The Iowa Department of Education is seeking input from parents and/or guardians regarding Iowa’s current rules for public school districts. These accreditation standards, which are outlined in Iowa Administrative Code 281 chapter 12, define requirements for providing a standard-level of education with a focus on improving the learning, achievement and performance of all students.
Parents and families of students in preschool through grade 12 are invited to share thoughts and opinions on these rules by completing the Chapter 12 Survey, which is available in both English and Spanish. The online survey can be completed anytime from September 21-October 7, 2022. You can access the survey by clicking on the following link:
bit.ly/iowafamily-fall2022
Your participation in the survey is voluntary and you can choose to answer only those questions relevant to you and your student(s). All survey responses will be confidential and no personally identifiable information will be collected—no names will be recorded and no identifying information will be attached to specific responses. The results of the survey will help identify areas that may be in need of revisions to better meet the evolving educational needs of students, families and communities.
Thank you for your involvement in Southeast Polk to improve public education here and throughout the state. Step-by-step instructions and a survey overview are included. The survey should take less than 20 minutes and you may submit a separate response for each child.
1. Access the Survey Click on the link below to access the survey. bit.ly/iowafamily-fall2022
2. Select Your School On the main landing page, you will see a drop-down list. Please choose your school and school district that your student attends and click the “Take This Survey” button to begin.
You can choose to take the survey in Spanish. There is a drop-down menu on the landing page where you can select “Spanish” as a language for the survey. On the next page, you will be asked to confirm that the district and school names are correct. If they are not correct, go back to select the correct school.
3. Complete the Survey Once you have confirmed the school and district names are correct, read the instructions and begin answering the questions. All questions are optional, and you may skip any you do not want to answer.
Click the blue “Submit” button at the end when you are done answering questions. If you exit the window before doing this, your responses will not be saved and you will need to begin the survey again.
4. Optional – Submit Another Response If you have more than one child, you may have received additional email links. You can complete another survey by following the link in the email or by clicking on the “Take Another Survey” button. You will be directed back to the school selection page to start a new survey.
Thank you for sharing your experiences.
INFORMATION SUMMARY FOR PARENT SURVEY From September 21-October 7, 2022 you will be invited to complete the online Chapter 12 Survey. Participation in the Survey is confidential and anonymous. Parents and guardians of students in preschool through grade 12 may optionally complete the Survey questions. No person is required to complete the Survey and participation is completely voluntary. The Survey will take less than 20 minutes to complete.
Purpose of the Survey The purpose of completing the survey is to obtain your perceptions of the importance of legislative requirements for your child/children’s schools. You may repeat the survey for each child that is in preschool through grade 12. The information collected will be used to improve requirements for schools and ultimately improve public schools throughout the state. You will be asked to take the survey online. Let your principal know if you do not have access to a computer/smartphone.
Confidentiality: No identifying information will be collected as part of the survey. You will not put your name, birth date, or any other information that would identify you on the survey and all questionnaires will be private. Information across adults will be added together and reported as a school district group. Results are aggregated and only reported by subgroups (e.g. grade of student, race or ethnicity of student) for which there are at least 10 respondents.
Compensation: There will be no payment or reward for adults filling out the survey.
Voluntary: All parents/guardians will be invited to fill out the Parent Survey. You have the right to skip any questions on the survey. Completion of the Parent Survey is considered a consent to participate for the adult.
Risk: There is no direct risk involved in filling out the Parent Survey. The survey may ask about topics that are sensitive.
Benefits: The data collected throughout the state will provide the Iowa Department of Education with information needed to recommend potential Chapter 12 revisions to state legislators. The suggested revisions will reflect the current needs of parents/guardians and students.
Questions: Questions regarding the survey are welcome. Please contact your school principal or the contact the Iowa Department of Education at qian.wang@iowa.gov if you have any questions or concerns.
