DESE VISTA Survey Project, 2017-2018

Welcome to the Views of Instruction, State Standards, Teaching, and Assessment (VISTA) Survey Project page.

Introduction

VISTA is an annual survey sponsored by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Educators were asked to share their views on the implementation of five statewide initiatives:

• The Massachusetts curriculum frameworks,
• Role of evaluation in supporting educator growth and development,
• Educator pipeline development; Preparing, hiring and retaining educators,
• Social and emotional learning, health and safety, and
• DESE supports.

The 2017-2018 VISTA surveys were administered to all superintendents and principals. 166 or 41% of superintendents provided feedback, with 698 or 38% of principals participating in their survey. Westat provided survey design, data collection, analyses and data reporting for the 2017-2018 VISTA survey projects.

2017-2018 VISTA Survey Findings

Executive Summary and Descriptive Reports

Executive Summary

A two-page summary of high level findings:

• Superintendent 2018 executive summary

• Principal 2018 executive summary

Descriptive Reports

State-wide representative descriptive data:

• Superintendent 2018 report

• Principal 2018 report

The VOICE One-Page Summaries

Curriculum and Instruction

• Issue 1: Views of curriculum frameworks

• Issue 2: Alignment of district curricula to DESE's frameworks

• Issue 3: Supporting students with disabilities and English learners

Educator Evaluation

• Issue 4: DESE's evaluation resources

• Issue 5: Evidence used for teacher summative performance ratings

• Issue 6: Effectiveness of district evaluation systems

• Issue 7: Principal time spent on evaluation activities

Educator Pipeline Development

• Issue 8: Mentoring student teachers and new teachers

Social and Emotional Learning, Health, and Safety

• Issue 9: Embedding SEL instruction

• Issue 10: Staff SEL proficiency

• Issue 11: Connecting and monitoring student interventions

• Issue 12: District and school access to SEL support

• Issue 13: DESE's school climate reports and guidance

• Issue 14: DESE's school climate reports and guidance by urbanicity

• Issue 15: Sharing school climate data

• Issue 16: DESE's support of safe and supportive schools

DESE Support

• Issue 17: DESE's data resources

• Issue 18: DESE's grant processes: Using data and evidence

• Issue 19: DESE's services and communication

 

• Issue 20: Educator feedback for DESE's commissioner

The surveys that were administered in 2018 can be viewed by clicking the links in the table below.

Superintendent (or Designee)

Content:
5 statewide initiatives (curriculum frameworks; role of evaluation in educator growth and development; educator pipeline development (preparing, hiring and retaining educators); social and emotional learning, health, and safety; and DESE supports.

Time:
20 – 30 minutes

Sample:
All Superintendents in the state

• VISTA-D (2018)

Principal

Content:
5 statewide initiatives (curriculum frameworks; role of evaluation in educator growth and development; educator pipeline development (preparing, hiring and retaining educators); social and emotional learning, health, and safety; and DESE supports.

Time:
20 – 30 minutes

Sample:
All Principals in the state

• VISTA-P (2018)

Last Updated: December 17, 2018