Principals Continue to Report Increased Levels of Satisfaction with Department’s Supports and Services
Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein today released the results of the Department of Education’s fourth Principal Satisfaction Survey, which is administered as part of the Chancellor’s commitment to improving the quality of services that the Department of Education (DOE) provides to schools. About 80%, or 1,197, of the City’s 1,497 principals responded to the anonymous online survey in April and May of 2009, rating the effectiveness of the DOE in supporting schools operationally and academically. As with previous principal satisfaction surveys, a large majority of principals said they were satisfied with the supports they receive, and their satisfaction has increased in several key areas since the first survey was conducted in the fall of 2007. Overall, 82% of principals feel supported by the DOE in attaining their overall school goals, up from 77% in fall 2008 and 71% in fall 2007.
“The principal satisfaction survey helps us to assess and improve our work in providing principals with the support they need to ensure student success,” Chancellor Klein said. “The results provide valuable information about the ways we’re successfully empowering principles to make decisions that help students succeed, as well as areas where more work needs to be done.”
The Principal Satisfaction Survey addressed four main topics: the DOE’s overall support; the quality of academic services provided by School Support Organizations and the DOE central offices of teaching and learning, enrollment, talent, and labor relations; the quality of operational services provided by the Integrated Service Centers, Children First Networks, and by the DOE central offices of facilities, food, pupil transportation, health, safety, finance, technology, family engagement, legal services, and compliance; and the effectiveness of the DOE’s accountability tools and support functions. Participation in the survey was entirely voluntary, and responses were anonymous.
Highlights from this spring’s survey results include:
- 82% (77% in November 2008; 76% in March 2008) of principals feel supported by the DOE in attaining their overall school goals;
- 84% (81% in November 2008; 79% in March 2008) of principals feel the DOE has helped them to set clear measures of progress for student achievement;
- 96% (95% in November 2008; 95% in March 2008) of principals are satisfied with the overall quality of support provided by their school support organization;
- 92% (88% in November 2008; 81% in March 2008) of principals are satisfied with the overall quality of support provided by their Integrated Service Center, with increases across all five boroughs;
- 88% (90% in November 2008; 85% in March 2008) of principals are satisfied with the overall quality of support provided by their Senior Achievement Facilitator.
The DOE will conduct the next survey in the fall. Click here to view the full results of the survey.