The role of staff
Teachers see families every day, which makes them effective at encouraging participation. Their role needs clear limits so families feel free to answer honestly.
| Staff can | Staff should not |
|---|---|
| Remind families that the survey is open and when it closes | Hand out or collect paper surveys |
| Explain why the survey matters and how results are used | Watch families complete the survey or offer a device to complete it on |
| Point families to paper copies and the drop box | Ask whether a family has responded |
Some programs run classroom competitions for the highest response rate. These raise participation, but they put pressure on teachers to chase families and on families to respond, and they can reveal which classrooms did or didn’t participate. Weigh that before using one.