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The comments were basically split down the middle for Prince Edward schools. Some weren’t bad and others weren’t exactly encouraging. Overall, the Prince Edward County School Board found more questions than answers when reviewing the exit surveys from staff that left the district. 

Thirty-nine staff members left Prince Edward County schools after classes ended in May. Some teachers retired, while others left for a new job elsewhere. But what made them leave and what could have convinced them to stay?
We at least have some answers to those questions, thanks to exit survey results. Every year when someone retires or quits a job in the district, they’re asked to fill out an exit survey. But there’s one problem: the state gives them one as well. That tends to cut down on how many answer the district’s questions. Out of 39 surveys given out, 30 people responded this year to questions from Prince Edward County Public Schools. And even out of those who did respond, they didn’t end up answering every question. In fact, several questions only had 18-20 answer, with just 11 responses on one. 

Crunching numbers for Prince Edward schools

But what raised questions for some school board members is the seemingly contradictory nature of the answers given. For example, when asked how they would describe their overall experience working with Prince Edward schools, all 30 responded, with 60% saying it was good and 20% saying it was neutral. Only 20% of those surveyed said it was a fair or poor experience. Again, when asked if they would recommend this district as a good place to work, everyone responded and 80% said yes. A total of 28 responded to the next question, with 75% saying no policy or regulation influenced their decision to leave. One question later, it was the same number of responses and the same answer, when asked if anything with the school or community impacted their decision to leave. Nope, 75% said it had no impact, with just 18% saying lack of support from families and the community played a role. 

Then the responses start dropping off. Only 11 people answered when asked what reasons related to leadership and support influenced their decision to leave. Out of that number, 55% said lack of support from supervisors and/or school administration. Another 36% said lack of autonomy in instructional decisions and/or classroom management. But again, you’re talking about 11 answers total on this question. Only 21 people answered the question about what might have made them stay in Prince Edward. The top three things were more time to plan, fewer discipline problems and higher salaries. 

“While I appreciate it is the only information we have to go on, from personal experience with exit surveys, and talking with people who have filled them out, most people don’t want to burn a bridge and so they’re not always completely honest,” said school board member Susan Kimbrough. 

She flagged the question about leadership and support as an example. 

“Only 11 people had the guts to answer it, which to me speaks volumes about what others didn’t say,” Kimbrough said. “Of those that answered, most of them put lack of support from their supervisors. And we hear that a lot, that teachers don’t feel supported. And I think it’s imperative, based on our turnover year after year after year, that we figure out what support they don’t feel like they’re getting.” 

People don’t feel like there is a way for them to move forward in their career here, Kimbrough argued, because historically, there haven’t been many avenues to do that. 

 “I think we have to look very carefully and recognize that this is a problem and we need to address it,” she added. 

Take the good with the bad 

Prince Edward Superintendent Dr. Barbara Johnson acknowledged the complaints, but pointed out if they’re going to take the survey at face value, then they have to acknowledge the good as well as the bad. And she feels that staff is making progress on supporting teachers. This was prior to her conversation with supervisors about Prince Edward schools. 

“If we’re going to choose to accept the negative, we have to choose to accept the positive as well,” Johnson said. “I do think there is still work to be done around how we support teachers and that comes from just more listening. How are you defining support, what is it you all actually need? We have done the fun things, the giveaways. One of the things teachers value most is time. The virtual work days seem to be very positive. I think that’s the conversation.” 

She added that the district provides mentors for new teachers and principals give shoutouts to teachers for outstanding work, each doing it in their own way. 

School board member Cainan Townsend asked if the district had ever done a school climate study. That’s basically ‘taking the temperature’ of a school and the people involved, everyone from students to teachers and parents, covering everything from school life to how the school is viewed. 

“That could yield some interesting data as well,” Townsend pointed out. 

The answer to that was no, the district hasn’t done one of those, as Johnson said she didn’t want such a study to come from district officials, because it would have their personal biases in it. 

Board member J. Harvey Tackett suggested bringing in a group from the Virginia Department of Education or the Virginia School Board Association, a group that could see the district from outside eyes. It was something he did at a previous county, Tackett said and it provided both details on what schools were doing well and what they were struggling with. 

At the end of the discussion, Johnson said it is something the district is working on.