About the Webinar:
This session taught participants how to use the Florida Charter Institute’s (FCI) online survey tool, based on the National Charter School Resource Center’s Indicators of Distress, to monitor their charter school’s health. The presentation covered setting up surveys, interpreting results, and accessing resources to proactively address potential issues.
Using the Indicators of Distress Survey Tool for Charter School Success
Presenter:
- Christine Mentis, Director of Governance Program, Charter Support Unit
- Curtis Fuller, Chief Operations Officer, Florida Charter Institute
Date/Time: November 21, 2024
Conference: 2024 FL Charter School Conference
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Session Summary
This presentation, "Using the Indicators of Distress Survey Tool for Charter School Success," by Christine Mentis, Director of Governance Program at the Florida Charter Institute (FCI), and Curtis Fuller, Chief Operations Officer at FCI, introduces a valuable tool for monitoring the health of charter schools. The session begins by explaining the concept of early warning systems and their importance in identifying potential problems before they escalate. The presenters draw a parallel with hurricane warning systems, emphasizing the need for proactive measures to mitigate risks.
The presentation then introduces the "Indicators of Distress" survey tool, developed by FCI based on research by the National Charter School Research Center. This online tool allows schools to collect anonymized data from stakeholders on various indicators, including leadership, governance, operations, finance, talent, culture, and instruction. The presenters explain how the tool can help schools identify potential areas of concern and intervene early to prevent them from becoming major issues.
The session also includes a demonstration of the online survey tool, showing how to set up surveys, invite participants, and interpret the results. The presenters highlight the importance of involving a variety of stakeholders in the survey, including school leaders, board members, teachers, and parents, to get a comprehensive picture of the school's health.
The presentation also emphasizes the importance of using the survey results to drive improvement efforts. The presenters discuss how schools can use the data to identify areas where they need to focus their attention and resources. They also highlight the importance of developing action plans to address any identified areas of concern.
The session concludes with a Q&A session, where the presenters answer questions from the audience on a variety of topics related to the survey tool and school improvement.
Key takeaways for attendees include:
- Understanding the importance of early warning systems in identifying potential problems.
- Learning how to use the "Indicators of Distress" survey tool to collect data on school health.
- Using the survey results to drive improvement efforts and address areas of concern.
- Involving a variety of stakeholders in the survey process to get a comprehensive picture of school health.