Staples High School students who graduated in 2002 and 2005 were more satisfied with their high school experience than those a decade ago, according to a new survey.
The survey of students was released during tonight’s Westport Board of Education meeting.
The survey’s statistics were provided in a sheet compared to the results from a survey completed in 1998 of students who graduated in 1992 and 1996.
The survey has a rating where 3.7 or higher is considered favorable and over 4.0 is considered extremely favorable.
The 1998 survey showed that students rated their high school experience at 3.89 and the students in the new survey rated it at a 4.11.
The percentages of students who said they were treated with respect by the administration, teachers, staff and fellow students also rose.
The most significant jump was in respect of fellow students from 81.5 percent in 1998 to 93.7 percent today.
The rating of the guidance stayed the same, and Lynne Shain, assistant superintendent for curriculum and staff development, said changes have been made in the guidance department since the survey.
There has been significant turnover in the department, she said, and policies and protocols were improved because they realized students were unhappy.
The number of “learning skills” taught at Staples that were ranked as at least favorable also increased.
The only skill ranked below favorable was “diversity training.”
Shain said it has been “red circled” so it can be improved.
Where fine and performing arts was ranked also fell from three to 12, and Shain said it’s unclear why that happened.
World Language was the subject ranked last of a ranking of subjects with music being at the top in the new survey.
Shain said it’s unclear why it is ranked so low, but it may be because students don’t have the opportunity to use the languages they have learned once they leave Staples.
