Savannah-Chatham County committee reviews Hanover climate survey; district met KPI on employees feeling valued amid concerns about participation and student-beh

The Savannah-Chatham County Public School System Board Accountability Committee on July 22 reviewed results from a districtwide culture and climate survey conducted by Hanover Research and discussed next steps for using the data to inform policy and practice.

The presentation showed mixed results: district leaders said the district met its KPI for employee perceptions of being "valued or having their contributions appreciated," reporting 43% for school year 2025, a 2% gain over 2024. Dr. May, who presented the survey findings, said, "In school year 2025 41 percent of staff reported feeling valued within the district, 45% indicated their contributions are appreciated, and 32% perceived their voice is valued." The surveys were distributed via Qualtrics to 2,530 employees, and district staff said participation was roughly half of that distribution.

Why it matters: Board members and district leaders tied the survey results to recruiting and retaining employees, and to operational issues such as student behavior, workload and compensation. Several board members pressed for disaggregated data by school and department so trustees can assess how decisions and investments affect particular sites.

Key findings and district actions District staff and Hanover summarized the 2025 survey as showing sustained, modest gains in several areas: school climate, district support, professional development, workload, advancement opportunities and district culture. Dr. May said overall satisfaction reached 69% (the combined share of respondents who were "somewhat" or "completely" satisfied) and noted incremental gains in retention-related measures. The presentation said district leaders used the data to pursue several actions, including increased leadership visibility and responsiveness, recognition and advancement initiatives, workload‑balance measures for school staff, an executive leader competency evaluation, a districtwide compensation study and targeted leader training. Ms. Taylor, representing Hanover (the contractor), summarized Hanover's recommendations: "First, Hanover emphasized the need to enhance leadership visibility and responsiveness, not just at the district level, but also in schools as well."

Board discussion and concerns Trustees and staff focused on three recurring concerns: (1) the survey's response rate and the need for school‑level reporting, (2) student behavior and discipline as a driver of staff stress and turnover, and (3) whether the district should disaggregate the KPI or collect additional types of data.

Multiple board members asked the district to provide the full Hanover report and the raw or school/department-level Excel data underlying the executive summary. Dr. Watts, the superintendent, confirmed the executive summary was linked in the presentation and said staff could provide school- and department-level data on request.

Several board members argued student behavior responses are central to staff satisfaction. Mr. Moss said: "We have to uplift the image of educators." In a related exchange, Attorney Denison referenced a recent training on a revised attendance policy and said principals responded positively when they learned, "there were actually going to be real consequences for not attending." Board members advocated considering discipline and attendance policies as tools that can affect school climate and staff workload.

Methodology and participation District staff and Hanover emphasized that the survey was anonymous and voluntary to preserve data quality. Dr. May and others explained that mandatory, non-anonymous responses would undermine the survey's methodological goals. Panelists observed the participation rate varied by time of year (midyear pulse in January versus end‑of‑year in May) and noted a drop in some measures between those points; staff said they are exploring optimal timing for future administrations to reduce seasonal bias.

Next steps and follow-up District staff outlined follow-up actions: provide the full Hanover report and school/department data; perform post-event pulse checks throughout the year; continue leader coaching and site-level action planning; explore career-pathway expansions and "grow your own" models; and consider convening a future meeting focused on discipline. The committee set a tentative next meeting date for Oct. 28 and asked trustees to identify topics for deeper review.

Votes at a glance - Motion to approve the July 22 meeting agenda: approved by voice vote (ayes; no roll-call tally provided). - Motion to approve the March 25 minutes: approved by voice vote (ayes; no roll-call tally provided).

What the committee did not decide The committee did not adopt any new policies or modify the KPI during the meeting. Trustees asked staff to return with disaggregated data and to schedule additional discussion; discipline was identified as a likely subject for a future dedicated meeting.

Ending District leaders said they will provide the full Hanover executive report and the school- and department-level data in follow-up. The committee closed by thanking Hanover and district staff; Dr. Watts urged attendees to stay hydrated and ready for the coming school year, saying, "We're 13 days away from opening of schools, and this is always a time of the year filled with excitement and anticipation."