Edmonton Catholic Schools is reporting outstanding results from the ECSD Annual Survey and the new ECSD Systems Excellence Survey.
"Perhaps the most significant change this year in our engagement processes is the decision to focus the ECSD Annual Survey on student growth and achievement and the teaching and learning experience. For this reason, teachers and school administrators, those who directly oversee teaching and learning, were the staff members who responded to this survey, along with students and parents/guardians. New this year, we have captured the overall staff opinions within our priorities in the Division's Systems Excellence Survey," said Chief Superintendent Lynnette Anderson. "This shift has allowed us to have one survey instrument that is focused on the student experience and another that focused on the staff experience."
Between both surveys, we received more than 45,000 responses from students, families, and staff.
The ECSD Annual Survey
The ECSD Annual Survey is a critical tool for gathering valuable insights from our students, families, and teaching staff about the quality of Catholic education provided. The survey, conducted from December 4, 2023 to January 12, 2024, engaged students in Grades 4-12, certificated Teachers, and parents/guardians within Edmonton Catholic Schools. The questions were developed to reflect the Alberta Education Framework as well as the priorities in the new Division Plan for Continuous Growth (2023-2026).
Overall Satisfaction
The ECSD Annual survey highlighted an outstanding level of overall satisfaction among students, families, and teachers.
95.2% of families indicated their overall satisfaction with the quality of education their children receive at ECSD.
"This result highlights the trust and confidence families place in our Division and our commitment to deliver an exceptional Catholic education. It's an honour and a privilege to serve our community in this way, and we are dedicated to providing exemplary faith-based learning opportunities for our students," shared Board Chair Sandra Palazzo.
95.8% of Certificated Teachers reported overall satisfaction with the quality of education that their school provides to students. 87.4% of students echoed this sentiment.
Other Survey Highlights
The survey results identified other areas of strength, such as Catholic Identity, Teaching and Learning Practices, Foundational Knowledge about First Nations, Metis, and Inuit, and Parent/Guardian Engagement.
The following percentages reflect overall satisfaction/agreement to the following themes:
Catholic Identity
Parents/Guardians - 96.6%
Certificated Teachers - 98.0%
Students - 92.3%
Wellness
Parents/Guardians - 95.2%
Certificated Teachers - 95.2%
Students - 86.6%
Inclusive and Caring Learning Environment
Parents/Guardians - 94.1%
Certificated Teachers - 94.0%
Students - 90.4%
Foundational Knowledge about First Nations, Metis, and Inuit
Parents/Guardians - 97.0%
Certificated Teachers - 96.6%
Students - 93.5%
Teaching and Learning Practices
Parents/Guardians - 93.6%
Certificated Teachers - 97.1%
Students - 85.6%
Parent and Guardian Engagement
Parents/Guardians - 96.3%
Certificated Teachers - 96.5%
Students - 88.9%
Next Steps
The results will be posted to our Assurance Dashboard, ecsd.net/assurance-dashboard. In addition, individual school results have been shared with school administration. Staff and School Councils use the school reports to prepare and adjust their School Plan for Continuous Growth. School results will eventually be available on School Assurance Dashboards on individual school websites.
A similar survey is planned for the 2024-2025 school year.
The ECSD Systems Excellence Survey
The new ECSD Systems Excellence Survey (2023-2024) confirmed a highly positive workplace environment within the Division, reflecting a strong sense of satisfaction. Staff from all schools and all departments within ECSD were invited to participate in the survey.
A notable 94.3% of ECSD staff believe their school or department is a good place to work, with 93.1% extending that sentiment to the Division as a whole.
Other highlights include:
These results underscore the Division's efforts in creating an environment for professional growth and affirm our status as an exceptional place to work. They also highlight the effectiveness of strategies in promoting staff well-being and engagement.
"These survey results provide us with a much clearer picture of our strengths and areas for growth as an organization. We are extremely pleased to now have a series of themes that are a more direct measure of our entire staff's experiences of our Catholic identity, staff wellness, workplace culture, and staff engagement, to name a few. School Principals and department leaders will now be able to meet the needs of their staff more intentionally with the information gathered from this survey," said Chief Superintendent Anderson.
A similar survey is planned for the 2024-2025 school year.
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