School Survey Questions to Ask Students, Parents & Teachers

Schools aren’t just places for books and grades; they’re living communities made up of students, teachers, parents, and staff, each carrying unique experiences and voices. To truly understand what’s happening within a school, you need more than test scores and attendance sheets. You need feedback from the people who experience school life every single day.
That’s where school surveys come in. They offer a structured way for all students, parents, and educators to be heard. Whether it's improving classroom resources, identifying student stress points, or strengthening parent communication, well-crafted school survey questions can uncover the insights needed to make real, lasting change.
In this blog, we’ll explore over 30 powerful school survey questions for students, parents, and teachers, starting with the most relevant school survey questions for students in 2025.
What is a School survey?
A school survey is a structured method for gathering feedback from key stakeholders, including students, parents, teachers, and staff, about their experiences, needs, and overall well-being within the school environment.
It’s more than just a form. A school survey is a powerful data collection tool that helps you uncover what’s really happening inside the classrooms, hallways, and even at home, from how students feel about learning to how much support teachers feel from school leadership.
These surveys typically include a mix of open-ended and closed-ended questions that invite honest feedback on a wide range of topics:
- Academic support and progress
- Mental health and emotional well-being
- School safety and discipline policies
- Parent communication and involvement`
- Teacher morale and workload
Did you know?
Studies show that monthly student surveys can significantly improve engagement and reduce behavioral issues.
The Importance of School Surveys for Improving Education
1. Improve School Performance
You can’t fix what you don’t see. Surveys help uncover issues in real-time, whether it's outdated technology in classrooms or unclear discipline policies. For example, if teachers report that students lack access to devices, leadership can prioritize funding for digital tools that directly impact learning outcomes.
2. Boost Student Engagement
When students feel disconnected, grades and morale drop. Survey feedback helps you tap into how students feel about lessons, their workload, or peer dynamics. For example, if students report feeling overwhelmed before exams, your school might introduce pre-exam support sessions or mindfulness activities.
3. Strengthen Parent Relationships
Most parents have strong opinions; they just need a way to share them. A survey helps identify communication gaps or frustrations early. For example, if parents are unclear about homework policies, you can send out a one-page explainer and fix confusion instantly.
4. Track Progress Over Time
One survey is good. Regular surveys are better. When you track how feedback changes, you’ll know whether your efforts are actually working. Schools like Summit Public Schools in Washington use quarterly surveys to measure improvements over time, adjusting teaching methods and mental health support based on changing student needs.
5. Give Everyone a Voice
Some students are shy. Some parents are busy. Some teachers are simply too exhausted to raise their voice. A well-timed survey invites input from everyone, including those who might not typically speak up.
In Chicago Public Schools, surveys gave shy or underrepresented students a safe way to express their thoughts. This led to more inclusive policies and a 12% rise in student satisfaction ratings.
Recommended read: Create a School Survey: A Step-by-Step Guide for Educators and Students

10 School survey question examples for students
These student-focused high school survey questions help uncover how learners truly feel about safety, support, and engagement in the classroom. Use these examples in 2025 to improve academic outcomes and student well-being.
1. Do you feel safe at school?
This is one of the most important questions you can ask. Suppose a student doesn’t feel physically or emotionally safe, whether it’s due to bullying, fights, harsh discipline, or even the way teachers handle conflict. In that case, it directly impacts their ability to learn. This question helps school leaders understand if the learning environment truly feels secure from a student’s point of view.
2. Are your teachers supportive and easy to approach?
Some students are confident in asking for help. Others won’t speak up unless they really trust a teacher. This question helps you determine whether students feel that their teachers genuinely care and whether they’re accessible when students are confused, struggling, or simply need someone to listen.
3. How often do you feel interested in what you're learning?
If students are zoning out in class, that’s a sign that something isn't working. This question looks at engagement—are the lessons too dry? Too fast-paced? Not relevant? It’s a great way to spot early signs of boredom or disconnection before they turn into poor performance or behavior issues.
