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Survey Shows Strong Support for Hopkins Public Schools

Student behavior and class sizes were the biggest concerns that arose from the survey.

By James Warden
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October 28, 2011

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Credit Hopkins Public Schools

There is broad agreement among most groups about what they like best about Hopkins: quality of education and good teachers. The one outlier is the category of “out-bound parents”—parents who live within Hopkins Public Schools’ boundaries but choose to send their children to other districts. It’s not surprising that a significant number of them said they didn’t like anything about Hopkins; there was a reason they left, after all. But Bill Morris—president of Decision Resources, Ltd.—noted that Hopkins’ 38 percent is lower than the 50 to 60 percent typically seen for out-bound parents in other districts. In other words, “fewer are going away angry.”

Credit Decision Resources, Ltd.

Minnesota’s financial woes are clearly reverberating at the local level—particularly among preschool parents. “They’re wondering what the school district operations are going to look like when left to the tender mercies of the state Legislature,” Morris said. This is a worry Morris has seen throughout the state. One blip that’s not standard is the perceived lack of discipline. Next to funding shortages, parents said this was the biggest concern—a trend that is echoed in other parts of the survey.

Credit Decision Resources, Ltd.

Another chart that suggests people are pleased with Hopkins' quality of education. For all groups except out-bound parents gave, more than 90 percent said Hopkins had good or excellent education. Even those parents who enroll their children in other districts tend to look favorably on Hopkins Public Schools. This suggests students are leaving their home districts—or “defecting,” as Morris said—or reasons that don’t have to do with education quality.

Credit Decision Resources, Ltd.

That trend continues when parents are asked to compare the district to other districts. About 35 percent of the out-bound parents are still what Morris called “hardcore naysayers.” But most parents rate Hopkins as good or better than neighboring school districts. In other districts, about 60 percent of out-bound parents typically rate the district they left as worse or much worse.

Credit Decision Resources, Ltd.

This is the first of five charts asking about specific programs or proposals. Note that parents of students from the district show the least support for an International Baccalaureate Program. Morris said this mostly about where resources should be allocated.

Credit Decision Resources, Ltd.

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Knowing the customer is vital for organizations whether they’re companies, non-profits or governments. Hopkins Public Schools is no different. The district commissioned a survey to help it understand what various stakeholders think about how it’s doing business.

On Thursday, Bill Morris—president of Decision Resources, Ltd.—walked School Board directors through the results of that survey. Hopkins came out looking pretty good, although Morris noted two red flags that stood out: student behavior and class sizes.

“In general, though, this is one of the strongest marketing studies we’ve done anywhere in the metro area,” Morris said. “Folks who have sampled the district tend to be very, very favorable to the district.”

It didn’t take long for the survey results to have an impact. Directors brought them up that same meeting when discussing the creation of school facilities plan.

“This is not a survey that we’re going to end here,” promised Superintendent John Schultz. “It’s going to become a working document.”

(Click through the images above to see the conclusions that Morris drew from the survey.)

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Survey facts

Number of people surveyed:
- 250 parents of Hopkins Public Schools students living in the school district boundaries
- 207 parents of Hopkins Public Schools students living outside the school district
- 186 parents of preschoolers living in the school district
- 198 parents of students who live in Hopkins and open enroll their children in other districts. This category does not include students in private or parochial schools or who are homeschooled. It does include children in charter schools.
Survey type: Phone interviews
Average survey time: 26 minutes
Survey period: July 16 to Aug. 19
Accuracy: ± 6.3 percent in 95 out of 100 cases
Non-response rate: 4.3 percent

Related Topics: Classroom sizes, Hopkins Public Schools, School quality, and Student behavior

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Hopkins Public Schools Independent School District 270

1001 Highway 7, Hopkins, MN

44.933188

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Hopkins Public Schools Independent School District 270

1001 Highway 7, Hopkins, MN

952-988-4165

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