

PD program for secondary math education more generally.

- If the scope has to be broadened or altered from Algebra I education, tailor the following 

questions accordingly, for example, by specifying elementary or secondary math education, 

instead of Algebra I education.
IMPETUS FOR AND DEVELOPMENT OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 

PROGRAM

I’d like to get a general idea of the professional development program and how it was 

developed.

3. Do you know what the main reasons for developing the PD program were? 

Listen for:

o To enhance teachers’ mathematical content knowledge

o To improve teachers’ ability to strengthen students’ reasoning and conceptual 

understanding

o To improve communication and aligned expectations between middle school math 

teachers and high school Algebra I teachers

o To support the implementation of Algebra I or other mathematics initiatives

4. Were you involved in the development of the PD program? If so, what was that process 

like and did you feel like your contributions were valued and reflected in the current 

model?

Listen for:

o Who was involved in the developing it, and what were their roles?

o What specific roles did district representatives have compared with school leaders or 

teachers?

o How long did it take to develop the program?

o How long has the professional development program been in place?

5. Could you explain the underlying principles that guided the development of the 

professional development program? To what extent do these reasons align with your 

school’s instructional goals?

Listen for:

o Extent to which philosophy/principles were informed by data and/or research

o Including a focus on teachers’ mathematical content knowledge

o Ensuring PD is tightly linked to classroom practice

o Creating sustained, intensive opportunities for teacher learning

o Providing structured opportunities for teachers to collaborate with one another and with 

other experts

o Incorporating technology

6. How was the professional development program initially funded, and how is it being 

sustained? 

Listen for:

o Federal or district support; grant funding 
o Strategies for and steps taken to promote efficient use of resources

o Strategies for and steps taken to promote sustainability

IMPLEMENTATION OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

Now that we have a better sense of how your professional development program was 

developed, I am interested in how it is implemented.

Implementation Features and Context

7. Could you describe the key features of the professional development program? What is 

the rationale behind these features, and which do you think are most important for 

your teachers?

Listen for:

o What types of content does the professional development cover and how does the content 

unfold over time? How is the content determined?

o In what ways is the professional development connected to teacher practice?

o How often do professional development activities occur? For how long? Over what 

span of time?

o To what extent do professional development activities include structured opportunities 

for teachers to collaborate?

o To what extent does the professional development incorporate technology (e.g., online 

resources, videos, graphing calculators)?

8. Who participates in the professional development activities? How do you support or 

encourage these individuals to attend?

Listen for:

o Is it for volunteers or are teachers required to attend?

o Are particular types of teachers targeted (e.g., new teachers, struggling teachers, teacher 

leaders, teachers from different grade levels) to participate?

o What, if any, tools or resources does the district provide to support teachers’ 

participation (e.g., teacher professional development plans, release time, stipends, 

substitutes)?

o Is there any accountability in terms of what teachers are expected to do after 

participating in the professional development programs (e.g., homework, follow-up 

observations)?

Tools Supporting Implementation

9. You provided us with a copy of the {insert PD planning tool}. In what ways do you 

think this tool supports what your teachers are learning through the PD program?

Listen for:
o What are its distinguishing features?

o Are the tools and resources available online?

o How are the tools linked to the district’s algebra curriculum?

o Have you adapted the tools in any way?

10. You provided us with a copy of the {insert PD reference tool}. In what ways do you 

think this tool supports what your teachers are learning through the PD program?

Listen for:

o What are its distinguishing features?

o Are the tools and resources available online?

o How are the tools linked to the district’s algebra curriculum?

o Have you adapted the tools in any way?

11. Can you describe any other tools (e.g., frameworks, software or other technology) that 

are used to support the design or delivery of professional development?

Listen for:

o Who is intended to use these tools and for what specific purposes?

o To what extent are these tools useful in identifying and addressing teacher professional 

learning needs?

o What limitations do they present?

o What additional resources, financial or otherwise, are needed to provide these resources 

to teachers?

o How, when, and by whom are these tools refined?

