SAIS Motivation and Engagement Survey for Faculty and Students

The Faculty Motivation and Engagement Survey gathers direct feedback from educators about workplace culture, well-being, and the factors that shape their professional experience at your school.

This comprehensive assessment explores what drives motivation, engagement, and purpose in the workplace and how these factors influence teacher satisfaction, retention, and career commitment. By listening directly to educators about what fosters connection, professional growth, and meaningful work, schools gain actionable insights to better support, develop, and retain faculty at all career stages.

The Student Motivation and Engagement Survey for grades 9-12 gathers direct feedback from students to help schools understand what students need to feel a sense of choice, belonging, and success.

This assessment explores key dimensions of the student experience including relationships and engagement at school, voice and choice, perceptions of teachers and school leaders, recognition and feedback, and the primary reasons students choose to attend the school. By listening to students about what supports their motivation and connection to learning, schools gain actionable insights to strengthen student experience and school culture.

Understand What Drives Your Teachers—and What Keeps Them at Your School

The Faculty Motivation and Engagement Survey is a comprehensive assessment tool designed specifically for K-12 independent schools to measure the factors that influence teacher satisfaction, retention, and professional commitment.

What This Survey Measures

Workplace Relationships & Belonging

The quality of collegial connections and sense of community

Autonomy & Role Alignment

How well roles match faculty strengths, values, and professional identity

Leadership Effectiveness

Trust in supervisors, communication quality, and decision-making integrity

Recognition & Growth

Compensation competitiveness, professional development support, and advancement opportunities

Professional Development Engagement

Current learning activities and growth pathways

Move beyond anecdotal feedback to understand the systemic factors affecting your faculty. Identify specific areas, from workload sustainability to leadership communication, where strategic interventions can make the greatest impact. Understanding what keeps your best teachers engaged gives you the insight needed to build a workplace culture that attracts and retains top talent. Simply asking shows faculty that leadership values their experience and is committed to continuous improvement.

Understand What Your Students Need to Thrive—Directly From Their Perspective

The Student Motivation and Engagement Survey is a comprehensive assessment tool designed for grades 9-12 to measure the factors that influence student belonging, motivation, and connection to school life.

What This Survey Measures

Relationships & Belonging

Quality of connections with adults and peers, sense of community, and involvement in school life

Voice & Choice

Student autonomy, agency in learning, and perception that their opinions matter

Teacher & Leadership Effectiveness

Workload manageability, quality of support, access to resources, and communication from school leaders

Recognition & Feedback

Effort recognition, feedback quality, and clarity about academic progress

School Pride & Advocacy

Likelihood to recommend the school and reasons students choose to attend

Essential Teacher Qualities

Student perspectives on what makes teachers effective and inspiring

Adult perceptions of school culture don’t always match student experience. Students who feel they belong, have choices, and are supported by adults are more likely to stay at your school and advocate for it. This survey reveals the student perspective on the factors that shape daily motivation and well-being. Asking students about their experience shows you value their voice and are committed to creating a school environment where they can thrive.

Survey Details