NHED Releases 603 Bright Futures Survey Results

CONCORD, NH — Today, the New Hampshire Department of Education (NHED) is releasing the results of its 603 Bright Futures Survey, which was administered this spring. The annual survey provides valuable feedback from educators, families, and community members across the state on the successes, challenges and areas of growth from the recent school year. 

“It is apparent from the results of the survey that it takes both families and schools working together to support school safety, enhance school climate and improve the overall well-being of staff and students. These partnerships are strong, and we are proud to have such a deep level of community engagement and resiliency after two years of uncertainty,” said Frank Edelblut, education commissioner. 

This year’s data is particularly useful as it offers insights to how the return to full-time, in-person learning models impacted perceptions of schools. In total, 11,931 family members, teachers, educational staff, and community members completed the survey.  

To ensure alignment with students’ needs and ensure that the voices of all New Hampshire residents were represented, all community members were invited to express their feedback on topics impacting their local school system. This year’s survey embedded questions around many COVID-related issues facing schools, including how schools adjusted to the return of full-time, in-person learning. 

The results of the 603 Bright Futures survey articulate a robust narrative of trust, collaboration, and focus on student well-being in response to the challenges of two consecutive, unprecedented school years. It also identified key improvement areas, as well as sectors that need further support. Key insights include: 

•    Overall, New Hampshire families had strong positive perceptions around school climate, school safety, and clear communication with school staff. About 72 percent of public school families said their school climate was favorable, compared to 55 percent of public school teachers who believed their school climate was favorable.
•    About 58 percent of public school families and 50 percent of public school staff expressed greater sense of consistency and positivity for the learning model in 2022 versus 2021.
•    The survey indicated that there were more reports of student behavior incidents in schools this year, which negatively affected staff and teachers. However, families reported feeling comfortable raising concerns with their schools and a high favorability rate of respectful relationships between schools and parents. 
•    Families and staff reported that bullying was an issue within their schools – either the same or worse than prior to the pandemic. Still, families responded favorably that the staff within their schools appropriately handled bullying incidents. 

“Significant progress has been made within the past year, yet we know that there is always room for improvement. I remain incredibly grateful to all of the educators who have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to keep academics and the overall well-being of New Hampshire students a priority,” said Edelblut. 

To view your district or school’s full results and to learn more, visit https://secure.panoramaed.com/nhdoe/understand?auth_token=JbkBC2-JGkdbMGDcUUzb. 

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