12. Are there additional tools or resources that you think are needed to improve the PD 

program for your teachers?

Professional Development Providers 

13. What would you say are the key characteristics of a successful professional 

development provider/facilitator?

14. In what ways do you, as the principal, support implementation of the professional 

development program?

Listen for:

o How frequently do you meet with PD providers individually or collectively? For what 

purpose?

o Do you conduct observations of the professional development activities? If so, how 

often? Do you provide feedback to PD providers on their professional development 

activities? 

o Do you feel like you are adequately supported to do this work?
Implementation Challenges

15. What are the major challenges your school has faced in implementing the professional 

development program? In what ways have you addressed these challenges?

Listen for:

o What strategies did and did not work and why?

16. What changes would you make to the professional development program to increase its 

success?

OUTCOMES OF THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

Next, I would like to talk about possible outcomes of the professional development 

program.

17. How is the success of the professional development program measured?

Listen for:

o Changes in observed teacher practices

o Student achievement measures

o Course grades or failure rates

o Graduation or drop-out rates

o Other metrics

18. Has the program been successful according to these measures? Why or why not?

19. Does the program appear to be more successful with certain types teachers or students 

than others?

If yes:

Which teachers or students have benefitted the most? Why?

Which teachers or students have benefitted the least? Why?

FINAL THOUGHTS AND CONCLUSION

OK, please take a step back to provide some key take-away thoughts from this interview 

today.
20. What do you think are the key components—the active ingredients—of a successful 

professional development program?

21. Do you have anything else that you would like to add before we conclude this interview?

Those are all the questions I have. Thank you for your time and for participating in this 

project.
OMB Approval No.: 0000-0000

Expires: 00/00/0000

PROMOTING STUDENT SUCCESS IN ALGEBRA I

Professional Development (PD) Topical Area

Elementary School Mathematics Coordinator Focus Group

Name: Title:

State: District:

Interviewed by: Date:

INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

Good morning/afternoon. First of all, thank you so much for being here and for being willing to 

participate in this project for the U.S. Department of Education. Before we start, we would like 

to introduce ourselves, provide a little background on our work, and answer any questions you 

might have.

My name is [name], and this is [name of the other site visitor]. We are researchers from 

American Institutes for Research and Windwalker Corporation, organizations that conduct 

research and technical assistance in education. We are here today to interview you as part of a 

collaborative effort to provide program developers and administrators with information to 

promote student success in Algebra I. We are particularly interested in Algebra I because it’s a 

gatekeeper course in that it’s a prerequisite for subsequent high school mathematics and science 

courses considered essential for getting into college. So, it is an important stepping-stone for 

success in high school and college. 

As part of this project for the U.S. Department of Education, we are speaking with district staff, 

school administrators, math department chairs/leaders, and teachers about the approach to 

professional development practices and how it may contribute to student success in Algebra I. 

We’re particularly interested in your perspective on how [district name] has contributed to 

professional development for Algebra I education. The data we collect will be used to develop 

technical assistance tools to help program developers and administrators implement similar 

programs to support struggling students.

I’ll talk more about the topics of this interview, but for now, are there any questions about the 

project or why we are here?

DESCRIPTION OF INTERVIEW PROCEDURE AND CONFIDENTIALITY

Next, I’d like to say a few things about the process for this discussion. During our session today, 

I’ll be asking you some questions, and [another site visitor] will be taking notes on what you are 

saying. [S/he] will not record your names. If you don’t mind, I would also like to record our 

conversation simply for note-taking purposes. No one outside of our project team will hear the 

recording; it will just be for our own reference. If you would like us to turn off the recorder at 

any point, just let me know. Would that be OK?
I want to assure you that we will treat the information you provide in a confidential manner. The 

recorded interview will be transcribed by a member of the project team, and only selected 

research staff will have access to the data, except as required by law. We will not use your name 

or attribute any quotes to you, instead, we will use pseudonyms in practice profiles. All efforts 

will be made to keep the description of the site general enough so that a reader would never be 

able to determine the true name or identity of the site or individuals at the site. Therefore, no one 

who reads the profiles of practice will know that the statements came from you. 

