In the spring of 2023, Jeffco students, families and staff took surveys regarding their engagement and experiences in our schools and district.
New this year – Jeffco utilized a national survey partner, Panorama Education Surveys, to see how our performance compares to other districts across the country and helps us understand how we're doing on a national level. Feedback from the surveys has provided the district and our schools with insights to reflect, plan and set measurable goals towards better serving each stakeholder group.
Read more to learn the top findings from each survey group and what actions are being taken to improve our engagement and experiences with students, families and staff.
Student Engagement Survey
Highlights:
- Jeffco students feel safe at school; our safety and environment scores match the national average.
- 60% of students feel positive about the high academic standards set at our schools.
- Most students said their teachers were respectful (80%), treated them fairly (67%) and encouraged them to do their best (65%).
Focus areas of growth:
- 34% of our students feel like they belong at school, which is lower than the average for schools nationwide.
- Our district ranks lower in areas like teacher-student relationships and school engagement, with scores between 20% and 40% favorable. Even though high academic standards was one of our highest performing areas, it's still below the national average and we have an opportunity to grow.
- 24% of students feel engaged with school, and 17% are excited about attending their classes.
Student engagement action items:
- In the 2023-24 school year, we are intensifying our commitment to the first priority in our strategic plan, Jeffco Thrives 2025: Our Learners: Our Future. Our commitment involves maintaining rigorous academic expectations that challenge and equip students for successful futures.
- School principals are identifying their own specific building goals to support student engagement in alignment to our district initiative.
- This year we will continue our focus on students through our district value of belonging. This means knowing our students by name, strength and need.
Family Survey
Highlights:
- More than 70% of families report favorably about a lack of barriers to engagement (81%) and school safety (74%). Meaning, families feel like they can engage with their child’s education and believe the school is safe.
- School fit fell within the average on national benchmarks. School fit means how well a school meets a child’s needs.
- Most respondents felt that their child’s school was welcoming (85%) and felt a sense of belonging with the school community (80%).
Focus areas of growth:
- Overall school climate was below the national average.
- 51% of families felt the academic lessons at their child’s school are motivating.
- About half of families felt that busy schedules were a barrier to engaging with their child’s school.
- 41% of families said their child's unique qualities were seen as positives.
Action items:
- School principals are identifying their own specific building goals to support family engagement.
- The Family Response Service Team (FRST) was established with the start of the 2023-24 school year to support Jeffco families by connecting them to school and district resources.
- Summit Jeffco is a half-day experience that will create an opportunity for families and the community to learn from district and school staff and other experts about topics impacting students, including how families can support their student’s educational journey and Jeffco's focus as a district.
View more information about the Family Engagement Survey in the June 2023 Board Ends 2.2 Monitoring Report: District employees will actively engage community resources for the benefit of students.
View the Full Panorama Survey Dashboard