District presents 2025 annual survey showing strong overall perceptions but lower student participation

District staff presented highlights from Kearney School District’s 2025 annual survey, administered via Qualtrics from Oct. 1–22. The survey drew 1,882 responses (about 1,100 fewer than the prior year), a reduction largely attributed to lower student participation (713 student responses this year). Presenters said the sample still provides a margin of error of roughly ±3.3 percentage points at the reported response rate.

Overall perceptions remained positive, with an average Likert score of 4.03 out of 5. Staff and parents/guardians rated the district highly on providing an excellent educational experience (90% top‑two responses), while student responses were lower (81% top‑two). The district highlighted improvements since 2022 in measures such as "I am proud to attend my school" (up 4%) and "I feel cared for and supported" (up 5%).

Respondents prioritized safety and security, college and career preparation, trusted adults at school, engaging classes and teacher quality. Staff-ranked benefits placed salary and compensation first, followed by health insurance and workplace culture. Presenters said administrators have access to detailed dashboards and that a public report will be posted at ksdr1.net/annualsurvey.

Board members asked for follow-up breakdowns (percent neutral vs. disagree/strongly disagree) and for more detailed themes from open‑ended questions; staff agreed to provide deeper analysis and to work with principals to increase student participation next year.