CCSU Communications Survey Results

NSPRA/K-12 Insights Parent Survey Results

Conducted March 14 – April 1, 2011

Overview Survey was part of a capstone project by

NSPRA with 100 school systems nationally

Locally, we sent out surveys to all Essex Junction, Union #46 and Westford parents: A total of 2,740 email addresses (includes

duplicate household emails) 576 completed surveys (21% response rate)

Questions asked parents to mostly consider the educational experience of their oldest child in public school

2

A Sense of Demographics:

About the respondents

Q1: Are you also an employee of the school district?

4.59%28

95.41%582

4

Yes No

Q2: Are you a parent of children presently attending school in grades PreK-13 Early College?

98.22%607

0.16%1

1.13%7

0.19%3

5

Yes-In preK-early college

No-kids too young

No-kids graduated

No-kids left w/out graduating

Q3: How many school-age children do you have?

41.51%247

42.18%251

16.30%97

6

1 2 3 or More

Q4: How many children do you have attending each of the following?

None

1 23 or more

Total

Local public school

0 27 244 81 598

Charter school 99 0 1 0 100

Private or parochial school

95 14 2 0 111

Home school 97 4 3 2 106

Other 89 20 3 1 113

7

Q5: Of your children attending local public schools, what is the grade level of your oldest child?

409 in grades 9-12

69 in grades

6-8115 in grades preK-5

8

Pre-Kindergarte

n

Kindergarte

n

1st Grade

2nd Grade

3rd Grade

4th Grade

5th Grade

6th Grade

7th Grade

8th Grade

9th Grade

10th Grade

11th Grade

12th Grade

13th G

rade/E

arly

College

8

A Closer Look at Question #2

Q2: Are you a parent of children presently attending school in grades PreK-13 Early College? Yes No – children too young No – children graduated No – children left without graduating

Q6: When will your child begin school?

Note: This response is based on Q2 – Number of parents who have children currently too young for school = 1. That child will begin school next year, so this question is 100% (1 out of 1 respondents said “Next school year”)

10

Next School Year

Q7: Where do you intend for your child to attend school?

Note: This response is based on Q2 – Number of parents who have children currently too young for school = 1. That child will begin in public school, so this question is 100% (1 out of 1 respondents said “Local public school”)

11

Local public school

Q8: How many children do you have that graduated from high school?

Note: This response is based on Q2 – Number of parents who have children who graduated public school = 7.

28.57%2

57.14%4

14.29%1

12

1 2 3 or More

Q9: How many children graduated from each of the following?

None

1 23 or More

Total

Local public school 0 3 3 1 7


Private or parochial school

2 2 0 0 4


Other 2 0 0 0 0

Note: This response is based on Q2 – Number of parents who have children who graduated school.

13

Q10: When did your last child graduate from high school?

Note: This response is based on Q2 – Number of parents who have children who graduated public school = 7.

85.71%6

14.29%1

14

Within the last year 6-10 years ago

Q11: How many children do you have that left school without graduating?

Note: This response is based on Q2 – Number of parents who have children who did not graduate from public school = 3.

66.67%2

33.33%1

15

1 3 or More

Q12: For how many children was each of the following the last type of school attended?

None

1 23 or Mor

e

Total

Local public school 0 2 0 1 3


Private or parochial school 1 0 0 0 1


Other 0 1 0 0 1

Note: This response is based on Q2 – Number of parents who have children who did not graduate.

16

Q13: When did your last child leave public school?

Note: This response is based on Q2 – Number of parents who have children who did not graduate from public school = 3.

66.67%2

33.33%1

17

Within the past year 1-3 years ago

Overall school quality

Q14: How do you rate the overall quality of services provided by the school your oldest child attends?

26.99%156

49.48%286

19.38%112

3.46%20 0.69%

4

19

Excellent Above Average

Average Underperforming Unacceptable/Failing

Q15: If you rated the quality of educational services provided by the school as “average” or lower, what can your child’s school do to improve?

115 Open-Ended Responses (general themes): 24: Improve teacher quality/performance 19: Improve communication between the teacher/home 10: Better accommodate students with special needs 10: Improve communication from school/central office

administration regarding discipline and decisions 7: Improve timeliness of student performance updates 7: Provide more “accelerated” opportunities for students 4: Improve the availability of guidance staff 2: Improve online resources, including opening up some

sort of parent portal for grades

20

School Communications

Q16: How often are you involved in your child’s school?

1.91%11 16.87%

97

52.52%302

28.70%165

22

Never Rarely Sometimes Often

Q17: How well informed do you feel about the events, activities, issues at the school your oldest child attends?

10.76%62

30.38%175

41.49%239

17.6%100

23

Not very well informed

Somewhat informed

Pretty well informed

Very well informed

Q18: What information are you most interested in receiving from your child’s school? Choose up to five.

