Community Survey Results Deerfield Community School District Early Summer 2020
SCHOOL PERCEPTIONS Our mission is to help educational leaders gather, organize and use data to make strategic decisions. Founded in 2002 to provide independent and • unbiased research Conducted over 10,000 staff, parent, student, and • community surveys for school improvement Helped more than 600 districts navigate the strategic • planning and referendum planning process
Survey Summary • The survey was conducted in mid ‐ June through early July of 2020. • Residents within the District were mailed a paper survey. Each survey included a unique survey access code for those who preferred to take the survey online. • Total responses = 643 (227 paper) – 452 in 2016 • Participation rate = 32% • Margin of error = +/ ‐ 3.9%
Respondent Information
What is your age? 29% 30% 26% 22% 20% 20% 10% 3% 0% 18 ‐ 29 30 ‐ 39 40 ‐ 49 50 ‐ 64 65 and over
Do you live in the Deerfield Community School District? 12% Yes No 88%
Where do you live? 51% Village of Deerfield 30% Town of Deerfield 9% Do not live in the school district 8% Town of Cottage Grove 2% Town of Christiana 0.30% Town of Pleasant Springs 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Are you employed by the Deerfield Community School District? 16% Yes (n=105) No 84%
Do you have school ‐ age children? 50% 50% Yes (n=319) No
What impact do you believe the quality of the District has on your home value? 100% 80% 60% 60% 40% 25% 20% 11% 4% 0% Positive impact Little to no Negative impact Do not own a impact home in the District
How would you like to receive information regarding school district issues? 33% District mass email 79% 30% District Facebook page 61% 48% District website 60% 2% Skyward Family Access 46% Non ‐ Parents 3% Tuesday Newsday folder 33% (Non ‐ Staff) 42% Independent Newspaper 15% Parents 4% Attend meetings at schools 13% (Non ‐ Staff) 13% School board meetings 11% 2% Elementary PTO 11% 11% Other 2% 10% Cable Channel 986 (WDEE) 2% 2% Booster Clubs 2% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Financial Background Information
The District works very hard to control daily expenses and make decisions to improve District finances. During the last few years, long ‐ term bonds were refinanced, and the fund balance was increased to eliminate the need for short ‐ term borrowing. Both actions resulted in significant savings. As you can see in the chart below, since the 2011 ‐ 12 school year, the tax mill rate, which determines the school portion of local property taxes, has dropped.
Future Operational Funding Challenges
In 2008, 2013, and again in 2016, Deerfield voters supported non ‐ recurring operational referenda that allowed the District to maintain its programs and services as well as increase the technology available for our students. This funding will end on June 30, 2020. The funding from the most recent referendum provided $400,000 each year, allowing the District to: ‐ Implement a new reading program in grades K ‐ 5 ‐ Purchase up ‐ to ‐ date textbooks/curriculum for various high school courses ‐ Maintain online curriculum software subscriptions ‐ Purchase classroom interactive whiteboards ‐ Purchase Chromebooks for 1 ‐ to ‐ 1 technology for students ‐ Invest in building maintenance and security enhancements
As a result of the ongoing COVID ‐ 19 pandemic, budgeting for the future includes: ‐ Increased operating expenses to protect the health of students and staff, which could include smaller classes, more technology/online instruction, and increased cleaning/supplies. ‐ Reduced funding from the state. (This year, the state is forecasting a $2 billion budget deficit. Consequently, funding for every school district, including Deerfield, is likely to decline for an extended period.)
Funding to Support Daily Operations
Option 1: Deerfield voters could support a $500,000 referendum, allowing the District to maintain current programs/services AND address some of the additional future expenses anticipated from the COVID ‐ 19 pandemic for each of the next five years. If the referendum is held in November, the tax mill rate is projected to not increase over the current level. Would you support Option 1? All Residents 53% Definitely yes 75% Yes 22% Probably yes 13% Undecided 6% Probably no 12% No 6% Definitely no 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Option 1: Deerfield voters could support a $500,000 referendum, allowing the District to maintain current programs/services AND address some of the additional future expenses anticipated from the COVID ‐ 19 pandemic for each of the next five years. If the referendum is held in November, the tax mill rate is projected to not increase over the current level. Would you support Option 1? Staff Residents 84% Definitely yes 94% Yes 10% Probably yes 5% Undecided 1% Probably no 1% No 0% Definitely no 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Option 1: Deerfield voters could support a $500,000 referendum, allowing the District to maintain current programs/services AND address some of the additional future expenses anticipated from the COVID ‐ 19 pandemic for each of the next five years. If the referendum is held in November, the tax mill rate is projected to not increase over the current level. Would you support Option 1? Parent Residents (Non ‐ Staff) 60% Definitely yes 85% Yes 25% Probably yes 8% Undecided 4% Probably no 7% No 3% Definitely no 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Option 1: Deerfield voters could support a $500,000 referendum, allowing the District to maintain current programs/services AND address some of the additional future expenses anticipated from the COVID ‐ 19 pandemic for each of the next five years. If the referendum is held in November, the tax mill rate is projected to not increase over the current level. Would you support Option 1? Non ‐ Parent Residents (Non ‐ Staff) 40% Definitely yes 63% Yes 23% Probably yes 19% Undecided 8% Probably no 18% No 10% Definitely no 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Option 2: Deerfield voters could support a $400,000 referendum, allowing the District to maintain current programs and services for each of the next five years. If the referendum is held in November, the tax mill rate is projected to decline by at least $20 for each $100,000 of assessed property value. Would you support Option 2? All Residents 45% Definitely yes 68% Yes 23% Probably yes 19% Undecided 6% Probably no 13% No 7% Definitely no 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Option 2: Deerfield voters could support a $400,000 referendum, allowing the District to maintain current programs and services for each of the next five years. If the referendum is held in November, the tax mill rate is projected to decline by at least $20 for each $100,000 of assessed property value. Would you support Option 2? Staff Residents 70% Definitely yes 80% Yes 10% Probably yes 10% Undecided 8% Probably no 10% No 2% Definitely no 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Option 2: Deerfield voters could support a $400,000 referendum, allowing the District to maintain current programs and services for each of the next five years. If the referendum is held in November, the tax mill rate is projected to decline by at least $20 for each $100,000 of assessed property value. Would you support Option 2? Parent Residents (Non ‐ Staff) 50% Definitely yes 74% Yes 24% Probably yes 13% Undecided 7% Probably no 13% No 6% Definitely no 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Option 2: Deerfield voters could support a $400,000 referendum, allowing the District to maintain current programs and services for each of the next five years. If the referendum is held in November, the tax mill rate is projected to decline by at least $20 for each $100,000 of assessed property value. Would you support Option 2? Non ‐ Parent Residents (Non ‐ Staff) 35% Definitely yes 60% Yes 25% Probably yes 25% Undecided 6% Probably no 15% No 9% Definitely no 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Cost Cutting Options
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