Student Survey Information
Broken Arrow Public Schools plans to develop an optional survey for students in grades 3-11 in order to seek their input regarding how we can improve and adapt our instruction and support systems.
In an effort to inform all stakeholders about the student survey, we’ve created the following series of informational videos. Within each video, there is a button link to a google form where parents can share any additional questions, concerns and/or suggestions with BAPS. Answers to any questions received will be posted below on this webpage.
- Part 1: Why Survey Students?
- Part 2: Student Survey Development Process
- Part 3: Protecting Confidentiality of Students' Responses
- Part 4: Process for Reviewing Student Surveys
We value your input as we believe it will help ensure the best outcome for our students.
Questions & Answers Regarding Student Survey
Q: Why is the district surveying students? How will the district use the results to benefit students?
A: We believe that asking students for honest feedback about their school experiences and needs, communicates that we care about them and that we are working to create schools they enjoy attending. We plan to use the feedback they share with us through these surveys to evaluate where we may need to make changes or design new ways of doing things. Since we plan to survey students in grades 3-11, we will develop two surveys - one appropriate for elementary students and another for secondary students.
Q: Who will be involved in the development of the surveys? How can parents provide input regarding the surveys being developed?
A: We believe developing a quality student survey will require input from ALL school stakeholders - that includes:
- School and District Administrators
- Teachers and School Counselors
- Parents and Students
We will assemble a design team which will include members of each of these groups. Since not all interested parties may be able to serve as a part of the design team, parents are also welcome to provide input using the form linked here.
Q: Will parents have the ability to review the survey questions before the survey administration window opens?
A: We value our partnership with families and understand the importance of ensuring that parents have the opportunity to review all survey content before deciding whether to allow their child to participate.
We plan to communicate in a variety of ways ahead of the fall survey window. Two weeks prior to surveying students, letters, emails, and phone blasts will go out reminding families of the survey process. In addition, we’ll post information to each of our schools’ websites. All communication will include links which will allow parents to review the survey questions as well as the name and contact information for someone who can answer questions parents may have about the survey.
Q: Is participation required? How can parents opt their student(s) out of the survey if they choose?
A: Should parents or students wish to opt out of the survey, they can certainly do so. We’ll provide a form that parents can submit electronically stating that they do not want their child to participate. Students in grades 6-11 can also choose not to submit survey responses - they will simply need to notify their teacher at the time the survey is administered.
Q: Will students’ responses be confidential? Will the results of the survey be shared with parents? Who else will have access to the survey data?
A: We’ve chosen to develop CONFIDENTIAL student surveys. This means that student names will NOT be linked to their responses. Instead, the data we collect will be reported in summary form.
We will, however, have the ability to disaggregate the data collected by variables that we believe are important to consider as we review the results. These will include:
- School site
- Grade level
- Ethnicity
- Gender
- Program (such as students receiving any specialized services including Gifted/Talented, Special Education, etc.)
While we’ve contracted with Panorama Education to provide a platform for administering our surveys and providing a data dashboard which makes sharing it with stakeholders more efficient, Broken Arrow maintains ownership and control over all the data we collect. This means that we determine who has access to what data.
NO data will be shared with any stakeholders in a manner that connects student names with specific responses.
With regard to student surveys, we plan to offer the following levels of access…
- District
- This access will be granted to district-level administrators who provide direct support to all school sites. This includes our Superintendent and Instructional Support Team. Individuals with this access can view data from all school sites as well as district-wide summary data.
- School
- This level of access will be granted to campus leaders - principals, assistant principals, and school counselors. Individuals with this access can view data from each of the classes in their assigned school as well as the district-wide summary data.
- Class
- This level of access will be granted to classroom teachers. Individuals with this access can view summary data from their assigned classes as well as the summary data for their school and the district as a whole.
Since we won’t collect data in a way that ties student names to their responses, we won’t have the ability to provide parents with information specific to their student. Instead, we will share summary data with families during the spring semester.
Q: What are the survey topics?
A: Our district has contracted with Panorama Education to assist us in designing a survey for Broken Arrow students. One of the reasons we chose to partner with Panorama is because they’ve developed a library of research-backed survey instruments designed to collect valid and reliable perception data. Our survey design team will review the resources that Panorama has to offer and determine which questions to include in our student survey.
Our surveys will gather feedback from our students in three areas.
- Student skills and Competencies
- Student Well Being
- Student Supports and Environment
Review all of the specific questions the design team will consider for inclusion in our student survey.