The Douglas County teachers union released the results of a
teachers survey showing declining morale among employees in the
midst of contract negotiations with the school district.
The Douglas County Federation on Jan. 17 presented the results
of an independent survey that showed only 14 percent of Douglas
County School District teachers believe the district is headed in
the right direction. The survey results were shared at a school
board meeting where board members heard feedback from parents,
students and teachers concerned about the district’s
performance.
Among the voices heard were students advocating for reduced
classroom sizes, residents asking about budget cuts and their
impact in the classroom and parents concerned that education was
taking a back seat to education in Douglas County, said Randy
Barber, school district spokesman.
Teachers’ main concerns were focused on what they consider a
dramatic drop in employee morale. The federation conducted a survey
of about 2,400 employees in November and December, using questions
culled from previous years’ district surveys.
The federation reports that the percentage of employees who
believe the district supports their work in the classroom went from
71 percent in the 2009-10 school year to 23 percent today. Of those
who responded to the survey, 18 percent say the district climate
and culture creates a positive environment.
“This survey is a wake-up call for board members and district
administrators who have used our schools to advance a political
agenda rather than focusing on kids in the classroom,” said Brenda
Smith, president of the Douglas County Federation. “We have a
history of attracting and retaining the best employees for our
students, but that record is clearly threatened unless we take
steps to support our educators in the classroom.”
The school district will conduct its district-wide survey this
spring and intends to use the feedback from the federation as one
of several data points for the board, Barber said.
“We’re not going to close our eyes to negative feedback,” Barber
said. “We certainly want to listen to people and we know districts
across the state have to deal with the same concerns. We are
looking at solutions so having that feedback is very valuable.”
