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Catoosa County survey: teachers, safety and college/workforce readiness top community priorities
Summary
Superintendent Nicks presented results of a district survey of about 1,700 respondents showing the community ranks recruiting quality teachers, safety, and college/workforce readiness as top long‑term priorities; board members said the results are consistent with past surveys.
Superintendent Nicks told the Catoosa County Board of Education on May 6 that nearly 1,700 community members completed a strategic plan survey and that respondents consistently prioritized recruiting quality teachers, school safety and preparing students for college and the workforce.
The superintendent said 64% of respondents identified parents as the largest respondent group and that the survey showed "68% of the respondents indicate that quality teachers...is gonna be our greatest challenge." The presentation summarized top concerns and budget priorities, which district staff said will inform the system's strategic planning.
Nicks highlighted several percentages from the survey: 68% cited quality teachers as the greatest challenge; 64% prioritized preparing students for college and workforce readiness; 64% listed academic programs as a top issue; and 59% said the district should fund SROs, nurses and mental‑health professionals. On financial priorities, 68% ranked competitive salaries and benefits as the top spending priority.
"When we say we have nearly a 90% graduation rate, that's still below most other school systems who are 98 and 99, and that is because we're gonna make sure that you earn the diploma when we give it to you," Nicks said while noting community expectations for meaningful credentials following graduation.
Board members who discussed the survey called the results stable over time. One board member said the priorities "have not changed" over multiple surveys and that the data will guide the district's strategic plan and any referendum work. Another board member underscored that the survey reinforced support for career and technical education pathways.
The survey also asked which indicators community members use to judge the district. Responses included clean, well‑maintained, secure buildings (73%); students graduating with college credit or technical credentials (53%); and career technical pathways offered (47%). The superintendent told the board that these community priorities will inform budgeting and planning for the coming five years.
The presentation was informational; the board did not take an action vote on the survey results at the meeting.
