(KNZA)--The findings of a telephone and online survey, conducted to gauge the preference of Holton School District patrons regarding the future of district facilities, have been released. 

Key to the survey is what choice patrons want when it comes to the fate of the aging Colorado Elementary School. 

Of the three options, building a new two story elementary school on the westside of town came in as the top choice, selected by 41 percent of the respondents. 

The district office, special education offices and the Adult Education program would be relocated in one of the former elementary buildings and the current district office sold. 

Coming in second, as the top choice of 28 percent of respondents, would mean the construction of a new two story elementary school on land located west of the current school.  Houses on that property would be purchased, and torn down, clearing the way for construction, which would include a school comprised of 30 classrooms, two preschool rooms and a central kitchen. 

The current school would be renovated and the Central Elementary School would become the district office, special education office and house the district's Adult Education programs. The current district office would be sold. 

Coming in last place, selected as the top choice by 12 percent of the respondents, 

would be a plan nearly identical to the 2nd place selection, but would mean the demolition of the Colorado Elementary School.  

Holton USD 336 School District

2014 Patron and Staff Online Surveys

Final Report

February 7, 2014

At the same time as a statistically reliable telephone survey with residents of the Holton USD 336 School District was taking place, similar online surveys were made available to patrons (via the district’s website) and to staff members (through an e-mail distribution of a survey link).

A total of 245 community members and 71 staff members chose to take part in their respective surveys, though not all those who participated answered all the questions – a situation that is typical with online surveys.

The results of both online surveys are shown below, in a form that allows for direct comparison to the more statistically reliable telephone survey of randomly selected, head-of-household, registered voters in the district. All online data should be considered supplemental information.

Because the numbering varies between telephone and online surveys, the results below are shown in the order in which the questions appeared in the online survey, but without question numbers. All wording reflects the online survey wording, meaning that phrases, such as “As we just discussed,” and other language which would take place during a phone conversation, have been replaced with more directive language for respondents who were completing the survey on their own.

What grade would you give the school district on each of the following factors? Grades shown using a 5-point weighted scale. Items that scored at 3.80 or higher are the statistical equivalent of a “B” (or better).

Factor	5-point weighted scale rating/Patron Telephone Survey (n=347)	5-point weighted scale rating/Patron online survey (n=245)	5-point weighted scale rating/Staff online survey (n=71)
Safety of students	4.29	3.47	3.21
Performance of district teachers	4.19	3.99	4.34
Quality of education	4.19	3.96	4.41
Performance of school principals	4.12	3.70	3.86
Overall grade	3.88	3.40	3.71
Class sizes, meaning the number of students in each classroom	3.87	3.46	3.76
Performance of the superintendent	3.79	3.08	3.58
Value received for the tax dollars spent	3.76	3.14	3.81
The district’s responsiveness to citizen concerns	3.72	3.09	3.68
Efforts of the district to involve citizens in decision-making	3.69	3.38	3.96
Performance of the Holton Board of Education	3.53	3.10	3.30
Quality of school facilities	3.34	2.48	2.27

As you may know, the school district has been involved in discussions with architects and with the community regarding the future of Colorado Elementary School, a building that is more than 60 years old. Those discussions have narrowed the list of choices to three different options, which are similar in cost. The purpose of this survey is to see which option is preferred by the most people in the community.

Option 1 involves buying houses and land located west of the school. Those houses would be torn down, and a new 2-story elementary school with 30 classrooms, 2 preschool rooms and a central kitchen would be built. The current school would be renovated. The Central Elementary School would become the district office, special education office, and home of the district’s Adult Education programs. The current district office would be sold.

Option 2 is similar to option 1, meaning that the neighboring houses would be purchased and torn down, a new, 2-story elementary school would be built, the offices described in option 1 would move, and the current central office building would be sold. The difference is that in option 2, the current Colorado Elementary School would be demolished, rather than renovated.

Option 3 would involve building a new, 2-story elementary school on the west side of town. The district office, special education offices and the Adult Education program would be relocated in one of the former elementary buildings, and the current district office would be sold.

As you think about these options, knowing that the cost for each is similar, which one do you think is the best option? Which is second-best? Which is third?

Percentages for each option, followed by weighted 3-point scale rating for each option; 3 points for each first choice selection, 2 points for each second choice selection, and 1 point for each third choice selection.

Patron Telephone Survey (n=347)

Patron Online Survey (n=245)

Staff Online Survey (n=71)

What if the district proposed a bond issue for an option you thought was the best idea, and it resulted in a tax increase of about $327 a year for the owner of a $150,000 home in the district? How would you vote, if the election were held today, remembering that if your home is worth more, the tax would be higher, and if it is worth less, the tax would be lower? Wording for the staff survey was “How would you feel about such a proposal?” recognizing that not all staff members live in the district and would be able to vote. Question was available to all respondents on the Patron and Staff online surveys, but only to those who stated their preferences on the Options for the telephone survey.

