This year, MetLife is releasing its renowned annual Survey of the American Teacher in three parts, and we’re pretty excited that they chose the 2010 NASSP Convention to release part 2 of the survey on student achievement.

If you’re not familiar with the survey…

Every year since 1984, MetLife has explored teachers’ opinions and brought them to the attention of the American public and policymakers. And then they put their money where their data is: Many projects in education supported by MetLife Foundation are developed based on the survey’s findings. We at NASSP can testify to that as we’ve been proud to team with MetLife Foundation on the selection of Breakthrough Schools for the past several years.

The latest round of research includes the views of teachers, principals, and students on student goals and aspirations, the influence of teacher expectations, and factors educators believe would improve academic success. Here are the highlights:

Large majorities of teachers and principals believe strongly that high standards and high expectations for all students will improve achievement

• Most teachers (86%) believe high expectations for all students would have a major impact on achievement.
• Teachers (77%) and principals (82%) strongly agree that most teachers in their school hold high standards for all students.
• Most teachers (64%) and principals (69%) strongly agree that it is important for all students to have one year or more of postsecondary education after high school in order to be prepared for work or a career.
• Secondary school principals are more likely than their elementary school colleagues to strongly agree with this view (77% vs. 65%). 

Standards and expectations for all students are not always very high.

• Fewer secondary teachers than elementary school teachers (67% vs. 83%) strongly agree that most teachers in their school hold high standards for all students, and fewer secondary principals compared to elementary school principals strongly agree (74% vs. 86%).
• Teachers and principals in schools with high proportions of low-income students are less likely than those with lower proportions to strongly agree that most teachers in their school hold high standards for all students (teachers: 71% vs. 81% ; principals: 78% vs. 91%).
• Most teachers (84%) believe they can enable all of their students to succeed academically, but only 36% of teachers say that all of their students have the ability to succeed.
• Half of teachers (51%), including most secondary teachers (71%), say students in their school only do enough work to get by.
• Teachers expect that an average of 50% of their students will attend a two- or four-year college after high school.

Many students believe their schools and teachers fall short.

• Fewer than half of secondary school students (44%) strongly agree that all of the teachers in their school want them to succeed, compared to 66% of elementary school students.
• Half of secondary students (50%) believe their teachers very much encourage them to do their best compared to 72% of elementary school students. 
• Nearly half of all students (45%) agree that many students in their school are promoted to the next grade level without really being ready.
• Over one-third (36%) of students agree that they only do enough work to do as well as they need to get by in school.  Elementary and secondary school students do not differ in this regard. However, boys are more likely than girls to report this (41% vs. 31%).

For us at NASSP, the report underscores the importance of collaborative leadership, one of the three pillars of the Breaking Ranks framework. But take a look at the report and draw your own conclusions. ETA for part 3: March 24.