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2020-21 School Start Survey Results | July 21, 2020
2020-21 School Start Survey Results Summary
Detailed survey results can be found here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/results/SM-N8SVYXRG7/
Introduction
The 2020-21 School Start Survey was designed for parents/guardians and district employees to share their perspectives on a variety of subjects pertaining to the 2020-21 school year. The questions were broken out by: elementary students (including K-8 students), middle/junior high, high school, device and internet access, staff perspectives, and communication. The survey was open from Wednesday, July 8 - Sunday, July 12. There were 100 questions in total, 5,864 responses, and the typical time spent to complete the survey was just over ten minutes.
Parent/Guardian and Employee Response
61% of respondents were parents of elementary students or students at a K-8 school, 20% were parents of middle or junior high students, and 32% were parents of high school students. Respondents could select multiple options.
Over 1,300 district employees responded to the survey.
Elementary and K-8
All elementary schools were represented. Salcha Elementary had the fewest with 16 responses, Pearl Creek Elementary had the most with 274 responses. There was a fairly even spread of responses over the grade levels, outside of 7th and 8th grade at a K-8 school which had the fewest.
Middle and Junior High
All middle and junior high schools were represented. The non-charter school with the fewest responses was Tanana Middle with 160. North Pole Middle had the most with 271 responses.
High School
All high schools were represented. Ben Eielson Senior High had the fewest with 97 responses, West Valley High had the most with 509 responses.
Elementary and K-8 Responses
- 20% had a student who participated in the Free/Reduced Lunch Program.
- 37% use school bus transportation
- 22% had a student with an IEP
- 2% had a student who is an English Language Learner
- 4% had a dually enrolled student
Middle and Junior High Responses
- 23% had a student who participated in the Free/Reduced Lunch Program.
- 59% use school bus transportation
- 18% had a student with an IEP
- 1% had a student who is an English Language Learner
- 0.4% had a dually enrolled student
High School Responses
- 17% had a student who participated in the Free/Reduced Lunch Program.
- 43% use school bus transportation
- 15% had a student with an IEP
- 1% had a student who is an English Language Learner
- 3% had a dually enrolled student
Comfort level with student returning to in-person instruction
- Elementary & K-8 | 37% Uncomfortable/Very Uncomfortable; 21% Neutral; 43% Comfortable/Very Comfortable
- Middle & Jr High | 32% Uncomfortable/Very Uncomfortable; 18% Neutral; 50% Comfortable/Very Comfortable
- High School | 32% Uncomfortable/Very Uncomfortable; 18% Neutral; 50% Comfortable/Very Comfortable
Based on information available, comfort level with student returning to school with health guidelines (social distancing, masks, personal bubble, hand washing)
- Elementary & K-8 | 37% Uncomfortable/Very Uncomfortable ; 18% Neutral; 45% Comfortable/Very Comfortable
- Middle & Jr High | 33% Uncomfortable/Very Uncomfortable; 16% Neutral; 51% Comfortable/Very Comfortable
- High School | 31% Uncomfortable/Very Uncomfortable; 17% Neutral; 53% Comfortable/Very Comfortable
Would you feel comfortable with your student on school campuses for school activities
- Elementary & K-8 | 55% Yes; 18% No; 27% Unsure
- Middle & Jr High | 60% Yes; 17% No; 23% Unsure
- High School | 61% Yes; 16% No; 23% Unsure
Will your student return to school if they are required to wear a mask? (as appropriate for age and special needs)
- Elementary & K-8 | 54% Yes; 18% No; 28% Unsure
- Middle & Jr High | 58% Yes; 18% No; 24% Unsure
- High School | 65% Yes; 11% No; 24% Unsure
How comfortable do you feel with your student being required to do the following if they return to their school building in the fall?:
- Wear a mask
- Elementary & K-8 | 37% Uncomfortable/Very Uncomfortable; 17% Neutral; 46% Comfortable/Very Comfortable
