March 10, 2008 -- The city's Department of Education is pulling out all the stops to find out parents' opinions of their kids' schools.
Officials want 60,000 more survey forms filled out this year than last, making the total response 33 percent of all parents.
Officials will target the 200 schools with the lowest parent-response rates in 2007, create a "survey coordinator" position at schools, and pepper buildings with reminder posters and fliers.
Principals were given the option of mailing the surveys this week or distributing them at upcoming parent-teacher conferences, and are encouraged to hold events to further raise awareness.
In his most recent weekly e-mail to principals, Schools Chancellor Joel Klein reminded school leaders to take action to bolster parent participation in the initiative, which is expected to cost $2 million.
"Please help us get the word out about the survey by sending parents a letter encouraging them to fill it out," he wrote in the e-mail.
Introduced last year, the Learning Environment Surveys are used to evaluate schools in four categories: academic expectations, communication, engagement and safety and respect.
The results - along with those of similar polls of students and teachers, as well as attendance rates - account for 15 percent of a school's A through F grade.
Parent surveys will be mailed in bright-green envelopes starting today, while middle- and high school-students will fill out their surveys at school in early April.
