“Enter our textbook survey and win prizes!!
Did you ever wonder why your books look like somebody’s dog chewed on them? Did it ever make you mad that some of your classes don’t even have books? Now is your chance to speak up and make a difference—your responses will be read by a local organization that’s raising money for brand new textbooks.
This survey is going to check out how many students have books, and what condition the books are in. LA Youth will publish the results in an upcoming issue. Plus you will be entered in a drawing for a free T-shirt, a favorite CD and $25! Five student respondents will be chosen. The deadline is April 15, 1998.
The results will be used by the Schoolbook Partners Action Committee. The committee, which was organized by the California Community Foundation, is a group of local people who are helping the LAUSD assure that there will be enough textbooks and library books to meet the needs of all students. In the coming weeks, interviews will be conducted on high school, middle school and elementary school campuses, as well as with officials of the school district. Research will also be done on how other school districts—perhaps including yours if you do not attend an LAUSD school—provide books for their students.
There are two ways to enter the survey:
1. BY MAIL You can fill out this questionnaire and mail it in to the California Community Foundation. Please feel free to make as many copies as you like and give them to as many other students as you want. One survey—only one—per student, please. Mail the questionnaire to: Communications Department
California Community Foundation
606 S. Olive St., Suite 2400
Los Angeles, CA 90014
2. BY INTERNET You can fill out the questionnaire on the Internet and your responses will be automatically tabulated and included in the study. To find the questionnaire on the Internet, please go to http://www.Calfund.org. Please do not fill out a written questionnaire and a copy on the Internet. One survey—only one—per student, please.
Information about you:
1. Your age (write in) _____
2. Your sex (circle) Male Female
3. Please describe your race/ethnicity
(write in) ______________________
4. Your school’s name (write in)
______________________________
5. Do you attend a magnet?
A. Yes B. No C. Don’t know
6. Is your school year-round?
A. Yes B. No C. Don’t know
7. Please circle your grade:
9 10 11 12 or other (write in) ____
8. How many classes are you taking in school?
(write in) _____
9. Do you plan to finish high school?
A. Yes B. No C. Don’t know
10. After high school, do you plan to
A. Attend college (community or four-year)
B. Not sure
13. In your school, are there enough textbooks for each student to have his/her own copy in all of your classes?
A. Yes B. No C. Don’t know
14. If you answered no, please write which classes have too few books (write in):
___________________________,
___________________________,
___________________________,
___________________________.
15. Do all your classes have assigned textbooks?
A. Yes B. No C. Don’t know
16. Do you have any classes where you have to bring the book to class?
A. Yes B. No C. Don’t know
17. Do you have any classes where the teacher uses something other than an assigned textbook? (such as photocopies, magazine articles, etc.)
A. Yes B. No C. Don’t know
18. If yes, please list the classes in which teachers distribute instructional materials other than textbooks (write in):
___________________________,
___________________________,
___________________________,
___________________________,
___________________________.
19. Please circle the kinds of materials your teachers distribute:
A. Reprints of magazine, newspaper articles
B. Copies of sections of chapters of books
C. CD-ROMs or multi-media materials
D. Ditto sheets or mimeographs
E. Other: (write in)___________________
20. Can you take your books home with you at night?
A. Yes B. No C. Don’t know
21. Are your books in good condition?
A. Yes B. No C. Don’t know
22. Do students in your school usually return textbooks at the end of the school year or if they move to another school?
A. Yes B. No C. Don’t know
23. If not, why not? (circle all that apply)
A. No one follows up to force you
B. There’s no motivation to return books
C. Students drop out of school
D. Students move to another neighborhood
E. Students don’t feel books are important enough to bother returning
F. Returning books is too hard for students
G. Other: (write in) ________________
24. Should schools require students to put down a money deposit on their books at the beginning of the year so students will be sure to return them at the end?
A. Yes B. No C. Don’t know
25. If you answered yes, how much of a deposit do you think would be appropriate?
(write in) $ ______.
26. When you are given textbooks by your school, what procedures exist to make sure you return them? Please circle all that apply:
A. You can’t graduate unless you turn them in.
B. You can’t get your college transcripts unless you turn them in.
C. You can’t enroll for the next school year.
D. You and your parents have to sign a card saying you are responsible, and if you don’t return the book, your parents get sent a bill.
E. Other (write in) _________________
27. Does your school have a library that is open, staffed by a librarian, during school hours?
A. Yes B. No C. Don’t know
28. Do you have access to the Internet at home?
A. Yes B. No C. Don’t know
29. Do you have access to the Internet at school?
A. Yes B. No C. Don’t know
30. Do you have access to the Internet anywhere other than at home or at school, such as the public library or a friend’s house?
A. Yes B. No C. Don’t know
31. Would you say your computer skills are:
A. Nonexistent
B. Basic
C. Good
D. Superior
32. If you could choose how you would most like to receive instructional materials, which of these would be your top preference:
A. Textbooks like those used at school
B. Via the Internet
C. In CD-ROM or other multimedia form
D. Other: (write in)__________________
33. Among you and your friends, is it cool to carry school books with you outside of school hours, especially after school?
A. Yes B. No C. Don’t know
34. Among you and your friends, is it cool to be interested in school and studying?
A. Yes B. No C. Don’t know
35. In how many of the classes that you take right now does the teacher actively use a textbook and expect students to learn material that is contained in the textbooks?
A. One class D. Four classes
B. Two classes E. Five classes
C. Three classes F. More than five
36. How much do you think the average high school textbook used in the Los Angeles Unified School District costs to buy it new?
A. $10 E. $55
B. $25 F. $65
C. $35 G. $75
D. $45
These last two questions are the most important of all. You may attach a separate sheet if there isn’t enough space here to answer them.
37. From what you know about the ways books are supplied to students at your school, what could the school district or the school do to improve availability so there is one book, up to date and in good condition, for each student in each class? (write in)
38. In your opinion, what could students, their families and friends do to help make sure that there is one book, up to date and in good condition, for each student in each class? (write in)
(Optional)
39. You don’t have to give your name and address, but we need it if you want to be entered in the contest for a free T-shirt, CD and $25. Five students will be randomly selected.
Name__________________________________
Street Address __________________________
City ________ State _____ Zip code_______
Thank you!!!
Mail the questionnaire to:
Communications Department
California Community Foundation
606 S. Olive St., Suite 2400
Los Angeles, CA 90014
Deadline: April 15, 1998”