2012-2013 ASPIRE Award Survey. Research Educational Program Report
Author: Houston Independent School District (HISD), Department of Research and Accountability
Date: 2014-12-19
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Teacher Attitudes,Job Performance,Merit Pay,Awards,Program Effectiveness,School Personnel,Attitudes,Incentives,Teacher Evaluation,Teaching Methods,Value Added Models,Elementary Secondary Education

The purpose of the ASPIRE Award Survey was to gain insight regarding the level of knowledge and perceptions of Houston Independent School District (HISD) teachers and staff after seven years of implementation of growth-based performance pay in HISD, as well as their perceptions regarding the overall concept of teacher performance pay. Additionally, participants had the opportunity to provide recommendations to improve the ASPIRE Award program. Highlights: (1) Of the 18,269 Houston Independent School District (HISD) campus-based employees surveyed, there were 4,689 participants who responded to the survey (25.7 percent) administered in January 2014. The response rate is fairly low and the results, while informative, may not be generalized to the population; (2) When comparing survey results over the last eight years, there was a decrease in the percent of respondents who were in favor or somewhat in favor of the concept of teacher performance pay from 69.2 percent in December 2007 to 53.2 percent in January 2014; (3) Based on survey data collected in 2014, the largest percentage of respondents indicated that over the past several years they used standardized data to make instructional decisions (56.5 percent) to a great extent; (4) When comparing the percentage of respondents that indicated they were in favor or somewhat in favor toward the concept of the Teacher-Performance Pay Model and to the ASPIRE Award Program for that year, it was first reported at 44.4 percent (December 2007 survey administration), reached a peak of 53.3 percent in 2009, and was most recently reported at 46.5 percent (January 2014 survey administration); (5) On the teacher appraisal system, participants were asked to rate the rigor of the system on a scale of 1 (not rigorous) to 5 (very rigorous) and fair on a scale of 1 (not fair) to 5 (very fair). Eighty three percent of respondents rated the system as rigorous while 56.9 percent rated the system as fair, with a rating of 3, 4, or 5; (6) Based on January 2014 results, a higher percentage of respondents strongly disagreed or disagreed that their maximum award amount was commensurate with their professional contribution, 40.4 percent, compared to 28.5 percent who were neutral and 31.1 percent who agreed or strongly agreed; and (7) Out of a total of 4,689 respondents on the January 2014 survey, 1,790 or 38.2 percent of the respondents provided at least one response for improving the 2012-2013 ASPIRE Award model. The four highest emergent categories based on the percentage of the responses centered on the following; commentary describing how the money should be allocated (15.6 percent); measuring growth/performance (10.7 percent); make the model equitable, fair, and inclusive (9.1 percent); and discontinue the award (8.0 percent). The district continues to use the information from the ASPIRE Award program evaluation and the ASPIRE Award survey to make annual improvements to the ASPIRE Award model.