BEVERLY — The Beverly Public Schools deserve a B grade for the quality of education they provide, according to the results of a survey released by the district last week.
Nearly 52 percent of the survey's 713 respondents assigned a grade of B in response to a question about how well the district educates children. Nineteen percent gave the district an A, while 18 percent gave a C.
"While it is gratifying to learn that many of you have favorable views of the work the district is doing, we have a way to go," Superintendent Marie Galinski wrote in the survey's conclusion.
The survey is part of an "overall comprehensive plan to engage the entire Beverly community," Galinski said in a press release. The district hired K12 Insight, a research and communication firm, to help with its outreach effort.
"It's essential that we hear everyone's voice as we make decisions in line with our mission of maximizing the academic achievement and personal growth for every student," Galinski said.
Ninety percent of the survey respondents were school staff members or parents who were emailed invitations to participate. The other 10 percent were people who responded to the survey on the district's website.
In general, staff and parents rated the schools more favorably than members of the general community. For example, 24 percent of staff members and 15 percent of parents gave the district an A, while only 6 percent of the general community gave an A.
Less than half of parents and community members said they were aware of four major decisions made recently by the district — the development of a five-year strategic plan, keeping food services in-house rather than switching to an outside provider, changing to a block schedule at the high school and creating a freshman academy at the high school.
But more than 85 percent agreed that those were good decisions.
"We will be working to make the district more open and transparent as to our decision-making processes," Galinski wrote.
Less than one-quarter of survey respondents felt that the current funding level is enough to meet the community's education needs.
All of the survey's results can be found on the district's website, beverlyschools.org, under "Administration."
Staff writer Paul Leighton can be reached at 978-338-2675 or by email at pleighton@salemnews.com.
Survey says
What grade would you give to the school district as a whole for how well we are educating our children?
A — 19.1 percent
B — 51.7 percent
C — 18.2 percent
D — 2.8 percent
F — 0.2 percent
Don't know — 8 percent
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