Franklin Public Schools

Facilities Planning Community Survey Report

Fall 2010

Prepared by
School Perceptions
November 2010

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 Table  of  Contents  
 
Overview ......................................................................................................................................3  
Demographic Summary .............................................................................................................5  
Communications .........................................................................................................................7  
Middle School ..............................................................................................................................8  
High School ..................................................................................................................................8  
High School Upgrades ................................................................................................................9  
Funding Options ........................................................................................................................11  

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 Overview

The survey was conducted for the Franklin Public Schools during the fall of 2010 by
School Perceptions.

Survey Methodology: The survey was administrated and results were compiled using
School Perceptions’ proprietary software. Each household was mailed a paper version
of the survey which included an invitation letter containing a unique 16-digit
alphanumeric survey access code. The code allowed people to respond online and
ensured that every potential respondent had the opportunity to take the survey once
but that no respondent took the survey multiple times. Respondents without access to
the Internet along with those who were uncomfortable taking the survey online were
given the opportunity to complete a paper version of the survey. Paper surveys were
mailed directly to School Perceptions for data entry. At the time of writing this report,
1796 paper surveys had been processed.

Sample Size/Report Format: The size of the respondent group in this data set is very
good. At the time the report was written, 3,078 respondents had responded to the
survey. The margin of error for all respondents answering the survey questions is
approximately plus or minus 1.8%.

The representative nature of the survey results was good. As of 2000, the census data
indicated that about 13% of the population was 65 or older. In this report, senior citizens
were represented by 20% of the survey respondents. To help discern patterns and
eliminate potential bias, this report segmented results into the following subgroups:
• All Respondents
• Resident Parents
• Resident Non-Parents
• Staff

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Significant Findings: The survey produced a return rate of more than 20% of the
households of the Franklin community. This response rate was above average for a
community with over 10,000 households and is a good representation of the entire
community.

The survey had two purposes. Primarily, the school district desired to receive community
feedback on how best to evaluate and prioritize potential solutions to address aging
school facilities. The results in these areas were:

• 65% of all respondents would like the district to do something at this time.
• 47% of all respondents would be likely to support a referendum to help the district
update/expand facilities and 19% were not sure.
• Respondents favored remodeling the existing high school over building new.
• Respondents favored renovating and expanding the current middle school over
building new.
• Respondents were split over planning priorities in terms of if the middle school or
high school needs were more important.
• The ultimate cost of the project was also a significant concern.

Secondarily, the district wanted to receive feedback on which high school upgrades
were most important. While none of the items receive majority support by all
respondents, there were some items that appeared to be more important than others.
Specifically:

1. 41% supported upgraded Outdoor Physical Education & Athletic Space

2. 40% supported a new performing arts auditorium
3. 39% supported a new swimming pool
4. 32% supported a new community center
5. 27% supported new indoor physical education & athletic space

Overall: The survey results will provide the Franklin Public Schools with a good data set
from which to inform the budget process. It is important to note that this survey tool
should be one of many factors influencing the direction the district chooses to take as it
navigates the strategic planning process.

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 Demographic Summary: All Respondents

How long have you lived in the

What is your age? Response Response
School District?
18 - 25 1% Less than one year 3%

26 – 35 10% 1 - 5 years 15%

36 - 45 21% 6 - 10 years 17%

46 - 55 27% 11 - 20 years 28%

56 - 64 21% More than 20 years 30%

65 and older 20% Do not live in the district 8%

Do you own your current Did you attend the Franklin

Response Response
residence? Public Schools?
Yes 94% Yes 9%

No 6% No 91%

Do you have children that

Are you employed by the previously attended or
Response Response
Franklin Public Schools? grandchildren who attend
Franklin Schools?
Yes 9% Yes 39%

No 91% No 61%

Do you have children

Do you have school-aged
younger than elementary Response Response
children?
school-age?
Yes 12% Yes 35%

No 88% No 65%

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If "yes", which schools do your children attend?
Response
(Multiple responses could be made)
Franklin High School 27%
Forest Park Middle School 19%
Robinwood Elementary 10%
Private/Parochial School 8%
Pleasant View Elementary 8%
Ben Franklin Elementary 7%
Country Dale Elementary 7%
Southwood Glen Elementary 7%
Public School Outside of District 6%
Home Schooled <1%

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 Communications

How do you currently receive information regarding School District issues?

(Multiple responses could be made)
Resident Resident
All Staff
Parents Non-parents
(3027) (258)
(961) (1803)
District mailings 55% 63% 54% 50%
School District newsletter 48% 59% 42% 71%
Local newspapers 45% 37% 51% 38%
District web site 25% 49% 9% 75%
Friends or neighbors 23% 38% 17% 20%
Teachers 19% 41% 4% 56%
From my children 16% 43% 2% 13%
School Administration 15% 28% 4% 68%
Attend meetings at schools 8% 19% 1% 26%
Other School District staff 8% 7% 4% 55%
PTO/PTA 7% 18% <1% 14%
School Board meetings 4% 5% 2% 15%
Other 3% 3% 3% 3%
Booster clubs 2% 5% 1% 5%

Do you use any of the following forms of social media?

