HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-05-01-2020-rpt (Final Report of the Center for Social Research)(Subcommittee on Asian Communities) May 1, 2016
Report by the Center for Social Research
Research conducted on behalf of the Subcommittee on Asian Communities
20/20 Committee
Town of Lexington, Massachusetts
The Subcommittee on Asian Communities of the 20/20 Committee in the Town of Lexington,
Massachusetts was charged with following up on recommendations presented in a prior report.'The
prior report discussed civic participation rates of residents of Asian ancestry in the Town and suggested
ways of improving those rates through a series of'push' and 'pull' activities. The current subcommittee
(SAC)was designed to elicit information from other communities around the country with large
percentages of Asian ancestry residents about how they are responding to growth in this population.
Background Information:
As noted in prior reports from the 20/20 Committee, Lexington is in the midst of a dramatic change in
ethnic composition. "In 1990,just over 6%of residents were of Asian origin, in 2000 the percentage had
risen to 11%, and by the end of 2009 it may have been as high as 20%.This percentage is substantially
higher than that of any other neighboring community." 2 Despite this,there is still an
underrepresentation of Asian residents in Lexington's Town departments, and on boards and
committees: "in 2013,for example, only 3%of Lexington residents serving on the Town's boards and
committees were of Asian ancestry. However,for membership on PTA boards,the participation rate is
substantially higher at over 13%.i3
"According to the 2010 U.S. Census, Lexington ranked fourth highest, among towns and cities in
Massachusetts, in percentage of residents of Asian ancestry(19.9%). Only Quincy at 24.0%, Lowell at
20.2%and Malden at 20.1% had higher percentages of Asian residents. The Lexington Public Schools
ranked second in the Commonwealth in the percentage of students of Asian ancestry with 30.9% in the
2012-13 school year. Quincy Public Schools ranked first at 34.2%.i4
Asian residents make up over 50%of the residents of Vinebrook and Greeley Villages (low income,
elderly and handicapped housing);twenty years ago there were no residents of Asian descent in these
housing complexes. 2000 Census data on English proficiency indicated that roughly 300 Asian-American
residents did not speak English or spoke it poorly and about 5% of Lexington students had limited
proficiency in English. 5
' Report of the Subcommittee on Demographic Change, 2013
2 Report of the Demographic Change Task Force, March 2010, page 1.
3 Report of the Subcommittee on Demographic Change, December 2013, page 7.
4 Report of the Subcommittee on Demographic Change, December 2013, page 6.
5 Report of the Demographic Change Task Force, March 2010, page 1.
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Noting "significant changes in the composition of Lexington's population over the last 15-20 yearsi6 and
the need for government and schools to take this into account,the Lexington 20/20 Vision Committee
established the Demographic Change Task Force (DCTF).The 20/20 Vision Committee announced the
committee's formation in 2008, issuing the following statement:
"Identifying the nature of demographic change is essential for local government to meet
the needs of the community now and in the future. Different ways of thinking and
communicating result from changes and increased diversity over time. Understanding and
responding appropriately to these changes can promote a sense of community and
strengthen the democratic process.The data analysis and recommendations provided by
the Task Force will inform long-range community decisions and actions for the Board of
Selectmen and other Town officials."'
Town Manager Carl Valente defined three goals for the Task Force:
1. Identify the most important demographic changes currently taking place in Lexington and identify the
changes that are likely to occur by 2020.
2. Explore how these changes will affect town services.
3. Understand how to maintain and create a sense of community despite these demographic changes.8
In March 2010, the Demographic Change Task Force released its report.The report recommended
several steps to develop a better understanding of the growth of the Asian population as well as the
formation of"a task force to identify and implement effective ways to accelerate and broaden
participation of Town's Asian-American population in its government, boards, associations, and
committees.i9 "Apart from a request by Lexington's Town Manager, Carl Valente,that Town
Department Managers (e.g. Chief of Police, Cary Memorial Library Director) identify steps to be taken by
their organizations in response to the report, no other action was taken until late 2011.At that time,the
20/20 Vision Committee decided to charge a new group,the Subcommittee on Demographic Change,to
follow up on several of the Task Force's recommendations. By February 2012,the charge was complete,
and recruitment of members was initiated."10
The Subcommittee was given the following charge by the 20/20 Vision Committee11:
1. Assess the steps taken by Town Departments to ensure that services, including emergency services,
are effectively delivered to Town residents who do not speak English or speak it poorly.