Response	Percentage/Patron Telephone Survey (n=347)	Percentage/Patron Online Survey (n=245)	Percentage/Staff Online Survey (n=71)
Strongly favor/support	22%*	34%	52%
Favor/support	32%*	39%	34%
Lean favor (not read to telephone survey respondents; not available to online respondents)	0%	n/a	n/a
Lean oppose (not read to telephone survey respondents; not available to online respondents)	2%	n/a	n/a
Oppose	24%	6%	4%
Strongly oppose	15%	17%	0%
Don’t know (not read to telephone survey respondents; available to online respondents)	6%	4%	10%

* Combined “Strongly favor/Favor” percentage, using the total survey group – rather than just those who were eligible to answer this question — 49%

What if the cost was similar, but the district chose a different option than the one you preferred? Would you be just as likely to favor the bond issue, or would you be less likely? Question was made available only to those who indicated they would either “Strongly favor/support” or “Favor/support” the proposal.

Response	Percentage/Patron Telephone Survey	Percentage/Patron Online Survey	Percentage/Staff Online Survey
Just as likely to support it	70%	63%	67%
Less likely to support it	26%	28%	33%
Don’t know (not read to telephone survey respondents; available to online survey respondents)	4%	9%	0%

What if, instead, the district proposed a bond issue for an option you thought was the best idea, and it resulted in a tax increase of about $297 a year for the owner of a $150,000 home in the district? How would you vote, if the election were held today, remembering that if your home is worth more, the tax would be higher, and if it is worth less, the tax would be lower? Asked only of the respondents who did not say “Strongly favor/support” or “Favor/support” for the original tax level. Support percentages are combined for both the $327 level and the $297 level, under the assumption that an individual who supports a higher level would support a lower one as well. Again, wording for the staff survey was “How would you feel about such a proposal?” recognizing that not all staff members live in the district and would be able to vote. Question was available to all respondents on the Patron and Staff online surveys, but only to those who stated their preferences on the Options for the telephone survey.

Response	Percentage/Patron Telephone Survey	Percentage/Patron Online Survey	Percentage/Staff Online Survey
Strongly favor	22%*	36%	52%
Favor	34%*	42%	37%
Lean favor (not read to telephone respondents; not available to online respondents)	<1%	n/a	n/a
Lean oppose (not read to telephone respondents; not available to online respondents)	1%	n/a	n/a
Oppose	22%	8%	3%
Strongly oppose	14%	11%	0%
Don’t know (not read to telephone respondents; available to online respondents)	6%	4%	8%

* Combined “Strongly favor/Favor” percentage, using the total survey group – rather than just those who were eligible to answer this question — 52%

What if the cost was similar, but the district chose a different option than the one you preferred? Would you be just as likely to favor the bond issue, or would you be less likely? Question was made available only to those who indicated they would either “Strongly favor/support” or “Favor/support” the $297 per year proposal.

Response	Percentage/Patron Telephone Survey	Percentage/Patron Online Survey	Percentage/Staff Online Survey
Just as likely to support it	25%	18%	0%
Less likely to support it	63%	55%	100%
Don’t know (not read to telephone respondents; available to online respondents)	13%	27%	0%

Why do you believe you would oppose a bond issue to address the needs at Colorado Elementary School? Asked only of the 147 patron telephone respondents who did not state their preferences on the options or who said they would “Oppose” or “Strongly oppose” the $297 per year tax increase,, and the 35 patron online and 2 staff online respondents who stated they would either “Strongly oppose” or “Oppose” the $297 per year tax increase proposal. Responses below were coded from open-ended comments, based on common words, phrases and ideas. Numbers, rather than percentages, displayed below.

Response	Number/Patron Telephone Survey	Number/Patron Online Survey	Number/Staff Online Survey
It would raise my taxes	69	18	2
Other	30	n/a	n/a
Don’t believe the money would be spent properly	27	5	0
Don’t believe it is necessary/needed	21	7	0
Remodel what you have/other options better	n/a	8	0

Demographics

Patron online

• Total number of respondents: 245 (not all respondents answered all the questions)

• Location of residence:

  • In or near Holton: 218

  • In or near Denison: 15

  • Did not answer: 12

• Student status:

  • Current student families: 137

  • Past student families (all students have graduated): 56

  • “Never” student families: 32

  • Private/Home-school families: 4

  • Did not answer: 16

Staff online

• Total number of respondents: 71 (not all respondents answered all the questions)

• Location of residence:

  • Inside the boundaries of the school district: 45

  • Outside the boundaries of the school district: 24

  • Did not answer: 2

• Job description:

  • Certified staff: 53

  • Classified staff: 17

  • Did not answer: 1