An education consultant says Southwest Allen County Schools is one of the strongest districts in the state but that it may need to adjust its priorities to maintain that position.
A recent report conducted by education expert Daryl Yost found that the district enjoyed widespread support among staff and parents. For that success to continue, however, the report recommended that the district embrace more technology, improve communication and respond to changing student demographics, among other measures.
SACS Superintendent Steve Yager said he suggested commissioning a report last August, partly as a means of getting acquainted with the district’s strengths and challenges.
After the board hired Yost, former East Allen County Schools superintendent, Yager said he gave him free reign to interview anyone he pleased.
“I said, ‘Take all the time you need. Tell us what we need to know, not necessarily what we want to know,’ ” Yager said.
Yost, who was to be paid no more than $20,000 for the project, led about 120 focus groups starting in January, and he met with at least 500 parents and staff. His final report is posted on the district’s website.
According to Yost’s research, most parents and employees in the district appreciate the district’s staff, feel safe in its boundaries and value its facilities.
“The common comment was that Southwest Allen County Schools has a rich tradition of being a leading corporation,” he said. “It’s one of the five most significant school districts in the state of Indiana.”
Yost said he was surprised by several findings, the most significant being that many teachers – particularly elementary school teachers – were calling attention to the shifting demographics of the district.
As the district changes, he said, more attention should be focused on diversity awareness, be it awareness of race, socioeconomics, gender, lifestyle or religion.
He said he was also surprised that many people had concerns about ALPHA, the district’s gifted-and-talented program.
In addition, he recommends the program receive an internal audit in the 2011-12 school year.
Like many districts and organizations, Yost said Southwest Allen could work to improve its external and internal communications.
“A school system is like a community,” he said. “Everything they do needs to be highlighted with the word ‘communicate.’ ”
Yager said he wasn’t surprised by any of the findings but found the report helpful. In his opinion, he said, the most significant recommendation was for the district to become a more “learner-focused” district, which requires using newer teaching models and incorporating more technology into the classroom.
He said the district is already moving in that direction and added that the board will meet at 6 p.m. Monday to discuss the possibility of buying laptops for students.
Yager said he and his staff were studying the report and will meet next week to discuss the recommendations.
School Board President John Bloom said he found the report’s findings thought-provoking.
“We accept his recommendations,” he said. “They are certainly worthy of pursuit and shouldn’t be ignored in any way.”