We’re in the age of the survey. Everyone asks for feedback, and oftentimes it feels like these “quick surveys” are more about compliance than action. When you decide to involve your school community in a survey process, you have the unique opportunity to engage your students, teachers, and families based on what you do next. This requires planning. Prepare for your school climate survey.
We say this in almost every blog, so we might as well say it again. (We’re nothing if we’re not consistent): Do not ask if you are not going to act.
This seems easy, but for there to be meaningful actions, there has to be clear leadership, stakeholder buy-in, resources, and effective planning.
BEFORE any survey process, ask these questions:
- Who will lead and champion the survey process and post-survey actions?
- How will you get buy-in from key stakeholders for change?
- How much time, money, staff, and resources do you need?
- How will changes be integrated with other school policies and practices?
Who will lead and champion the school climate survey process and post-survey actions?
Choose your leadership team. This should be comprised of those who genuinely want to work toward positive change in your school and school community. This may disrupt the status quo, so it should be a group who is ready to lead the charge, with diverse skills and competencies, and diverse levels of experience.
How will you get buy-in from key stakeholders for change?
This takes an extraordinary amount of assertive communication. Unfortunately, many people see change as more work. And “change initiatives” seem to be every new leader’s pet project. Teachers are already overworked. Students, staff, and families must see how these changes will benefit them. For this to happen, your leadership team needs to communicate often and loudly, as well as show your stakeholders that changes based on survey results have stick-power. They’re not Band-Aids or quick-fixes.
How much time, money, staff, and resources do you need?
So often, schools and school districts underestimate the cost (human and monetary) of change. Ensure your leadership teams have time within the workday to develop and track programs. Don’t fall into meeting-itis. Not everything needs to be a meeting. Designate specific staff members as points of contact for ongoing check-ins, and ensure resources are available so both staff and students can easily access important information about any policy changes.
How will changes integrate with other school policies and practices?
For change to be sustainable, survey results must guide actions that align with existing school policies. This can ensure consistency with district and school guidelines. Actions can also be embedded into current initiatives, like SEL programs, discipline policies, professional develpment and family engagement. This helps ensure that improvements are sustainable and coherent, part of the school’s framework, and not just separate, temporary actions. This also helps ensure continued resources.
Go slow to go fast.
Make your survey process matter. Take the time you need to plan, understand what your school and district need to prepare and execute changes, and follow up on change initiatives.
When you and your school leaders are feeling overwhelmed, remember that you are surrounded by great people whose purpose is to be positive change-makers in their communities, in the lives of young people.
Teaching is the greatest act of optimism.
– Colleen Wilcox