6 Report of the Demographic Change Task Force, March 2010, page 3.
Report of the Demographic Change Task Force, March 2010, page 3.
8 Report of the Demographic Change Task Force, March 2010, page 3.
9 Report of the Demographic Change Task Force, March 2010, page 21.
io Report of the Subcommittee on Demographic Change, December 2013, page 9.
11 Report of the Subcommittee on Demographic Change, December 2013, pages 9-10.
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2. Investigate the factors that attract Asian-Americans to Lexington; estimate the proportion of Asian
Americans who move to Lexington with the intention of living here indefinitely and those who are
temporary residents.
3. Identify any barriers that currently limit the participation of Town's Asian-American population in its
government, boards, associations, and committees; propose and facilitate steps to making them
welcome on these bodies and comfortable in participating on them.
4. Develop ideas regarding activities or events that will increase the community's inclusion of Asian-
Americans residing here.
5. Assess steps taken by Massachusetts communities that have experienced significant demographic
changes in recent years. Determine what worked and what did not, and what could be applied in
Lexington.
The Subcommittee conducted structured interviews of Asian residents who have served as members of
the Town's elected bodies and committees as well as of Asian members of PTA boards to identify
barriers, real or perceived,to civic participation. Findings based on these interviews identified three
important factors that contribute to limited civic participation 12:
1. Demographics of the Asian residents:There are many young,working parents,some of whose free
time is taken up with their children's cultural activities, leaving little time for civic affairs;there are
relatively few older residents who might have time for participation in Town affairs; and there are those
residents in the middle years who are busy working.
2. Culture:There is a lack of comfort with speaking up and being in the spotlight as well as a limited
tradition of volunteering in civic affairs.
3. Lack of awareness:There is limited awareness that much of the work of running the Town is
performed by volunteers;there is a lack of information on the work of committees and on the skills
being sought by the committees. Some of those who served on PTA and PTO boards also cited limited
command of English and a perception of not being welcomed by non-Asians.
The SAC was created as part of the ongoing effort to address issues of civic participation among
residents in Lexington of Asian ancestry and advance understanding of ways in which these residents
can be further incorporated into the life of the larger community.
The Role and Responsibilities of the Center for Social Research:
The Town of Lexington, Massachusetts provided a grant to the Center for Social Research at
Framingham State College to assist the Subcommittee on Asian Communities of the Lexington 20/20
Vision Committee in its discovery of steps that can be taken to increase inclusion of Asian residents in
Town activities and functioning.
12 Report of the Subcommittee on Demographic Change, December 2013, pages 32-34.
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The role of the Center for Social Research was to supplement work done by SAC in its study of Asian
communities in other parts of the country. Prior to commencement of the Center's work, SAC had
selected communities and subjects (community leaders)for inclusion in the study. SAC was also
responsible for initiating contact with identified participants and for providing links to the online
questionnaires developed by the Center. Based on the results of the questionnaires, it was the
responsibility of SAC to conduct follow-up interviews with participants who indicated a willingness to
talk further about the issues raised in the questionnaires.
The Center for Social Research was tasked with several activities:
• To create a data collection instrument to be used with key players(i.e., leaders) in the
communities in California and New Jersey recognized by the SAC as having substantial
percentages of Asian ancestry residents. [This turned out to be not one questionnaire but 6
different data collection instruments, one for each of the different types of community leaders
identified by SAC. These included: heads of school boards, PTA/PTO leaders, superintendents of
schools, mayors or councilors, community managers, and leaders of Asian communities.]
• To pre-test the instrument(s)with equivalent leaders in Lexington before using the
questionnaires with respondents in the identified communities.
• To write an informed consent document for use with the questionnaires.
• To prepare the instruments for use in an electronic format. [The Director and her affiliates
(interns) at the Center for Social Research used SurveyMonkey to create the online
questionnaires for data collection.]
• To collect the data and prepare it for analysis using a software package,SPSS(Statistical
Package for the Social Sciences). [Six datafiles were prepared by the Center for Social Research
in anticipation of downloading data from the completed questionnaires and conducting analysis.
As it turned out, responses were too few in number to warrant taking this additional step,and
analysis was able to be conducted without use of SPSS.]
