AFT Online Survey

Detroit Association of Education Office Employees

Quality Ideas from Quality Staff Survey

Dear DAEOE Member:

We are not in the classroom with Detroit's school children, but they wouldn't be in classroom without us. DAEOE members are the backbone of our school system and many critical school district operations would not be possible without the work we do. Now, some in DPS are suggesting that the important work we do be contracted out to private companies. This is a short sighted and risky plan.

DAEOE has a better idea. We are working to put together a proposal full of great ideas for improving efficiency and quality in our schools. Where are we getting these ideas? From you, our members. DAEOE members are on the front lines of Detroit's public schools and know what it takes to keep our school district humming. We need you to contribute your good ideas to our proposal by answering the following survey as completely as possible. Together we can show that contracting out is a bad idea and listening to the great ideas of knowledgeable employees who care -- is the right thing to do.

Please complete the entire survey and provide as much detailed information as possible. The more information you provide the better our proposal will be and the better our chances will be to stop privatization and save our jobs.

You will notice that some of the questions in the survey ask for information of a personal nature. I want to assure you that an individual's personal information will not be shared outside the union. We are only asking for this information because we believe that the combined data of our members will be crucial to making our case against privatization. If you have any concerns or questions please give me a call.

Finally, I want to thank you for your support and for taking the time to participate in our survey. Your help will make a critical difference.

Ruby J Newbold, President

Will you help us?

Count me in! I would like to volunteer to help DAEOE fight contracting out of my job to a private company.

Yes
No

Please contact me with more information about:

Volunteering to talk with community members
Volunteering to talk with DAEOE members
Help with campaign data input and record keeping
Help organize meetings about the campaign

Other ways I can help (please describe)

About You

In the box below, please list two important tasks or duties that you perform at work on a regular basis that are above and beyond what is normally expected of you.

For example, these might include: work with or supervision of students, presenting the public face of DPS at your worksite, your work environment, good stewardship of DPS finances or resources or student safety and discipline.

Briefly describe how the tasks you listed above make an extraordinary contribution to DPS and/or a positive difference in the school life of DPS students.

Please list your work location including DPS department.

What is your job title?

Did you attend Detroit Public Schools?

Yes
No

Do you have children and/or grandchildren who attend/attended Detroit Public Schools?

Yes
No

Please indicate your highest level of education.

High School graduate
Some college
2 year Degree
4 year College Degree

Are you the sole or main support for your household?

Yes
No

Please list or describe any special awards, certificates or recognition you have received related to your job at DPS or work you have done in the Detroit community.

(for example: mirosoft certification, other software certificates, accounting programs, purchasing programs, literacy prorams, food bank volunteer, volunteer tutor, other volunteer community service programs, etc.)

My Suggestions to Improve Quality, Services and Efficiency for the Students and Staff of DPS.

If tomorrow you had complete control over how you do your job and could make two changes that you think would allow you work more efficiently and/or save DPS money, what two changes would you make?

How would we tell if these changes worked? What specific positive changes to your job activities and/or your department/school operation would we see?

What two changes to DPS adminstrative operations would you make to SAVE DPS MONEY?

Briefly describe how the suggestions you listed above would make a positive difference in the school life of DPS students.

About Your Job

* DAEOE has identified seven general categories in which our members work. Please indicate the category that fits your job. Please choose only one.

School based secretary/clerical position (you work in a school)
Payroll
Finance
Human Resources
Student Specialized Services
Transportation
Facilities and Warehouse
other (describe in next box)

Other (please describe)

What are the 3 most important work activities or functions of your job in DPS?

For each item you listed in the previous question, please give us two ideas or suggestions on how to save time and/or money related to your job activities?

What 3 things could we do that could be accomplished BEFORE THE END OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR in your department or related to your job that would improve efficiency and save money?

How would you rate the current ADMINISTRATIVE OPERATION at your worksite in terms of efficiency?

