Policy committee reviews survey policy; members seek clearer limit on third‑party data collection

Council Rock’s policy committee reviewed the district’s surveys policy and discussed adding clearer language to distinguish routine classroom feedback from third‑party data collection and marketing surveys.

A staff presenter said the policy already references surveys conducted by outside agencies and noted the district had three recurring third‑party surveys in the packet: a pay survey, Indicator 14 and an Aramark cafeteria survey tied to the food vendor. "We do our very best to protect our kids from any of that," a staff member said, recounting examples of outreach from external vendors seeking student data.

Board members asked whether the policy should explicitly say it applies to third‑party surveys and not to routine classroom checks (for example, quick in‑class polls about students’ favorite books). Several members suggested adding a sentence to make the distinction explicit. “I think it would help,” one member said, proposing insertion of the phrase "third‑party surveys" in the policy's purpose section.

Committee members also asked whether the district has an internal policy addressing teacher‑created classroom surveys; staff said classroom checks typically fall under instructional practice or classroom management rather than the third‑party survey policy and that the district would flag the classroom policy when the committee reaches the relevant section of the policy manual.

Staff agreed to add clearer language distinguishing third‑party surveys and confirmed they would include CR CARES/SAP survey authority elsewhere as needed. No final vote was taken; the item was reviewed for clarity and will return to the committee.