January 2014

Telephone Survey of Parents in 7 Districts

and the Kent School District

2 Kent Parent Poll

Methodology

Due to rounding, some percentages may not add up to exactly 100%

• Telephone survey of parents/guardians of children in 7 districts -- Auburn, Federal Way, Highline, Kent, Renton, Tukwila and South Seattle.

• A total 2,051 interviews were completed, overall margin of error of ± 2.2 percentage points at the 95% confidence interval.

• In Kent, 454 interviews were completed for an overall margin of error of ± 4.6. • Margins of error vary; the smaller the subgroup, the higher (worse) the margin of error.

• The survey was conducted October 8th-30th, 2013.

• At least 6 attempts were made to encourage participation.

• Survey offered in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese. Spanish and Vietnamese speakers were called back by a bilingual interviewer.

• The demographics of respondents are similar to OSPI data, though OSPI data is collected using a different approach.

3 Kent Parent Poll

Map of Survey Area

Kent

Auburn

Federal Way

Highline

Renton

South Seattle School Districts 2010 2013

Auburn 10% 10%

Federal Way 17% 19%

Highline 16% 15%

Kent 22% 23%

Renton 15% 14%

Seattle 16% 17%

Tukwila 3% 2%

Indicators

5 Kent Parent Poll

Three aggregate “Indicators” were developed using component questions:

1. Indicator 1: Parent Knowledge and Confidence (7 component questions)

2. Indicator 2: Welcoming Climate (7 component questions)

3. Indicator 3: Leadership Opportunities and Influence on School Decision Making (4 component questions)

Component questions were asked on a 5-point Agree/Disagree scale, where 1 is “strongly disagree” and 5 is “strongly agree.”

A threshold of 4.0 was set as the cut off to indicate whether or not the Indicator was being met.

Constructing Indicators

6 Kent Parent Poll

Indicators – Kent vs. Overall

66% 69%

60% 63%

43% 44%

AllDistricts

Kent AllDistricts

Kent AllDistricts

Kent

1: Parent Knowledge

2: Welcoming Climate

3: Leadership Opportunities & Influence on

School Decision Making

Indicator 1: Parent Knowledge and Confidence

8 Kent Parent Poll

Indicator 1: Parent Knowledge and Confidence*

7. I know special programs available at school or the district to help my child.

8. I know what my child will learn this year at school.

9. I understand the steps my child needs to take in order to go to college

10. I know the community resources to help my child.

11. I know who to talk with regarding my concerns or questions about my child’s education

12. I feel confident in my ability to support my child’s learning at home.

13. I feel confident in my ability to make sure my child’s school meets my child’s learning needs.

(*must answer at least 4 of 7 questions)

Indicator 1: Component Questions

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Indicator 1: by School District Parents in Kent are most likely to agree with the indicator questions than parents in other districts.

66% 69% 68%

65% 64% 64% 63% 63%

All Districts

Kent Federal Way

Seattle Tukwila Auburn Renton Highline

Indicator 1 : Parent Knowledge and Confidence % Above Threshold

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Indicator 1: Overall and by Subgroup The greatest difference on this indicator is found on lunch eligibility.

69% 68% 71% 68% 71% 67% 73%

65% 71%

66% 71% 71% 69%

Indicator 1: Parent Knowledge and Confidence % Above Threshold

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65%

63%

63%

50%

41%

40%

34%

24%

21%

18%

31%

28%

22%

23%

5%

10%

10%

13%

22%

20%

25%

6%

5%

6%

5%

9%

15%

15%

12. I feel confident in my ability to support my child’s learning at home

11. I know who to talk with regarding my concerns or questions about my child’s education

9. I understand the steps my child needs to take in orderto go to college

13. I feel confident in my ability to make sure my child’s school meets my child’s learning needs* (n=432)

8. I know what my child will learn this year at school

7. I know special programs available at school or thedistrict to help my child

10. I know the community resources to help my child

5: Agree 4 3 1-2: Disagree

* - Question wording was changed after initial night from “I feel comfortable making sure my child’s school meets my child’s learning needs”

Indicator 1: Component Questions Awareness of special programs at schools and community resources offer the greatest opportunity

for improvement on the Parent Knowledge and Confidence indicator.

