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Focus groups promote lively and thoughtful conversations about the future
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Seven focus group sessions were conducted in April and May to gather additional input on the future direction of Vancouver Public Schools. The focus groups included current students, recent graduates, district employees, parents (including families with English Language Learners and Special Education students), community and business leaders, and representatives of early childhood and higher education. Emerging themes from the focus group discussions are listed below:
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Community Focus Group
• Partner with families/community to teach social skills and to ensure “real world” relevancy; share accountability for educating the whole child
• Help students see all their options (counseling/advising, career exploration, apprenticeships, mentorships, etc.) and realize their full potential (post-secondary education, career-technical programs, etc.)
• Promote the development of students’ abilities to work with different people in different environments
• Ensure that students learn essential 21st century skills—technology, world view, adaptability, etc.
• Plan for now, and plan for the future—both students and the district
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Employee Focus Group
• Allow greater autonomy (flexibility in decision-making) at the school level
• Increase/improve training and other support for staff
• Increase opportunities for staff members to share experiences and ideas with other staff members and other schools
• Expand community partnerships and mentorship programs
• Personalize learning (e.g., technology, teaching strategies, staff/student ratios)
• Support and integrate the arts at all levels
• Invest in early childhood education
• Support the development of innovative programs and risk-taking (e.g., K-8 schools, extended day/year round, dual language)
• Continue safety measures
• Maintain the public’s investment in facilities/sites
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P-16 Focus Group
• Simplify and clarify the areas of responsibility at each level (articulated programs)
• Support transitions between levels and programs
• Help students and families understand and navigate the system through meaningful opportunities for engagement
• Expand/diversify curriculum and program offerings (e.g., early childhood, college in high school)
• Help teachers stay current with changes (e.g., brain-based learning, technology)
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Parent Focus Group
• Pursue additional opportunities for family and community engagement
• Be proactive in building students’ character and citizenship; re-vamp the current student discipline model
• Increase program diversity with equitable access across the district
• Improve communication between district/schools and families
• Offer more assistance to students in planning their future (e.g., counseling, advising, mentoring)
• Transform the instructional delivery system (e.g., school calendar, online learning) and provide the necessary training for teachers
• Personalize learning (e.g., technology, teaching strategies, staff/student ratios)
• Continue to invest in schools as community assets
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Parent Advisories Focus Group
• Promote cultural awareness; build capacity of all staff members in cultural competency
• Make applied learning programs (e.g., Skills Center, CTE, apprenticeships) available to more students
• Improve communication with non-English speaking parents
• Provide more student support and encouragement—mentoring, planning for the future
• Improve/increase WASL preparation
• Promote a safe and supportive learning environment
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Student Focus Group
• Increase diversity of program options (magnets, CTE, arts, electives, alternative programs, etc.)
• Create more opportunities for interdisciplinary learning, with more obvious relevance to the “real world”
• Ensure effective teaching:
 • Experienced, energetic, and passionate about their work; and
• Able to manage classrooms and deal with disruptive students
• Provide equity (facilities, technology, programs, teacher quality, etc.)
• Increase social activities and opportunities for students to interact and collaborate with students from other schools and other cultures
• Foster an environment of respect
• Promote good teacher-student and district-student relationships—help students feel involved in their own learning process
• Increase/improve counseling and advising services with a focus on helping students plan or prepare for their future
Note: Emerging themes from the focus group for recent graduates are not reported here due to a lower-than-expected number of participants.
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