I’d like to ask you to sign a consent form before we begin. It outlines some of the issues I’ve just 

mentioned with regard to anonymity and confidentiality. Please take a minute to read it and let 

me know if you have any questions.

Are there any questions before we get started?

Notes to interviewer:

- Throughout the interview, possible probes are set aside following each general question. We 

would like to gather information relative to each of those probes. If, when the general question is 

asked, respondents provide the information requested by the probes, you do not need to ask the 

probing questions. In addition to providing additional information, asking the probing questions 

may help move the interview pace or may prompt a less talkative respondent. Keep the tone 

conversational and comfortable.

- To the extent that this information can be retrieved from other data sources (e.g., school 

records) beforehand, document that information below prior to the interview. During the 

interview, prompt the Mathematics Coordinators to confirm its accuracy if their initial response 

does not do so.
BACKGROUND ON ROLE AND EXPERIENCE

Let’s begin with some information about you.

1. Can you each tell me a bit about your background and how you came to serve as 

elementary math coordinators in [district name]?

Listen for:

o How long have you worked for [district name]?

o How long have you served as a mathematics coordinator here? 

o What experience do you having teaching mathematics?

2. Could you each briefly describe your current role and primary job responsibilities? 

Listen for:

o What is your role with regard to professional development for mathematics teachers?

o How much of your time is dedicated to professional development responsibilities?

OK, thank you for sharing some personal information about yourself. For the remainder 

of the interview, I’d like to get your perspective on professional development activities 

related to helping students succeed in Algebra I. This includes PD opportunities for 

teachers in elementary or middle school, with an explicit focus on helping students 

eventually succeed in Algebra I [(see notes to interviewer below for instructions)]. I’d like 

you to focus on that subject area alone when you respond to these questions, OK?

IMPETUS FOR AND DEVELOPMENT OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 

PROGRAM

I’d like to get a general idea of the professional development program in your district [or 

school] and how it was developed.

3. What were the main reasons for developing the professional development program?

Listen for:

o To enhance teachers’ mathematical content knowledge

o To improve teachers’ ability to strengthen students’ reasoning and conceptual 

understanding

o To improve communication and aligned expectations between middle school math 

teachers and high school Algebra I teachers

o To support the implementation of Algebra I or other mathematics initiatives

4. Were you involved in the development of the professional development program? If so, 

do you feel like your contributions were valued and reflected in the current program?
5. Can you describe in detail how the professional development program was developed?

Listen for:

o Who was involved in the developing it, and what were their roles?

o What specific roles did district representatives have compared with school leaders or 

teachers?

o How long did it take to develop the program?

o How long has the professional development program been in place?

6. Could you explain any underlying principles that guided the development of the 

professional development program?

Listen for:

o Extent to which philosophy/principles were informed by data and/or research

o Including a focus on teachers’ mathematical content knowledge

o Ensuring PD is tightly linked to classroom practice

o Creating sustained, intensive opportunities for teacher learning

o Providing structured opportunities for teachers to collaborate with one another and with 

other experts

o Incorporating technology

7. We understand that your district provides tools (e.g., PD curriculum, lesson planning 

guide, personalized PD plan) to support the implementation of professional 

development for Algebra I. What was the process for developing these tools?

Listen for:

o Who was involved and what were their roles?

o Did school-level staff have the opportunity to provide input?

8. How was the professional development program initially funded, and how is it being 

sustained? 

Listen for:

o Federal or district support; grant funding

o Strategies for and steps taken to promote efficient use of resources

o Strategies for and steps taken to promote sustainability

IMPLEMENTATION OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

Now that we have a better sense of how the professional development program was 

developed, I am interested in how it is implemented.

Implementation Features and Context
9. Could you describe the key features of the professional development program? What is 

the rationale behind these features?

