public engagement & focus group (jan 26 & 27) report - march 19, 2015
TRANSCRIPT
By
James Rickabaugh, Ph.D.
Following is each of the remaining eleven questions and a compilation of audience responses. Please note that not every member of the audience responded to every question or, in some cases, any questions.
Chart 1: Demographics of session attendees
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20 20
26
20
1
9
0
5
10
15
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Elementary Middle High Multiple children atdifferent grade
levels
I am a student Grown children whowent through E.
Carver Co. Schools
No children
Total
Total
"Do you have children in E. Carver Co. Schools? If so what grade(s) are they in."
Count of "Do you have children in E. Carver Co. Schools? If so what grade(s) are they in."
Parents of current students were well represented at both sessions. The two most frequently selected categories were parents of children in elementary schools and at multiple levels. Students were present only at the January 26 forum.
Chart 2: Awareness of “cram, shuffle, build"
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109
0
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100
120
No, not prior to this meeting Yes
Total
Total
"Are you aware of recommendations made to the School Board related to cram shuffle or build?"
Count of "Are you aware of recommendations made to the School Board related to cram shuffle or build?"
People who attended the sessions were well informed of the facilities planning work completed to date. By an approximately 5:1 ratio respondents indicated awareness of the “cram, shuffle or build” approach to addressing facility needs.
Chart 3: Housing growth predictions
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21
13
35
0
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70
Carver Chanhassen Chaska Victoria
Total
Total
"Which city do you think will add the most single‐family homes in the next 5 years?"
Count of "Which city do you think will add the most single‐family homes in the next 5 years?"
Audience members at each session indicated that they anticipate the largest growth in the Carver and Victoria areas. Their predictions are consistent with other predictions regarding future growth.
Chart 4: Awareness of overcrowding
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111
0
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No Yes
Total
Total
"Are you aware E. Carver Co. Schools has schools in western Chaska Carver and Victoria that are overcrowded?"
Count of "Are you aware E. Carver Co. Schools has schools in western Chaska Carver and Victoria that are overcrowded?"
Overwhelmingly, the attendees both evenings reported awareness of the current school overcrowding in western Chaska, Carver and Victoria. However, there remained a few respondents for whom the challenge was unfamiliar.
Chart 5: Support for elementary school and land
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44
1513
0
10
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60
Very high High Low Very low
Total
Total
"Rate your support for this item including the tax that would be required: A new elementary school and land"
Count of "Rate your support for this item including the tax that would be required: A new elementary school and land"
Attendees reported high levels of support for a new school and land purchase to accommodate growing enrollment. Twenty-two percent rated their support as “low” or “very low.”
Chart 6: Support for deferred maintenance
6058
9
5
0
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70
Very high High Low Very low
Total
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"Rate your support for this item including the tax that would be required: Long‐term maintenance projects like roofs window replacements parking lot resurfacing heating/ventilation/air conditioning updates boiler maintenance and outdoor equipment"
Count of "Rate your support for this item including the tax that would be required: Long‐term maintenance projects like roofs window replacements parking lot resurfacing heating/ventilation/air conditioning updates boiler maintenance and outdoor equipment"
Addressing deferred maintenance needs received the most support of any items tested at each session. Only about 10% of respondents reported “low” or “very low” support for addressing the condition of current facilities.
Chart 7: Support for classroom additions at Victoria and Clover Ridge
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53
26
9
0
10
20
30
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60
Very high High Low Very low
Total
Total
"Rate your support for this item including the tax that would be required: Classroom additions at Victoria and Clover Ridge to ease crowding"
Count of "Rate your support for this item including the tax that would be required: Classroom additions at Victoria and Clover Ridge to ease crowding"
Additions to Victoria and Clover Ridge Elementary Schools received combined “high” and “very high” support rating comparable to the construction of a new elementary school. However, the number of participants indicating very high support was down somewhat from the question regarding a new school.
Chart 8: Support for additional operating revenue
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63
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2
0
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Very high High Low Very low
Total
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"Rate your support for this item including the tax that would be required: Additional operating revenue for the district to preserve programs maintain class sizes and prevent service reductions."
Count of "Rate your support for this item including the tax that would be required: Additional operating revenue for the district to preserve programs maintain class sizes and prevent service reductions."
Additional operating revenue to preserve programs and maintain class sizes received strong support. This question generated the smallest number of “very low” support responses of all of the questions tested.
Chart 9: Support for swimming pool
Construction of an indoor swimming pool facility received the largest number of responses in the “very high” category of the questions presented at each session. Support for this item was particularly high at the January 26 session open to the general public.
102
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86
0
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Very high High Low Very low
Total
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"Rate your support for this item including the tax that would be required: An indoor swimming pool to be used for middle school for phy. ed. HS swim and dive teams and community use."
Count of "Rate your support for this item including the tax that would be required: An indoor swimming pool to be used for middle school for phy. ed. HS swim and dive teams and community use."
Chart 10: Support for multi-purpose facility
3635
38
30
0
5
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Very high High Low Very low
Total
Total
"Rate your support for this item including the tax that would be required: A multi‐purpose facility at Chaska MS East for phy. ed. school athletics programs and community use"
Count of "Rate your support for this item including the tax that would be required: A multi‐purpose facility at Chaska MS East for phy. ed. school athletics programs and community use"
Responses to the construction of a physical education facility were the most evenly distributed of all of the questions presented at each session. The combination of “high” and “very high” support totaled 71 and the “low” and “very low” responses totaled 68.
Chart 11: Ballot structure: More or fewer questions
When asked about the construction of a ballot question, 36 more people indicated a preference for multiple questions that would break out specific items for voters to address than those indicating preference for the fewest ballot questions possible.
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Ballot should be simple to understand ‐‐ as few questions as possible Ballot should give voters options ‐‐ even it if means 3, 4 or 5 separatequestions
Total
Total
"If the school board is planning a referendum ballot do you prefer more options or a simple choice"
Count of "If the school board is planning a referendum ballot do you prefer more options or a simple choice"