Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Missouri's First Year Educator Survey

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Since 2007, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), in collaboration with the University of Missouri’s Office of Social and Economic Data Analysis (OSEDA) and more recently the University of Missouri’s Institute of Public Policy (IPP), has administered an annual survey of first-year teachers in Missouri public schools. Also since 2007, a companion survey of employers of first-year teachers — typically their principals — has been administered. Together, the two surveys form a statewide data collection effort known widely as the First-Year Teacher Survey.

In 2009, DESE launched a second set of annual surveys, also in partnership with OSEDA, known as the First-Year Principal Survey. This survey is administered to first-year principals in Missouri public schools. As is the case with the teacher surveys, the employers — typically, the district superintendent — are also surveyed. Both the First-Year Teacher and First-Year Principal Surveys were redesigned for the 2015 administration. In 2019, the First-Year Principal Survey was expanded to include those who were in their First Year as either Assistant Principal, or Principal.

In 2017, DESE launched a third set of annual surveys, also in partnership with OSEDA, known as the First-Year Counselors Survey. As with the case with the other First-Year Surveys, a companion survey is given to the supervisors of the first-year school counselors, typically the school principals.

In 2019, OSEDA merged with IPP, and the surveys have since been administered through a partnership between DESE and IPP.