• To analyze the data in terms of frequency distributions of responses. [Annotated questionnaires
(1 for each data collection instrument/type of community leader) were prepared, in addition to
a summary of responses and key issues noted by each of the 6 types of leaders.The Center also
identified themes of responses, actions taken in the communities, and suggested activities to
increase participation levels. Finally,the Center offered questions to be asked or lines of inquiry
to pursue during the follow-up interviews with respondents.]
• To present a final report.
To conduct the research as described above,the Director of the Center for Social Research, Dr. Marian
Cohen, interviewed advanced level students in Psychology and Sociology for employment as interns with
the Center for this project. She ultimately engaged four(4) undergraduate students in the Sociology
Department at Framingham State University.All students had already completed several courses in
Research Methods and,therefore, had experience in social science research.Their work was guided and
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supervised by the Director of the Center for Social Research. In addition to gaining valuable research
experience and financial compensation for their work,three of the four interns received Internship
course credit.
Work undertaken by the Center for Social Research:
Prior to commencement of the Center's participation in the SAC project, members of SAC had devised
questions and identified areas of interest for inclusion in a questionnaire to be administered to willing
respondents in the identified communities.The items suggested for the questionnaire covered topics
such as how well Asians are represented in civic organizations, engagement with the schools and school
boards,and specific measures taken to include those of Asian ancestry in the community.
The ideas contained in this draft by the SAC were then revised by the Center for Social Research to
create a questionnaire. As it turned out, instead of one questionnaire that would be administered to all
respondents, six(6) different questionnaires were developed. (SAC had determined that it wanted
information from individuals in the following categories: PTA/PTO leaders, superintendents of schools,
heads of school boards, community managers, mayors/councilors, and leaders of Asian communities.)
Each of these six questionnaires contained general questions asked of all respondents as well as
questions pertinent to the relevant respondents.
In addition to constructing the six (6) questionnaires,the Center for Social Research was responsible for
writing an informed consent statement that appeared at the beginning of each questionnaire. (Please
see Appendix A.)The statement included the following information:
• that the respondent agrees to participate in the study by SAC to learn about steps undertaken in
the respondent's community to increase civic participation of residents of Asian ancestry
• that there will be questions about the respondent's knowledge and experiences
• that there will a time commitment of approximately 15 minutes to complete the questionnaire
• that information provided will be used by SAC to develop local (Lexington) strategies
• that participation is voluntary and that the respondent may cease participation at any time
without penalty
• that information will be kept confidential
• that data will be aggregated
• that findings will be published
The questionnaires were reviewed by members of SAC,who provided feedback to the Center. The
feedback included minor suggested changes in wording of some questions and inclusion of some
additional response options. After members of SAC reviewed and approved final versions of the
questionnaires, as created by the Center, each questionnaire was then translated into an electronic
format through SurveyMonkey.This made it possible to send the questionnaires to the correct persons
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via a link provided in a cover letter. It also made it possible to receive the responses quickly, in an easy-
to-use questionnaire format.
In a subsequent stage in the research process, key members of each category of respondents in
Lexington then pre-tested the questionnaires. After the key members in each category in Lexington
completed the pre-tests,the questionnaires were sent out to the appropriate persons in the different
communities in California and New Jersey.
The Center Director and her interns used the software program,SPSS(Statistical Package for the Social
Sciences),to create a datafile for each questionnaire in anticipation of the responses that would be
received. Unfortunately,there was such a low response rate from the targeted respondents in
communities in California and New Jersey that the created datafiles could not be used. Instead,
members of the Center for Social Research examined each respondent's questionnaire and identified
themes in responses as well as problems and solutions that were offered and compiled a complete
summary of responses. Annotated questionnaires were also created (please see Appendix B).
In addition to the annotated questionnaires, members of the Center for Social Research provided the
following:
• summaries of findings by category of respondent(please see Appendix C);
• a list of themes that were identified in the responses from all respondents (please see Appendix
D);
• a list of activities undertaken by other communities (please see Appendix E);
• a list of suggestions to increase civic participation by residents of Asian ancestry(please see
Appendix F);
• a list of suggested follow-up questions(please see Appendix G)that were believed to be helpful
for the SAC use to obtain more information on responses provided on the questionnaires.
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Appendix A
Informed consent statement
By completing this survey, I signal my consent to participate in the study being conducted by the
Subcommittee on Asian Communities of the 20/20 Committee in Lexington Massachusetts. I understand
that the Committee's purpose in conducting this survey is to learn about steps undertaken in my
community to increase civic participation by residents of Asian ancestry.
