MONROE - A survey to gauge the community's feelings on a fall referendum could closely predict the outcome of the vote, Monroe school board president Bob Erb said Monday.
"If you listen to what the community is telling you, I think you'll have a lot of success," he said.
Several school board members and school administrators met via phone conference last week with Bill Foster of School Perceptions, a research company that conducted surveys for the district last year.
Those who attended last week's meeting - including members Les Bieneman, Dan Bartholf, Jim Plourde and Erb - updated the rest of the board Monday on what Foster said.
"I think (Foster's) experience is that the results are almost 100 percent positive in passing if you follow the data," Erb said. That means if the community shows strong support for a particular referendum question in a survey, the same question will most likely pass in an election. Disregard a negative response or stray from what the survey shows, however, and the vote may not go in favor of the referendum.
"To me, I think that really gets out the importance of getting those (survey) questions framed properly so they're based on some realistic things we're looking at, obviously, and they are questions that we're prepared to implement the results from in terms of putting a question on the ballot," Erb said.
The survey would be shorter and more focused than last year's school surveys, according to District Administrator Cory Hirsbrunner. She said Foster recommended a spring survey that would probably be no longer than four pages including an introductory letter.
"A survey like this is very predictive, so it would allow us to really test what the tax impact or the price points may be with the community," she said.
Hirsbrunner said the survey would cost about $8,400, less than the last survey. The district received financial help from Colony Brands and Monroe Clinic for the community survey conducted last year, and Erb said he wants to "firm up" similar financial support for this one before the board moves ahead with it.
The school board is expected to vote on whether or not to proceed with the survey at the Feb. 22 meeting. After that, the board will start working with Foster on the survey questions, according to treasurer Brian Keith.
Amy Bazley, clerk, and Scott Schmidt, vice president, were absent from Monday's board meeting.
"If you listen to what the community is telling you, I think you'll have a lot of success," he said.
Several school board members and school administrators met via phone conference last week with Bill Foster of School Perceptions, a research company that conducted surveys for the district last year.
Those who attended last week's meeting - including members Les Bieneman, Dan Bartholf, Jim Plourde and Erb - updated the rest of the board Monday on what Foster said.
"I think (Foster's) experience is that the results are almost 100 percent positive in passing if you follow the data," Erb said. That means if the community shows strong support for a particular referendum question in a survey, the same question will most likely pass in an election. Disregard a negative response or stray from what the survey shows, however, and the vote may not go in favor of the referendum.
"To me, I think that really gets out the importance of getting those (survey) questions framed properly so they're based on some realistic things we're looking at, obviously, and they are questions that we're prepared to implement the results from in terms of putting a question on the ballot," Erb said.
The survey would be shorter and more focused than last year's school surveys, according to District Administrator Cory Hirsbrunner. She said Foster recommended a spring survey that would probably be no longer than four pages including an introductory letter.
"A survey like this is very predictive, so it would allow us to really test what the tax impact or the price points may be with the community," she said.
Hirsbrunner said the survey would cost about $8,400, less than the last survey. The district received financial help from Colony Brands and Monroe Clinic for the community survey conducted last year, and Erb said he wants to "firm up" similar financial support for this one before the board moves ahead with it.
The school board is expected to vote on whether or not to proceed with the survey at the Feb. 22 meeting. After that, the board will start working with Foster on the survey questions, according to treasurer Brian Keith.
Amy Bazley, clerk, and Scott Schmidt, vice president, were absent from Monday's board meeting.