Listen for:

o What types of content does the professional development cover, and how does the content 

unfold over time? How is the content determined?

o In what ways is the professional development connected to teacher practice?

o How often do professional development activities occur? For how long? Over what 

span of time?

o To what extent do professional development activities include structured opportunities 

for teachers to collaborate?

o To what extent does the professional development incorporate technology (e.g., online 

resources, videos, graphing calculators)?

10. Who participates in the professional development activities? How are these individuals 

supported or encouraged to attend?

Listen for:

o Is it for volunteers or are teachers required to attend?

o Are particular types of teachers targeted (e.g., new teachers, struggling teachers, teacher 

leaders, teachers from different grade levels) to participate?

o What, if any, tools or resources does the district provide to support teachers’ 

participation (e.g., teacher professional development plans, release time, stipends, 

substitutes)?

Tools Supporting Implementation

11. You provided us with a copy of the {insert PD planning tool}. In what ways do you 

think this tool supports what your teachers are learning through the PD program?

Listen for:

o What are its distinguishing features?

o Are the tools and resources available online?

o How are the tools linked to the district’s algebra curriculum?

o Have you adapted the tools in any way?

12. You provided us with a copy of the {insert PD reference tool}. In what ways do you 

think this tool supports what your teachers are learning through the PD program?

Listen for:

o What are its distinguishing features?

o Are the tools and resources available online?

o How are the tools linked to the district’s algebra curriculum?

o Have you adapted the tools in any way?
13. Can you describe any other tools (e.g., frameworks, software or other technology) that 

are used to support the design or delivery of professional development?

Listen for:

o Who is intended to use these tools and for what specific purposes?

o To what extent are these tools useful in identifying and addressing teacher professional 

learning needs?

o What limitations do they present?

o What additional resources, financial or otherwise, are needed to provide these resources 

to teachers?

o How, when and by whom are these tools refined?

14. Are there additional tools or resources that you think are needed to improve the PD 

program for your teachers?

Professional Development Provider Selection and Support

15. Who delivers or facilitates the professional development activities that we discussed 

earlier? How are these individuals selected? 

Listen for:

o What criteria are used to select professional development providers?

o Who selects them (e.g., district-level staff, school-level staff, teachers)?

o To what extent are providers selected from outside the district (e.g., consultants, external 

organizations) and to what extent are they district- or school-level staff?

o Do any of you deliver or facilitate professional development activities within the 

program? Which activities?

16. What would you say are the key characteristics of a successful professional 

development provider/facilitator?

17. For those of you who serve as providers or facilitators of professional development 

activities, what types of training and support do you receive to help you implement 

those activities?

NOTE: These could include, but are not limited to, workshops, webinars, instructional 

coaching, and professional learning communities.

Listen for:

Note to interviewer:

If no focus group participants indicate that they serve as professional development 

providers/facilitators, then skip the next question about training and support for professional 

development providers.
o What is the format for this training (e.g., webinar, in-person, Web-based materials to 

review)?

o Who provides the training, and who receives it?

o When and how often does the training occur? Is training provided only once or repeated 

regularly (e.g., annually, biannually)?

o What are the training objectives?

o Is there anything that is not currently covered in the training that should be?

o What resources, financial or otherwise, are needed to support this training?

18. Aside from delivering/facilitating professional development activities, are there other 

ways in which you, as mathematics chairs/teacher leaders, support the implementation 

of the professional development program?

Listen for:

o Do you conduct observations of professional development activities? If so, how often? 

Do you provide feedback to PD providers on their professional development activities? 

o Do you feel like you are adequately supported to do this work?

Implementation Challenges

19. What are the major challenges that you as math department chairs/teacher leaders 

have faced in implementing the professional development program? In what ways have 

you addressed these challenges?

Listen for:

o What strategies did and did not work and why?

20. What are the major challenges that your school or district has faced in implementing 

the professional development program? In what ways have you addressed these 

challenges?

Listen for:

o What strategies did and did not work and why?

21. What changes would you make to the professional development program to increase its 

success?

OUTCOMES OF THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

Next, I would like to talk about possible outcomes of the professional development

program.