4. Do you feel like your opinions are respected at school?
Schools often discuss “student voice,” but this question checks whether students actually feel heard. Whether it’s suggesting ideas, sharing concerns, or participating in class discussions—students should feel like their voices matter. If not, it’s a signal that your culture needs a tune-up.
5. Do you think everyone is treated fairly at school?
This digs into how inclusive and respectful your school climate really is. Are students seeing favoritism? Do they notice racial or gender bias? Are discipline rules applied consistently? This is about more than fairness—it’s about equity, culture, and belonging.
6. When you struggle with a subject, do you get the support you need?
It’s easy to assume that tutoring programs or teacher check-ins are working—but students will tell you otherwise if they’re falling behind. This question helps flag gaps in academic support. Are there too few resources? Not enough follow-up? Are students afraid to ask?
7. Do you have access to the tools you need to succeed, like books, laptops, or the internet?
Today, access is everything. If a student is trying to complete digital assignments without Wi-Fi or sharing one device between siblings, they’re already behind. This question lets you see whether your school is truly leveling the playing field.
8. Do you enjoy class discussions, group projects, or speaking up in class?
Some students love group work. Others dread it. This question helps you understand how interactive your classrooms feel and whether students are comfortable participating or silently disengaging. It can also reveal peer issues or confidence gaps.
9. Are you happy with the school’s extracurricular activities?
What students do outside of class matters. Sports, clubs, arts, and leadership programs—all of these shape confidence and a sense of belonging. This question assesses whether your school offers a sufficient variety of activities and makes them accessible to everyone.
10. If you could change one thing about your school, what would it be?
You might be surprised by what students say here. It could be cafeteria food. Or hallway noise. Or a request for more hands-on science labs. This is where real, honest, sometimes unexpected feedback surfaces. Treat it like gold.
Top 10 School Survey Questions for Teachers
These school survey questions for teachers reveal insights about classroom challenges, resource gaps, and overall staff morale. Use them in 2025 to support teacher growth, retention, and instructional quality.
1. How long have you worked at this school?
It’s a basic question, sure—but also pretty telling. If most of your teachers have been around for a year or less, that could be a red flag. High turnover usually means something’s off; perhaps the workload is too heavy, there’s not enough support, or maybe teachers just don’t feel heard.
2. Do you feel supported in your professional growth here?
This one really matters. Teachers are constantly evolving (or at least they want to be). Whether it’s learning new tech tools, trying out new classroom strategies, or attending workshops, growth needs to be part of the job. If teachers feel like they’re stuck or that their development isn’t a priority, motivation can drop fast.
3. Are you encouraged to try out your own teaching ideas?
No one likes being micromanaged, especially not in a classroom. This question helps you determine if teachers feel trusted to experiment, be creative, and take ownership of their teaching approach. When educators are free to bring their ideas to the table, it usually leads to more energy and innovation in the classroom.
4. Do you have access to the resources you need to teach effectively?
Access to teaching tools such as updated textbooks, classroom technology, or lesson materials directly affects the quality of instruction.
5. How would you rate communication between staff and administration?
Effective communication fosters transparency and trust. This question reveals if information is flowing clearly and efficiently between teachers and school leaders.
6. Are students generally respectful and engaged in the classroom?
Teachers’ perceptions of student behavior can shed light on classroom climate, the effectiveness of discipline policies, and engagement strategies.
7. Do you feel involved in decisions that affect your work or the school?
Involving teachers in decision-making builds ownership and alignment. This question measures how much influence teachers have over school direction and policy.
8. Are school policies and procedures clearly communicated and followed?
When expectations are unclear or inconsistently applied, it creates friction. This helps assess how well policies are defined, explained, and enforced.
9. Do you have enough time for planning and instructional preparation?
Prep time is essential for delivering high-quality instruction. This question helps identify whether teachers are stretched too thin or supported with enough flexibility.
10. What changes would most improve your teaching experience?
Open-ended feedback enables teachers to share specific concerns or ideas that structured questions may not reveal, leading to targeted improvements.
