Forest Lake board debates Minnesota Student Survey transparency; amends motion to share survey or report MDE prohibition

At the Feb. 6 meeting, board member Atkinson moved to direct administration to provide parents with a link to the full Minnesota Student Survey in the district's weekly Friday communication and to discontinue district participation if the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) prohibits electronic distribution. The motion prompted an extended discussion about parental access, the survey's content, whether administrators could share the full questionnaire, and the timing of administration.

Administration said the district planned to administer the survey the following week and had already communicated participation and opt-out procedures to families; the superintendent said parents can view copies in school offices and that staff had recently added an electronic option for some families. Administration also said prior guidance from MDE had limited public dissemination of the full instrument due to concerns about administration integrity.

Board members raised concerns about content and transparency. Members summarized that the high-school survey runs to roughly 50 pages and covers mental health, substance use, and other sensitive topics; some members said parents deserve the chance to see the questions in advance and that many families might not realize the survey is administered or that they can opt out. Supporters of continuing the survey stressed that the aggregated results inform policy, funding decisions and local prevention-work partners.

An amendment to the original motion — proposed during debate — directed administration to provide the survey electronically in Friday communications if MDE permitted, and if MDE prohibited electronic release, the district should say so in Friday communications while outlining how parents could view the instrument in school offices. The board adopted that amendment by roll call and then approved the amended motion by roll call.

Nut graf: The board sought to increase transparency for parents while conforming to legal limits set by the state. By amendment the board required the administration to try to make the full survey available electronically and, if prevented by MDE, to disclose that prohibition and explain how parents could view the instrument locally.

Key procedural record: Member Atkinson moved the original directive to provide the full survey link electronically and to discontinue participation if MDE disallowed distribution. The amendment (text above) was adopted on the board's roll call; after further discussion the board approved the amended motion on a subsequent roll call. The minutes record votes taken by roll call for the amendment and for the final amended motion.

Ending: Administration said it will contact MDE to confirm whether electronic distribution is permitted, clarify the survey window, and then publish a Friday communication telling families either where they can view the survey or that MDE has prohibited electronic distribution.