GOAL 3: STRENGTHEN PRODUCTIVE PARTNERSHIPS FOR EDUCATION
MILESTONE 2: The district has processes in place for stakeholder input in systemwide policy development, strategic planning, budget development, and implementation of district initiatives.
DATA POINT: Feedback Cards and Online Survey
OVERVIEW
MCPS has increased its emphasis on meaningful two-way communication with parents. In a school system as large and complex as MCPS, it is important to provide as many informal and formal avenues as possible for parents to communicate with their local schools and the school district so that they can voice their opinions or concerns about issues. Feedback cards and online surveys give parents another way to communicate and comment on the strategic plan and operating budget, special initiatives such as middle school reform, and topics they would like to learn more about. Feedback cards and online surveys supplement existing methods, such as PTAs, letters, e-mails, phone calls, and testimony before the Board of Education. In addition, blue TIP (Tell It Please) feedback cards are distributed to schools and made available to Board of Education and district staff to distribute at stakeholder meetings. Feedback cards are available in six languages.
Web-based online surveys are used to allow an additional method for parents and other stakeholders to provide feedback. In 2006–2007, 149 online comments pertained to middle school reform, and 47 comments addressed the strategic plan and operating budget.
Data collected from feedback cards and online surveys are reviewed by Board of Education members, the superintendent, and executive staff, as well as appropriate office staff. This information helps to guide the work on the MCPS strategic plan and operating budget. Finally, the data collected inform improvements on multimedia informational materials.
|
2005–2006 |
2006–2007 |
Number of publication feedback cards received
|
368
|
456
|
Number of blue TIP cards received on strategic plan/operating budget
|
n/a
|
480
|
Number of online feedback messages received
|
233
|
196
|