1. T.R.U.E. Survey: INPUT ON SCHOOL RECONFIGURATIONS March 2019

2. T.R.U.E. Survey: INPUT ON SCHOOL RECONFIGURATIONS
- Purpose of Survey:
To gather valuable information from Twin Rivers classroom teachers, counselors, psychologists, and other educators, to provide well-informed, experience-based data to the Twin Rivers Student Housing Committee.
- Survey Respondents:
Sent to all TRUE Members (teachers/educators)
339 Teachers and other educators responded
Data collected utilizing Survey Monkey

3. TRUE SURVEY QUESTIONS:
Site
Assignment (Regular Ed. , Special Ed., Other)
Are you currently at a TK-8 site, or were you in the past?
What do you believe are the pros of a TK-8 campus?
What do you believe are the cons of a TK-8 campus?
Do you believe there are greater behavior issues on a TK-8 campus rather than a TK-6 campus?
What do you think is the best configuration of schools? (K-8 and 9-12, or K-5 and 6-8 and 9-12)

4. 4 - What are the PROS of a TK-8 campus
4 - What are the PROS of a TK-8 campus? (Summary of Responses from Current K-8 Teachers)
Convenient for parents to drop off and pick up children in multiple grades
Older siblings can support younger siblings
Older students can be mentors
Older students can be a Teaching Assistant for elective
Collaboration between Elementary & Jr. High teachers
In small schools, sense of community if attended for many years
Elementary teachers can help secondary teachers with behavior strategies known to work with certain students

5. 5 - What are the CONS of a TK-8 campus
5 - What are the CONS of a TK-8 campus? (Summary of Responses from Current K-8 Teachers)
For older students: missed opportunities for science labs, P.E., band, foreign language, and electives often not taught by teachers specialized in these subjects
For older students: missed opportunities for participating in sports and extracurricular activities, after-school events, spaces to socialize, feeling of advancement to next level
For older students: difficult transition to High School due to lack of practice moving from class to class, exposure to new students
For younger students: exposed to sexual language and relationship advances
For younger students: exposed to toxic attitudes and behaviors, fighting, bullying, and vulgar language

6. (Continues) 5 - What are the CONS of a TK-8 campus
(Continues) 5 - What are the CONS of a TK-8 campus? (Summary of Responses from Current K-8 Teachers)
Elementary school facilities are too small to include 7/8; it’s hard to separate upper and lower grades during P.E., recess, breakfast, lunch, in hallways, in bathrooms, at dismissal
Administrators and office staff often very busy having to deal with 7/8 students
Lack of support personnel (vice-principal , counselor, behavior intervention specialist) to help with behavioral issues and separation of grades
Admin and support staff spread thin to meet behavior and academic needs of grade-span that is too large
Not enough classrooms for elementary grades results in combo 4/5 and 5/6 classes
Inappropriate discipline measures for 7/8 students; treated like elementary students

7. Responses from ALL educators/ALL schools:
6 - Do you believe there are greater behavior issues on a TK-8 campus rather than a TK-6 campus?
Responses from ALL educators/ALL schools:

8. Responses from educators at seven PK/TK/K-8 schools:
6 - Do you believe there are greater behavior issues on a TK-8 campus rather than a TK-6 campus?
Responses from educators at seven PK/TK/K-8 schools:

9. Current Twin Rivers PK/TK/K-8 Schools
JOYCE, KOHLER, OAKDALE
TK-8:
ORCHARD, PIONEER
K-8: RIDGEPOINT, VILLAGE

10. 7 - What do you think is the best school configuration?
Responses from ALL educators/ALL schools:

11. 7 - What do you think is the best school configuration?
Responses from educators at seven PK/TK/K-8 schools:

12. CONCLUSION:
88% of all TRUE survey respondents, which include regular education and Special Ed. teachers, MTSS, counselors, and other educators from elementary and secondary, believe that the traditional school configuration is best for students.
“The adverse effects for elementary students in K-8 schools, combined with the lack of long-term adverse effects for students attending separate middle schools does not provide support for K-8 configuration. In fact, our results proved some evidence against K-8 schools as a policy.”
-Kai Hong, Ron Zimmer, John Engberg (2018) How Does Grade Configuration Impact Student Achievement in Elementary and Middle School Grades? Journal of Urban Economics, Vol. 105