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District hires Hanover to field community survey and follow-up focus groups
Summary
Hanover research team previewed a district-wide survey of students (grades 6–12), parents and staff plus recommended follow-up focus groups and translation/representation strategies; presenters said the survey will be fielded mid-January and monitored for subgroup representation.
Hanover Research representatives presented the district’s community engagement plan to the board on Jan. 13, outlining a program-and-community-input survey for students in grades 6–12, parents/caregivers and staff, followed by targeted qualitative work.
“By gathering these insights, we aim to support the district in aligning strategic planning with community priorities,” Naomi Brown of Hanover said, describing three guiding research questions focused on priorities, program effectiveness and valued student/family experiences.
Hanover said the survey instrument includes screeners to route respondents to age- or role-appropriate questions, is translated into several of the district’s top languages, and includes an opt-in for follow-up qualitative research such as focus groups. The team emphasized monitoring response rates across schools and subgroups while the survey is live and suggested incentives and on-site supports (child care, food) to increase participation for harder-to-reach populations.
Board members asked for assurances about representation, translations and the potential overlap with other district surveys. Hanover said the instrument will track respondent demographics during fielding and that the team can adjust language and question targeting before launch to reduce survey fatigue. The presenters recommended focus groups with interpretation available and careful recruitment to include marginalized voices.
Next steps: The district plans to field the survey in mid-to-late January, analyze results, and use findings to inform follow-up community conversations and strategic planning.
