As our district and community invest in educational technology to prepare our students for their futures, we feel it is important to measure that investment and also keep abreast on how students are using technology both at and away from school. The SpeakUp survey provides us with a very thorough surveying tool, with state and national comparables that is free to use therefore accessible to all districts
—Laura Myrah, Superintendent, Arrowhead Union HS District (WI)

Via Speak Up, I finally have data that is useful and meaningful; it is an amazing service that is provided to schools.   I can't wait to compare data from last year to this year to see how we've changed, how we've grown, etc.  It is an amazing planning tool.
—Milena Streen, St. Ignatius High School (OH)

What impresses me [about Speak Up] is the attention to relevance in the national conversation and the level of local detail.
—Fran Glick, Baltimore County Public Schools (MD)

Each year the Blue Valley School District administers the Speak Up survey to students to obtain insights into how students are using technologies throughout the learning process. Responses to the surveys provide evidence on the variety, frequency and types of applications where students use technologies.
—Kristy Sailors, Blue Valley School District (KS)

One of [Speak Up’s] most helpful features was questions concerning professional development and how and what teachers wanted to learn.  Also, some of what parents are wanting from us.
—Lauren Woolley, Shelby County (AL)

When used the first time, Speak Up data provides our schools with baseline data on a wide array of topics related to curriculum and technology. It helps us assess “where we are” and provides the data needed to plot a course of action designed to build upon this base. Future surveys in subsequent years are helpful in determining our success in meeting the perceived needs of our students, teachers and other stakeholders, including parents. Speak Up provides us with a realistic picture of our community and helps us prioritize our needs when it comes to technology and curriculum planning.
—Paul Caputo, Southern Columbia Area School District (PA)

The survey provides districts with great information that can be compared between schools, to their state, and to the entire country. When Southwest Allen County Schools first began to participate, our intention was to educate our constituents by comparing our usage of technology to that of other districts across the country. We are now using it to drive improvement as our constituents are able to give us much more educated feedback. The advantage of national, longitudinal data cannot be underestimated.
—Philip G. Downs, Southwest Allen County Schools, Indiana

Project Tomorrow’s annual Speak Up survey has allowed us to infuse the voice of our entire school community into key decisions around trends in technology ubiquity, mobility, video and personalization, K-12 use/misuse of social media, and the expansion of classroom walls connecting us to the world. Annual data from the survey is analyzed and shared among stakeholders, creating awareness and conversations that have led to action. The data has helped to generate community support for bond initiatives that resulted in needed infrastructure improvements and wifi coverage throughout the district.
—James P. Lee, Paradise Valley Unified District, Arizona

East Noble School Corporation continues to find the Speak Up Survey to be a valuable tool used to measure our progress with technology use, instructional integration, and overall effectiveness. Having the ability to annually match stakeholder perception to district perception creates an invaluable reality check that leads to instructional growth and improved outcomes.
—Ann Linson, East Noble School Corporation, Indiana

Frederick County Public Schools (Virginia) has participated in Speak Up over the past 5 years. Each year, FCPS has increased participation and used the Speak Up findings to inform and guide our efforts toward professional learning opportunities for teachers. The information gained about our school division and the ability to directly compare that data to state and national trends has been invaluable as we have planned and implemented our division-wide 1 to 1 Chromebook initiative.
—David T. Sovine, Frederick County Public Schools, Virginia

Examples of how I have promoted Speak Up include website postings, letters home, discussions at Board Meetings, including presentations of Speak Up results, discussions at Admin Meetings, e-mails to staff which have included instructions on the steps needed to access and complete the survey. Staff have been awarded professional development credit for completing the survey. They print out the last page of the survey as proof of completion. Principals have created special schedules to accommodate student participation during regular school hours. Steps such as the aforementioned allow for strong student and staff participation.
—Paul Caputo, Southern Columbia Area School District (PA)

The Talladega County School System uses data acquired through the Speak Up surveys in many ways. This information continues to guide the work of district leaders, teachers, and students in our quest to maximize the integration of instructional technology to support both educator proficiency and student learning. In addition, the survey tool is an efficient and effective way for all stakeholders to have a voice in order to impact important decisions for continuing growth.
—Dr. Suzanne Lacey, Talladega County School District (AL)

