Why survey?

It’s not easy being a school board member or an administrator. And one of the toughest parts of the job is keeping in step with your community.

Wise school leaders seek public input as part of the planning process and when making big decisions. Think about how much easier it would be if you understood what community members thought when you were:

• Revising your growth projections
• Updating your facilities
• Building a new school
• Holding a bond election
• Changing attendance boundaries
• Conducting goal setting and district planning

Staying ahead of issues

As a district leader, you want to be responsive to your district’s stakeholders and to have a community that is trusting and supportive of your district. Keeping the lines of communication open with your parents, students, staff, and other groups is one of the most important elements when working to establish community support.

If your community is unhappy about district performance or district decisions, those are important things to know as you are deciding on a course of action or sharing information. The old saying is true-you won’t know the answer if you don’t ask the question. Surveys allow you to get those answers, turning assumptions into real data.

Directing the conversation

Asking your stakeholders questions about certain issues causes them to think about those issues-whether district facilities or the district’s expansion plans. By asking for their input, community members realize these issues are important in the district and prompt people to give thought to them.

Showing stakeholders they matter

Surveys are just one way to keep the communication lines open with your community. Ongoing, proactive information-sharing is important throughout the year, but surveys make that communication two-way.

The answers your community members provide will offer valuable insight into their perspective and priorities, but most importantly, the fact that you’re asking the questions at all lets them know you are listening. One of the most valuable outcomes of your survey effort could be simply that it reminds your community members that they are district stakeholders and that you care what they think.

For more information on the benefits of surveying, or to find out how engauge can help, contact Nancy Cotton at 800.580.8272, extension 6235, or .