"As a third grade teacher, the common planning time, which was implemented as a result of this survey, has proven to be extremely beneficial to our grade level. Our beginning teachers have gained valuable resources and ideas from experienced teachers. And experienced teachers have been able to incorporate ideas from new teachers in our classrooms. Ultimately, the students are the ones who have gained from this experience."

"My teachers are very pleased with a change that was implemented this school year as a result of their responses on the Teacher Working Conditions Survey. A significant number of teachers indicated that more planning time is needed. After I implemented a weekly, uninterrupted, common planning, and collaboration time; teachers continued to thank me for addressing this need. When I visit the common planning time sessions, I see the teachers fast at work planning and sharing to better meet the needs of our students."

"The Teacher Working Conditions Survey allowed me to voice my concerns in a confidential way without being 'labeled'. Thanks to the Survey ourschool received much needed feedback that assisted in the delivery of its instruction and improved our working environment. The Survey represents honesty at work.

"We know it takes a village to educate a child. Teachers most often are the closest connection to the child during the school day and represent the glue that holds things together in school. Nevertheless, those who are in 'the trenches' sometimes have the least amount of input when it comes to key decisions that affect the quality of life in our schools.

The North Carolina Teacher Working Conditions Survey is an excellent tool to gauge what is really needed in our public schools. The data collected highlights the key areas that are essential in making real improvement in our schools. The Survey's focus on facilities, resources, leadership, and professional development ensures that our teachers are prepared to help students become globally competitive in the 21st century. Please let your voice be heard and participate in the North Carolina Teacher Working Conditions Survey!"

"The Teacher Working Conditions Survey provides teachers with an opportunity to make sure our voices are heard about issues that determine the quality of our jobs and our students' success."

"I expect our principals and school leadership teams to pay attention to this important data and use it in their school improvement planning process."

"The Teacher Working Conditions Survey is an important tool for our schools and school districts. In Iredell-Statesville Schools, the data from the survey helped to convince our county commissioners and our community to support the passage of a $50 million bond referendum to renovate and build new schools. As I work with other superintendents across the nation who are replicating the survey, I am always very proud that this initiative started in North Carolina."

"I really encourage all teachers to complete this survey. It gives us our only chance to candidly express our opinions about our work place. I am impressed that the governor cares enough about our schools to solicit our opinions. I know that in Dare County, these responses are taken seriously."

"We encourage everyone to take the Survey and our school has always had 100 percent response rate. Feedback from the Survey has helped our School Improvement Plan become a living and working document, not just another binder that sits on the shelf.

We believe that using feedback from the Survey has assisted us in winning awards such as the Impact Model School Award in Media and Technology, and the Schools to Watch Award. And it allows our teachers to identify changes that we need to make in the school without feeling threatened.

Teachers know we are in this together and their honesty on the Survey has allowed us to improve not only on what we are doing in our classrooms, but also on what we need to purchase in order to improve on instruction.

It has provided us a tool that is needed for bonding the administration and teachers. As we make changes in our school and we celebrate our successes, everyone feels like they played a part."

"The Survey made the faculty more aware of the reason we do things, rather than top down from administration. The faculty can look at it and it gave us a common language when we were talking about leadership and the School Improvement Plan."

"We use a team approach to school improvement and the information from this survey provides our team with a valuable pulse on our strengths and weaknesses as we engage this necessary process."

"Completing this survey makes me feel my opinion matters. I appreciate the opportunity to voice my opinion about both the positive and negative aspects of my work environment."