You make important decisions every day in your school. From deciding what actions support the strategic plan to creating a quality experience for students, families, and employees, you need to truly understand what your constituencies want before implementing any new initiatives.
Although individual opinions and reflections should be a part of your decision-making process, objective data should help inform decisions that propel your school forward. Conducting surveys is the best way to discover the preferences of each group in your school community—your students, parents, and employees (both faculty and staff).
Create an Internal Data Team
A successful survey initiative starts with creating an internal data team. This team is a central body monitoring all research conducted by the school to inform various decision-making processes. A data team ensures surveys are not repetitive for each constituent group, integrates findings from all surveys, and aligns communications before and after the surveys.
Your data team should comprise a diverse group of stakeholders. This includes a division leader (one from each division if your school has multiple), with representatives from your Marketing Communications Office. You, as School Head, should also be part of this central group.
This team should work with a third-party organization to conduct surveys. A third-party helps formulate questions that get to what your constituents really want, and helps protect anonymity, enabling you to solicit honest responses.
Conduct Surveys Regularly
Surveys should be conducted at the same time each year. This is because overall sentiment tends to be different in the fall—at the beginning of the year (when everyone is fresh from summer break) than in the spring (when finals and end-of-the-year activities can lead to a bit more stress).
For the first few surveys, it can be OK to conduct one survey in the fall and another in the spring, especially for parents. With a few surveys under your belt, pick a season and consistently survey each group at that time every year. Assess and modify your survey strategy as needed to yield the best data.
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Distribute Implementation Plan
Once you’ve conducted a survey and your team has analyzed the data and created a plan, share what changes you plan to implement. Provide an overview of your findings and illustrate that you listen to what each group needs to create the best school environment.
Surveying your school’s students, parents, and employees helps your school deliver its mission with excellence, provides the best possible experience, and keeps your school sustainable over time. Consider these strategies to spur a successful initiative and hear what your constituencies really want.
Additional Resources for ISM Members:
I&P Vol. 39 No. 13 Develop a ‘Culture of Data’ in Your School for Strategic, Data-Driven Decision-Making
I&P Vol. 39 No. 15 Launching Your School’s Survey Initiative
I&P Vol. 40 No. 4 A Guide to Responsible Survey Data Analysis
