What We Now Know about Congregational Education in Chicago

2014-15 JData Findings

Community Foundation for Jewish EducationJune 3, 2015

Amy L. Sales, Ph.D.Center for Modern Jewish Studies

Brandeis University

Agenda

1. Overviewo JData

o Chicago data collection and usage

2. Discussion of 2014 resultso Enrollment

o Capacity utilization

o Staff

o Leadership

o Resources

o Educational program

3. Using data

Where do data come from?

Impressive response rate

Community Catchment

Participating in JData

Reform 27 24

Conservative 12 10

Other 12 9

Total 51 43

Table 1

Other = Reconstructionist, Humanistic, Traditional, independent, pluralist, unaffiliated.

465

605

752

957

1,0591,095 1,108

1,011

505

363318

189

126

170

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

K(43)

G1(42)

G2(42)

G3(43)

G4(43)

G5(43)

G6(43)

G7(43)

G8(41)

G9(39)

G10(37)

G11(30)

G12(29)

Other(6)

Enrollment by grade

Total = 8,570

n=43 schools

Enrollment by denomination

Average Size Total Number

Percent of Total

Reform (n=24) 262 6,296 73%

Conservative (n=10) 150 1,495 17%

Other (n=9) 87 779 9%

Overall (n=43) 199 8,570 99%

Table 2

Above and below the medium: Where do you stand?

Capacity Utilization

Number of schools

Percent of schools

<50% 4 11%

50-65% 8 21%

66-75% 8 21%

76-85% 7 18%

86-95% 8 21%

96%+ 3 8%

n=38 schools

Capacity Utilization

Min Max Median Average Sum

Program Capacity

25 900 223 264 10,036

Capacity Utilization

36% 99% 75% 72% --

Capacity utilization = Total enrollment / Program capacity

n=38 schools

Table 3

Average capacity utilization by denomination

Reform (n=19) 79%

Conservative (n=10) 72%

Other (n=9) 61%

Overall (n=39) 72%

What can you do?

27 schools have combined grades this year.

19 did so because of insufficient enrollment.

n=45 schools

What else can you do?

Capacity Utilization

RecruitmentRetention

Why do students leave?

Number Percent

Other (n=24) 159 33%

Moved away (n=32) 121 25%

Scheduling conflicts (n=23) 79 17%

Unknown (n=12) 70 15%

Educational needs (n=19) 34 7%

Fewer hours (n=14) 10 2%

More hours (n=10) 2 0%

Overall (n=39) 475 --

Where do they go?

(Chicago Custom Tab)Number

of studentsPercent of

students

Nothing (n=17) 130 38%

Other (n=13) 100 29%

Other part-time Jewish school (n=23)

38 11%

Unknown (n=15) 31 9%

Private tutoring (n=20) 23 7%

Jewish day school (n=16) 17 5%

Overall (n=32) 339 --

Students with special needs

43 schools have provisions for students with special needs.• 34 have inclusive classes only• 9 have both separate classes and inclusive programming.

Over 400 students with special needs are being served.• On average, they are 7% of a school population.

(Chicago Custom Tab) Responding schools

Number Yes

Percent Yes

Support services in inclusive classes 40 30 75%

Direct services outside of classroom 38 26 68%

Administration of medications 38 4 11%

Other accommodations 35 17 49%

Additional fees for services 38 2 5%

Staff

part-time paid70%

Fulltime paid19%

unpaid volunteers

11%

Total staff = 1,242

n=43

Professional development

•Professional development = 2% of educational expenses.•Schools spend an average of $155 per teacher

or $90 per teaching staff member.

(Chicago Custom Tab) Number Yes

Percent Yes

Offers in-house PD or learning sessions 34 85%

Pays for outside PD or learning 32 80%

Trains teachers in the use of technology 23 59%

Pays teachers for time spent on PD or learning 23 58%

Increases salaries to recognize additional development and learning

15 38%

Pays teachers for planning time 12 30%

Offers incentives for PD and learning 11 28%

n=39 or 40 schools depending on item.

Table 4

Top educational professional years in current position

Number Percent

1 year or less 5 13%

2-5 years 14 35%

6-9 years 7 18%

10-19 years 10 25%

20 years or more 4 10%

Total 40 101%

Total years relevant experience = 1,018

Top professional hours dedicated to school

(Chicago Custom Tab)

Devoted to the SchoolDedicated to Other Work

in the Synagogue

Number Percent Number Percent

0 hours 8 29%

1-19 hours 6 15% 13 46%

20-28 hours 11 28% 7 25%

30-35 hours 7 18%

40-45 hours 10 26%

50-60 hours 5 13%

Total 39 100% 28 100%

Table 5

Lay leadership and school budgets

-- 34 schools have governing board or volunteer committee.

-- 10 boards/committees have fiduciary responsibility for the school.

-- 32 boards/committees engage 285 volunteers.

Number of schools

Percent of schools

Synagogue board 17 43%

Synagogue executive director 5 13%

School committee, board, or finance committee

11 28%

School director 7 18%

Total 40 102%

Table 6

Educational expenses

Personnel85%

Professional development

2%

Program10%

Other7%

Total > $7.6M

n=37 schools

The gap

Average cost per student $993

Average tuition $592

The gap $401

Where does the money come from?

Collected tuition

76%

Funding from Synagogue

32%

Jewish Federation

3%

Other unrestricted

3%

Earning from endowment

2%

n=37 schools

Average tuition by grade

$501 $518$547

$783 $784 $787$823

$755

$492$466

$519

$345

$287

$0

$100

$200

$300

$400

$500

$600

$700

$800

$900

K(41)

G1(40)

G2(40)

G3(41)

G4(41)

G5(40)

G6(40)

G7(40)

G8(38)

G9(36)

G10(33)

G11(26)

G12(23)

n=41 schools

Average tuition by denomination

Conservative (n=9) $703

Reform (n=23) $596

Other (n=9) $490

Overall (n=41) $596

Table 7

Average hours per year by denomination

Conservative (n=9) 116

Other (n=8) 93

Reform (n=23) 82

Overall (n=40) 92

Table 8

Is there a strategic plan for your school?

8 schools said “yes”

30 schools said “no”

Considerations for School & Communal Planning

• Examine the data for what’s important and practical.

• Develop work plans for student recruitment and retention.

• Invest in professional development.

• Develop a cadre of lay leaders for the school.

• Create a strategic plan with goals and objectives for the school’s future educational direction.

• Learn from other schools.

• Continue to gather and use data.

Let’s talk!

Amy L. Sales sales@brandeis.edu 781-736-2066

Mary Horrocks horroma@brandeis.edu 781-736-2382

Support Center info@jdata.com 781-736-3941