The strength of a PTA depends on the support of the people it exists to serve. A needs assessment is a tool to help your PTA in setting goals which meet the needs of that group. It does take a little time and a lot of patience, but it is also the most important first step necessary to help PTA boards become effective leaders.
Who to survey—parents, teachers, students, administrators, community
Four Ways to Conduct a Needs Assessment
Interview
Person-to-person - Person-to-group - Telephone
Advantages: Immediate response
Disadvantages: Difficult to administer and tabulate, takes a lot of time
Questionnaire
Fill out at a school activity - Send home with child - Door-to-door
Advantages: Easy to administer and tabulate
Disadvantages: Low return rate - about 10% of those sent home. Still need to reach people who did not attend the school activity.
Online Survey
Email out a survey in Google Forms or Survey Monkey
Advantages: Easiest to administer and tabulate
Disadvantages: May not get to all parents. People may not take the time to answer. Make questions short and simple with boxes to click instead of text boxes that require typing in answers.
Learn how to use Google Forms to create Needs Assessments on PTA University
Speaking Out
Best used in small groups - Divide larger groups into smaller groups
Advantages: Immediate response. More personable - people have a "buy in"
Disadvantages: Difficult to tabulate "group". Not all groups will be represented
After you have tabulated the results of your needs assessment
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Meet with your board and review results.
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Set your goals and priorities together (include principal).
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Identify 3–4 programs or areas of concern to address during the year.
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Publish the results for your members and other groups surveyed.
The people your PTA serves will support and participate with you when they have a part in the development of your goals.