Very efficient operation
Efficient operation
Average in terms of efficiency
Below average n terms of efficiency
Poor in terms of efficiency
Not at all efficient
Not sure

Have you ever suggested a new or different way of doing things related to your work or the work of your department that improved efficiency or reduced cost? Please desribe:

About DPS Operations

This section of the survey asks about the amount and quality of DPS suppport for your job responsibilities that are crucial to the successful operation of the school system. Your answers will help us understand what support you receive and need from DPS.

How effective are current DPS administrative practices and procedures in controlling WASTE OF SUPPLIES?

Very effective
Effective
Somewhat effective
Not effective

If you could make one or two changes that would lead to less waste of DPS supplies, what would they be?

How would you rate current DPS practices for controlling misuse of school district property?

Excellent
Very Good
Good
Poor
Not sure

What are your top two suggestions on how DPS could better control MISUSE OF SCHOOL DISTRICT PROPERTY?

This section is for DAEOE members whose work/job relates to student enrollment and student attendance. Other DAEOE members, please skip ahead to the Professional Development and Training section to continue taking the survey.

On a scale of 1 to 5 where 5 is very accurate and 1 is not accurate, please rate the DPS system for enrolling and tracking enrollment of students.

5 (very accurate)
4
3
2
1 (not accurate)

How big a factor is the current DPS student enrollment process in causing lower student enrollment?

Big factor
A factor
Somewhat of a factor
No effect on student enrollment
Not sure

What two changes would you make to the DPS STUDENT ENROLLMENT PROCESS that would make it easier for parents or guardians to enroll their child/children?

What two changes would you make to the DPS STUDENT ENROLLMENT SYSTEM that would lead to more accurate tracking of student information?

Specifically, what could DPS do to improve STUDENT ATTENDANCE?

What could DPS do to reduce student TARDINESS?

Please list one administrative policy or rule within DPS that causes poor or inefficient use of your time on the job.

How would you change this policy or rule in order to do your job more efficiently?

About Professional Development and Training

In this section we want to hear from you about the quantity, quality and frequency of professional development and training you receive from DPS.

When was the last time you were provided with job related training by DPS?

within the last year
within the last 2 years
within the last 5 years
I have never received job related training from DPS
Not sure

Specifically, what type of training have you received in the last 3 years?

Please rate the quality of any job related training you have received from DPS.

High Quality
Above average quality
Average quality
Poor quality
I have never received training from DPS

Thinking about the software programs you use on your job, how effective is the training provided by DPS in giving you the information and skills you need to use the programs effectively and to their full capacity?

Very effective
Effective
Somewhat effective
Not effective
I have never received training from DPS on software programs I have to use on my job

Please give examples of how better training on each software program you use on your job would improve your efficiency and improve the quality of DPS operations. Please list each software program followed by the example of improvement.

Please select three of the following areas in which you would like to receive more training:

School District Software Programs
Customer Service
Managing Student Behavior
Interpersonal Relationships
Communication Skills
School District Policies

Other (please describe)

About DPS Contractors and Vendors

Your answers to this section of the survey will help us identify companies currently under contract with DPS to provide services to the school system. In addition, your answers will help us determine the quality of the services provided by these contractors.

Are private companies/contractors currently providing services in your department or at your worksite?

Yes
No

Who is/are the company(s) in your department providing contracted services to DPS and using non-DPS employees to perform these services?

Briefly describe examples of poor performance by private contractor(s) that have led to problems and/or unnecessary or additional costs to DPS. (Tell us your horror stories about the work of private contractors in DPS.)

How many hours in a week do you spend re-doing/correcting or fixing problems caused by the work of a private company hired as a contractor by DPS?

0
1
2
3
4
5
more (please type amount in next box)

Amount of hours (over 5 hours per week) I spend re-doing or fixing work done by DPS contractors.

Please list the names of vendors you believe are providing POOR QUALITY SUPPLIES and EQUIPMENT to DPS.

What change would you make to the way DPS deals with vendors that would improve service from the vendor and reduce costs to DPS?

Contact Information

Name

Personal email address

Best phone number to reach you

Home address

What 3 things could we do IMMEDIATELY or WITHIN THE NEXT 30 DAYS in your department or related to your job that would improve efficiency and/or save money.

Is there anything else you would like for the DAEOE to focus on?