Local Installation Newspaper Notice

News Article Suitable for Publication in a Local Installation Newspaper

The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) will administer its biennial Customer Satisfaction Survey (CSS) from [INSERT DATES]. The CSS provides valuable feedback to DoDEA from its most important customers – students and parents - about the quality of education it provides and areas needing improvement.

The DoDEA Customer Satisfaction Survey represents a departure from tradition in that the survey will be administered to students in grades 3-12 and sponsors for each child enrolled in DoD schools from Pre-kindergarten/SureStart through 12^th grade. As with prior Customer Satisfaction Surveys, participation remains voluntary and maximum participation is encouraged in order to obtain reliable and valid data.

Historically, teachers, educational support staff, students in grades 4-12, and sponsors for each child enrolled in DoD schools from Pre-kindergarten through 12^th grade were asked to complete the CSS. This year, parents and students will participate in the CSS while DoDEA Administrators, teachers, educational support staff will participate in a separate survey, the DoDEA Employee Satisfaction Survey, to be administered during [INSERT DATE]. As with the CSS, participation in the DoDEA Employee Satisfaction Survey is voluntary and maximum participation is encouraged in order to obtain reliable and valid data.

The surveys were developed through a review process of various groups, superintendents, principals, Education Directorate staff members at the DoDEA headquarters, and external sources such as DMDC. Some questions were adapted from the Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll of the Public’s Attitudes Toward Schools with additional DoDEA-specific questions. The CSS contains more parent/student specific questions, particularly with regard to guidance and counseling.

The surveys take approximately 20 minutes to complete and are available online at www.dodea.edu (click on the CSS graphic link). Parents who do not have access to the Internet should contact their child’s school to determine other alternatives – such as using the school’s computers.

(Insert a quote from Area Director, District Superintendent, or School Principal here about the importance of the survey and the importance of participation.)

Information derived from the surveys will be used to improve planning efforts at all levels throughout DoDEA. Schools, districts, and areas will use the survey results to gain insight into the satisfaction levels of sponsors and students, which is one of many measures used for future planning of programs and services DoDEA offers. The survey results will also be used to monitor the DoDEA Community Strategic Plan (CSP), which contains the strategic direction for DoDEA for the years 2006-2011.

For more infomation on the CSS, please call our school office at (insert phone number here) or visit the DoDEA website at http://www.dodea.edu/.