From: reb b. <rebb_ AT hotmail.com>
Subject: [STEM 2017] Middle School Task Force Report
Date: March 6, 2013 10,:38:26 AM Mar 6, 2013
To: ps-85-stem-2017@googlegroups.com
Thanks to everyone who responded to the Middle School Task Force Survey.
Here is a brief summary of the information we collected. I posted it yesterday to the STEM-wide google group, but realized that some of you might not be on that group.
We are working to schedule a meeting in the near future to go over the results in detail and to plan next steps.
I look forward to seeing many of you on Friday for our publishing party!
rebecca
STEM Middle School Survey
Results Summary
The STEM Middle School Survey, which ran from February 14 to February 28, 2013. Over that two week period, 162 parents filled out the survey. Of those parents responding to the survey, 133 had one child in STEM, 21 had 2 children in the program and 4 had 3 children in the program. Overall, the survey collected responses from parents of 93 children in the STEM program (out of roughly 123 children in STEM.)
There are a few points on which there was overwhelming agreement:
· 98.8% (160 parents) support expanding the STEM program to include grades K-8.
· 96.8% (153 parents)[1] expressed a preference for including more than one class per grade in the proposed STEM K-8 expansion.
· 92.3% (143 parents)[2] expressed support for expanding STEM even if the expansion did not occur in time for their children.
· 91.4% (133 parents) considered no-test admission to the other citywide programs or to PS/IS122Q to be an acceptable interim solution.[3]
When the topic turned to the particular configuration such a STEM expansion should take, there was much less unanimity. However, the survey revealed that a majority of the parents shared a preference for a stand-alone K-8 school.
· 61.3% of the parents responding (98 parents) selected a stand-alone K-8 school as their first choice; and 123 parents selected that option as their first or second choice.
· The next closest choice was for a stand-alone 6-8 Middle school which was the first or second choice of 62 parents, with 8.1% (13 parents selecting it as their first choice, and 49 parents selecting it as their second choice).
· Nearly 20% of parents (31 respondents) chose “so long as it happens quickly and our children enter without testing I am fine with any of these options” as their first choice.
Feelings on this topic are quite strong, with 78.5% (124 parents) indicating a very strong preference for their first choice.
No option among the 4 presented in the survey was unacceptable to a majority of parents.
With regard to the preferred location of an expanded STEM program,
· 17% (27 parents) expressed a desire to move STEM to another district
· 54.1% (86 parents) preferred that STEM remain in District 30
[1] This number does not add up to 162 because 4 parents skipped this question.
[2] This number does not add up to 162 because 7 parents skipped this question.
[3] The survey did not ask about no-test entry into IS126 because that option surfaced after the survey had already begun. This number does not add up to 162 because 16 parents skipped this question.
[4] Number does not add up to 162 because 3 parents skipped this question.
Rebecca M. Bratspies
Director, Center for Urban Environmental Reform
Professor of Law
CUNY School of Law
2 Court Square
Long Island City, NY 11101
718.340.4505
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