The Anaheim Elementary School District uses the feedback taken from the Speak Up Survey to serve as the foundation of affirmation of our programs, planning for new innovation, and the identification of future actions based on needs. Quite simply, the survey provides authentic data from our stakeholders that informs and drives the success of our District.
As a result of our stakeholders seeing their feedback used as a driver for change, the participation rate has skyrocketed. I would encourage all districts to not only implement the Speak Up Survey but to, more importantly, listen to the stakeholders' feedback and act on what’s learned.
—Christopher Downing, Superintendent, Anaheim Elementary School District (CA)r

We have shared the [Speak Up survey] data with our leadership teams, higher education partners, school based staff, and Board of Education.  Every presentation for the past year has included our data and references to Speak Up and the national data.
—Fran Glick, Baltimore County Public Schools (MD)

We shared with all of our schools their data - we selected several questions that we wanted them to target and to be sure to address when they were working on their school technology plans for this year.
—Lauren Woolley, Shelby County (AL)

We share our data at division meetings with administrators in the division, [and share] some information at district level; after we reviewed this process this year we decided to create an actual dissemination plan for the results after this next year.
—Mark Evans, Klein Independent School District (TX)

I shared [the Speak Up data] with the Technology Team. It influences our plans to move forward with Technology-rich Learning environments with a student BYOL.
—Donna Smith, Arrowhead Union High School (WI)

Speak Up results have been analyzed and summarized and then been sent to local newspapers via press releases.  Results, including direct links to the surveys, have been posted on the school district's website and e-mailed to staff.  This information has also been presented at public Board of Education meetings. The reactions to the Speak Up results vary from year-to-year and topic to topic; however, data regarding the ever-increasing social media habits of students, including interactions with online friends, still continue to catch people by surprise.
—Paul Caputo, Southern Columbia Area School District (PA)

We were writing a new 4 year technology plan last year and we used the [Speak Up] 2012 data to support the reasons we were writing the items in the plan.
—Jorge Cavazos, Alief Independent School District (TX)

[By using our Speak Up data] we targeted specific questions and asked each school to address those needs in their school teach plans.  We pulled out specific responses on a few specific questions for our district accreditation.
—Lauren Woolley, Shelby County (AL)

Speak Up data has helped garner support for 1 to 1 initiatives, increased professional development and changes in instructional best practices and expectations.
—Rod Carnill, Frederick County Public Schools (VA)

Responses from the survey are used as evidence and documentation to support district technology initiatives. Each year, the responses are reviewed by the district’s Technology Advisory Committee and shared with district and building administrators to determine areas of focus for future planning. Additionally, the district incorporates Speak Up data into the Educational Technology Plan.
—Dr. Kristy Sailors, Blue Valley School District (KS)

Through the years I have used Speak Up data to help prepare the District’s strategic plan, to plan professional development, and to help shape a shared vision of how technology and core curriculum should be delivered. Survey results have been referenced when planning the district's budget and prioritizing technology infrastructure and instructional technology investments. Speak Up data has been used to help craft and secure competitive grants and it has led to the consideration and creation of new courses.
—Paul Caputo, Southern Columbia Area School District (PA)

The Speak Up survey is a free resource that will yield an abundance of data that is of critical importance to schools. The purchase of a similar survey would be out of reach for many schools so the availability of this survey is a godsend. The survey not only provides district-specific aggregated results, but also national comparisons. The Speak Up surveys can help provide district-wide focus to curriculum and technology needs and it can be used as the springboard to launch initiatives designed to address these needs.
—Paul Caputo, Southern Columbia Area School District (PA)

Participating in Speak Up provides individual building and district administrators with anonymous responses to a variety of topics. Themes included in the survey questions align with a majority of technology initiatives implemented by districts. The Speak Up survey allows school administrators to gauge the student’s access, use and need for additional classroom technologies and supports throughout the learning process.
—Dr. Kristy Sailors, Blue Valley School District (KS)