22. How is the success of the professional development program measured?

Listen for:
o Changes in observed teacher practices

o Student achievement measures

o Student promotion/retention rates

o Other metrics

23. Has the program been successful according to these measures? Why or why not?

24. Does the program appear to be more successful with certain types teachers or students 

than others?

If yes:

Which teachers or students have benefitted the most? Why do you think that is?

Which teachers or students have benefitted the least? Why do you think that is?

FINAL THOUGHTS AND CONCLUSION

OK, please take a step back to provide some key take-away thoughts from this interview 

today.

25. What do you think are the key components—the active ingredients—of a successful 

professional development program?

26. Do you have anything else that you would like to add before we conclude this interview?

Those are all the questions I have. Thank you for your time and for participating in this 

project.
OMB Approval No.: 0000-0000

Expires: 00/00/0000

PROMOTING STUDENT SUCCESS IN ALGEBRA I

Professional Development (PD) Topical Area

High School Math Chair/Teacher Leader Focus Group

Name: Title:

State: District:

Interviewed by: Date:

INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

Good morning/afternoon. First of all, thank you so much for being here and for being willing to 

participate in this project for the U.S. Department of Education. Before we start, we would like 

to introduce ourselves, provide a little background on our work, and answer any questions you 

might have.

My name is [name], and this is [name of the other site visitor]. We are researchers from 

American Institutes for Research and Windwalker Corporation, organizations that conduct 

research and technical assistance in education. We are here today to interview you as part of a 

collaborative effort to provide program developers and administrators with information to 

promote student success in Algebra I. We are particularly interested in Algebra I because it’s a 

gatekeeper course in that it’s a prerequisite for subsequent high school mathematics and science 

courses considered essential for getting into college. So, it is an important stepping-stone for 

success in high school and college. 

As part of this project for the U.S. Department of Education, we are speaking with district staff, 

school administrators, math department chairs/leaders, and teachers about the approach to 

professional development practices and how it may contribute to student success in Algebra I. 

We’re particularly interested in your perspective on how [district name] has contributed to 

professional development for Algebra I education. The data we collect will be used to develop 

technical assistance tools designed to help program developers and administrators implement 

similar programs to support struggling students.

I’ll talk more about the topics of this interview, but for now, are there any questions about the 

project or why we are here?

DESCRIPTION OF INTERVIEW PROCEDURE AND CONFIDENTIALITY

Next, I’d like to say a few things about the process for this discussion. During our session today, 

I’ll be asking you some questions, and [another site visitor] will be taking notes on what you are 

saying. [S/he] will not record your names. If you don’t mind, I would also like to record our 

conversation simply for note-taking purposes. No one outside of our project team will hear the 

recording; it will just be for our own reference. If you would like us to turn off the recorder at 

any point, just let me know. Would that be OK?
I want to assure you that we will treat the information you provide in a confidential manner. The 

recorded interview will be transcribed by a member of the project team, and only selected 

research staff will have access to the data, except as required by law. We will not use your name 

or attribute any quotes to you, instead, we will use pseudonyms in practice profiles. All efforts 

will be made to keep the description of the site general enough so that a reader would never be 

able to determine the true name or identity of the site or individuals at the site. Therefore, no one 

who reads the profiles of practice will know that the statements came from you. 

I’d like to ask you to sign a consent form before we begin. It outlines some of the issues I’ve just 

mentioned with regard to anonymity and confidentiality. Please take a minute to read it and let 

me know if you have any questions.

Are there any questions before we get started?

Notes to interviewer:

- Throughout the interview, possible probes are set aside following each general question. We 

would like to gather information relative to each of those probes. If, when the general question is 

asked, respondents provide the information requested by the probes, you do not need to ask the 

probing questions. In addition to providing additional information, asking the probing questions 

may help move the interview pace or may prompt a less talkative respondent. Keep the tone 

conversational and comfortable.