As part of my participation in this research, I understand that I will be asked to respond to questions
about my knowledge and experiences with inclusion of residents of Asian ancestry. My time
commitment is approximately 15 minutes. I understand that my responses to questions in this survey
will help the Subcommittee on Asian Communities in Lexington develop strategies to improve and
enhance inclusion of residents of Asian ancestry in their community.
I understand that my participation in this research is completely voluntary and that I may withdraw at
any time without penalty. I understand that I may decline to answer any questions that cause me
discomfort(although it is not anticipated that the questions in this survey will do so).
Information I provide to researchers will be kept confidential. My responses will be combined with those
of others in similar positions in other communities. Data will be aggregated.
The findings from this study will be reported in publications and/or presentations. I understand that my
name or identity will not be used in said reports or presentations unless I am first specifically asked by
the Subcommittee for permission to do so.
I have read and understand this information and agree to participate in this study.
If I have questions or concerns about this research, I may contact Dan Krupka, Chair of the
Subcommittee on Asian Communities at dankrupka@gmail.com.
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Appendix B
Annotated Questionnaires
Community Managers:
Total number of respondents = 5
1. Excluding school systems employees, what would you estimate is the percentage of
community employees of Asian ancestry?
1 Less than 5 percent
1 Between 5 and 10 percent
0 Between 11 and 20 percent
2 More than 20 percent
2. With regard to the workforce's ethnic background/balance in your community, do you as
manager, feel the workforce:
3 Has an underrepresentation of employees of Asian ancestry
1 Has the right balance of ethnicities represented
0 Has an overrepresentation of employees of Asian ancestry
3. Does your community take specific measures to recruit employees of Asian ancestry?
2 Yes
2 No
3a. Which of the following measures were taken? (Please check all that apply.)
1 Direct outreach to local Asian organizations
1 Advertising in Asian publications
0 Advertising on websites known to be popular with the local Asian population
1 Direct recruiting in high schools
1 Direct recruiting in colleges and universities
2 Other(please specify)
RESPONSES:
• culling through job applications with an eye toward diversifying out workforce ;
• this is done more for police hiring
3b. For the above checked measures, please rank order which are the most successful in recruiting
residents of Asian ancestry. Use 1 to indicate the least effective measure through 6 to indicate the
most effective measure:
0 Direct outreach to local Asian organizations
0 Advertising in Asian publications
1 Advertising on websites known to be popular with the local Asian population
1 Direct recruiting in high schools
1 Direct recruiting in colleges and universities
0 Other
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4. Does your community take specific measures to recruit employees of non-Caucasian ancestry
other than Asian?
1 Yes
3 No
Questions about community as a whole:
1. How would you assess the overall participation of residents of Asian ancestry of all ages in
your community in social activities, organized sports, cultural activities, PTA/PTO
activities, neighborhood activities, businesses and business-related organizations?
0 Residents of Asian ancestry participate at a rate much higher than their percentage of the
town's population
3 Residents of Asian ancestry participate at a rate higher than their percentage of the
town's population
1 Residents of Asian ancestry participate at a rate lower than their percentage of the town's
population
0 Residents of Asian ancestry participate at a rate much lower than their percentage of the
town's population
2. How would you assess the rate of change in the participation of residents of Asian ancestry over
the past 5 years?
3 Increasing
1 About the same
0 Decreasing
0 Don't know
3. Based on your experiences, what advice would you offer to the civic leaders of Lexington, MA
regarding pathways to increasing participation of Asian residents in town/city/township elected
positions?
• We would encourage City employees to engage with Asian community groups,such as our
Chinese Club of San Marino. It has also been helpful for us to participate in Asian community
activities such as Chinese New Year
• In our town the more "americanized"the Asian resident is the better chance we found that they
are electable and accepted by the voters. A relatively large percentage can't/don't vote.
Network with the leaders of the Asian community, meet their highly qualified members and try
to fold them into the township's political scene.
• Both parties should do this, although in our town they tend to trend Democrat
• Continued and sustained outreach via social media and traditional means.
4. Based on your experiences, what advice would you offer to the civic leaders of Lexington, MA
regarding pathways to increasing participation of Asian residents in appointed commissions,
boards and committees?
• In our community the first issue has been encouraging/persuading Asian residents to express
interest or desire to be involved in these civic activities. A big turning point was probably when
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we had our first Asian elected to City Council.This opened a door. We now have very good Asian
representation on our Commissions and Boards
• Identify and reach out to leaders in the Asian community. Identify areas of interest of prominent
members of that community and recruit them for various boards and commissions.