- Middle & Jr High | 33% Uncomfortable/Very Uncomfortable; 14% Neutral; 52% Comfortable/Very Comfortable
- High School | 29% Uncomfortable/Very Uncomfortable; 13% Neutral; 58% Comfortable/Very Comfortable
- Maintain social distancing:
- Elementary & K-8 | 20% Uncomfortable/Very Uncomfortable; 20% Neutral; 60% Comfortable/Very Comfortable
- Middle & Jr High | 18% Uncomfortable/Very Uncomfortable; 19% Neutral; 64% Comfortable/Very Comfortable
- High School | 15% Uncomfortable/Very Uncomfortable; 17% Neutral; 68% Comfortable/Very Comfortable
- Minimize mixing of groups:
- Elementary & K-8 | 18% Uncomfortable/Very Uncomfortable; 23% Neutral; 60% Comfortable/Very Comfortable
- Middle & Jr High | 17% Uncomfortable/Very Uncomfortable; 21% Neutral; 62% Comfortable/Very Comfortable
- High School | 17% Uncomfortable/Very Uncomfortable; 20% Neutral; 64% Comfortable/Very Comfortable
- Participate in at-school temperature checks:
- Elementary & K-8 | 13% Uncomfortable/Very Uncomfortable; 13% Neutral; 74% Comfortable/Very Comfortable
- Middle & Jr High | 14% Uncomfortable/Very Uncomfortable; 13% Neutral; 73% Comfortable/Very Comfortable
- High School | 14% Uncomfortable/Very Uncomfortable; 13% Neutral; 73% Comfortable/Very Comfortable
- Use hand sanitizer regularly:
- Elementary & K-8 | 11% Uncomfortable/Very Uncomfortable; 8% Neutral; 81% Comfortable/Very Comfortable
- Middle & Jr High | 10% Uncomfortable/Very Uncomfortable; 9% Neutral; 82% Comfortable/Very Comfortable
- High School | 9% Uncomfortable/Very Uncomfortable; 9% Neutral; 81% Comfortable/Very Comfortable
- Use disinfectant wipes on surfaces:
- Elementary & K-8 | 9% Uncomfortable/Very Uncomfortable; 8% Neutral; 83% Comfortable/Very Comfortable
- Middle & Jr High | 7% Uncomfortable/Very Uncomfortable; 8% Neutral; 85% Comfortable/Very Comfortable
- High School | 8% Uncomfortable/Very Uncomfortable; 8% Neutral; 84% Comfortable/Very Comfortable
- Participate in regular hand washing practices:
- Elementary & K-8 | 5% Uncomfortable/Very Uncomfortable; 5% Neutral; 91% Comfortable/Very Comfortable
- Middle & Jr High | 5% Uncomfortable/Very Uncomfortable; 6% Neutral; 89% Comfortable/Very Comfortable
- High School | 5% Uncomfortable/Very Uncomfortable; 6% Neutral; 89% Comfortable/Very Comfortable
[Elementary & K-8] Would you be supportive of a plan that includes 5 hour days, 5 days a week?
- 60% Yes; 16% No; 24% Unsure
[Middle/Jr High & High School] Would you be supportive of a plan that includes 5 hour days, 5 days a week?
- A/B days for secondary school (alternating days)
- Middle & Jr High | 44% Yes; 30% No; 26% Unsure
- High School | 51% Yes; 25% No; 24% Unsure
- A/B weeks for secondary school (alternating weeks)
- Middle & Jr High | 34% Yes; 41% No; 25% Unsure
- High School | 38% Yes; 38% No; 25% Unsure
[Middle/Jr High & High School] If you have students in both middle and high school, would you need A/B schedules for both schools to match?
- Middle & Jr High | 43% Yes; 40% No; 18% Unsure
- High School | 37% Yes; 45% No; 17% Unsure
Comfort with in-person vs remote instruction
- In-person instruction:
- Elementary & K-8 | 23% Uncomfortable/Very Uncomfortable; 15% Neutral; 62% Comfortable/Very Comfortable
- Middle & Jr High | 24% Uncomfortable/Very Uncomfortable; 13% Neutral; 63% Comfortable/Very Comfortable
- High School | 22% Uncomfortable/Very Uncomfortable; 15% Neutral; 63% Comfortable/Very Comfortable
- Remote learning:
- Elementary & K-8 | 42% Uncomfortable/Very Uncomfortable; 24% Neutral; 35% Comfortable/Very Comfortable
- Middle & Jr High | 42% Uncomfortable/Very Uncomfortable; 21% Neutral; 36% Comfortable/Very Comfortable
- High School | 41% Uncomfortable/Very Uncomfortable; 20% Neutral; 39% Comfortable/Very Comfortable
Do you anticipate child care issues?
- In-person instruction:
- Elementary & K-8 | 15% Yes; 70% No; 15% Unsure
- Middle & Jr High | 11% Yes; 82% No; 7% Unsure
- High School | 6% Yes; 89% No; 5% Unsure
- Remote learning:
- Elementary & K-8 | 45% Yes; 41% No; 13% Unsure
- Middle & Jr High | 32% Yes; 56% No; 12% Unsure
- High School | 19% Yes; 73% No; 7% Unsure
The following challenges make learning at home difficult during school closure
[Elementary & K-8] In order from most challenging to least challenging.