- To the extent that this information can be retrieved from other data sources (e.g., school 

records) beforehand, document that information below prior to the interview. During the 

interview, prompt the Math Department Chairs/Teacher Leaders to confirm its accuracy if their 

initial response does not do so.
BACKGROUND ON ROLE AND EXPERIENCE

Let’s begin with some information about you.

1. Can you each tell me a bit about your background and how you came to serve as high 

school math department chairs/teacher leaders in [district name]?

Listen for:

o How long have you worked for [district name]?

o How long have you served as a mathematics department chair here? 

o What experience do you having teaching mathematics?

2. Could you each briefly describe your current role and primary job responsibilities? 

Listen for:

o What is your role with regard to professional development for mathematics teachers?

o How much of your time is dedicated to professional development responsibilities?

OK, thank you for sharing some personal information about yourself. For the remainder 

of the interview, I’d like to get your perspective on professional development activities 

related to helping students succeed in Algebra I. This includes PD opportunities for 

teachers in elementary or middle school, with an explicit focus of helping students 

eventually succeed in Algebra I [(see notes to interviewer below for instructions)]. I’d like 

you to focus on that subject area alone when you respond to these questions, OK?

IMPETUS FOR AND DEVELOPMENT OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 

PROGRAM

I’d like to get a general idea of the professional development program in your district [or 

school] and how it was developed.

3. What were the main reasons for developing the professional development program?

Listen for:

o To enhance teachers’ mathematical content knowledge

o To improve teachers’ ability to strengthen students’ reasoning and conceptual 

understanding

o To improve communication and aligned expectations between middle school math 

teachers and high school Algebra I teachers

o To support the implementation of Algebra I or other mathematics initiatives

4. Were you involved in the development of the professional development program? If so, 

do you feel like your contributions were valued and reflected in the current program?
5. Can you describe in detail how the professional development program was developed?

Listen for:

o Who was involved in the developing it, and what were their roles?

o What specific roles did district representatives have compared with school leaders or 

teachers?

o How long did it take to develop the program?

o How long has the professional development program been in place?

6. Could you explain any underlying principles that guided the development of the 

professional development program?

Listen for:

o Extent to which philosophy/principles were informed by data and/or research

o Including a focus on teachers’ mathematical content knowledge

o Ensuring PD is tightly linked to classroom practice

o Creating sustained, intensive opportunities for teacher learning

o Providing structured opportunities for teachers to collaborate with one another and with 

other experts

o Incorporating technology

7. We understand that your district provides tools (e.g., PD curriculum, lesson planning 

guide, personalized PD plan) to support the implementation of professional 

development for Algebra I. What was the process for developing these tools?

Listen for:

o Who was involved and what were their roles?

o Did school-level staff have the opportunity to provide input?

8. How was the professional development program initially funded, and how is it being 

sustained? 

Listen for:

o Federal or district support; grant funding

o Strategies for and steps taken to promote efficient use of resources

o Strategies for and steps taken to promote sustainability

IMPLEMENTATION OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

Now that we have a better sense of how the professional development program was 

developed, I am interested in how it is implemented.

Implementation Features and Context
9. Could you describe the key features of the professional development program? What is 

the rationale behind these features?

Listen for:

o What types of content does the professional development cover and how does the content 

unfold over time? How is the content determined?

o In what ways is the professional development connected to teacher practice?

o How often do professional development activities occur? For how long? Over what 

span of time?

o To what extent do professional development activities include structured opportunities 

for teachers to collaborate?

o To what extent does the professional development incorporate technology (e.g., online 

resources, videos, graphing calculators)?

10. Who participates in the professional development activities? How are these individuals 

supported or encouraged to attend?

Listen for:

o Is it for volunteers or are teachers required to attend?

o Are particular types of teachers targeted (e.g., new teachers, struggling teachers, teacher 

leaders, teachers from different grade levels) to participate?

o What, if any, tools or resources does the district provide to support teachers’ 

participation (e.g., teacher professional development plans, release time, stipends, 

substitutes)?

Tools Supporting Implementation

11. You provided us with a copy of the {insert PD planning tool}. In what ways do you 

think this tool supports what your teachers are learning through the PD program?

