Parent Survey
The 2004 GATE parent survey was mailed to the parents of 2,260 students in the district who participated in the GATE program during the 2003-2004 school year. A total of 734 responses (32%) were received. Proportionately greater numbers of responses came from parents of the elementary and magnet school students than from secondary and non-magnet school students. A similar finding was reported in the GATE survey of the class of 2002.
The Survey Results
| Survey Item | Strongly Agree | Agree | Disagree | Strongly Disagree | Don’t know/ No Answer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| My child experienced a rigorous educational program in Language Arts. | 42% | 45% | 9% | 2% | 2% |
| My child experienced a rigorous educational program in Mathematics. | 54% | 36% | 6% | 2% | 2% |
| My child experienced a rigorous educational program in Social Studies. | 39% | 44% | 8% | 2% | 7% |
| My child experienced a rigorous educational program in Science. | 33% | 49% | 11% | 3% | 5% |
| Educational instruction met child’s advanced academic needs. | 38% | 47% | 10% | 2% | 3% |
| School provides opportunities to participate in/appreciate fine arts. | 48% | 42% | 5% | 1% | 4% |
| Instruction provides ways to develop organization and study skills. | 34% | 48% | 9% | 3% | 6% |
| Teacher is knowledgeable about gifted students and their needs. | 37% | 41% | 9% | 2% | 11% |
| GATE curriculum is sequential and provides for continuous growth from grade to grade. | 32% | 46% | 7% | 2% | 13% |
| Instructional program provides opportunities to expand upon child’s interests. | 23% | 50% | 14% | 2% | 10% |
| Student goal/choice options provided via meetings or written information. | 22% | 47% | 17% | 6% | 7% |
| Child’s learning style accommodated via instructional strategies. | 17% | 49% | 13% | 4% | 17% |
| Child’s social/emotional development is supported. | 28% | 54% | 8% | 3% | 8% |
| Individual differences and divergent thinking is valued and encouraged. | 30% | 50% | 7% | 2% | 11% |
| Child’s classroom was an emotionally safe environment in which to learn. | 36% | 48% | 7% | 2% | 6% |
| Child’s civic responsibility was encouraged. | 29% | 51% | 8% | 1% | 10% |
| GATEWAYS newsletter is informative. | 20% | 57% | 12% | 2% | 10% |
| Teachers inform me about my child’s progress. | 28% | 52% | 13% | 3% | 4% |
| Teachers keep me informed about what is provided for GATE students at the school. | 17% | 44% | 24% | 6% | 9% |
| Homework assignments were meaningful. | 24% | 55% | 10% | 2% | 9% |
| Teacher(s) is(are) accessible to parent | 37% | 52% | 5% | 1% | 5% |
| Teacher(s) is(are) responsive to students. | 34% | 53% | 5% | 2% | 6% |
| Average hours of homework per week. | The average number of hours per week of homework for elementary students was 6.9 hours at non-magnet sites and 7.5 hours at the magnets. Middle school students averaged 11.2 hours per week at non-magnets and 15.2 at the magnet middle school. High school students averaged 15.6 hours per week at the non-magnet sites and 14.1 hours at the magnet. | ||||
Conclusions
The results of this survey are similar to those of previous years. In general, parents agreed with the various statements that reflected the GATE mission goals though in differing degrees. Again, magnet school parents tended to be in greater agreement than non-magnet parents and lower level schools tended to be more responsive to the survey than upper level schools.
Though the response level was higher in this study than in the previous surveys, it is important to emphasize the need for parental involvement in future surveys. This is particularly true for middle and high school level parents who might be less involved and enthusiastic than primary parents, especially if GATE enrollment numbers continue to be higher for upper grades.
Report prepared by:
Charles Abrams, Ph. D.
Decision Research