Responses Count %

Curriculum/educational program changes and updates

33358.01

%

Descriptions of the curriculum and instructional programs in place at the school

30352.79

%

Calendar of events/meetings 30352.79

%

Rationale/reasons for the decisions made by the school leadership (principal)

24041.81

%

Information about student safety incidents and precautions being taken by the school

23140.24

%

Information about quality of teaching 20034.84

%

24

Q18: What information are you most interested in receiving from your child’s school? Choose up to five. (Continued from previous slide)

Responses Count %

Information about before/after school and extracurricular programs

19033.10

%

Information about student graduation/course requirements

18632.40

%

Parent involvement opportunities 17931.18

%

Information about how the school is performing compared to other schools within the school district or in neighboring districts

17831.01

%

Description of optional schools or programs available

15527.00

%

Lunch menus and nutritional information

6210.80

%

School construction/renovation updates 26 4.53%

25

Q19: What additional information would you like to receive from your child’s school?

142 Open-Ended Responses (general themes): 31: School communications (e.g. newsletters, etc.) 24: More updates regarding student performance 22: Information about the curriculum 19: Access to grades/progress reports online 12: Guidance availability, college information,

course registration help 12: Communication from administrators (e.g.

reasons for decisions made, discipline, etc.) 9: Information about how teachers are performing 7: Information about opportunities for “gifted”

students 6: Information about 504, IEP goals, SpEd progress26

Q20: How often should your child’s school provide updates to parents?

3.98%23

7.61%44

38.41%222

14.01%81

25.09%145

10.90%63

27

Daily

Seve

ral Tim

es/Week

Once W

eekly

Seve

ral Tim

es/Month

Once M

onthly

Other

Q21: There are adequate opportunities for me to express my concerns and opinions about important issues at my child’s school.

4.86%28 15.45%

89

53.13%306

16.32%94

10.24%59

28

Strongly Disagree

Disagree Agree Strongly Agree

Don’t Know

Q22: Concerns and opinions expressed by parents and the community are seriously considered by the principal and school administration.

5.22%30

15.48%89

40.87%235

10.61%61

27.83%160

29

Strongly Disagree


Don’t Know

Q23: How well informed do the teachers of your oldest child keep you about classroom activities, events, and requirements?

28.17%162

35.48%204 26.43%

1529.91%

57

30


Somewhat informed


Very well informed

Q24: What information are you most interested in receiving from your child’s teacher? Choose five.Responses Coun

t%

Updates about how well my child is doing in school and how I can help him/her do better

469 82.14%

Timely notices when my child’s performance is slipping

453 79.33%

Information about what my child is expected to learn during this school year

275 48.16%

Homework and grading policies 264 46.23%

Information about my child’s behavior and he/she gets along with other students

260 45.53%

31

Q24: What information are you most interested in receiving from your child’s teacher? Choose five.(Continued from previous slide)

Responses Count

%

Best ways for communicating with the teacher (email, phone, meetings, etc.)

250 43.78%

Classroom events calendar 187 32.75%

Descriptions of daily instructional activities and how they meet the needs of my child

135 23.64%

Opportunities for parents to volunteer or be involved in the classroom or grade-level activities (field trips, special programs, etc.)

104 18.21%

32

Q25: What additional information would you like to receive from your child’s teachers? 88 Open-Ended Responses (general themes):

32: Class syllabus, timely student progress reports 18: More communication from teachers 12: Clearly identified classroom lessons 11: Availability of grades/progress reports online 5: Information about how policies and discipline

are handled 4: Information about what the curriculum is 3: Information about how special needs students

are being helped 2: Information about extra-curricular or advanced

opportunities for students 1: Information from guidance about college prep.

33

Overall District Quality

Q26: Overall, how do you rate the quality of education services provided by your local school district?

19.20%111

56.06%324

19.72%114

4.33%25 0.69%

4

35

Excellent Above Average Average Underperforming Failing

Q27: If you rated the quality of education services provided by the district as “average” or lower, what can the school district do to improve?

86 Open-Ended Responses (general themes): 30: Respond to complaints, issues, review

administrator performance, review budgets, manage discipline in schools

20: Have more dialog with families regarding curriculum and decisions around changes

18: Evaluate teacher quality 9: Improve communication regarding decisions or

issues affecting schools 6: Increase opportunities for “gifted” students 2: Work with families around IEP decisions 1: Provide consistent information about student

progress36

District communications

Q28: How well informed do you feel about the issues impacting education in your local school district?

15.42%89

45.75%264

36.76%189 6.07%

34

38


Somewhat informed


Very well informed

Q29: What information are you most interested in receiving from your district? Choose five.

