DoDEA

ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA — June 8, 2005 — Dr. Joseph Tafoya, Director, Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) today announced the results of the 2004-05 DoDEA Customer Satisfaction Surveys. Over 45,000 respondents (parents, teachers and students) provided feedback about the educational services provided by DoDEA. The surveys were administered on-line from November 1, 2004 through February 28, 2005.

Approximately 12,000 parents with a child enrolled in grades pre-Kindergarten through grade 12 in the DoDEA schools responded to the survey. Students in grades 4 through 12 and all teachers were also asked to respond to the surveys which were adapted from the 2004 Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll Thirty-sixth Annual Survey of the Public's Attitudes Toward the Public Schools. The DoDEA Customer Satisfaction Surveys questions related to school issues such as Curriculum, Instruction, Standards, Assessment, Technology, Partnerships, and Student Support.

Overall, DoDEA parents (76%) were more positive about their local schools than parents nationally (72%). Public schools in the United States in general were also rated more favorably by DoDEA parents (52%) than parents across the nation (22%).

Two of the DoDEA schools' main goals are for all students to meet or exceed challenging standards as well as form stronger partnerships between parents, the schools, and community. Seventy-five percent (75%) of DoDEA parents gave DoDEA an A or a B in meeting or exceeding challenging standards while 71% of DoDEA parents felt partnerships were strong.

Students within the DoDEA schools transfer regularly due to the mobility of their military sponsors. Parents (81%) and teachers (91%) rated the schools highly on their ability to welcome new students into the school, although students were not quite as positive (71%).

Achievement testing in the United States is on the minds of many parents in the United States, as many states move toward a stronger accountability system using achievement tests as the basis. Although fewer than half of stateside parents (43%) reported there was about the right amount of achievement testing in their school, 61% of DoDEA parents felt there was about the right amount of achievement testing in a DoDEA school. DoDEA teachers were split on whether there is too much emphasis (43%) or about the right amount of emphasis (49%) on achievement testing in DoDEA schools.

According to students, counseling services at the high schools could be improved. Only 56% of students in grades 9-12 graded their high school counseling services with an A or a B.

The use of computer technology in schools has improved instruction according to 73% of DoDEA's teachers and 60% of parents.

Results of the DoDEA Customer Satisfaction Survey will be available after June 15, 2005 on the DoDEA website (www.dodea.edu) for all schools, districts, areas, and DoDEA. Schools, districts, and areas will be using their results to improve planning efforts.

DoDEA is comprised of the Department of Defense Dependents Schools (DoDDS), serving dependents of military and civilian employees in foreign countries, and the Domestic Dependent Elementary and Secondary Schools (DDESS), serving military dependents in the United States and her territories. The next administrations of the DoDEA Customer Satisfaction Surveys are scheduled for November 1, 2006.