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Cedar Hill students report strong teacher support but want more challenge, district says
Summary
A student-led presentation of the YouthTruth survey showed high participation and reported strengths in teacher support and school safety, but identified gaps in academic challenge and college/career readiness; district leaders said results are informing campus improvement plans.
Senaya McGrew, a 10th grader at Cedar Hill High School, presented results of the district'wide YouthTruth student and parent survey to the Cedar Hill ISD Board of Trustees on June 27.
McGrew told trustees the November 2024 survey reached 4,782 eligible students and received 3,886 student completions (an 81% participation rate) and 884 parent responses (26% participation). Students and parents reported that teachers provide strong support and that campuses feel safe, McGrew said. She also said many middle- and high-school students want more challenging, hands-on coursework and that high-school students reported stress and a need for more emotional-wellness support.
District leaders told the board the survey is being used to refine campus improvement plans. McGrew said district and school leaders held a workshop in March to review results and that the district will focus on academics, mental wellness, family communication and college- and career-readiness supports in the coming year.
Board members asked clarifying questions about middle-school desires for hands-on learning and how many families participated. In response, McGrew repeated the participation figures and described student requests for experiments and sustained hands-on experiences through middle school into the district''s collegiate pathways.
Trustees were also told where the district has seen improvement: more elementary students reported feeling supported and a greater share of parents said communication had improved. McGrew said some measures—such as perceived readiness for life after graduation among high-schoolers—had not changed materially and remain a district priority.
The presentation concluded with McGrew's statement that the survey "is a chance for us to be real about our school experiences and for our district to turn our feedback into action," and an offer to answer trustee questions.
The YouthTruth presentation was a report item only; no board action was taken.
Looking ahead, district staff said they will continue to use YouthTruth results to guide campus improvement plans and district priorities for 2025-26.
