Frequently Asked Questions
What is the American School District Panel (ASDP)?
The ASDP is the first and only set of recurring surveys of all U.S. school districts. Twice per year, school district leaders are invited to participate in surveys and interviews to inform policy and monitor trends over time. Findings help policymakers and stakeholders understand the challenges school leaders face, how they innovate and solve problems, and what districts need.
Are there other national surveys of educators?
Although there are other educator surveys, the ASDP is the first and only survey of all U.S. school districts. It is part of the American Educator Panels (AEP), which regularly surveys over 25,000 teachers and 8,000 principals from around the country. The ASDP provides timely answers to education topics such as how districts are responding to AI; changes to enrollment, staffing, and budget; the rigor and quality of instruction; chronic absenteeism; and equity of schooling.
Who are the ASDP partners?
The ASDP is a partnership among RAND, the Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE) at the Arizona State University, the Council of the Great City Schools, and MGT (an education consulting firm).
Who funds the ASDP?
The ASDP is funded by the Gates Foundation, the Wallace Foundation, and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. At this time, we are not open for additional sponsors of survey items. Check back in the future for opportunities to commission survey items.
Why does the ASDP matter?
ASDP findings are informing and influencing decisionmakers. Findings from the ASDP have been featured on NPR, CBS News, and ABC News and covered in The New York Times, POLITICO, Education Week, and The Washington Post, as well as other media outlets.
How do participating districts benefit?
ASDP survey participants receive customized data after each survey that provide their own responses alongside peer districts’ responses and responses overall.
All ASDP publications are available at americanschooldistrictpanel.org. Interactive data visualizations for each survey are also available with free accounts on Bento. The ASDP also provides free, downloadable data files for each survey via the American Educator Panels data portal.
What’s required of participating districts?
The impact is great, but the time commitment is not. The surveys are short—most take around ten minutes to complete. Participating districts will receive two surveys per year. Leaders and staff may also be asked to participate in interviews on how policies and their implementation influence district improvement efforts.
Is there any risk to participating in ASDP surveys?
A district’s decision to take part in the ASDP study is voluntary, and they may withdraw at any time. Staff members may choose not to complete a survey or participate in an interview; the district will not be informed nor penalized.
Will ASDP survey respondents’ answers be kept confidential?
Responses to ASDP surveys will be used for research purposes only. Our study reports present findings in the aggregate, and responses will not be connected to a specific individual or district. We use strict data security practices to protect the privacy of information provided.
Is the ASDP supported by other educators?
The ASDP is supported by an advisory committee of national, state, and local education leaders from across the country representing urban, rural, and suburban communities, as well as traditional public schools and charter schools. The ASDP is also supported by numerous state and national education organizations.