Santa Clarita / Antelope Valley : Hart Schools Considered Strong, New Survey Shows

Junior high and high schools here have good teachers and principals, strong curriculum and solid academic performances by students, but administrators should close campuses during lunch and probably strengthen disciplinary measures, according to a poll of 600 residents.

Price Research conducted the 53-question telephone survey in December, contacting 400 parents and 200 other residents for the William S. Hart Union High School District. The district includes Santa Clarita’s three high schools and three junior highs, with one more of each opening in the fall. It currently has more than 11,000 students.

Trustees are scheduled to review the survey results Wednesday. They commissioned the poll in October for a cost of $13,500.

Participants were asked how significant such issues as overcrowding, gang violence and campus safety are to the community. Respondents were asked to grade districts on the quality of everything from campus buildings to counseling services.

“Generally, I think that people think the school district is healthy,” said Supt. Walt Swanson, after a preliminary review of the survey. “I think they’re happy with the staff.”

The district earned high ratings in many areas, with marks of good or excellent given by 65% of respondents regarding teachers, by 59% to describe principals and by 57% to describe student academic performance. Only about 4% gave the district poor or very poor ratings in each of those areas.

Similarly, 70% agreed or strongly agreed that the district provides students with a strong core of reading, English, math, social studies and science curricula.

The largest pockets of dissatisfaction found by the survey centered on district policies.

Students are currently allowed to leave Hart campuses during lunch, but 60% of those surveyed indicated they are opposed to the practice.

Though reasons for their opposition are not specifically addressed in the survey, some parents have said they believe closing campuses at lunch would reduce traffic problems and safety risks.

Trustees have not yet discussed the option of closing campuses during that time, but are expected to do so in upcoming months.

“We’re going to try to have a decision made about that before next school year starts, hopefully by May,” Swanson said.

The district’s handling of discipline was also questioned by some. About 46% of the respondents said they agreed or strongly agreed that district discipline policy is not strict enough, while only 28% said they disagreed or strongly disagreed. The remaining 26% said they didn’t know.

An executive from Price Research is scheduled to go over the survey results with school officials Wednesday, providing information about open-ended questions included on the survey that couldn’t be tallied with the other results.