Success Story
How Rockford Public Schools Built Trust Through Listening
Chief Communications Officer Earl Dotson, Jr. shares how his district planned and executed a successful listening tour.
October 25, 2023SUCCESS STORY SUMMARY
Challenge:
With 41 schools and more than 4,000 staff, Rockford Public Schools faced growing pressures to strengthen internal trust and relationships amid rising staff burnout and an evolving education landscape. District leaders recognized that actively listening to staff was critical to improving engagement and retention.
Solution:
Superintendent Dr. Ehren Jarrett and Chief Communications Officer Earl Dotson, Jr. launched a districtwide listening tour, combining in-person visits with an online Let’s Talk form that allowed staff to share feedback anytime, even anonymously. This blended approach made it easy for every voice to be heard.
Results:
The listening tour generated hundreds of conversations and more than 230 comments through Let’s Talk, giving the district actionable insights to guide improvements. By opening new channels for honest feedback, Rockford is reinforcing trust and advancing its strategic plan to create a climate of continuous improvement.
Challenge
With 41 schools and more than 4,000 teachers and staff, Rockford Public Schools in Illinois is a large, diverse district where many voices need to be heard. As staff burnout rose across the country and more educators considered leaving the profession, the district recognized that trust and relationships were essential to engaging and retaining employees.
“Our education environment has changed drastically in recent years,” said Earl Dotson, Jr., Chief Communications Officer. “We wanted to intentionally listen to our teachers and staff as we collected feedback, addressed concerns, and identified opportunities.”
Superintendent Dr. Ehren Jarrett, who has led the district since 2013, prioritized building stronger connections across the district through direct engagement with staff.
Solution
In August 2020, Rockford Public Schools launched an internal listening tour. Dr. Jarrett and Dotson visited classrooms and held conversations with principals, teachers, and staff across every school in the district, often returning for second visits to deepen connections.
Knowing not everyone could attend meetings or might prefer to share feedback anonymously, the district also used Let’s Talk to power the listening tour. Staff could submit comments, questions, and ideas directly to the superintendent through an easy-to-access online form. Flyers and business cards with a QR code made it simple for staff to participate at any time.
“Let’s Talk made our listening tour a reality,” Dotson said. “It facilitated efficient communication and effective engagement, upholding our commitment to better collaboration and transparency.”
Results
The listening tour generated more than 232 comments and questions through Let’s Talk, alongside hundreds of in-person conversations. The district exported this feedback to identify patterns and themes, turning insights into action.
By opening up direct lines of communication, Rockford is strengthening internal trust and aligning with its strategic plan to build a climate that supports continuous improvement. The district prepared a webinar to share high-level themes from the feedback, explain how it’s shaping priorities, and continue the conversation with staff.
“As a district, internal trust and relationships are the foundation of fostering a climate that supports continuous improvement,” Dotson said. “Let’s Talk helps us deliver on that commitment.”
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