The Cypress‑Fairbanks Independent School District on Wednesday presented results from a parent survey conducted this spring by Vasilis & Associates that the district said reached a sample of 2,011 parents. Leslie Francis, who presented the findings, said 83 percent of respondents indicated they plan to keep their child in CFISD next year, 6 percent said they plan to switch to a non‑CFISD school and 11 percent were unsure.

Why it matters: The survey — the district's third since 2016 — shows parents' top concerns and the items most likely to influence school choice, information CFISD leaders said they will use to shape messaging, program development and new offerings as the district competes with private schools, vouchers and virtual options.

Key findings: Francis said 90 percent of parents feel “strongly or somewhat welcome” at their child’s school, returning to the level measured in 2016 after a dip in 2022. She reported that 56 percent of parents said they had seen, read or heard something about education savings accounts (ESAs); awareness rose with household income, reaching 76 percent among households reporting income above $125,000. Of respondents who said academic standards are “too low,” Francis said 65 percent were aware of ESAs.

Other survey results presented included: ratings of the district's education for the youngest child as good or excellent (76 percent), classroom and school environment good or excellent (73 percent) and extracurricular activities good or excellent (53 percent). The top issue parents named as the district's biggest challenge was student discipline (30 percent), down slightly from 32 percent in 2022 but up from earlier years when growth and overcrowding dominated.

District response: Superintendent Dr. Killian said the district will package the survey findings into a one‑year engagement plan under the banner “Choose the Path to Amazing.” He said CFISD plans to expand virtual options, introduce a district‑run virtual principal and step up communications to market CFISD programs such as college academy dual‑credit pathways, CTE certifications and robotics. “We’re going to control that marketplace,” Dr. Killian said of virtual offerings, adding the district will work to “make us the choice for everybody that wants to come to a high‑quality school.”

Levers and next steps: Trustees and staff discussed using the survey to inform communications about existing strengths (the district reported $85,000,000 in scholarships awarded and noted students earning associate degrees through dual‑credit programs), to expand extracurriculars at elementary and middle schools, and to promote reinstated transportation for 2025‑26. The district plans to post the full survey results on its website and to provide campus‑level breakdowns by demographic groups on request.

Cost and methodology: Francis said the district worked with Vasilis & Associates to match respondent demographics to PEIMS data and geographic ZIP codes; the invoice for the survey was provided during the meeting as $42,408. The survey reused recurring questions for trend tracking and added items to measure awareness of ESAs and potential switch behavior.

Discussion and follow up: Board members asked for access to the raw/open‑ended response data to permit deeper analysis, requested breakdowns separating respondents who “like public education” from those who “work in CFISD” or “choose CFISD,” and urged the district to use the results in campus improvement plans and parent engagement strategies. The board also asked staff to track whether the district’s outreach reduces the share of parents who believe academic standards are too low.