Poll shows parents are happy with schools, District 15 says

Just looking at the numbers, parent satisfaction appears to be down a little this year in Marquardt Elementary District 15.

Officials said Tuesday night, though, that results of this year's survey are misleading.

Significantly more parents participated in 2007 than in 2006, the first time the survey was given, which helped create a better picture of the numbers this year. Overall, though, satisfaction across the board still hovers between 82 and 90 percent, explained Superintendent Loren May.

"I think data from the first year did not reflect a true mean of where our parents are," May told school board members.

The survey asked parents such questions as whether they are aware of what skills their child needs to learn, they feel informed about what's going on in the schools, believe the school's constantly improving and there are enough programs and services. In 2006, 548 parents participated. That jumped to 926 parents this year.

When the results from the two years are charted side by side, satisfaction followed the same levels almost across the board with a few exceptions.

The three areas where parents showed the most concern this year included where parents were asked if they were aware of ways to provide feedback of the district's improvement goals, believed teachers had sufficient materials to meet students' needs and that the school supports and encourages new ideas.

They were most pleased with the ways in which staff makes them feel welcome when they call or visit and that their children feel respected by both staff and students and are happy and comfortable going to school.

The area where the district showed the most improvement was in the question about whether students feel respected and treated with dignity by other students.

Parents displayed more satisfaction this year than last year -- it was the only such area where that happened.

May said the district will analyze the results and work on a plan to improve the areas that are lower than they would like.

They arbitrarily decided, he said, that anything below 90 percent satisfaction level wasn't sufficient.