- Work schedules (63%)
- Quiet work space for children (36%)
- Computer or device access (32%)
- Internet access (27%)
- Safety concerns (4%)
- Caring for family members who are ill (4%)
- Unreliable access to food (2%)
20% did not experience any challenges.
[Middle & Junior High] In order from most challenging to least challenging.
- Work schedules (58%)
- Computer or device access (36%)
- Internet access (32%)
- Quiet work space for children (29%)
- Safety concerns (7%)
- Caring for family members who are ill (5%)
- Unreliable access to food (2%)
24% did not experience any challenges.
[High School] In order from most challenging to least challenging.
- Work schedules (42%)
- Internet access (35%)
- Computer or device access (31%)
- Quiet work space for children (23%)
- Safety concerns (6%)
- Caring for family members who are ill (3%)
- Unreliable access to food (2%)
32% did not experience any challenges.
I am concerned about my student’s social emotional well-being when schools are closed.
- Elementary & K-8 | 17% Disagree/Strongly Disagree; 18% Neutral; 65% Agree/Strongly Agree
- Middle & Junior High | 18% Disagree/Strongly Disagree; 18% Neutral; 65% Agree/Strongly Agree
- High School | 18% Disagree/Strongly Disagree; 17% Neutral; 65% Agree/Strongly Agree
I am concerned about my student’s health if they return to school buildings.
- Elementary & K-8 | 28% Disagree/Strongly Disagree; 22% Neutral; 49% Agree/Strongly Agree
- Middle & Junior High | 32% Disagree/Strongly Disagree; 24% Neutral; 44% Agree/Strongly Agree
- High School | 31% Disagree/Strongly Disagree; 21% Neutral; 48% Agree/Strongly Agree
I am concerned about my or my family member’s health if my student returns to school buildings.
- Elementary & K-8 | 31% Disagree/Strongly Disagree; 22% Neutral; 47% Agree/Strongly Agree
- Middle & Junior High | 33% Disagree/Strongly Disagree; 23% Neutral; 44% Agree/Strongly Agree
- High School | 32% Disagree/Strongly Disagree; 22% Neutral; 46% Agree/Strongly Agree
I am concerned about the availability of food for my student if distance learning continues.
- Elementary & K-8 | 80% Disagree/Strongly Disagree; 14% Neutral; 6% Agree/Strongly Agree
- Middle & Junior High | 80% Disagree/Strongly Disagree; 14% Neutral; 6% Agree/Strongly Agree
- High School | 80% Disagree/Strongly Disagree; 16% Neutral; 5% Agree/Strongly Agree
Compared to before emergency remote learning, how is your student’s social emotional well being right now?
- Elementary & K-8 | 33% Somewhat Worse/Much Worse; 53% About the Same; 13% Somewhat Better/Much Better
- Middle & Junior High | 36% Somewhat Worse/Much Worse; 52% About the Same; 12% Somewhat Better/Much Better
- High School | 37% Disagree/Strongly Disagree; 51% Neutral; 13% Agree/Strongly Agree
I feel I have or will have the necessary resources to continue remote learning in the fall.
- Elementary & K-8 | 35% Disagree/Strongly Disagree; 21% Neutral; 44% Agree/Strongly Agree
- Middle & Junior High | 35% Disagree/Strongly Disagree; 20% Neutral; 45% Agree/Strongly Agree
- High School | 31% Disagree/Strongly Disagree; 20% Neutral; 50% Agree/Strongly Agree
[Open ended question] What is your greatest health or safety concern about reopening schools in fall 2020?
By far the largest concern is contracting and spreading COVID throughout the school, family, and community, having an increase in cases, and overwhelming the health system. The second largest concern was families, students, and staff coming to school sick and not following established health and safety guidelines. The third largest concern was not having enough room for social distancing or students not being good at social distancing.
[Open ended question] What would you like instruction to look like in the fall? (e.g., remote learning, in-person learning, combination)
General consensus was that in-person instruction is preferred, followed by a combination, then remote learning. Small class size and blended instruction if needed was mentioned for student safety. Some families are choosing remote learning for the health of their student or a family member.
[Open ended question] What factors are important to you and your family when you consider sending your student back to campus in the fall?
The most top three important considerations were the enforcement of safety and sanitization guidelines, followed by progressing student education and the quality of education, followed by number of COVID cases in the community.
[Open ended question] When thinking about future remote learning, what support or resources would help you?
The top mentions included: Devices/school supplies and books for all students; internet access/more connectivity; standardized platform and curriculum for remote learning; and interactive/live classes with teachers that have the same level of rigor and feedback as in person classes.
Device and Internet Access
My household can provide laptops or devices for each student in our household to do schoolwork.
- 60% Yes; 31% No; 9% Unsure
What devices would be available for your student to use at home during the typical school day to support an e-learning environment?