• Historically they have been reluctant to get involved but as we have been able to involve some,
over time participation levels have improved markedly;township and wed site and FB, regular
articles in local paper, call it"Community Center"
Demographic information about respondent:
1. What is your ethnic origin?
4 White
0 African-American
0 Asian
0 Hispanic
0 Other(please specify)
2. Were you born in the U.S.A.?
4 Yes
0 No
3. Are you a resident of the municipality in which you are the manager?
1 Yes
3 No
4. Before becoming manager, did you participate in civic activities in the community in which you
are now a manager?
1 Yes
3 No
4a. Please describe the activities in which you were engaged.
• youth softball and basketball coach,
• open space commission member,
• recreation board chairman,
• political party chairman,
• conflict counsel for the Town,
• historic preservation commission attorney,
• 2 children in school system
5. In what year did you assume your current position?
Between 2011 and 2015
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6. Are you a member of an ethnic community organization in the municipality of which you are a
manager?
2 Yes
3 No
6a. What is the name of the organization?
RESPONSE: all events regarding minority outreach
7. What is your age?
0 Under 40
440-65
0 Over 65
8. Is there any information we haven't asked about, relative to this topic, that you would like to add?
• The question about, "Are you a member of a civic organization in your community." I am a
member of San Marino Rotary,which is a very old organization and very diverse. We have good
Asian representation there. However,while I have participated with a number of Chinese Club
activities,the Chinese Club has no Caucasians on its Board of Directors. In fact last year was the
first year it had an American born Asian as its President. I have spoken with Chinese Club Board
Members about this and I wonder if it would further enhance Asian integration if we had non-
Asian's on their Board.
• 1 would just note that the "old-timers" in town were very slow to embrace the rapid influx of
Asian Indians in the Township
• Try to get an Asian elected as a Committee member.
Heads of School Boards:
Total number of respondents = 5
1. Does the school board encourage a policy of enhancing curricula to reflect the large percentage
of students of Asian origin?
1 Yes
4 No
1a. If"Yes," in a few words, please describe the policy.
• I'm not sure what this question is asking. Other than offering Mandarin as a world language, I'm
not sure what enhancing curricula would entail;
• Diversity fairs and events are now fairly common and encouraged by the District. Mandarin is
now offered as a language option.
1b. What resistance, if any, have you encountered in implementing the policy?
• 2 responses of no opposition;
• Implementing any policy specific to a certain ethic population has not been considered or
needed. Serving under represented groups is another story.
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2. Does your school district observe any Asian holidays?
3 Yes
2 No
2a. If you observe Asian holidays, how do you observe each of the following:
RESPONSES:
• 1 For Dwali:All students have day off
• 1 for Lunar New Year: Holidays are not listed or observed
• Other:
o Both Diwali and Lunar New Year are listed as professional development days.
Students have off, but staff must report for PD;
o There are events at some of our schools that recognize the day.
o No time off.
3. Have you recently made any changes in policy regarding observance of Asian holidays?
1 Yes
4 No
3a. If changes in the policy regarding observance of Asian holidays have recently been made, did you
encounter any problems with implementation?
0 Yes
1 No
4. Does your school board have anexplicit policy of encouraging participation in the schools by
parents of students of Asian ancestry?
1 Yes
4 No
4a. If answered "Yes," please describe some of the steps you have explicitly undertaken to encourage
participation.
RESPONSE: We have a number of Asian Parents Association Groups throughout the district and
they are very well attended.
5. Does your school board do anything informally to encourage participation by parents of students
of Asian ancestry in the schools?
3 Yes
2 No
5a. If you answered "Yes," please describe some steps you undertake informally to encourage
participation.
RESPONSES:
• The District has a tradition of heavy parent involvement and this naturally was expected of the
new Asian families. PTA events and parent fundraising group outreach is common. We have
many Asian parents that come to our Board meetings to speak out on issues.
• We have invite parents to the district for coffee and also we invite them to come and see some
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of the classes that are being taught throughout the district.
• outreach and offering translation
6. While a member of the school board, have you encouraged a resident of Asian ancestry to run
for the school board?
3 Yes
2 No
7. Is there a recommended progression of steps that a resident of Asian ancestry might take to
achieve membership on the school board?
1 Yes
4 No
7a. If'Yes', what would recommended steps be?
