About Speak UpWebinar December 2021

1. Speak Up:
Leveraging the views of your
students, teachers, and parents for
annual and long-term planning
Julie A. Evans, Ed.D., CEO, Project Tomorrow December 16, 2021

2.  Introducing the Speak Up Research Project
 Current realities regarding digital learning
 Education leadership priorities
 Connecting the dots
 Next steps & additional resources
 Let’s talk! Your questions or comments
Our discussion today

3. About Project Tomorrow
(www.tomorrow.org)
 Nonprofit education organization supporting K-12
education since 1996
 Mission: to support the development of new capacities
and better decisions within the K-12 ecosystem
 Core belief: the power of transformational teaching and
learning to support students’ preparation for future
success.
 Programs and research : focus on role of innovation and
new learning models, particularly digital learning.

4. About the Speak Up Research Project
Speak Up is:
 A leadership support tool for school and district
decision makers
 A suite of normed online surveys to collect authentic
feedback from your stakeholders – K-12 students,
parents, teachers, site administrators
 Turnkey service with no charge/fee to participating
districts
 Summary reports with 100% locally collected data +
state and national data for benchmarking
 Accessible for all preK-12 schools – public, private,
parochial, charter, virtual
Since 2003, nationally aggregated Speak Up reports inform
education, business and policy decisions in K-12 education

5.  Our education ecosystems are more dependent upon technology than
ever before - but the “job” of technology within learning has changed.
 Views differ on the value and best use cases – does the loudest voice
represent the majority?
 Experimentation with new learning models continues, but we are still not
using technology effectively for learning.
 There is a deficit of valid and effective ways to leverage the views of our
stakeholders to inform plans, decisions and communications.
 Stakeholder perspectives are an asset if collected and used effectively.
 It is imperative that we address the impacts (positive and negative) of the
pandemic – and use the CARES/ESSER funds appropriately.
 The stakes are high – it more important than ever to get it right.
Digital Learning Realities

6. Digital Learning Realities
We are at a pivotal point with
new possibilities and optimism,
but we need a new playbook ….
Speak Up can help

7. Let’s start with your needs!
What education issues are
“waking you up in the
middle of the night?”
Share your “waking up issues” in the chat box now!

8. What issues are “waking up”
K-12 District and System Administrators
in the middle of the night?
From the most recent national Speak Up data:

9. Superintendents & District Administrators
say these are their top “wake up” issues:
1. Student learning loss/recovery
2. Staff morale and motivation
3. Mental/emotional supports for students
4. Effective use of technology
5. Adequate funding
What issues are “waking up” K-12 District and System
Administrators in the middle of the night?

10. Use Speak Up to connect the dots between district
priorities and stakeholder feedback
Using the Speak Up tools can help you create and
execute this new digital learning playbook in your
school or district by:
1. Providing valid, normed, trusted data that
represents your audiences
2. Offering comparative data with valuable
benchmarks for planning, decisions and
communications
3. Creating a new culture of engagement that is
professional, recognizable and sustainable

11. Use Speak Up to connect the dots between district
priorities and stakeholder feedback
Questions on the Speak Up surveys : top priority themes
What audiences can you poll with the Speak Up surveys?
Students Parents Teachers School
Admin
 Student learning loss/recovery – learning preferences
and communications
X X X X
 How is technology being used – is it effective? What are
the benefits and outcomes?
X X X X
 Social-emotional learning and concerns about the
impact of the pandemic
X X X X
 Student engagement in learning X X X X
 School climate issues and considerations X X X X
 Homework gap / access to devices & the Internet X X X
 Teacher PD needs and comfort with new learning
models
X X
 Funding for technology needs X X

12. Use Speak Up to connect the dots between district
priorities and stakeholder feedback
1. What can you learn about student learning
loss/recovery from using Speak Up with your
stakeholders? (sampling of actionable knowledge)
 What are parents’ concerns about learning loss?
 What are students’ preferences for learning
models?
 How do principals think pandemic funds should
be used to address learning loss?

13. Use Speak Up to connect the dots between district
priorities and stakeholder feedback
2. What can you learn about staff morale and
motivation from using Speak Up with your
stakeholders? (sampling of actionable knowledge)
 What are principals’ concerns about their
teachers?
 What do teachers say about school working
conditions and climate?
 How comfortable are teachers with new learning
models?
 What are the PD needs of teachers – and what
are the most effective and preferred modalities?

14. Use Speak Up to connect the dots between district
priorities and stakeholder feedback
3. What can you learn about mental and emotional
help supports and needs from using Speak Up with
your stakeholders? (sampling of actionable
knowledge)
 What are principals’ and teachers’ levels of
concern about their students?
 What are the benefits and challenges of SEL
programs or curriculum?
 How do parents want schools to address SEL?
 Are students okay? What do they say about
themselves and their classmates?

15. Use Speak Up to connect the dots between district
priorities and stakeholder feedback
4. What can you learn about the effective use of
technology from using Speak Up with your stakeholders?
(sampling of actionable knowledge)
 Why is effective technology use important for student
learning?
 How are teachers using various digital tools?
 What do teachers say they need to use tech more
effectively?
 What are the outcomes or benefits of effective tech
use – per teachers and students?
 What are parents’ concerns about tech use in school?

16. Use Speak Up to connect the dots between district
priorities and stakeholder feedback
5. What can you learn about funding priorities from
using Speak Up with your stakeholders? (sampling of
actionable knowledge)
 What are the priorities for pandemic funds?
 Are those funds meeting the top priority needs?
 What the most effective ways to engage/communicate
about funding priorities with the greater community?
 What are the technology funding needs?

17. Use Speak Up to connect the dots between district
priorities and stakeholder feedback
Using the Speak Up tools can help you create and
execute this new digital learning playbook in your
school or district by:
1. Providing valid, normed, trusted data that
represents your audiences
2. Offering comparative data with valuable
benchmarks for planning, decisions and
communications
3. Creating a new culture of engagement that is
professional, recognizable and sustainable

18. Next steps? Julie’s recommendations ….
1. Make a list! Identify the types of valid data or information you
need/want from your stakeholders to inform planning, decision
making and communications.
2. Let’s talk! Schedule a call or zoom meeting with us to talk
about those needs – and discuss how Speak Up can support
your efforts.
3. Build momentum! Invite other leaders within your district or
system to the planning call and process with us.

19. Speak Up resources for you
Speak Up reports and infographics with the
latest national research results
https://tomorrow.org/speakup/speakup_data_findings.html
Speak Up 2021 Congressional Briefing
Recording
https://tomorrow.org/speakup/speakup_congress.html
Learn more about Speak Up: https://tomorrow.org/speakup/about_SU.html

20. Why should your district or system participate in
Speak Up?
District Leader perspective:
Ann McMullan
former Executive Director - Educational
Technology, Klein Independent School
District (TX)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4LVw_Tzztw

21. What are your questions?
Let’s talk .. We can help with the answers!

22. Julie A. Evans, Ed.D.
Chief Executive Officer
Project Tomorrow
jevans@tomorrow.org
@JulieEvans_PT
949-609-4661