Client: Lebanon School District, New Hampshire
Assessment launched: October 2021
Strategic plan informed: Fall 2022–Spring 2025
The challenge
Lebanon School District needed a clearer understanding of how students, employees, and families experienced its schools before setting priorities for its next strategic plan. Leaders needed to identify strengths, understand barriers to learning and participation, and address concerns about communication, trust, safety, and access to support.
The scope of DMC’s work
Deo Mwano Consultancy (DMC) conducted a districtwide assessment using surveys, group listening sessions, and individual conversations. The work brought together perspectives across elementary, middle, and high school settings, district employees, and parents and families.
| Survey group | Completed | Listed population | Response rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| High school students | 489 | 600 | 81.5% |
| Middle school students | 242 | 274 | 88.3% |
| Lower grades, 4–6 | 284 | 291 | 97.6% |
| Student subtotal | 1,015 | 1,165 | 87.1% |
| Employees | 220 | 440 | 50.0% |
| Parents and families | 63 | Not provided | Not available |
| Total completed surveys | 1,298 | — | — |
Ten employees also participated in individual listening sessions. Group listening sessions and other individual conversations provided additional context for the survey findings; their participation counts were not reported.
What DMC delivered
DMC collected and analyzed quantitative feedback alongside participants’ explanations of their experiences. The resulting summaries identified strengths and concerns for each stakeholder group, giving district leaders a more detailed baseline than a single districtwide score could provide.
What the assessment revealed
The assessment showed strong pride in the district and positive relationships with teachers, alongside gaps in emotional safety, communication, decision-making, and confidence that feedback would lead to action.
Student experience: strong teaching relationships, uneven confidence in support
Teacher support was a consistent strength: 93% of high school respondents and 88% of middle school respondents reported support for learning success; 95% of lower-grade respondents said their teachers supported them to become successful learners. Belonging was reported by 76% of high school respondents, 81% of middle school respondents, and 88% of lower-grade respondents.
The findings also identified concerns requiring closer attention. At the high school, 64% viewed the school as emotionally safe and 60% believed leadership would act on their recommendations. At the middle school, 42% disagreed that the school was emotionally safe, and 42% disagreed that discipline was fairly applied. Reports of witnessed or experienced discrimination affected 42% of high school respondents and 49% of middle school respondents.
Open-ended feedback added practical detail: some students described bullying, difficulty accessing learning accommodations, mental health support needs, and limited influence in school decisions. Learning engagement was another priority: 43% of middle school respondents and 25% of lower-grade respondents reported difficulty finding materials exciting or relevant to their interests.
Employee experience: high pride, concerns about district-level relationships
Among employee respondents, 94% were proud to work for the district, 92% felt treated fairly, and 84% reported having sufficient tools and resources. These strengths sat alongside concerns about transparency, participation in decisions, and recognition of specialized service providers.
Only 49% reported feeling respected by school board members, while 63% felt acknowledged for their work by the SAU Office. Although 74% believed leadership would act positively on their recommendations, comments described a perceived disconnect between district decision-makers and employees working directly with students.
Family experience: strong connection, need for two-way communication
Among parent and family respondents, 92% were proud to be part of the district, 87% felt a sense of belonging, and 92% felt respected by teachers and staff. However, 71% felt their voice was heard and considered by the district, and 43% reported receiving quality communication from the school board. Comments emphasized the need for greater transparency and more meaningful opportunities to contribute.
How DMC supported district planning
DMC’s contribution was to connect school community experiences with the district’s formal planning process. By examining feedback across stakeholder groups, the assessment helped leaders see where strong school relationships coexisted with concerns about district communication, student support, and participation.
| Planning priority | Connection to DMC’s assessment |
|---|---|
| School culture and participation (Strategy 1.1) | Review survey findings with the consultant and leadership team, establish a baseline and shared goals, and translate priorities into measurable actions. Include staff and student input in appropriate decisions. |
| Student support and professional learning (Strategy 2.5) | Use survey review to better understand student needs and perspectives, assess resources, and develop an action plan. Gather student and family feedback to evaluate the impact. |
| Family engagement and connection (Strategy 1.3) | Use survey findings to strengthen community connection, reach families who participate less often, and hear from students whose perspectives are less frequently included. |
A foundation for follow-through
The Fall 2022–Spring 2025 strategic plan organized follow-through across three years: establish baselines and action plans in Year 1; implement and refine actions in Year 2; and gather feedback and evaluate progress in Year 3. It assigned responsibilities to district leaders and teams, with consultant involvement identified in selected strategies.
The value of DMC’s work
DMC helped Lebanon School District move from separate accounts of school experience to an organized assessment that could inform district priorities. The engagement documented strengths worth preserving, surfaced concerns requiring attention, and connected student, employee, and family feedback to a three-year planning framework.
The documented outcome was an evidence base for strategic planning and a clearer structure for action and review. The assessment established a baseline against which the district could evaluate future progress in school experience, participation, and access to support.
Case study highlights
- 1,298 completed surveys across students, employees, and parents/families.
- 1,015 student surveys, representing 87.1% of the listed student population across the three reporting groups.
- Survey analysis combined with listening sessions and individual conversations to explain the experiences behind the numbers.
- Findings informed the district’s 2022–2025 strategic plan, connecting community feedback to school culture, student support, professional learning, and family engagement.