Our K-8 does a bi-annual parent survey and also regularly engages parents in planning committees, etc.

Catholic schools may be a bit different, as the curriculum and much of the governance comes from the diocese, so changes to individual schools can be difficult for some things.

We’ve filled out parent surveys at the end of every year for both schools DC has attended (Congressional and SSSAS).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, this is not specific to Catholic schools
But to all private schools. Their mentality is “take it or leave it”.

+1. By choosing the school you are trusting them to mold your child. If you need to be asked for input and like "transparency" stick with public.

OP here. I don’t mean feedback with respect to fundamentals or mission (which are a given and should be “take it or leave it”). I meant on more mundane/logistical things.

Walmart asks me for feedback. I don’t tell them to go upscale and become Nordstrom. But I comment on customer experience, etc (given its current market position / mission).

The principal at our Catholic k-8 is pretty open to feedback. And folks who aren’t comfortable speaking directly to the administration about an issue can also go to the PTO and communicate concerns that way.

Have you spoken with the administration at your school about your concerns?

Ours does a survey but it's like "On a 1 to 10 scale how welcomed do you feel at St. X? How much do you feel your culture is respected?" Nothing about curriculum which is what I care about.
Also I don't understand the drama about dress codes. Some of the parents want to send their boys to school in a hoodie and basketball shorts and think it's fine as long as the hoodie has the schools name somewhere on it. Why choose a uniformed school in that case.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, this is not specific to Catholic schools
But to all private schools. Their mentality is “take it or leave it”.

+1. By choosing the school you are trusting them to mold your child. If you need to be asked for input and like "transparency" stick with public.

OP here. I don’t mean feedback with respect to fundamentals or mission (which are a given and should be “take it or leave it”). I meant on more mundane/logistical things.

Walmart asks me for feedback. I don’t tell them to go upscale and become Nordstrom. But I comment on customer experience, etc (given its current market position / mission).

Anonymous wrote:No, this is not specific to Catholic schools
But to all private schools. Their mentality is “take it or leave it”.

+1. By choosing the school you are trusting them to mold your child. If you need to be asked for input and like "transparency" stick with public.

Yes, they do — just indirectly. When giving goes down, or goes up, that’s all the “feedback” they care about.

Burke asks for parent feedback. I don't know how much they actually incorporate but they do request it.

I agree with you in theory and it might be helpful, but they’d have to wade through 10 times more crazy ideas, ideas that have already been tried, ideas that aren’t educationally sound (but parents didn’t study education so wouldn’t know), and engage in HOURS of discussion on dress code. It’s not worth it for administrators who are already short of time.

Our k-8 catholic school solicits feedback. They are doing so now as part of some renewal of accreditation right now.

We are new to private, and got a parent survey.

At the parents association meetings, they oft n get a lot of feedback but so much of it is insane and I have no clue if anyone does anything about the feedback.

Of course not. These schools are not run by anyone with a smidge of business savvy. They would never have the sophistication to actually seek ideas or assess parent morale.

As part of the reaccreditation process -- every 5 years, I think? -- there is a parent survey. But if you have feedback you want to share, you don't need to wait to be asked. I'm part of an affinity group that parents started a few years ago, and we've had very productive conversations with leadership about necessary changes. We initiated those conversations, but they listened and implemented some of our suggestions.

No, this is not specific to Catholic schools
But to all private schools. Their mentality is “take it or leave it”.

Kids go to a Catholic k-8. Not once has the school ever solicited parent feedback, asked for parent ideas for improvement, or asked parents how they thought things were going — or indicated that they care. Maybe that’s bc they think their policies come from God and therefore can’t be questioned?

But is this typical of other private schools? Do other schools try to take the pulse of the parents and try to improve via formal polls, etc?