Mineola district survey finds high overall ratings but flags fairness in discipline

A district presentation to the Mineola Union Free School District Board of Education on Nov. 21, 2024, said results of the annual school quality survey show overall positive ratings from parents, students and staff but also identify areas for follow‑up, notably perceptions of discipline fairness.

Deputy Superintendent Catherine Fishman emphasized the district’s intention to examine the data at the building level and engage stakeholders in targeted focus groups. "All of our students should feel valued, and respected in our community," Fishman said, underscoring the district’s response plan after trustees raised concerns.

District presenters said participation rates differed by group: fewer than 15% of parents responded, about 38% of teachers and roughly 60% of students. Presenters told the board that 68% of teacher responses came from the middle and high school. The presentation noted strengths in staff professionalism and perceptions of safety; areas needing work included timeliness of instructional feedback and concerns raised in free‑text comments about special education services.

Trustees pressed administrators on a discipline metric that showed roughly 47% of staff saying discipline is not fairly enforced while about 27% of students said the same. Board members and administrators cautioned that the low response rate among some groups can skew results. Several trustees and staff recommended expanding focus groups and building‑level analysis before proposing broad policy changes.

The presentation also covered social‑emotional learning and programs the district is using to support students from kindergarten through high school. Administrators reminded the board that, starting next year, state rules require a senior student to serve on the board as a voting member and said that pupil voice will be part of the district’s follow‑up.

Next steps the board identified included additional focus groups, building‑specific reviews of the survey data and continued reporting to the community.