Listen for:

o What are the tool’s distinguishing features?

o Are the tools and resources available online?

o How are the tools linked to the district’s algebra curriculum?

o Have you adapted the tools in any way?

12. You provided us with a copy of the {insert PD reference tool}. In what ways do you 

think this tool supports what your teachers are learning through the PD program?

Listen for:

o What are the tool’s distinguishing features?

o Are the tools and resources available online?

o How are the tools linked to the district’s algebra curriculum?

o Have you adapted the tools in any way?
13. Can you describe any other tools (e.g., frameworks, software or other technology) that 

are used to support the design or delivery of professional development?

Listen for:

o Who is intended to use these tools and for what specific purposes?

o To what extent are these tools useful in identifying and addressing teacher professional 

learning needs?

o What limitations do they present?

o What additional resources, financial or otherwise, are needed to provide these resources 

to teachers?

o How, when, and by whom are these tools refined?

14. Are there additional tools or resources that you think are needed to improve the PD 

program for your teachers?

Professional Development Provider Selection and Support

15. Who delivers or facilitates the professional development activities that we discussed 

earlier? How are these individuals selected? 

Listen for:

o What criteria are used to select professional development providers?

o Who selects them (e.g., district-level staff, school-level staff, teachers)?

o To what extent are providers selected from outside the district (e.g., consultants, external 

organizations) and to what extent are they district- or school-level staff?

o Do any of you deliver or facilitate professional development activities within the 

program? Which activities?

16. What would you say are the key characteristics of a successful professional 

development provider/facilitator?

17. For those of you who serve as providers or facilitators of professional development 

activities, what types of training and support do you receive to help you implement 

those activities?

NOTE: These could include, but are not limited to, workshops, webinars, instructional 

coaching, and professional learning communities.

Note to interviewer:

If no focus group participants indicate that they serve as professional development 

providers/facilitators, then skip the next question about training and support for professional 

development providers.
Listen for:

o What is the format for this training (e.g., webinar, in-person, Web-based materials to 

review)?

o Who provides the training, and who receives it?

o When and how often does the training occur? Is training provided only once or repeated 

regularly (e.g., annually, biannually)?

o What are the training objectives?

o Is there anything that is not currently covered in the training that should be?

o What resources, financial or otherwise, are needed to support this training?

18. Aside from delivering/facilitating professional development activities, are there other 

ways in which you, as mathematics chairs/teacher leaders, support the implementation 

of the professional development program?

Listen for:

o Do you conduct observations of professional development activities? If so, how often? 

Do you provide feedback to PD providers on their professional development activities? 

o Do you feel like you are adequately supported to do this work?

Implementation Challenges

19. What are the major challenges that you as math department chairs/teacher leaders 

have faced in implementing the professional development program? In what ways have 

you addressed these challenges?

Listen for:

o What strategies did and did not work and why?

20. What are the major challenges that your school or district has faced in implementing 

the professional development program? In what ways have you addressed these 

challenges?

Listen for:

o What strategies did and did not work and why?

21. What changes would you make to the professional development program to increase its 

success?

OUTCOMES OF THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
Next, I would like to talk about possible outcomes of the professional development 

program.

22. How is the success of the professional development program measured?

Listen for:

o Changes in observed teacher practices

o Student achievement measures

o Course grades or failure rates

o Graduation or drop-out rates

o Other metrics

23. Has the program been successful according to these measures? Why or why not?

24. Does the program appear to be more successful with certain types teachers or students 

than others?

If yes:

Which teachers or students have benefitted the most? Why?

Which teachers or students have benefitted the least? Why?

FINAL THOUGHTS AND CONCLUSION

OK, please take a step back to provide some key take-away thoughts from this interview 

today.

25. What do you think are the key components—the active ingredients—of a successful 

professional development program?

26. Do you have anything else that you would like to add before we conclude this interview?

Those are all the questions I have. Thank you for your time and for participating in this 

project.