Identifying Barriers Barriers may be real or perceived, but they must be addressed in order for the school to commit to participating in the Illinois Youth Survey. Some of the common barriers that have been identified by schools are: Competing Priorities Loss of class time or academic focus in class PSAE, ISAT and ACT prep testing, we lose instructional “With time and have no other time for surveys” school is on the warning list. As a result, we have an “Our academic focus and no time for a survey.” Staff time or other competing priorities don’t have the time to conduct and supervise the survey and no “I one else wants to do this project” are committed to a new discipline system, new advisories “We and a huge interdisciplinary unit. We do not want to commit to anything else.” Other survey participation: did a local survey through the Health Department” “We only do a county wide needs assessment every four years. “We We conducted this survey the last school year” Communities that Care Survey American Drug and Alcohol survey CPRD Social Norms survey Various surveys School or Community Problem with Questions is a waste of taxpayer money. Wouldn’t it be better to use this “This money to fund schools?” questions are not appropriate for our age group of 6th grade “These students.” would have a community concern because of parents being upset “We about invading their rights to privacy.” church members object to the 6th graders being exposed to the “Some survey questions” Staff Changes or Cuts Our district has cut so many programs and staff, no one needs another thing to do” person is retiring and do not want to commit the new person to a “Staff survey” Identifying Barriers (continued) 4) Board Policy against district policy to survey students” “It’s school board is adverse to outside surveys” “Our
Identifying Barriers Barriers may be real or perceived, but they must be addressed in order for the school to commit to participating in the Illinois Youth Survey. Some of the common barriers that have been identified by schools are: Competing Priorities Loss of class time or academic focus in class “With PSAE, ISAT and ACT prep testing, we lose instructional time and have no other time for surveys” “Our school is on the warning list. As a result, we have an academic focus and no time for a survey.” Staff time or other competing priorities “I don’t have the time to conduct and supervise the survey and no one else wants to do this project” “We are committed to a new discipline system, new advisories and a huge interdisciplinary unit. We do not want to commit to anything else.” Other survey participation: “We did a local survey through the Health Department” “We only do a county wide needs assessment every four years. We conducted this survey the last school year” Communities that Care Survey American Drug and Alcohol survey CPRD Social Norms survey Various surveys School or Community Problem with Questions “This is a waste of taxpayer money. Wouldn’t it be better to use this money to fund schools?” “These questions are not appropriate for our age group of 6th grade students.” “We would have a community concern because of parents being upset about invading their rights to privacy.” “Some church members object to the 6th graders being exposed to the survey questions” Staff Changes or Cuts Our district has cut so many programs and staff, no one needs another thing to do” “Staff person is retiring and do not want to commit the new person to a survey” Identifying Barriers (continued) 4) Board Policy “It’s against district policy to survey students” “Our school board is adverse to outside surveys”
Illinois%20Youth%20Survey%20Promotional%20Information.docx