1. Kentucky School Gardens
SURVEY RESULTS

2. CO SPONSERS OF THE SCHOOL GARDENS SURVEY
Brightside JCPS Center for Environmental Education Partnership for a Green City U of L Center for Environmental Education

3. PURPOSE OF THE SURVEY
The Kentucky School Garden Network has created a collaborating relationship with Brightside and the Partnership for a Green City in order to form a database and needs assessment of schools involved and interested in gardening.
Schools will receive updates on grants, professional development opportunities and assistance in getting started and/or maintaining their outdoor classroom.

4. TOTAL NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS: 353

5. RESPONDENTS

6. RESPONDENTS

8. What type of garden do you have?

9. DO YOUR STUDENTS EAT THE PRODUCE THAT YOU GROW?
HAVE YOU HAD YOUR SOIL TESTED RECENTLY?

10. If you are a teacher and there were support for an after school gardening club would you be interested in sponsoring it?

11. Rank the items below that you need to get started and/or maintain your gardening initiatives:

12. NEEDS COMPARASION: Elementary, Middle and High Schools
The top three needs to get started or maintain gardening initiatives:
Elementary School Level: Seeds or plant material
Tools
Curriculum and/or Activity Ideas
Middle School Level: Seeds or plant material
Curriculum and/or activities ideas
High School Level: Seeds or plant material
Soil and/or compost system
Watering System

13. NEEDS COMPARASION: Schools with Gardens VS. Schools without Gardens
The top three needs to get started or maintain gardening initiatives:
School WITH Gardens: Seeds or plant materials
Summer or vacation care
Tools
Schools WITHOUT Gardens: Tools
Seeds of plant materials
Soil and/or compost system

14. WHAT TOPICS DO YOU NEED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL SCHOOL GARDEN?

15. EDUCATIONAL COMPARISON: Elementary, Middle and High Schools
The top topics schools wish to learn in order to maintain a school garden are:
Elementary School Level: Soil and gardening policies
Taking advantage of parents/volunteers
Student Involvement strategies
Use of storm water for gardens
Middle School Level: Taking advantage of parents/volunteers
Student involvement strategies
Curriculum connections
High School Level: Student involvement strategies
Soil and gardening policies
Taking advantage or parents/volunteers

16. EDUCATIONAL COMPARASION: Schools with gardens vs
EDUCATIONAL COMPARASION: Schools with gardens vs. schools without gardens
The top three topics schools wish to learn in order to maintain a school garden are:
School WITH Gardens: Taking advantage of parents/volunteers
Student involvement strategies
Soil and gardening policies
Schools WITHOUT Gardens: Soil and gardening policies
Curriculum connections

17. USE OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES

18. USE OF CURRICULAR RESOURCES

19. WHAT ARE THE ROAD BLOCKS TO A SUCCESSFUL SCHOOL GARDEN?

20. IF YOU HAVE A VEGETABLE GARDEN, WHAT VEGETABLES DO YOU GROW?

21. WHAT SUBJECT AREAS DO YOUR GARDEN ACTIVITIES SUPPORT?

22. DO YOU INTEGRATE NUTRITION AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY GOALS INTO YOUR GARDEN WORK?

23. QUESTIONS or
COMMENTS

24. The School Garden Survey was produced and conducted by the
Kentucky School Garden Network
during January and February,  2010
This analysis was done by:
Marco Muñoz, Ed.D.
Kaet Shields, M. Ed.
Evaluation Specialist
Jefferson County Public Schools
Accountability, Research, and Planning Department