12 Kent Parent Poll

Indicator 1: Aware of Special Programs The greatest differences for this component are based on respondent age, ethnicity, and number of

kids in the household.

62% 59%

67%

58% 64%

61% 63% 63% 60% 58% 64%

60% 63%

Indicator 1: Aware of Special Programs % Above Threshold

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Indicator 1: Aware of Community Resources

There are minor differences on this question by number of kids in the household, ethnicity, and birth country.

58% 57% 59% 54% 60% 58% 57% 55%

58% 60% 56% 61%

56%

Indicator 1: Aware of Community Resources % Above Threshold

Indicator 2: Welcoming Climate

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Indicator 2 – Welcoming Climate*

24. I am greeted warmly when I call or visit the school.

25. Teachers work closely with me to meet my child’s needs.

26. I am invited to visit classrooms to observe teaching and learning.

27. The school encourages feedback from parents and the community.

28. My child’s teachers know my child well.

29. My home culture and home language are valued by the school.

30. At this school, it is difficult to overcome the cultural barriers between staff and parents.

(*must answer at least 5 of 7 questions)

Indicator 2: Component Questions

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Indicator 2: by School District Six-in-ten Kent SD parents meet the threshold for Indicator 2. There is little variation by school district

on this indicator.

60% 63% 61% 60% 60% 60% 60% 57%

All Districts

Kent Renton Tukwila Seattle Federal Way

Auburn Highline

Indicator 2 : Welcoming Climate % Above Threshold

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Indicator 2: Overall and by Subgroup Non white and non-US born parents don’t agree as much on this indicator.

63% 65% 58%

68%

59% 60% 67%

60% 64%

60% 65%

57%

66%

Indicator 2: Welcoming Climate % Above Threshold

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58%

59%

44%

44%

44%

48%

44%

22%

16%

27%

27%

25%

15%

17%

14%

12%

16%

18%

17%

15%

16%

5%

8%

11%

8%

10%

15%

21%

Q24. I am greeted warmly when I call or visit theschool

Q29. My home culture and home language arevalued by the school

Q25. Teachers work closely with me to meet my child’s needs

Q28. My child's teachers know my child well

Q27. The school encourages feedback from parentsand the community

Q30. At this school, it is (NOT) difficult to overcomethe cultural barriers between staff and parents*

Q26. I am invited to visit classrooms to observeteaching and learning

5: Agree 4 3 1-2: Disagree

* - Question responses reversed for comparison purposes.

Indicator 2: Component Questions Being invited to visit classrooms is the weakest performer for this indicator. Most agree that their culture is valued, but there is still some concern about cultural barriers between staff and parents.

This suggests that the cultural obstacles are likely more functional than attitudinal.

19 Kent Parent Poll

Indicator 2: Overcoming Cultural Barriers Non-white, non-U.S. born, and lunch eligible parents are the least likely to agree that cultural barriers

between parents and staff are easy to overcome.

62% 62% 63% 64% 61% 58%

67%

54%

68%

52%

69%

45%

70%

Indicator 2: NOT Difficult to Overcome Cultural Barriers % Above Threshold

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Indicator 2: Invited to Visit There is very little difference among sub-groups as to how invited they feel to visit classrooms.

61% 61% 60% 62% 60% 60% 62% 60% 60% 62% 61% 59% 62%

Indicator 2: Invited to Visit % Above Threshold

Indicator 3: Leadership Opportunities and

Influence on School Decision Making

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Indicator 3 – Leadership Opportunities and Influence on School Decision Making*

31. I am involved in making the important decisions in my child’s school.

32. I have opportunities to influence what happens at the school.

33. My school involves me in meaningful ways in improving the school.

34. My school or district helps me develop my leadership skills.

(*must answer at least 3 of 4 questions)

Indicator 3: Component Questions

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Indicator 3: by School District This is the lowest performing indicator for all Districts. Four-in-ten Kent SD parents meet the threshold.