Resident Resident
All Staff
Parents Non-parents
Facebook 35% 51% 26% 45%
Instant Messaging 16% 18% 9% 14%
LinkedIn 13% 20% 10% 7%
YouTube 12% 22% 12% 31%
Blogs 7% 10% 5% 8%
Other 7% 2% 4% 2%
Twitter 5% 8% 3% 9%
Wikis 7% 9% 3% 40%

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 Middle School

What advice would you provide the Board in terms of the best middle school option at some
point in the future?
Resident Resident
All Residents Staff
Parents Non-parents
Renovate and expand the current
36% 37% 35% 31%
middle school
Build a second middle school and
9% 10% 9% 20%
renovate Forest Park
Renovate the current high school into
17% 31% 9% 38%
a middle school

None of the above 38% 22% 47% 11%

High School

What advice would you provide the Board in terms of the best high school option at some point
in the future?
Resident Resident
All Residents Staff
Parents Non-parents

Renovate the existing high school 39% 42% 36% 38%

Build a new high school 21% 35% 13% 50%

None of the above 41% 23% 51% 12%

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 High School Upgrades

Outdoor Physical Education & Athletic Space: The study identified the need to upgrade
outdoor athletic areas to improve physical education programming and provide additional
space for practice, tennis courts and game fields. The existing track has only 6 lanes which is
inadequate to host competitive events.

Would you support updating the outdoor high school physical education and athletic space at
an estimated cost of $3 million?
Resident Resident
All Residents Staff
Parents Non-parents

Yes 41% 59% 32% 70%

No 45% 28% 54% 19%

Not sure 14% 13% 14% 12%

Performing Arts: Currently the high school does not have an auditorium for concerts, lectures
or plays. Students perform in a multi-purpose room which has a flat floor, poor acoustics and
low seating capacity, making audience viewing difficult. Planning models recommend a 950-
seat auditorium for a high school of our size.

Would you support adding an auditorium at the high school at an estimated cost of $15 million?
Resident Resident
All Residents Staff
Parents Non-parents

Yes 40% 57% 30% 75%

No 46% 29% 56% 16%

Not sure 14% 14% 14% 9%

Swimming Pool: The high school swimming pool does not currently meet WIAA standards for
depth or length and is not adequate to host competitive events.

Would you support updating the high school swimming pool at an estimated cost of $2 million?
Resident Resident
All Residents Staff
Parents Non-parents

Yes 39% 55% 28% 66%

No 46% 31% 58% 22%

Not sure 14% 15% 14% 12%

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Community Center: The Franklin Community lacks the space to accommodate the interest in
youth sports and group activities. Adult recreation, education and social networking spaces
are also limited. Through a partnership with the City of Franklin, a Community Center could be
attached to the high school, providing a fitness center, meeting space and an activity pool for
community use. The cost is not known at this time.

Conceptually, would you support the District partnering with the City to add a community
center to the high school?
Resident Resident
All Residents Staff
Parents Non-parents

Yes 32% 46% 24% 56%

No 47% 35% 54% 22%

Not sure 21% 19% 22% 22%

Indoor Physical Education & Athletic Space: The study identified the need to add indoor
athletic space to improve physical education and competitive athletic programming. The
study recommends adding an additional gymnasium space and an indoor track.

Would you support adding indoor high school physical education and athletic space at an
estimated cost of $14.4 million?
Resident Resident
All Residents Staff
Parents Non-parents

Yes 27% 45% 17% 52%

No 56% 37% 66% 28%

Not sure 17% 17% 16% 20%

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 Funding Options

Would you likely support a referendum to help Resident Resident Non-

All Residents
the District update and expand facilities? Parents parents

Yes 47% 68% 35%

No 34% 19% 42%

Not sure 19% 13% 23%

To create the next chart, it was assumed that any respondent supporting a referendum
for larger amount would also support a referendum for a smaller amount. Therefore,
the chart adds the percentage from the subsequent cell.

If “yes”, how much of a tax increase would you

be willing to support through a referendum
All Residents
assuming the projects included were acceptable
to you?
$286 annually 19%

$220 annually 27%

$154 annually 47%

$88 annually 77%

$28 annually 90%

Not sure 10%

Priorities: Overall, what advice would you provide Resident Resident Non-
All Residents
the Board in terms of facility planning priorities? Parents parents

Do nothing at this time 35% 18% 46%

Address our middle school needs first 10% 8% 11%

Address our high school needs first 13% 21% 9%

Implement a comprehensive plan that addresses

42% 53% 34%
all needs

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