Results of Family Evaluation
Parents were asked to evaluate six aspects of the meeting. Participants were asked whether:
- they received the notice in a timely manner,
- their concerns and opinions were heard,
- the purpose of the meeting was clear,
- the moderator's questions were clear,
- the printed materials were helpful, and
- whether they felt that the information gathered would be used to improve child's education.
83% of respondents felt they received the notice in a timely manner. Timeliness of the meeting notice varied by district and was reported to be influenced by the method of delivery, e.g. by U.S. mail or in the student's backpack. A better measure of timeliness and impact of the meeting would stem from an interview of parents who did not attend-was lack of sufficient notice a barrier to participation? The mean score for timeliness of meeting was 3.43 on the four point scale.
90% of parents reported that their concerns were heard at the meeting, with a mean score of 3.43 - again, a positive result. Using parents as moderators was predicted to increase the participants trust and willingness to share based on the guidance of someone with a similar perspective. Although the number of respondents is small, this sense of trust seems to have occurred and is also reported anecdotally by parent moderators.
89% of parents felt they understood the meeting's purpose and 94% of parents felt the moderator was clear. This was an area of emphasis by the CDE lead consultant and the parent moderator throughout the meeting. The posters were developed to enhance the participants' understanding of the meeting focus and as an easy reference when questions arose. The mean score for understanding the meeting's purpose was 3.52 and the mean score for moderator clarity was 3.62, the highest score of the evaluation.
83% of parents responding felt that printed materials were useful. Parents reported that the print on the posters was too small to read. Some parents expressed appreciation for the Local Resource Page, while others reported that they were already familiar with the information. The mean score for the value of print materials was 3.28.
78% of respondents felt their child's education would be improved as a result of the input session. The mean score of 3.23 and the percentage of 78% comprise the lowest score of the evaluation, although still a positive result.
