Customized Surveys

Educational organizations choose ECRA for a variety of survey needs: stakeholder satisfaction, demographic studies, transportation needs, climate improvement, facilities growth, Board of Education effectiveness, and more.

ECRA works with school leaders to identify challenges and incorporate unique goals into the development of large- and small-scale surveys designed with the targeted audience in mind; ECRA then collects and analyzes the information needed to acquire answers and set future initiatives. The survey instruments can be reused or adapted over time to monitor feedback and measure growth.

State-of-the-Art Methodology

Proven research methods and best practices are incorporated into all of our survey designs. Our surveys begin with a mixed-method design that uses qualitative and quantitative data. The quantitative data produced from the surveys are analyzed using advanced survey methodology similar to that used by major government agencies (U.S. Census Bureau, Department of Education) and other highly reputable survey research firms, such as Gallup Poll and Nielsen. Surveys are distributed through a variety of media using sophisticated sampling techniques to target critical stakeholder groups and populations. ECRA offers several survey options to achieve the greatest response, including direct distribution and mailing, by telephone, and/or online.

Parent and Community Satisfaction Surveys

Parents - as well as community members who do not have children in school - are strong allies in identifying strengths and areas for improvement in a school district. Parent and community surveys help educators determine perceptions currently affecting the school district and major issues it will face in the future. They are designed to take an introspective look into critical perceptions, and include demographic items to provide for in-depth analysis of results.

Administrator/Faculty/Staff Curriculum and Climate Surveys

Administrators, faculty and staff members have a unique perspective of multiple components of the educational arena, and feel valued when their input is requested in the decision-making process. Surveys of this stakeholder group often focus on issues that pertain to curriculum, instruction, assessment, school climate, quality of programs and other school structures. An effective survey process can lead to improvement in the schools and employee job satisfaction, ultimately creating a positive effect on student achievement.

Graduate Studies

Graduate studies are valuable tools to collect information from a key group of stakeholders who are closest to the source - recent graduates. Graduate surveys are designed to assess the paths that students have chosen after high school and the degree to which the community's schools have prepared them for these chosen paths. Graduate studies provide a demographic picture of the graduate population (i.e. where are they now - at a university, community college, trade school, or in the work force?) and assess graduates' perceptions of how well the school district prepared them for life after high school. In addition to traditional survey methods, ECRA uses current social networking tools to reach graduates and ensure an optimal response.

Board of Education Function and Appraisal

The ECRA Board of Education Survey allows board members to step back from routine governance matters and candidly reflect on how well the board is meeting its responsibilities. It helps boards determine how they function and establishes a common understanding of roles. The ECRA Board Model establishes a framework that allows for productive dialogue concerning improved board function and distinguishes the role of the board and that of administration.

Stakeholder Focus Groups

When educational leaders are faced with tough decisions, stakeholder focus groups can often produce new ideas or offer in-depth exploration of issues that lead to a clearer pathway to the future. ECRA focus groups are an empowering, interactive experience designed to identify challenges within the district and opportunities to improve the quality of the education provided.

The ECRA Focus Group experiences has been proven to generate valuable data based on the input of the Board of Education, administrators, teachers, students, parents and community members without children in the school. At the same time, participants feel empower as vital contributors to the decision-making process and the future of their community's schools.