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Template · Organize parents

Parent survey

When to use this

A survey shows the board how many families share a concern, which is often more persuasive than any single speaker. Build it in a free form tool such as Google Forms. It takes about five minutes to complete.

About 15 minutes to personalize

Before you launch

  1. Don't collect children's names. Grade and school are enough.
  2. Make contact info optional, and say how you'll use it.
  3. Word questions neutrally so the results hold up if the district questions them.
  4. Share it beyond your own circle: school newsletters (with the principal's OK), parent groups, and pickup lines.
  5. Report results as totals and percentages. Never share individual answers.

Template text

[Highlighted] text is yours to fill in.

Intro text: "We're a group of [District name] parents gathering feedback on technology use in our schools. Your answers are anonymous unless you choose to share contact information. Results will be shared with the school board as totals only."

1. Which school(s) do your children attend? [checkboxes]

2. What grade(s) are they in? [checkboxes: K through 12]

3. About how much time do you think your child spends on a school device during a typical school day? [Less than 30 minutes · 30 to 60 minutes · 1 to 2 hours · More than 2 hours · Not sure]

4. Does your child bring a school device home? [Yes, every day · Sometimes · No · Not sure]

5. How would you describe the amount of device use at school? [Too much · About right · Too little · Not sure]

6. How much would you support each of the following? [Strongly support · Support · Neutral · Oppose · Strongly oppose]

Books, paper, and handwriting as the default for reading, writing, and math in grades K-5

Shared carts or computer labs instead of one device per student in elementary school

Keeping elementary devices at school rather than sending them home

Blocking YouTube and non-instructional games on elementary devices

A published list of every app and tool on student devices

Technology taught as its own subject, such as keyboarding and digital safety

Protecting assistive technology and IEP and 504 accommodations in any change

7. Have you noticed any effects of school device use on your child, positive or negative? [open text]

8. Would you be willing to do any of the following? [checkboxes: Attend a meeting · Speak at a board meeting · Sign a petition · Help with research · Receive email updates]

9. Optional: name and email if you'd like to stay involved. [text]

Keep the accessibility line. This request never applies to assistive technology, AAC devices, or accommodations under IEP and 504 plans.

Sharing results

  • Present results as a one-page summary: number of responses, schools represented, and percentages for questions 3 through 6. Add two or three short, anonymous quotes from question 7. Keep the responses on file in case the district asks how the survey was run.