Dist. 158 seeks broader survey to pinpoint issues

Parents in Huntley Unit District 158 would be able to grade their children's schools on a wide range of criteria under a new proposal from Superintendent John Burkey.

District 158 has been planning to survey parents and residents about how to accommodate an expected influx of students at Huntley High School over the next eight years.

In a Thursday memorandum to the school board, Burkey suggested the district should expand the survey to gauge parent satisfaction and discern their goals for the district.

"If we are going to spend the money to complete the survey, I believe we should consider making it much broader," Burkey wrote. "There is no reason why we cannot or should not use this survey to gain valuable information from our stakeholders."

Neighboring Community Unit District 300 conducted a similar, wide-ranging survey in 2007 using the same firm District 158 has retained for its survey, the Rosemont-based ECRA Group.

District 300's survey of parents, teachers and alumni revealed several problem areas - such as school climate and communication - that district leaders have tried to address in the past two years.

The District 158 school board, hoping to realize some of the same benefits, backed Burkey's proposal on Thursday and directed administrators to retool the survey.

"The prudent thing to do would be - to take a little bit of a step back and think of the bigger things we can accomplish with this," board President Shawn Green said. "I agree with the approach that John is basically suggesting here."

Board member Don Drzal, however, questioned whether expanding the survey would dilute its original intent.

"I don't think we should lose sight of what the original purpose of the survey was," Drzal said.