If parents are relying on newspapers for information about your local schools, then watch out: Their opinions about school safety, teacher quality, and academic success will be less positive than those of parents who get their information from other sources, according to a soon to be published report by The National School Board Association.
The report, “What We Think: Parental Perceptions of Urban School Climate,” by NSBA’s Council of Urban Boards of Education (CUBE) found significant differences in parents opinions about schools, based upon the source of their information.
For example:
- More than 76 percent of parents with personal experience in their local schools agreed that their children’s schools were safe, the study found. But that figure dropped to 61.5 percent among parents who rely heavily on newspapers for information.
- Nearly one in three parents believe some children carry guns or knives to school — if they rely on newspapers to form their opinions, Perkins added. Only 11.1 percent agree with that assessment if they get their information on schools from their children.
- A similar disconnect was found when parents were asked about the likelihood that their child would do well on standardized tests. Among those who rely on newspapers, twice as many are skeptical about the chances of high academic performance (10.8 percent) as are those parents with a personal experience with the schools (5 percent).
- Asked if teachers care about their child’s success, 85.5 percent of parents agree — if they rely on their children as a primary source of information on the schools. Only 57 percent of parents agree if they rely on newspapers for information.
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