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Using Data to Involve and Create a Sense of Urgency
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While each school district in Iowa is required to report a number of data points, these data points may or may not align with what your community really cares about. View the "required data" as only a starting point for communication.
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Research shows for the majority of parents, their chief priority is a safe and orderly school climate for their child. Make sure that you have data to illustrate how well your district or building is doing in meeting this concern.
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The best place to start is by knowing exactly what it is the public—and specifically your community—is interested in knowing about when it comes to education. While each school district in Iowa is required to report a number of data points, these data points may or may not align with what your community really cares about. View the "required data" as only a starting point for communication.
Consider using your district's community needs assessment as a way to keep your finger on the pulse of community perceptions and priorities. You might be surprised to learn what your community does care about. Consistently, research shows that while parents and community stakeholders favor higher standards for education, among their chief priorities is a caring school climate. Parents need reassurance that the school is a safe, orderly place to learn for all students. When communicating with the public, ensure that you include data and a facilitated conversation about this primary concern—or chances are the rest of your presentation will fall on deaf ears. In other words, in order to get the public to care about more about reading, math and science, you have to first satisfy their initial priorities about culture and climate.
In 1998, the Iowa State Education Association asked 603 registered voters what factors they used when judging the quality of education students get from a school. The three factors that topped the list were: how well teachers and administrators communicate with parents (84%), safety (83%) and experience level of teachers (80%). A similar poll was conducted on the national level by A-Plus Communications that same year. Not surprisingly, results nationally shook out much the same. According to the report, "parents and taxpayers want the students to be safe and have qualified teachers…after these basic conditions are met, they want performance."
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Resources |
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For tools and strategies in conducting a community needs assessment, contact your local Area Education Agency or visit AEA 267's Communication Planning web site for step-by-step instructions and downloadable tools.
Public Agenda, a nonpartisan opinion research and civic engagement organization, is an excellent resource for any school administrator interested in knowing more about how parents, business leaders, community partners, teachers, and even students feel about a variety of educational reform initiatives.
Bookmark this website and periodically check in to see what the latest polls are saying.
Then, check in with your own community to compare their perceptions with those on the national scene.
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