Wilmington City Schools' Survey Showed Mixed Results
- Real Change Wilmington
- Jun 10
- 2 min read
On May 13th, 2025, Wilmington City Schools (WCS) hosted their seventh Strategic Planning Session meeting. Parents, teachers, and school administrators discussed the future mission and vision statement of WCS. They also analyzed the results and responses from their 'Strategic Planning Community Survey' that was sent to 3,500 students, teachers, and other residents according to Superintendent Tim Dettwiller. Of those, 619 people responded (roughly 17 percent). Dan Roberts, Education Specialist and meeting facilitator, stated, “It’s certainly reliable data that we’ve got here.”
When discussing the results, the group noted approximately 14 key takeaways, both positive and negative. The survey showed that staff strongly care about students, but the district is not staffed appropriately. Despite social media criticism, “parents feel welcome and engaged by the school.” The group noted that the “community believes they understand school financing.”
The majority of survey respondents felt that WCS does not provide adequate "remedial services" and that parents are concerned with sending their students to WCS. Respondents also felt that WCS’s reputation has declined due to negative incidents, academic performance, and lack of leadership/change.
Respondents felt that while WCS does not fairly and consistently administer discipline, the district acknowledges students for positive behavior. The group noted that communication across the board was mostly rated above an adequate level. Over 65% of respondents are proud to be a part of WCS, and despite recent school levy failures, over 80% believe WCS is a good investment.
Regarding the survey results, Tim Wiederhold, WCS school board member, stated, “I think going into this, we all kind of assumed doom and gloom… but I don't get that from this data… the majority of it shows positivity.” The group's last meeting will be held in June. Dettwiller separately mentioned the creation of a ‘Transportation Task Force’ for the 2025–2026 school year.
To learn more about WCS, visit wilmingtoncityschools.com.
