The Teaching and Learning Department once again is preparing for the Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA), our annual data gathering process. This survey asks households located in our school district service area to share their opinions about our daily operations — i.e. those needing improvement and those working effectively — as well as our plans for the future.

Last year, 67 percent of respondents told us that “an increased emphasis on student learning” needed to be our priority and I can’t even begin to tell you how many times that datum informed our building and district operations as we planned for the 2016-2017 school year.

We strongly encourage all households to take the survey for another reason. Successful public school systems need to operate with transparency and accountability. This survey allows each household in the district an equal and equitable voice in district decision-making.

Data from this survey are important factors in our budgeting and planning process as well as in determining discretionary investments requiring time and effort. We also use the data when writing iGrants to the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) for enhancements to our students’ school experience.

How will the CNA survey data help the district? In the first place, having an equitable opportunity for all households to provide input into our operations and expenditures meets the spirit and letter of the new iteration of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, also known as ESSA.

Secondly, the survey data helps us answer critical questions about professional development for staff as well as facility and programming improvements for students. And lastly, but not least, the data helps us prioritize which discretionary initiatives to undertake or adjust.

Just recently, we were able to secure $10,000 from OSPI to purchase laptops and a charging cart for the Advanced Placement (AP) Computer Science Principles class, in part because the community told us that upgrading computer hardware was essential to student learning.

Here is how the CNA survey works: There are two avenues to access the CNA survey. An e-survey is available for people electing to complete the task online, but as per the guidance from OSPI, we will have paper copies of the survey available at each of our five buildings, as well as the Sequim Library.

Each of our buildings, and the district office, will have a separate survey link from which households can choose to respond.

We analyze the data submitted in each building and report it out separately, so principals have access to the information for building planning.

We then group all the data together to produce the district profile.

The window for completing the survey is Nov. 9-30. The results will be coordinated and compiled over the winter break and the data will be ready for distribution in January 2017.

The survey will take 20-30 minutes of your time if you have children enrolled in our district, and only about 5-7 minutes if you live in Sequim and have no children attending school. Thanks in advance for your time.

Your opinions matter and help our district improve.

Dr. Ann Renker is assistant superintendent of Sequim schools. She can be reached at arenker@sequim.k12.wa.us. More information about OSPI can be found at www.k12.wa.us.