Long Beach Unified School District : Phone Survey Asks Parents About Children’s Education

If some parents want the Long Beach school district to know how they feel about their children’s schools, all they have to do is answer the telephone.

This month, school officials are surveying the parents of about 10% of the students at each school, hoping to determine if they are satisfied with the education their children are receiving.

Teachers and administrators plan to use the survey results to improve schools and promote communication with parents in the school district of 76,000 students. Parents will be called randomly, but the researchers will use a sample of parents that matches the ethnic breakdown of each school, officials said.

This year’s survey is an expansion of an effort last year, when about 850 parents responded to the questions. In that poll, 78% of parents gave an A or B rating to their children’s schools, officials said. About 84% of parents said teachers knew their children well and responded to their educational needs. About 69% of respondents said they would not remove their children from district schools if they had the opportunity.