Springdale board launches parent interview plan to probe enrollment decline

Springdale School District leaders told the board on Nov. 11 they are launching a structured parent-interview program to help explain and address a decline in enrollment.

District staff explained the approach: an entry interview at enrollment with three questions (how families heard about the district, what factors mattered most in their decision to enroll, and why they chose a specific school); semester check-ins twice a year with three questions at parent-teacher conferences; and a six-question exit interview when families unenroll to capture primary reasons for leaving and what changes would prompt a return.

"These conversations will give us valuable insight into why families choose to enroll, stay, or leave," the presenter said, adding the district will use text, email, newsletters and school websites to collect responses and will provide customer-service training to staff to improve family engagement.

Staff framed the interviews as both data-gathering and relationship-building: the goal is to turn data into action by identifying areas such as academics, staff, school safety, diversity and transportation that influence families' choices. The district did not announce a formal deadline for data collection or a schedule for reporting results to the board.