Citizens of the New Albany-Plain Local Schools have higher confidence in the achievement and operations of the district over the same time period a year ago, according to a recent community survey. At the same time, they want growth and improvement to continue, according to Martin Saperstein, Ph.D., who conducted the survey on behalf of the New Albany-Plain Local Board of Education.
At a special meeting held Monday, June 18, Dr. Saperstein presented the results from the 2012 Community Attitudes Survey conducted by his firm, Saperstein and Associates, to members of the New Albany-Plain Local Board of Education.
Highlights of the survey results include:
- 59% of respondents gave the district an “A” — up from 46% last year. This is a statistically significant increase and represents an unusual gain in one year’s time.
- Although the community gave the school district high marks, the community is focused on continuous improvement with 6 out of 10 respondents saying the district needs to keep improving.
- 8 out of 10 respondents think the money paid in school taxes is worth the investment.
- 3 out of 4 respondents said the district was on the right track.
- In response to an open ended question regarding the biggest challenge facing New Albany Schools, 43% spontaneously said schools are overcrowded. Typically, when an open-ended question is asked of hundreds, there are numerous themes with low percentages. This therefore is a significant indication of widespread opinion that overcrowding is the district’s top concern.
Click here for an executive summary of the report and survey results.
“We are encouraged by the response of our community members,” said Superintendent April Domine. “They have indicated they see high quality, but want us to push for greater heights. They understand the challenges and needs the district is facing. We look forward to continued engagement and partnership with every member of our community as we build the future of New Albany Schools together.”