SCHOOL-BASED RESEARCH IN MPER SCHOOLS
ANNUAL PARTNER DISTRICT NEEDS SURVEY
This survey will be completed each year by the Partner Districts and made available to MU faculty on the
MPER website. This information (along with Partner District demographic data obtained from the DESE
website) will assist in identifying those districts and buildings whose unique needs match MU faculty and
doctoral student research interests. We understand that needs may vary from building to building in a
district.
Please respond to the following questions and return the questionnaire to the MPER office at
mper@missouri.edu or fax to (1-573-884-2138).
1. The District Administrator who will be the primary contact for MU Researchers is:
Name: Dr. Dred Scott Position: Deputy Superintendent Office Phone: 816-521-530
Email: dred_scott@isdschools.org
2. Please check the boxes where the district/building is seeking assistance.
PK-2
3-5
6-8
Reading
X
X
X
Writing
X
Math
X
X
Science
Special Education
X
X
Technology
X
X
X
Mental Health
X
X
X
Other
Other
9-12
X
X
X
X
X
X
3. For those boxes that are checked above please provide additional information that will assist the
MU Researcher in understanding the goals and objectives of the District/Building needs in the
selected areas.
(a) Subject ___Reading________
Objectives of the District/Building plan:
The district is implementing a reading and writing workshop model K-12. Our primary focus is on
literacy. The overarching goal is to ensure that our students leave our system literate, reading at or above
grade level. This change is a result of the increased ELA skills required by the Common Core.
(b) Subject __Math_________
Objectives of the District/Building plan:
The district is working to transition to the Common Core Standards. We have decided not to build a
“bridge document” that connects the former GLE and CLE’s to the Common Core. Instead we have decided
to rebuild our curriculum based solely on the Common Core. We will focus on particular grade
levels/courses to rewrite curriculum (i.e. Kdg., 6th grade, Algebra I) and build on additional grade levels and
courses in the next two years.
(c) Subject __Mental Health_________
Objectives of the District/Building plan:
The number of primary grade children who are affected by mental illness continues to grow in our
district. Students as young as three years old are coming into our programs with a myriad of issues that
prevent them from developing a strong foundation for school success. The district would be interested in
any research, program, or partnership that would help us to work more effectively with these students.
(d) Subject __Technology_________
Objectives of the District/Building plan:
We are always searching for ways to integrate technology more effectively in the classroom. The
district has a task force that is researching the benefit of allowing students to bring technology from home
to use as a resource and/or learning tool during the school day. The district is also interested in research
regarding 1:1 initiatives.
(e) Subject __Special Education_________
Objectives of the District/Building plan:
Special education is of particular interest because of national, state, and local data suggesting that the
majority of students who have been identified as having a learning disability will remain on an IEP for their
entire school career. In other words, very few students ever receive the kind of support through the IEP
process that allows them to move toward some level of academic independence. We have interest in what
research and science says about the brain as it relates to learning disabilities. What are specific strategies
identified by researchers that will help more students who are on IEP’s make substantial academic
progress?
4. What data sources do you have to support the needs checked in #2?
State and local assessment data, discipline and behavior management data, IEP’s
5. What do you perceive as the best way to initially meet the needs described above (i.e.,
Professional Development for the entire building, consultation with teams or individual teachers,
book study, research project, observation, etc.)?
Professional development with entire buildings and research projects.