Related read: Teacher Survey for Students: The Key to Better Teaching

10 Essential School Survey Questions for Parents
These questions are designed to evaluate parent satisfaction, involvement, and perceptions of school performance, helping schools build stronger family engagement and support systems. Harvard Family Research Project shows that parental involvement increases student achievement across all grade levels.
1. Are you satisfied with your child’s academic progress at school?
This question helps assess how well the school is meeting academic expectations. Encouraging parents to explain their answers provides context for areas of strength and those that need improvement.
2. On a scale of 1 to 10, how involved do you feel in your child’s education?
Parental involvement is directly linked to student success. This question identifies engagement gaps and can guide parent outreach strategies.
3. Do you feel equipped to support your child’s learning after school?
This helps gauge whether parents feel confident providing academic support at home. If many don’t, schools may consider offering after-school programs or parent workshops.
4. How would you rate your child’s overall academic performance?
Asking parents to self-assess their child’s academic journey offers valuable perspective and can highlight disconnects between home and classroom observations.
5. How well does the school meet your child’s individual learning needs?
This question evaluates how inclusive and adaptive the school’s teaching strategies are, especially important for students with unique learning styles or challenges.
6. On a scale of 1 to 5, does your child receive too much academic work after school?
Excessive homework can lead to burnout. This question helps assess whether the school maintains a healthy balance between academic work and personal life.
7. Are you concerned about the balance between academics and extracurricular activities?
Parents often look for a well-rounded education. If too much emphasis is placed on academics, it could impact student motivation and long-term retention.
8. Do you regularly help your child with homework or school projects?
This reveals how much learning support students receive at home and whether schools need to offer additional resources for students who lack help.
9. Does the school provide regular opportunities to discuss your child’s progress?
Parent-teacher communication is essential. This question helps schools evaluate whether they’re offering enough touchpoints through meetings, portals, or reports.
10. Would you like the school to offer more out-of-school learning opportunities?
Involving parents in future planning makes them feel heard. This question can inform the development of enrichment programs or weekend learning activities.
Create a School Survey with TheySaid
Ready to put these questions into action?
With TheySaid, you can build and launch a school survey in minutes, not hours. Whether you're gathering feedback from students about school safety, checking in with teachers on workloads, or asking parents about academic support at home, TheySaid makes the entire process fast, flexible, and insightful.
Here’s how it works:
- Log in to TheySaid using your school or personal email.
- Pick a template or start from scratch with your own questions.
- Use AI suggestions to auto-generate thoughtful, bias-free survey questions.
- Customize logic & flows—use skip logic to make surveys feel conversational and smart.
- Send it out via email, QR code, or a direct link to students, parents, or staff.
- Get real-time insights—no more waiting weeks to analyze spreadsheets.
Try TheySaid for free and start turning real feedback into real impact.
Key Takeaways
- School surveys uncover what test scores can’t—like how safe, supported, and engaged students truly feel in their environment.
- Teachers’ voices matter. Surveys reveal gaps in resources, leadership support, and morale, key areas for improving retention and performance.
- Parent feedback helps schools build stronger relationships, address concerns early, and improve communication around academics and policies.
- Regular school surveys—not just one-offs—create a feedback loop that drives meaningful, data-informed improvements across the school.
- With tools like TheySaid, schools can easily create thoughtful, bias-free surveys that adapt to different audiences and deliver real-time insights.
FAQs
How often should schools conduct surveys?
Schools should conduct surveys at least once per term or quarterly to track changes, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions in real time.
Why should parents be involved in school surveys?
Parents offer valuable insights into how school policies affect students at home, helping schools improve communication, homework strategies, and overall support.
What is the NYC School Survey and why is it important?
The NYC School Survey is an annual feedback initiative by the New York City Department of Education that gathers insights from students, parents, and teachers. It helps assess key areas like school safety, academic expectations, teacher support, and family engagement. The data collected informs school improvement plans and ensures voices from the entire school community are heard.