Alleghany County Public Alleghany County Public Schools Community SurveySchools Community Survey

Conducted by:The Virginia Tech Center for Survey Research

Overview of Methodology and Findings

MethodologyMethodology

Random Sampling DesignSurvey Instrument Dates of Administration: 12/1/05 through 1/6/06 Survey Pre-test Survey Administration Via Telephone 738 Completed Interviews Sampling Error: ± 3.58 Percent Survey Length: 12.3 Minute Average

Respondent Demographic ProfileRespondent Demographic Profile

Years Lived in Alleghany County Attended Alleghany Schools Children Attending Alleghany Schools Age Race Highest Level of Formal Education Income

Respondent Grading of Schools in Respondent Grading of Schools in Alleghany County and in the U.S.Alleghany County and in the U.S.

14.9

5.3

43.6

28.5 29.4

36.4

6.17.9

1.23.0

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

Per

cen

tage

A B C D F

Grade Assigned by Respondents

Alleghany County

United States

Citizen Opinions Regarding Selected Alleghany Citizen Opinions Regarding Selected Alleghany County Schools Funding IssuesCounty Schools Funding Issues

93.2 92.1

75.5

55.349.5

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Per

cen

tage

'Str

ongl

y' a

nd

'S

omew

hat

' Agr

ee

Teachers' salaries shouldbe competitive with other

divisions in area

Teachers' salaries shouldbe compared to thosethroughout Virginia

County adequately fundseducation/schools

Taxes should be increasedto help fund program

improvements and salariesin schools

Taxes should be increasedto help fund high school

reconstruction

Perceptions of Alleghany County Perceptions of Alleghany County Schools’ Civic ImpactSchools’ Civic Impact

57.7

74.1

92.4

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Alleghany County is knownoutside the community for its

good schools

Alleghany County Schoolscontribute a great deal with

regard to economicdevelopment in the County

Alleghany County Schools are agreat source of civic pride in

the community

Percentage 'Excellent' and 'Good' Responses

Citizen Ratings of Alleghany County Citizen Ratings of Alleghany County Public SchoolsPublic Schools

80.8 78.270.9 69.8

65.3

45.3

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Per

cen

tage

'Exc

elle

nt'

an

d 'G

ood

' Res

pon

ses

Overall quality ofthe schools

Safety andsecurity of the

schools

Instructionaleffectiveness in

preparingstudents for

college

Opportunities forhigh school

career/technicaleducation

Preparingstudents for

careers

School buildingsand facilities

Citizen Ratings of Alleghany Schools’ Citizen Ratings of Alleghany Schools’ Efforts to Educate StudentsEfforts to Educate Students

70.9

75.6

77.5

67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78

Percentage 'Strongly' and 'Somewhat' Agree

Efforts of Alleghany CountySchools to educate low

income students

Efforts of Alleghany CountySchools to educate special

education students

Efforts of Alleghany CountySchools to educate minority

students

Responses Related to Alleghany Responses Related to Alleghany County Schools’ CommunicationCounty Schools’ Communication

71 percent of citizens rate the effectiveness of Alleghany County Schools at communicating with the community favorably (responses of ‘excellent’ and ‘good’)

81 percent of parents with children in Alleghany County Schools currently rate the communication from the schools with parents favorably (responses of ‘excellent’ and ‘good’)

Sources of information about schools cited by parents: written communication from schools (53%), teachers (51%), children (48%), local news media (28%), friends/family/neighbors (26%), ‘other’ sources (18%), web site (3%)

Selected Responses From Parents of Children Selected Responses From Parents of Children Currently Attending Alleghany SchoolsCurrently Attending Alleghany Schools

86% of parents rate the academic programs provided to their children by Alleghany Schools favorably (responses of ‘excellent’ and ‘good’)

76% of parents rate the delivery of extra-curricular programs (such as sports, music programs, and clubs) favorably (responses of ‘excellent’ and ‘good’)

72% of parents say they feel ‘very welcome’ at their children’s school, with 25% saying they feel ‘somewhat welcome’

50% of parents report that they volunteer in some capacity with the schools in Alleghany County

Citizen Opinions Regarding Importance of Citizen Opinions Regarding Importance of Alleghany County Investing in Building New Alleghany County Investing in Building New

High School Facilities High School Facilities

Somewhat Important30.4% Very Important

56.7%

Not At All Important5.8%Not Very Important

7.0%

Selected Responses Regarding Possible Selected Responses Regarding Possible Alternatives For Improving Alleghany County Alternatives For Improving Alleghany County

High School FacilitiesHigh School Facilities 53% of respondents selected ‘new construction’ as the most appropriate

alternative for Alleghany High School

21% of respondents selected ‘another alternative’ for Alleghany High School (many respondents cited consolidation as the other alternative)

17% of respondents selected ‘renovation’ as the appropriate alternative for Alleghany High School

Among respondents who selected improvements/new construction as appropriate alternatives for Alleghany High School, 80% agreed (‘strongly’ or ‘somewhat’) with the statement “the community should be willing to sacrifice or compromise on other programs and services to accomplish this task”

3% of respondents said that nothing should be done and that Alleghany High School should remain as it is

Citizen Opinions Regarding the Consolidation Citizen Opinions Regarding the Consolidation of Alleghany County and Covington Schoolsof Alleghany County and Covington Schools

Strongly Disagree12.3%

Somewhat Disagree5.7%

Somewhat Agree19.8%

Strongly Agree62.2%

Citizen Opinions Regarding the Future Citizen Opinions Regarding the Future of Alleghany County Schoolsof Alleghany County Schools

Citizen Opinions on Important Issues Facing Alleghany Schools in Next Few Years

Citizen Suggestions for Future Improvements for Alleghany County Schools

25.3

54.1

8.13.7

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

StronglyAgree

SomewhatAgree

SomewhatDisagree

StronglyDisagree

Percentages

Respondent Agreement With the Statement “The schools in Alleghany County are

proceeding in the right direction”

Final Comments Final Comments and and

QuestionsQuestions