Within the report were questions pertaining to attitudes toward the district, preferred means of communication, challenges facing the district and defining student success.
To provide a smaller margin of error, CFISD officials said they not only reached out to parents and community members but to staff as well, providing a wider range of backgrounds for responses. While the sample size changed, the administration time was similar, with both surveys being collected from mid-April to late April or into early May.
Among the questions asked, there was little variation between response percentages from 2016 to 2022 regarding opinions of conditions of campuses. The first point of variation was opinions on safety and security of the campuses, which saw a 10% decrease in parents rating them excellent, while nonparents dropped by 2%.
The greatest changes were seen in how respondents received information from the district. In all, respondents rely less on traditional methods such as notes sent home with students and local media, turning more to Instagram, the online Home Access Center, emails and text messages. The district explained the shift to more direct electronic communications through the convenience of access to information and the limitations of sending notes with students during the pandemic.
Discipline was identified as the district's biggest challenge in the 2022 survey. In 2016, parents and nonparents alike were more concerned about growth and overcrowding, according to survey results. District officials pointed out the significance of staff opinion on this matter as 76% of staff respondents pointed to discipline being the biggest issue. Respondents also reported the academic achievement gap as another top concern, which was also a top concern in 2016 but grew more concerning due to COVID-19-related learning loss.
One of the key findings of the survey revealed the community’s ideal characteristics for successful students. It showed more than half of parents said being competent problem solvers and responsible citizens were the most important factors of student success.
The board members said they found the results to be encouraging for future programs and projects as the district is currently working to address discipline and instill the desired qualities in students before graduation.
Click here to see the full survey report.
