Success Stories
How One District Responds to a Student and Family Voice
Overview
In the heart of Washington state, Quincy School District (QSD) serves nearly 3,000 students across seven school sites. The district serves a far-flung geographic region covering approximately 450 square miles, including both agricultural communities and a city.
With QSD’s mission to support all students for post-secondary success, listening to students and their parents has become an essential practice. “As school and district leaders, we care about what students and families are experiencing,” says Superintendent John Boyd. “YouthTruth surveys are unique tools that allow us to gather feedback and insight from stakeholders in a way that we really couldn’t before.”
Both student and family voices have been a priority for the district. In the words of Assistant Superintendent Nik Bergman: “YouthTruth truly gives students a seat at the table. It’s their future we’re impacting, and they should be included in the decision-making process.”
“This is the third district in which I have used YouthTruth. I have seen how the tool can serve as a catalyst to leverage change in schools and school systems.
John L. Boyd, Superintendent of Quincy School District, WA
The bottom line is that educators care about what students think, we just don’t always do a good job of developing systems to check in with students on their perceptions, and we don’t provide feedback loops to make them feel like they have a say in their education.
YouthTruth has provided us with the information and expertise to better understand our students, develop a feedback loop, and make plans to improve. We repeat the surveys each year to monitor improvement at both the district and school level.