State of the District Workbook

Overview

When a superintendent or a Board needs basic information about the district or a ready source of baseline data on which to base their decisions, too often there is no single source available. A single source for these data is especially helpful when a new superintendent or new Board member need a quick orientation to the district. This single source is also beneficial to the Board when setting district priorities or answering questions from patrons.

The attached questionnaire was developed to gather data for compilation into an annual State-of-the-District report. When used properly and updated annually this report can be an invaluable tool for charting trends, highlighting needs, setting priorities, and otherwise keeping key decision makers informed. For the information to be most helpful, it must be pertinent, factual, concise, and it must address each of the functional areas of the district. Having such information readily available should improve both the speed and quality of Board and administration decision-making.

Please keep in mind these are only sample questions. You will want to delete some, modify others and add new questions so the final questionnaire meets the specific needs of your district.

One final note:  This document was generated by Dr. Bob Thompson of the Center for Executive Leadership at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. It is offered as a free service to schools and is not copyrighted. Please feel free to reproduce and/or modify these materials to best serve the needs of your district. If you need any assistance or explanation, please feel free to the number on the front of the cover. We do ask that, when you develop your questionnaire, you send a complimentary copy to the Lamar University Center for Executive Leadership; 855 Florida; Beaumont, Texas 77710. These documents will serve as a valuable resource for our graduate students and school administrators seeking to develop their own questionnaire.