Parent Focus Group Questions - Elementary

Parent Focus Group Questions - Elementary

Delaware Department of Education

Comprehensive Success Review

Parent Focus Group Questions - Elementary

School: ______Date: ______

Facilitators: ______

Protocol for Parent Focus Groups:

  • Read Purpose Statement: The goal of the Delaware Comprehensive Success Review process is to identify areas of strengths and challenges in the research-based elements and provide technical assistance to schools in developing strategies to address the areas of need. The schools and districts will be able to include these needs, strategies and associated measures in their Success Plans for continuous school improvement.
  • Explain the ground rules:

•Respect the ideas of one another.

•Allow everyone the opportunity to share.

•Stay focused on questions.

•Information that is shared in the focus group will only be expressed in the report.

•No names will be used.

•The term parent/family includes any caregiver of student

  • Allow enough time for responses. Use the 10-second rule if necessary.
  • Allow approximately 60-75 minutes for focus group.
  • Have a “parking lot” that allows parents to post comments
  • When conducting interviews, make an effort to get quotes to support the conclusions you reach.

Leadership

  1. Do you know the Mission and Vision of the school? How are they communicated to you as a parent?(I.1)

Budget and Resources

  1. How does the school recruit parents and community members to participate in the developmentand monitoring of the budget?(II.1, VIII.1)

Curriculum and Instruction

  1. How do parents and community members assist the school and teachers with the delivery of State Standards and planning educational programs for their children?(IV.2, VIII.1)
  2. Does the school offer trainings for parents and community members on various topics to support student learning? (IV.2, VIII.2)

Assessment and Accountability

  1. How are school assessment and accountability ratings shared with parents? (V.6, V.7)
  2. How do teachers share your child’s individual assessment results?(V.6)
  3. Other than your student’s report card, how are you notified about your student’s progress in meeting the standards?(V.3, V.6)

Professional Development

  1. Are you invited to participate with teachers in the school professional development? (VI.1)

School Environment

  1. How does the school make you aware of and communicate high expectations for student mastery of the State Standards? (VII.1)
  2. What are your child’s plans once he/she finishes high school? Do you feel your child’s Student Success Plan (SSP) is supporting his/her long term goals and pathways?(VII.1, VII.3)
  3. What additional academic support does your child receive when needed? (VII.1)
  4. How does leadership communicate high expectations for teachers, staff and administrators? (VII.2)
  5. How does the school acknowledge and publicly celebrate the success of students,teachers, staff, principals, parents, volunteers, and community members? (VII.3)
  6. What school policies and procedures exist that assist students and families with social-emotional needs? (VII.6)
  7. What school policies and procedures exist that assist students and families with physical health, physical activity and nutritional needs? (VII.7)

Parent and Community

  1. How are parents and community members recruited to participate in the development, implementation and monitoring of the School Success Plan?(VIII.1)
  2. In what ways do parents and community members participate in the development, implementation and monitoring of the School Success Plan? (VIII.1)
  3. How are parents and community members recruited to participate in the development and monitoring of the budget? In what ways do they participate in the developmentand monitoring of the budget? (VIII.1, II.1)
  4. Are school communications provided in various formats and languages? (VIII.2)
  5. Do school communications include information regarding where families can direct questions or responses? What type of communications? (VIII.2)
  6. Do parents and community members receive surveys requesting your input and receive the results of said surveys? (VIII.2)
  7. Do parents and community members receive information regarding the progress and results of school plans and programs? (VIII.2)
  8. What are the methods used by the school to communicate with the surrounding community? (VIII.3)
  9. How are community members and organizations involved in school teams and school activities? (VIII.3)
  10. How does the school support and encourage parent volunteerism in activities that support student learning? (VIII.2)

General

  1. Is there anything else you would like to tell us about your school or district?

Parent Focus Group ProtocolComprehensive Success Review

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