Kent’s parents answers are siimilar to 4 of the other Districts, with Federal Way the highest.

43% 47% 44% 44% 42% 42% 40% 39%

All Districts

Federal Way

Kent Tukwila Renton Highline Seattle Auburn

Indicator 3: Leadership Opportunities and Influence on School Decision Making

% Above Threshold

24 Kent Parent Poll

Indicator 3: Overall and by Subgroup The greatest differences on indicator 3 are based on income/free lunch eligibility and birth country,

and ethnicity.

44% 45% 40%

48% 40%

46% 41%

51%

36%

56%

36%

54%

40%

Indicator 3: Leadership Opportunities and Influence on School Decision Making

% Above Threshold

25 Kent Parent Poll

42%

30%

31%

17%

22%

27%

23%

19%

20%

24%

25%

25%

14%

17%

19%

32%

Q31 I am involved in making the importantdecisions in my child's school.

Q33 My school involves me in meaningful ways inimproving the school.

Q32 I have opportunities to influence what happensat the school.

Q34 My school or district helps me develop myleadership skills

5: Agree 4 3 1-2: Disagree

Indicator 3: Component Questions Getting help developing leadership skills is the weakest component, although there is room for improvement

across the board, as this indicator has among the highest levels of disagreement for all components.

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Indicator 3: Help Develop Leadership Skills Not lunch eligible respondents, white respondents, and those born in the US are the least likely to

agree that they get help developing their leadership skills.

36% 37% 34% 37% 36%

39% 32%

45%

28%

45%

30%

50%

30%

Indicator 3: Help Develop Leadership Skills % Above Threshold

College and Continuing Education

28 Kent Parent Poll

Importance of a College Education Nearly all parents believe a college education is important.

89% 8% 2%

Q20. Howimportant is a

college educationtoday?

Very important Fairly important Not too important

89% 91% 87% 89% 90% 87% 92% 92% 88% 92% 87% 96%

87%

“Very Important” to Go to College

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Importance for “Your Children” Nearly all parents believe it is very important for their children to continue their education after high

school.

92% 7% 1%

Q21. How importantis it to you that your

children go tocollege or a trade or

technical schoolafter high school?

Very important Fairly important Not too important

92% 92% 91% 93% 93% 91% 94% 93% 91% 94% 91% 95% 91%

“Very Important” for Your Child

30 Kent Parent Poll

Likelihood of Child Continuing Education Most parents say it is likely that their child will continue their education after high school. Parents without a college

degree or who are lunch eligible are least likely to say their child will continue.

85% 12% 1%

Q22. And how likely doyou think it is that your

oldest K through 12 childwill go to college or a

trade or technical schoolafter high school?

Very likely Somewhat likely Not that likely

85% 83% 87% 83% 88% 77%

94%

76% 90%

82% 86% 86% 84%

“Very Likely” to Continue

31 Kent Parent Poll

Deflection: Importance vs. Expectation The biggest driver of deflection is whether or not the parent has a college degree or is lunch eligible.

7%

9%

4%

11%

5%

14%

0%

17%

1%

11%

5%

9%

7%

Deflection = Importance - Likelihood Importance: College “Very Important” for my child Likelihood: “Very Likely” my child will go to college

32 Kent Parent Poll

“4-yr College” vs. “More Education” Parents are much more likely to strongly agree schools should prepare all children for “more education

beyond high school” compared to “a 4-year college.”

61%

71%

16%

15%

Schools shouldprepare all

children for a 4-year

college

Schools shouldprepare allchildren for

more educationbeyond high

school

5: Strongly Agree 4

33 Kent Parent Poll

45%

35%

31%

34%

40%

39%

14%

19%

25%

Q35 -I am aware that advisors are available to help mychild decide what classes to take to be ready for college

Q37 -I am aware of events or programs to help my childthrough the steps of applying to college.

Q36 -I am aware of events or programs to help ourfamily or my child with financial aid for college

5 3 and 4 1-2: Disagree

Aware of Resources to Reach College College preparedness and awareness of resources is strong among less than half of parents.