In the 24 years I was a school administrator, I had the opportunity to survey students over various topics ranging from cafeteria options to strategic planning. Regardless of the reason for surveying them, their insight provided valuable information.
Strategic planning is a very important component of the school improvement process. Many times, only the staff and community members are surveyed. However, it is extremely important to receive input from students as well. They have a unique perspective as they are entrenched in the school’s vision, mission, and goals. As adults, we see these components one way but the students are the first to point out if we are doing what we are saying. They also provide a perspective on the aspirations of the student body and can provide valuable input on connecting these with the school’s vision, mission, and goals.
Another area where surveying the students is important is assessing their overall satisfaction with their school experience. The results can provide feedback on curricular offerings, teaching methodologies, student support services, and even extracurricular activities. These results can be used by administrators to gain valuable insights into areas of strength and areas for improvement. This allows the administrator to implement targeted interventions to enhance or improve student satisfaction with their school experience.
Every school has implemented programs for students to improve academic success, to help with bullying prevention, and enhance mental health support services. By gathering feedback directly from the students, administrators can judge the impact of the programs. With this important information, it is easier to identify barriers that need to be addressed or find ways to enhance the programs that are being successfully implemented.
Surveys also facilitate communication between administrators and students. This can help develop a culture of transparency, trust, and shared responsibility. Surveys can be used to gather student opinions on school climate, student discipline, and even the cafeteria menu. A survey provides the students with a “voice” and genuinely shows their perspective on any number of topics and can lead to positive change in the school environment.
Surveys can play a crucial role in providing administrators with valuable information about their school, from the student perspective. The results can be used to enhance current programs, make necessary changes to programs, provide information on the overall well-being of the student population, and open a line of communication between the administration and the student body. Every administrator wants their students to have a positive school experience and surveys can help provide them timely information on how to make sure each student has a good experience.
This blog post is written by Al Remaly. Al is the former president of the Indiana Association of School Principals as well as a former principal and superintendent.