Bethalto community survey: strong ratings for education and safety, calls for clearer board communication

A presenter for the 2025 community survey reported broad approval of the Bethalto School District’s performance, with 89% of respondents saying they agree or somewhat agree that “students get a quality education from the Bethalto School District.”

The presenter, summarizing work conducted by consulting firm Evolve Strategic Solutions on behalf of the district, said the survey used a five-point Likert-style scale and measured reactions across statements about academics, supports and governance. “Eighty-nine percent of responses saying they agree or somewhat agree” that the district delivers a quality education, the presenter said.

Why it matters: high approval on core measures (education quality, course offerings and school climate) suggests widespread satisfaction among parents and community members. At the same time, the survey flagged gaps in public familiarity with district operations and a desire for more communication about Board of Education decisions.

Key findings reported by the presenter included: 85% of respondents agreed or somewhat agreed that classes and courses meet student needs, and nearly 85% reported that the district supports students socially, emotionally and academically. On future readiness, 80% said the district prepares students well for the future. The presenter described these as “strong positive indicators” for academic and support programs.

Responses were somewhat lower or more mixed on operational and informational items. The presenter reported 76% positive on whether programs and services meet student needs but noted about 15% were neutral and roughly 9% negative — a pattern the presenter interpreted as indicating some respondents were unfamiliar with programs. On the narrower phrasing about student services provided “at a level that meets the needs of the student population,” 72% were positive, about 9% negative and roughly 18% neutral.

The presenter also reported 77% positive responses to the statement that teachers, administrators and staff work together toward student success, with roughly 12–13% negative and about 10% neutral. On district administration and stewardship of district resources, 64% agreed or somewhat agreed while 23% were neutral; the presenter suggested the high neutral rate may reflect limited public understanding of how resources are managed.

Knowledge of business operations was evenly divided: the presenter said responses split into roughly equal thirds across agree/neutral/disagree, which the presentation described as a clear signal that residents would benefit from more explanation of district operations. That finding dovetailed with responses about Board of Education communication: 71% of respondents said they would like more communication about board decisions, 24% were neutral and 5% opposed more communication.

On community sentiment, the presenter reported 79% positive on the statement “I am proud to have my child attend the Bethalto School District,” with about 12% neutral and roughly 9% disagreeing. The presenter described the high pride rating as a positive indicator for the district.

The presenter emphasized that some neutral responses likely reflect unfamiliarity with specific wording or with district operations rather than active opposition. The presentation focused on these areas — operational transparency and board communication — as potential next steps for district outreach and public education.

The presentation summarized the high-level results and the presenter closed the summary with the district’s generally positive ratings across academics and climate while highlighting opportunities to improve communication about governance and business operations.