- Laptop or Chromebook | 39% Available for personal use; 42% Shared with family members; 14% School provided; 15% No access
- Desktop Computer | 19% Available for personal use; 28% Shared with family members; 6% School provided; 52% No access
- Tablet | 38% Available for personal use; 28% Shared with family members; 7% School provided; 32% No access
- Smartphone | 53% Available for personal use; 29% Shared with family members; 2% School provided; 19% No access
What type of internet connection do you have?
- 76% Wifi connection via a router
- 10% Wifi or data via smartphone or hotspot
- 7% Wired internet
- 7% No reliable access
- 0.5% Wifi access outside the home
Staff Perspectives
What is your comfort level right now with returning to work in person?
- 45% Uncomfortable/Very Uncomfortable; 18% Neutral; 37% Comfortable/Very Comfortable
Based on information available, comfort level with returning to work with health guidelines (social distancing, masks, personal bubble, hand washing)
- 39% Uncomfortable/Very Uncomfortable ; 19% Neutral; 42% Comfortable/Very Comfortable
How comfortable do you feel being required to do the following when working in a district building?
- Wear a mask | 25% Uncomfortable/Very Uncomfortable; 15% Neutral; 59% Comfortable/Very Comfortable
- Maintain social distancing | 16% Uncomfortable/Very Uncomfortable; 12% Neutral; 71% Comfortable/Very Comfortable
- Minimize mixing of groups | 17% Uncomfortable/Very Uncomfortable; 16% Neutral; 67% Comfortable/Very Comfortable
- Participate in at-building temperature checks | 11% Uncomfortable/Very Uncomfortable; 13% Neutral; 76% Comfortable/Very Comfortable
- Use hand sanitizer regularly | 7% Uncomfortable/Very Uncomfortable; 8% Neutral; 85% Comfortable/Very Comfortable
- Use disinfectant wipes on surfaces | 7% Uncomfortable/Very Uncomfortable; 7% Neutral; 86% Comfortable/Very Comfortable
- Participate in regular hand washing practices | 3% Uncomfortable/Very Uncomfortable; 5% Neutral; 92% Comfortable/Very Comfortable
The following challenges make learning at home difficult during school closure:
In order from most challenging to least challenging.
- Internet access (28%)
- Quiet work space (23%)
- Work responsibilities (not able to work from home) (23%)
- Computer or device access (10%)
- Caring for family members who are ill (5%)
- Safety concerns (2%)
34% did not experience any challenges.
What type of internet connection do you have?
- 74% Wifi connection via a router
- 11% Wifi or data via smartphone or hotspot
- 11% Wired internet
- 4% No reliable access
- 0.5% Wifi access outside the home
Compared to before emergency remote learning, how is your social emotional well being right now?
- 34% Somewhat Worse/Much Worse; 53% About the Same; 13% Somewhat Better/Much Better
I am concerned about my social emotional well-being when school/district buildings are closed.
- 41% Disagree/Strongly Disagree; 31% Neutral; 28% Agree/Strongly Agree
I am concerned about my health if I return to school/district buildings.
- 22% Disagree/Strongly Disagree; 20% Neutral; 58% Agree/Strongly Agree
I am concerned about my or my family member’s health if I return to school/district buildings.
- 21% Disagree/Strongly Disagree; 19% Neutral; 60% Agree/Strongly Agree
Would you be supportive of a student instruction plan that includes…
- 5 hour days, 5 days a week for elementary schools | 56% Yes; 17% No; 28% Unsure
- A/B days for secondary schools (alternating days) | 51% Yes; 17% No; 32% Unsure
- A/B weeks for secondary schools (alternating weeks) | 37% Yes; 29% No; 34% Unsure
In considering return to school in Fall 2020, FNSBSD is exploring multiple educational options for students. How comfortable are you with these options:
- In-person instruction | 33% Uncomfortable/Very Uncomfortable; 18% Neutral; 49% Comfortable/Very Comfortable
- Remote learning | 26% Uncomfortable/Very Uncomfortable; 26% Neutral; 48% Comfortable/Very Comfortable
[Open ended question] What would you like instruction to look like in the fall? (e.g., remote learning, in-person learning, combination) |
In-person learning was the most popular, followed by combination, and then remote learning. A common theme was that the health and safety of students and staff needed to be a priority in decision making.
Communication
What communication platforms do you use to access information from the school district?
- Email, 93%
- District website, 59%
- Text, 50%
- Facebook, 57%
- School website, 41%
- Phone calls, 37%
- Handouts from schools, 37%
- Newspaper, 11%
- Postal service, 10%
- Instagram, 2%
- Twitter, 1.34%