RESPONSES:
• Getting involved at their local schools.
• Getting active on District committees.
• Getting involved with the District Education Foundation.
8. Does the progression of steps for someone to become a member of the school board differ in
any way for residents of Asian vs. non-Asian ancestry?
0 Yes
5 No
Questions about community as a whole:
1. How would you assess the overall PARTICIPATION of residents of Asian ancestry of all ages in your
community in social activities, organized sports, cultural activities, school PTA/0 activities,
neighborhood activities, businesses, business-related organizations?
0 Residents of Asian ancestry participate at a rate much higher than their percentage of
the town's population
1 Residents of Asian ancestry participate at a rate higher than their percentage of the
town's population
4 Residents of Asian ancestry participate at a rate lower than their percentage of the
town's population
0 Residents of Asian ancestry participate at a rate much lower than their percentage of the
town's population
2. How would you assess the rate of change in the participation of residents of Asian ancestry over
the past 5 years?
3 Increasing
2 About the same
0 Decreasing
0 Don't know
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3. Based on your experiences, what advice would you offer to the civic leaders of Lexington, MA
regarding pathways to increasing participation of Asian residents in town/city/township elected
positions?
• Engage key leaders in the Asian Community; Encourage citizenship. Most recent immigrants
have a poor understanding of the roles of school boards/township governments and town
committees. (NJ school boards are mostly elected positions).
• They must be viewed as interested in the community as a whole.A focus solely on one part of
the community makes someone a one issue candidate and diminishes the chances to get
elected.
• We had very good success by setting up different parent groups and also offering different
functions as it relates to kids learning.; outreach to have Asian reperesnted on committees and
task forces
4. Based on your experiences, what advice would you offer to the civic leaders of Lexington, MA
regarding pathways to increasing participation of Asian residents in appointed commissions,
boards and committees?
• Engage key leaders in the Asian Community; Seek out those individuals that can bring value to
the organization. Encourage their participation and listen with an open mind to their new
perspectives.
• Once you create a network of parents feeling confortable coming to the schools you can engae
them in how they can benefit by being appointed to different Boards as an extension of
community envolvement.
• make personal invitations.
5. Based on your experiences, what advice would you offer to the civic leaders of Lexington, MA
regarding pathways to increasing participation of Asian residents in PTA and PTO leadership
positions?
• Engage key leaders in the Asian Community
• Our district is approx. 2/3 Asian. We already have a representative participation rate.
• Again, seek out parents and ask for their help in school activities. We have had great success in
getting Asian parents involved in the schools.The vast majority of our Asian parents come from
highly educated and affluent backgrounds and understand the importance of parent
involvement in the schools.
• We encourage parents at back-toscool nights to join our Community Clubs.This is a way
to be at the schools and help with kids learning.
• 1 am Chinese and I have served as President of a school PTA at Elementary and Middle
school,served on a PTA Council and 8 years on the CA State Board of the PTA.You just
need to ask.
Demographic information about the respondent:
1. What civic positions do you currently hold?
Position 1:
• President, School Board
• BOE President
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• School Board President
• School Board Member
• Trustee and current board president, Pleasanton Unfied School District
Position 2:
• Member Regional Occupation Program Board
• Board Member, San Ramon Valley Traffic Congestion Relief Agency
• California School Board Delegate Assembly-Regional
• CA School Board Assoc. Legisatlative Committee Member
Position 3:
• Treasurer, Museum of the San Ramon Valley
• Regional Occupational Program representative in our district
• CA School Board Assoc. Delegate Assembly Member
Position 4:
• Member,Alumni Committee, University of San Francisco
• Diversity Committee for the District
• member Economic Vitality Member, City of Pleasanton
Position 5:
• Board Rep.for the City of Diamond Bar
• Tri Valley Democratic Club Rep to the Alameda County Democratic Central Committtee
2. What is your ethnic origin?
3 White
1 African
1American Asian
0 Hispanic
2a. If you are of Asian ancestry, of which of the following groups are you a member?
1 Chinese
0 Filipino
0Indian
0 Japanese
0 Korean
0 Mixed race
0 Other(please specify)
3. Were you born in the U.S.A.?
5 Yes
0 No
4. For how many years have you lived in your current community?
Between 20 and 36 years
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5. In what year did you first participate in government or school-related activities in your
current community?
Between 1980-2013
6. Are you in your first term as a member of the school board?
No. I was first elected in 1985-2008
7. Immediately before yourfirst election to the school board did you hold another civic position in
your current community?
