Las Cruces Public Schools presents climate-and-culture survey showing gaps in student belonging and supports

Hanover Research on Thursday presented results from Las Cruces Public Schools’ systemwide culture and climate survey, reporting 6,220 total responses collected last spring from students in grades 6–12, staff, families and community members. The data showed broadly positive responses about adult commitment to students but weaker measures of belonging and peer-to-peer supports at the middle- and high-school levels.

The presentation, given by Dr. Lozano of district staff with Hanover analysts joining by video, highlighted three headline findings: high agreement that schools provide a safe learning environment (nearly 7 in 10 respondents), a steady decline in sense of belonging from elementary (about 90%) to high school (about 62%), and a gap between perceptions of commitment/resources and perceptions that struggling students receive sufficient support (79% say schools are committed to student success; 71% say schools have sufficient resources; 58% say struggling students receive the support they need).

Hanover’s team — Jenny Philpott, relationship director, and Dr. Naomi Brown, content director — and district staff emphasized that the survey measures perception, not incident counts, and recommended targeted action on strengthening peer relationships and emotional supports at secondary schools, making supports for struggling learners more visible, and expanding parent engagement strategies that rely on school-level relationships. Dr. Lozano said principals have access to a Hanover-developed dashboard and are using it to refine 90-day plans.

Board members pressed Hanover and district staff for clarity on the data. Several trustees noted confusion about respondent counts and overlapping categories (for example, special education, emergent bilingual, gifted and “none of the above”) and asked for the detailed data supplement; Hanover staff provided end-size counts on request (3,963 students, 1,165 staff, 1,015 parents and 77 community members in the snapshot cited). Trustees also raised questions about how adolescent response patterns affect measures such as student engagement and suggested follow-up qualitative work — focus groups or interviews — to explain “why” the perceptions exist.

Hanover said the district can disaggregate the results by school, grade and subgroup through the dashboard and recommended focused follow-up research to understand lower secondary-level belonging and engagement. Superintendent Ruiz and trustees described steps already under way — e.g., new parent-communication platforms, weapon-detector and cell-phone policy changes, and wellness-framework work — and said the survey will be used alongside other data sources to shape district strategy.

District staff and Hanover concluded by recommending action plans that include: strengthening adult–student trust while designing peer-to-peer and mentoring supports for middle and high schools; enhancing classroom practices that foster student engagement; and continuing to expand parent engagement channels that leverage school-level relationships. Trustees asked staff to return with clearer item counts and follow-up plans for the board’s continued review.

Hanover and LCPS representatives remained for a question-and-answer period with trustees after the report.