The SALT survey was introduced last spring by the Rhode Island Department of Education and immediately created controversy. Teachers and parents objected to the personal, intrusive and potentially damaging nature of many of the questions (See Sample Questions in sidebar).

As reported in the Providence Journal, one teacher wrote to the Education Department to complain that the survey was "wordy, repetitious, needlessly time-consuming and often ambiguously written in 'educationalese.' " She voiced her concern about "the department's underlying political agenda of school reform," which she said reflects "the political and education beliefs of politicians, education professors, education department officials, parents, but few teachers."