McHenry County Blog

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, McHenry County Blog outlined information District 300 wants from parents of children in school. It came from a survey instrument sent home with every child.

I noted that a political consultant would find some of that information quite useful in running a campaign.

Today, let’s look at the requested “slice and dice” data.

The final page deals with personal demographic identifiers:

• Name of school,
• Length of time in the area,
• Two most important sources of information about District 300 schools--
  
  • Newspaper,
  • Neighbors and friends,
  • District 300 web page,
  • Teachers and administrators,
  • Students,
  • District 300 publications (newsletter, specifically mentioned), email, school meetings and
  • Other (I guess that’s where brave people put McHenry County Blog.)
• Ethnic background,
• Primary language spoken in the home,
• Level of involvement in District 300,
• Would you like to become more involved? (If so, give us your email or street address.)

Finally, there are two open-ended questions:

What are the strengths of District 300?

How can District 300 schools be improved?

Not a lot of space, though, so keep your answers short.

Missing is the question,

What are the weaknesses of District 300?

The questionnaire may be returned with the child (which would allow coding for the classroom or even the name of the family) by mail or it can be filled out on the internet.

I know. I’m just too suspicious.

Remember, you can enlarge the image to make it easier to read.

= = = = =
Another District 300 article Saturday. (Boy, is this District 300 week!)

This time on the privileges of living in District 300.

Labels: District 300, ECRA Group, Questionnaire, Survey

Yesterday in Part 2 and the day before in Part 1, McHenry County Blog presented the elements of District 300 and school performance/relationship questions about which District 300 School District wants parental input. Some were quite political in nature.

Today, we move on to issues upon which District 300 wants feedback.

They follow. (As you read them, think how this could help candidates figure out what appeal to make to parents. Remember, the answers can be separated by school district. A sophisticated campaign could zone mailings by school neighborhoods.)

• Maintaining the lowest possible class size
• Hiring and retention of quality teachers
• District growth
• Language barriers
• No Child Left Behind
• Academic standards
• Financial viability for the district
• Staff development
• Hiring and retention of quality administrators
• Parent involvement
• Community relations
• Quality of school facilities
• School achievement
• Keeping up to date with technology
• Student behavior and discipline
• Programming for special needs students
• Salary and benefits for employees
• Other (Please specify)
• Other (Please specify) [Yes, there are two "Others."]
  

Think of what is missing from this list.

I do note that at least one of the above should be split into two questions. (Maybe more than one.)

Can you pick it out?

Whatever that is, by leaving it or them out, the school district can pretty much ignore the issue because so few people ever put anything in “other.”

You can enlarge the image to make it easier to read.

Tomorrow, see how District 300 plans to “slice and dice” the information it gathers through this questionnaire.

Labels: District 300, ECRA Group, Questionnaire, Survey

Yesterday in Part 1, McHenry County Blog explored questions concerning quality and effectiveness measures for various parts of District 300. There was one obvious omission.

On the next page of the questionnaire that District 300 sent home to parents via their children, there are a series of performance and relationship statements about which the questionnaire wants parents’ opinion:

• There are high academic standards and expectations of students in District 300.
• District schools prepare my child(ren) for the next level of education.
• District 300 schools teach life skills.
• District 300 teachers and administrators are accessible, approachable and responsive to parents.
• District 300 schools are safe.
• District 300 schools provide a positive and orderly learning atmosphere for children.
• District 300 discipline procedures are fair and equitable.
• The District 300 Board of Education understands and represents the parents and the community in its work.
• There is open communications in District 300.
• Parental involvement is encouraged and welcomed in District 300.
• There are adequate avenues for parents to get involved in District 300.
• District 300 is adequately funded.
• District 300 budgets and spends its money appropriately.
• Sometimes it is necessary to increase taxes to maintain the quality of a school system.

Answers to the four questions I have put in boldface type would be useful in crafting a re-election campaign for incumbent school board members, in my opinion.

Comparing the results from parents with those from non-parents, who are being polled separately, could allow campaign consultants for incumbent board members to concentrate on finding their votes among parents.

The next part of the questionnaire concentrates “issues you think are most important to the district.” Parents are asked to pick four of them, plus four that are the least important.

Missing from the questionnaire is

The District 300 Board of Education has been doing a good job.

We can trust our District 300 administrators.

The question is whether you want objective feedback.

I’m not sure District 300's survey questions will provide that. The questions seem to be heavily biased toward a positive response to school district performance.

Tomorrow read about the “issues” District 300 wants your opinions on.

Labels: District 300, ECRA Group, Questionnaire, Survey

Getting input from one’s customers is pretty routine, I guess.

I get pleas for feedback on receipts all the time, especially from restaurants. I figure they are mainly trying to get my email address.

Now Carpentersville School District 300 has sent home questionnaires designed by ECRA Group with each child.

Let’s see what they are looking for. (You can enlarge any of the images, by clicking on them.)

First there is a letter from Superintendent Ken Arndt.

Included in the introduction are meeting notices at three schools, including one at Jacobs tonight at 7.

Right at the top is a request for an overall rating of the district. Give a grade—A,B,C, D or F (or “Not enough information to respond”) on “the over all quality of the Education students receive in District 300.”

Then, questions are asked about

• Instruction Programming (quality questions)
• Administrative, Faculty and Staff (effectiveness questions)
• Facilities and Services (quality questions)
• Technology (access and use questions ) and
• School Climate (safety and quality)

Pretty straight forward, it seems.

Except while the "effectiveness" of District services, including administrators is requested, but when we get down to the "quality" of facilities and services, guess what is missing?

No guess?

It’s the quality of administrative management.

There are quality questions about

• Facilities
• Food services
• Transportation and
• Extracurricular activities

But not a word about the quality of the administrators.

Tomorrow read Part 2 in this four-part series. It's about what I characterize as performance and relationship questions.

Labels: District 300, ECRA Group, Ken Arndt, Questionnaire, Survey