ResponsesCoun

t%

Rational/reasons for decisions made by the school district

36364.94

%

Curriculum/educational program options

36064.40

%

Information about how well the school district is performing compared to other school districts at the state/national level

29252.24

%

School closings and other time-sensitive information

27248.66

%

Information about safety-related incidents and precautions on or near school grounds

27148.48

%

39

Q29: What information are you most interested in receiving from your district? Choose five.(Continued from previous slide)

ResponsesCoun

t%

Budget/tax/finance election information and funding updates

24844.36

%

Calendar of events 24844.36

%

Opportunities for community members to be involved with the schools

13524.15

%

Awards and recognitions 9416.82

%

Student enrollment information 5610.02

%

School construction/campus improvements and renovations

52 9.30%

40

Q30: What additional information would you like to receive from the school district? 46 Open-Ended Responses (general themes):

12: Rationales for decisions, school closing information 8: Information about budget decisions, administrator

evaluations, student safety 7: Information regarding teacher performance 7: Information about curriculum and changes made to

it, information about the grading system 4: How schools are partnering with organizations to

provide advanced opportunities 3: Improve online events calendar, have

grades/progress reports available online 2: Information about how the needs of students with

disabilities are being met 2: Information about college prep. 1: NECAP scores for student41

Q31: There are adequate opportunities for me to express my concerns and opinions about important issues impacting the schools.

3.48%20 17.91%

103

54.26%312

9.74%56

14.61%84

42

Strongly Disagree


Don’t Know

Q32: Concerns and opinions expressed by parents and the community are seriously considered by school district leaders.

4.85%28 15.42%

89

41.25%238

6.41%37

32.06%185

43

Strongly Disagree


Don’t Know

Q33: Overall, how well informed are you about issues impacting public education in your state?

13.28%77

48.45%281

31.72%184 6.55%

38

44


Somewhat informed


Very well informed

Q34(a): Please rate your preference for receiving information via: Television

46.80%234

27.20%136 18.60%

93

7.40%37

45

Least preferred 2 3 Most preferred

Q34(b): Please rate your preference for receiving information via: Education Cable TV Channel

67.47%336

23.09%115

7.03%35

2.41%12

46


Q34(c): Please rate your preference for receiving information via: Radio

44.20%225

30.84%157

18.47%94

6.48%33

47


Q34(d): Please rate your preference for receiving information via: Newspaper

32.43%167

32.23%166 27.77%

1437.57%

39

48


Q34(e): Please rate your preference for receiving information via: Newspaper Website

43.49%217

28.26%141 20.84%

104

7.41%37

49


Q34(f): Please rate your preference for receiving information via: TV Station Website

46.91%235

27.74%139 17.76%

89

7.58%38

50


Q34(g): Please rate your preference for receiving information via: School/District Website

4.79%25

13.03%68

33.72%176

48.47%253

51


Q34(h): Please rate your preference for receiving information via: Email from School/District

1.09%6

1.46%8 15.33%

84

82.12%450

52


Q34(i): Please rate your preference for receiving information via: AlertNow

3.93%21

7.30%39 22.85%

122

65.92%352

53


Q34(j): Please rate your preference for receiving information via: Text Messages

42.28%219

8.60%86

21.62%112

19.50%101

54


Q34(k): Please rate your preference for receiving information via: District/School Print Publications

13.09%67

26.56%136

35.35%181

25.00%128

55


Q34(l): Please rate your preference for receiving information via: District/School E-Newsletters/Emails

5.32%28

9.13%48

31.75%167

53.80%283

56


Q34(m): Please rate your preference for receiving information via: Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, Blogs)

62.48%318

21.02%107

10.61%54 5.89%

30

57


Q34(n): Please rate your preference for receiving information via: Attendance at Board Meetings/Minutes

44.05%222 35.52%

179

16.27%82

4.17%21

58


Q34(o): Please rate your preference for receiving information via: PTA/PTO Meetings/Newsletters

34.75%172

38.18%189

20.61%102

6.46%32

59


Q34(p): Please rate your preference for receiving information via: Online Parent Portal

7.50%39

11.54%60 26.54%

138

54.42%283

60


Q34(q): Please rate your preference for receiving information via: Community Forums/Town Halls

34.26%172

38.45%193

23.51%118

3.78%19

61


Q35: Please describe any other methods you prefer for receiving communications about the schools/district

27 Open-Ended Responses (general themes): 13: General communications from school

district via email, phone, newsletter 9: Improve online resources, including

access to grades online 4: Direct communication from teachers

(phone call or note home) 1: Have open, honest communications

from leadership

62

Q36: Considering all of the sources of information about the schools available to you, are you able to find information that is important to you?

26.19%148

60.88%344

11.33%64 1.59%

9

63

Yes, I can easily find what I’m

looking for

Yes, but it takes some time and

effort

No, I usually can’t find what I need

to know

I have not needed to find information

Q37: Considering your need to keep informed about issues impacting education, how often should the school district provide updates?

36.97%210

38.20%217 20.25%

114

2.46%14

2.11%12

64

As often as m

ajor

decisions a

re

being consid

eredM

onthly

Ever

y 3 m

onths

Ever

y 6 m

onths

Other

About the Surveying Organizations

National School Public Relations Assoc. National School Public Relations (NSPRA)

NSPRA is a professional organization dedicated to building support and trust for education through responsible public relations that leads to success for all students.

Visit them online: www.nspra.org

66

K-12 Insight K-12 Insight is a division of Zarca Interactive

K12 Insight partners with school districts nationwide, assisting them in district-wide deployment of a solution that drives efficiency and effectiveness.

Visit them online: www.k12insight.com

67