The Schenectady City School District is asking all parents, guardians, and caregivers to participate in a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) assessment following the Spring recess. The DEI survey will be distributed by email beginning April 10, 2024. The survey will open through May 1.

Parents/Guardians/Caregivers are also invited to participate in focus groups virtually and in-person. Focus groups will begin May 1. The schedule is here.

If you need help or any support with the survey, please click here.

Why is SCSD doing these assessments?
We are doing the assessments to continue our efforts to become a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive school district for our students, parents/guardians/caregivers, and employees. This work is directly aligned with our mission, values and our DEI policy.

What do the assessments measure?
Tangible Development, a DEI consulting firm, developed two DEI assessment surveys for the Schenectady City School District, one for students (completed in March), and one for parents/guardians/caregivers. Both surveys measure participant perception of respect, fairness, and commitment to DEI in Schenectady schools.

In addition to the surveys, Tangible Development is facilitating focus groups to hear about experiences and perception regarding the district's policies and practices as they relate to DEI. Each focus group will be one hour long.

What will Tangible Development do with the survey responses and feedback gathered from the focus groups?

The survey responses and information collected from the focus groups will be analyzed by Tangible Development consultants. The data will be used to get a deeper understanding of what it is like to be a parent/guardian/caregiver of a Schenectady students.

What DEI work has SCSD done to this point?

We have conducted a similar DEI assessment (with Tangible Development) to assess the workplace culture for all employees last school year. The goal was to measure the experiences and perceptions of our employees so to understand the workplace culture and determine areas of strength and growth regarding DEI. We continue to work with Tangible Development to create a plan to strengthen our efforts to create an inclusive and equitable experience for all staff.

Students in grades 7-12 recently had the opportunity to participate in the online DEI survey in school. Students will have an opportunity to participate in student focus groups in May.

Will SCSD have access to responses?

No one associated with the Schenectady City School District will have access to the survey response data or focus group notes. District leadership will receive a report that will include only a summary of the assessment's themes and topics. Participant responses remain anonymous throughout the process. Tangible has implemented a number of steps to ensure annononymity.

How can participants be sure that they they will remain anonymous?

• Personally identifiable information is not collected in surveys.

• While Tangible cannot ensure that focus group participants will be anonymous due to the nature of the gathering, but participant names are never included in the notes or the report.

How long will take to complete?

The survey takes about 15 minutes to complete.

What kind of questions does the survey ask?

This is a detailed survey that will ask questions about your experiences as a parent/guardian/caregiver within the Schenectady City School District. The questions are thought-provoking.

What if you don't want to take the survey?

The survey is optional but parent/guardian/caregiver voice is valued. We are hoping for 100% participation. We do not keep track of who has and has not taken the survey, so your decision to participate or not participate will remain anonymous.

How do students participate in the survey?

Students in grades 7-12 had an opportunity to complete the online survey from March 18 -21 during their physical education classes in school. Participation for students was optional and those who participated will remain anonymous.

How do parents/guardians/caregivers participate in the survey?

All parents/guardians/caregivers with active students in the district will be emailed a link to complete the online survey. The survey will be available April 10 - May 1. Please be sure that your email address is up to date. Contact your school if your email needs to be updated.

Please click here if you do not receive an email with the survey link.

Who can I go to with questions?

Dr. Bree Becker, Senior DEI Research Strategist, for Tangible Development: bree@tangibledevelopment.com

What are the next steps after the survey and focus groups are complete?

The results of the assessment will inform next steps for the Schenectady City School District's strategic diversity goals.

Will results of the assessments be shared?

Yes, Tangible will work with the SCSD leadership team to determine the best way to share results.

Need help with the survey?

If you need any help or support with the survey, please complete the form below. We have a support team ready to assist you.