Schools Chancellor Banks Launches The 16th Annual NYC School Survey To Empower Families

Schools Chancellor David C. Banks today launched the 16^th annual NYC School Survey, a critical tool for empowering families from Harlem to Hollis.

That empowerment leads to being partners in their child’s education as part of the Chancellor’s vision for New York City schools.

As one of the largest annual surveys in the nation, the survey lifts up the voices of students, families and educators throughout the five boroughs. 

The feedback captured by the NYC School Survey helps school leaders understand what members of their community think about the learning environment at their school and informs improvements to schools and programs. The survey is available online in ten languages for all families and teachers, as well as students in grades 6-12, to complete by March 25. Families can also request a hard copy of the survey from their school. 

“New York City schools can only succeed when we elevate the voices of students and families in our decision-making, which is why family and community partnerships are one of my four core pillars. The annual NYC School Survey is an important opportunity for us to hear from our students, families and educators,” said Schools Chancellor David C. Banks. “I encourage every parent, student and staff member to complete the survey and make their voices heard. Together we can provide every child with the experiences they need to soar.” 

“Our collaboration with the district on the Framework for Great Schools is a powerful example of research informing policy and practice,” said James Kemple, Executive Director of the Research Alliance for NYC Schools. “The Survey collects vital information about school characteristics and capacities from the perspectives of students, teachers, and families. This information, in turn, can be used to promote more effective teaching and learning. We look forward to continuing our work together and urge all stakeholders to use these results to help build better, more equitable public schools.”

The NYC School Survey represents the DOE’s ongoing commitment to listening to and learning from students, families and educators and is designed in partnership with the Research Alliance for NYC Schools. In response to the pandemic and based on last year’s participant feedback, minor revisions were made to the survey this year. 

The survey is aligned to the Framework for Great Schools and centered on student achievement, collecting information across six essential elements – Rigorous Instruction, Supportive Environment, Collaborative Teachers, Effective School Leadership, Strong Family-Community Ties, and Trust. Research shows that schools strong on the elements of the Framework are more likely to produce gains in attendance and student achievement. 

The survey is available to school communities online at NYCSchoolSurvey.org. All survey responses are due by March 25, and the family and student surveys are available online in ten languages: Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, English, French, Haitian Creole, Korean, Russian, Spanish, and Urdu.

Results from the survey are included in each school’s School Quality Snapshot available online.