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Student survey finds widespread facility, comfort and inclusion concerns across Santa Fe Public Schools
Summary
Student board members told the Santa Fe Public Schools board that a student-created districtwide survey of 1,045 middle- and high-school students flagged building maintenance problems, heating/cooling complaints and mixed experiences of inclusion; students recommended faster repairs, improved reporting and restorative approaches to discipline.
Student board members presented results from a student-created district survey to the Santa Fe Public Schools Board of Education, telling the board that 1,045 students in grades 6–12 responded and that many reported problems with school facilities and inclusion.
The survey found that about 60% of respondents reported classrooms or offices were uncomfortably hot or cold for more than a week during the school year. More than 20% reported broken lockers, and about 20% reported missing bathroom stall doors or other bathroom fixtures, the students said. Nearly 20% said maintenance issues caused them to avoid certain areas on campus, citing roof leaks, out-of-order sinks and water fountains, foul odors and pest sightings.
"Students recommended improving maintenance response times for repairs such as in bathrooms, prioritizing heating, cooling, and ventilation issues across campuses, repairing broken locks, bathroom stalls, sinks and water fountains," one student presenter said. The student presenters said students also called for better systems for reporting problems and stronger anti-vandalism efforts.
Student board member Bo Ree, who presented discipline and inclusivity findings, said 68% of students reported that principals and teachers handle discipline appropriately while roughly 32% said discipline is not being handled the right way. "Students recommend more restorative conversations before severe punishment," Bo said, adding that students favor parent involvement, clear consequences for repeated behavior and interventions before escalation.
On inclusion, presenters said average student responses were about three out of five on a school-inclusion scale; 16% rated their sense of inclusion as low. Students identified bullying, perceived favoritism, and lack of awareness of available programs as leading concerns and called for more student voice in decisions, expanded programs that promote belonging and increased access to counselors and mental-health resources.
The students also compared the new survey with three questions carried over from the previous year (quality of school meals, cleanliness/maintenance, and feeling supported). Presenters said the responses were mixed: many students reported no change, while a minority reported improvement on those measures.
Board members thanked the student presenters and asked no substantive follow-up questions during the meeting. The student presenters closed by urging continued surveys and that the district act on maintenance and inclusion recommendations.
The presentation was part of the regular board meeting; the district did not vote on new policy changes at the time of the presentation.
