An accountability survey that indicated most parents are content with Durango School District 9-R’s performance in the 2020-21 school year was revisited by the school board at a work session Tuesday.
Amanda McKown, a member of the District Accountability Advisory Committee and a Needham Elementary School teacher, presented results from the DAAC survey.
The purpose of the survey review was to gauge the superintendent’s performance and to determine in what areas the school district must improve going forward.
Superintendent Karen Cheser started with the school district in July, well after the 2020-21 survey closed. School district spokeswoman Julie Popp said that although the survey results could be more reflective of the last superintendent’s activities, the information is still important for Cheser and the board to have, as the school board will continue to use the DAAC survey to gauge community, parent and student satisfaction with the district.
The survey includes certain data points for which the superintendent must score above a certain threshold to remain in compliance with the board’s expectations, Popp said. The indicators of compliance require that 80% of respondents feel like valued members of the school district, and that in the case of complaints, investigative findings and actions are maintained as well as the complaint filed.
“On the DAAC survey, 83.79%, so almost 84%, of parents agreed that they feel like 9-R staff make them feel like a valued member of our education community,” she said. “So she was able to meet that compliance.”
The survey was open from Feb. 23 to March 23 and received 997 total responses.
In the 2019-20 school year, the DAAC survey received more than 1,000 responses, Popp said.
McKown said the 2021-22 survey questions are being reviewed by DAAC members and school principals to have the survey ready to release to parents by the end of January or the beginning of February – a tad earlier than last year’s distribution date.
“The board has requested that we change the date to deliver the survey to parents sooner. We’re always happy to have it go out sooner,” she said. “It gives us a little more time, and it goes a little longer for more parents to take the survey.”
McKown summarized the 2020-21 survey results in a PowerPoint presentation.
Other survey results showed:
- 88.8% of respondents agreed with the statement, “I feel 9-R staff respond in a timely manner to me and are helpful in answering questions and concerns.”
- 88.84% agreed with the sentiment that, “I feel that I have been informed by the district of critical topics, and that I have been given the opportunity to share my perspectives and opinions on important topics.”
- 77.25% of respondents said they agree or strongly agree with the statement, “I feel the district maintains a culture of ... high expectations for all students.”
The DAAC survey results can be reviewed in full at https://bit.ly/30ixovj.
McKown said parents who want to know more about the accountability committee can go to their children’s principals for more information. She said some principals distribute flyers while others use email. She said parents are also welcome to attend School Accountability Committee meetings any time they’d like to.
Other stats the 2020-21 survey provided revealed that two-thirds of respondents’ children are attending school full-time in-person; that 75% of respondents would recommend to others using the same 9-R school(s) as they are; 82% of students feel safe attending schools in the district; and 63% of respondents said their students feel prepared for the next level.
cburney@durangoherald.com
