Monday, May 12, 2014

Results of Tucson High Survey Show Security and Discipline Remain an Issue

Posted By on Mon, May 12, 2014 at 3:49 PM

According to a Tucson Weekly source close to a group of Tucson Magnet High School employees who went public in March regarding a six month request for an investigation into wrongful conduct and discrimination (See "Too Little, Too Late," March 13, 2014), the investigation is done. However, those employees have yet to receive a copy of the investigation or receive results.

Perhaps those results will mirror a spring survey conducted by the Tucson Education Association (TEA) dated April 28 and sent to all TEA Tucson High members on April 29 by TEA president Frances Banales.

According to a copy of the survey given to the Weekly, 92 participants answered a majority of questions, although the survey didn't reflect job positions of the responders. "However, one of our questions was specific to teachers and approximately 20 percent responded did not apply. Loosely based it suggest approximately 80 percent were teachers and 20 percent other positions."

Results painted a picture that security and office administration response remain an issue, as well discipline:

In the area of responsiveness by office administration and security there was about a 25% response that does not apply/or never calls. Over 50% of the responders indicated that either half or more of the time there was a not a response from the offices when someone called.

The percent increases somewhat when asked specifically the response from administration in regards to security or discipline issues with almost 40% of responses stated usually no response or follow up. Although high in response to feeling safe on campus approximately 60% felt safe on campus but 50% didn’t feel students were safe. 60% felt they were treated with respect by students but 60% DID NOT feel respected by administration. A very high percentage of 85% did not feel students were given appropriate or timely discipline.

While 23% had no opinion, close to 60% of the responders somewhat /strongly disagree that students were treated equitably by race or ethnicity on campus.

When asked about effective leadership there was a higher satisfaction with how leadership deals with Academics, approximately 40% agree /somewhat agree but somewhat disagree/strongly disagree was over 50%. A large percentage of dissatisfaction when asked how leadership responds to behavioral issues was over 50% strongly disagree and 30% somewhat disagree.

About the same level of dissatisfaction was indicated when asked how supportive leadership is when there is a conflict between parents and teachers. 75% somewhat disagreed/strongly disagreed that administrative response to issues that involved teachers was appropriate. 21% responded “did not apply/no opinion”.

The question “how effectively are these areas being addressed” was not specific to administration but was within the previous questions regarding admin. The responses rated the following areas:

Professional Development -75% somewhat ineffectively/very ineffectively
Security - over 80% somewhat ineffectively/very ineffectively
Curriculum/Scheduling - over 80% somewhat ineffectively/very ineffectively
Staff Evaluations - over 80% somewhat ineffectively/very ineffectively
School wide vision/direction — over 90% somewhat ineffectively/very ineffectively
Facilities — 40% effective to approximately 55% somewhat ineffectively/very ineffectively

The response for assistant principals with the exception of Mr. Armendariz received varying majority percentages of no confidence. Mr. Armendariz received 70% confidence in his leadership. Overall 20% of the responders indicated that they had confidence in current administration.

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