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Spring survey shows mixed results: staff and families report improvements, students less positive about climate
Summary
Districtwide spring survey reported 94% staff and 85% student response rates; staff and families reported gains in school climate perception while student climate scores dipped modestly. District will pursue targeted actions on central office responsiveness and school engagement.
Mick Arthur, a district staff member, presented the district's spring 2025 climate and culture survey to the Education Committee on May 14 and reviewed response rates, focus areas, and next steps.
Arthur reported strong participation rates — 94% staff completion and 85% student completion — and said family response was lower at 18% but improved from the prior year. He said the district used Panorama as its survey vendor and that a 40‑page report with full results is available.
On the district's two action focus areas from last year, Arthur said central office responsiveness and leadership remain priorities. "We were at 34% in this topic last spring ... we were at 39%" he summarized for the most recent consolidated metric. He said central office responsiveness now has a 48% favorable baseline and central office leadership scored lower at 24% favorable. Open‑ended responses frequently referenced fiscal health, compensation and time/resources as drivers of staff concern.
Student climate and engagement results were mixed. Using Panorama's adjusted scoring, Arthur said student climate adjusted from 38% last spring to 35% this spring; some schools saw gains while others declined. He noted staff and family perceptions of school climate improved slightly (staff +4 points, families 62% to 66%). Arthur identified belonging and teacher–student relationships as strengths; resources and school engagement as weaknesses, particularly at secondary levels.
The presentation included recommended next steps: continue to strengthen central office responsiveness (including a central‑office 48‑hour response expectation), ask staff for targeted feedback at upcoming convocation, and work to increase family–teacher communication using tools such as ParentSquare and the home access center. Arthur said school leaders received their school‑level results earlier the same day and that Panorama includes playbooks with research‑based strategies for improvement. He asked schools to align school‑level action plans to the district strategic plan and to report back on implementation.
The committee asked follow‑up questions about school‑level engagement dips, access to full data (Arthur provided a link to the full report), and tailoring student survey language for virtual programs. Arthur agreed to provide breakout data for specific programs on request and to consider survey wording adjustments for students in virtual programs in future administrations. No formal action or vote was recorded; staff will develop action plans and return with updates.
