What they're saying
LaShanda Lewis, RRISD's director of counseling services, presented an update on the fall administration of the Panorama survey capturing student sentiment regarding self-efficacy, sense of belonging and safety on their campus at the Nov. 21 board meeting.
The details
The share of students who reported a better sense of belonging grew to 44% in the fall from 41% in the spring for secondary students, the survey-based data update shows. This metric also saw growth among primary students, at 68% of students surveyed in the fall compared to 66% in the spring.
Survey data also shows growth in the share of secondary students self-reporting that they felt safe at school, while this metric stayed the same for elementary students.
When it comes to self-efficacy, or student belief in their ability to achieve, the share of surveyed secondary students who responded in the affirmative increased slightly, but decreased by 6 percentage points among elementary students.
What parents should know
Lewis said the student data gained through the Panorama survey helps the district better address the needs of students.
School counselors addressed students who self-reported as "red," or not feeling like they belonged in school, did not feel safe or like they could achieve, Lewis said. For those who reported that they felt they do not belong, some were connected to student organizations that matched their interests, paired with an adult mentor or provided other means of connecting with other students. Similar methods were used for students whose surveys for self-efficacy and feelings of safety fell into the red, she said.
"One of my favorite takeaways from our counselors was they helped their students to relocate their buddy benches at a campus, to put in a more desirable area for student use it, which meant students were going to use it more, likely," Lewis said.
What's next?
Lewis said the district will continue to administer its Panorama survey each semester to gain a better sense of student sentiment around these areas. The next survey will be given in March.