1 Yes
4 No
7a. What position did you hold prior to your first election to the school board? (Please check all that
apply.)
0 Chair of a civic body, appointed by the city council or city manager or equivalent
0 President of a PTA/PTO or similar body
0 Chair of a PTA/PTO or similar subcommittee of a PTA/PTO
OVolunteer on a civic body, appointed by the city council or manager or equivalent
0 Volunteer on a PTA/PTO
0 Campaign volunteer for a candidate running for office or school board in the community
0 Another elected position in the community
1 Other RESPONSE: Vice Chancellor of the multi-campus community college system in the county
8. In what year did you first participate as an elected official in your current community?
1985-2008
9. Are you a member of an ethnic community organization?
1 Yes
4 No
9a. What is the name of the ethnic community organization to which you belong?
RESPONSE: Asian Pacific Islander Democratic Caucus
10. What is your age?
0 Under 40
440-65
1 Over 65
11. Is there any information we haven't asked about relative to this topic that you would like to add?
• We pride ourselves in having very high parent involvement. That is one of the key factors that
has made us one of the highest rated school districts in California. It was that way before the
large Asian influx and naturally continued.As the District continues to grow and our high
academic performance continues to climb,we are attracting more and more Asian families to
our great schools. We have been blessed with a high participation rate amongst our new
families.
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• I don't think I can name everything in this survey.There is so much more to this district and why
we are so unique. If you would like to discuss this further I am available to speak with your
representative if you would like.
• I was born here, but my parents were not. it is not in our culture to question school officials, it is
seen as disrespectful. However, I have challenged the status quo. I grew up in Pleasanton and it
was very white until now. But I am the only minority that ever served on school board in the
history of the school district. Goes back to late 1800's/
Leaders of Asian Communities
Total number of respondents =4
1. Is integration of new immigrants into the local community important to your organization?
3 Yes
0 No
1a. Please describe the methods that have proved to be the most effective in achieving integration of
new immigrants.
• Language help
• Help finding professional services (insurance, doctors, lawyers etc.)
• In person in community events, emails, asking for involvement
• Communication Tranalte Materials
2. Is promotion of your culture to the community at large important to your organization?
3 Yes
0 No
2a. Please describe the methods that have proved to be the most effective in promoting your culture
to the community at large.
• Library Chinese culture series, major Chinese holiday celebration events(Moon Festival, Chinese
New Year, etc.)
• Celebrating festival, cultural and religious events,Worship places (temples)
3. Is preservation of your language and culture important to your organization?
3 Yes
0 No
3a. Please describe the methods that have proved to be the most effective in preserving your
language and culture.
• We have a Chinese school that teaches Chinese language and also Chinese culture
(Martial Arts, Chinese traditional music, Chinese calligraphy, etc.)
• Language classes in library, offer our language as world language in schools.
• Celebrating our holidays and cultural events allows other communities at large to be
familiar with our culture.
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May 1, 2016 Center for Social Research
4. Is encouraging your ethnic community's participation in PTAs and PTOs important to your
organization?
1 Yes
1 No
4a. Please describe the methods that have proved to be the most effective in encouraging
participation in PTAs/PTOs.
RESPONSE: Yes. Since we have large population in the town, similar proportion may in the school
students as well. Its important that PTSs and PTOs have diversity in their boards and volunteer mix.
5. Is encouraging your ethnic community to vote in local elections important to your organization?
3 Yes
0 No
5a. Please describe the methods that have proved to be the most effective in encouraging your
ethnic community to vote.
• Meet Chinese candidates,get out vote, etc.
• Email reminder to cast vote.
6. Is encouraging your ethnic community members to run for elective office in the local
community important to your organization?
3 Yes
0 No
6a. Please describe the methods that have proved to be the most effective in encouraging members
to run for elective office.
RESPONSE: Support in fundraising and get out to vote
7. Is supporting the members of your ethnic community to run for office (through such things as
canvassing or financial contributions) important to your organization?
2 Yes
0 No
7a. Please describe the methods that have proved to be the most effective in supporting members to
run for office.
RESPONSE: Give candidates chances to meet and greet other Chinese at our major events;
volunteer for campaign
S. Is encouraging your ethnic community to participate in local community activities (e.g.
celebrations, observance of U.S. national holidays) important to your organization?
1 Yes
1 No
No further information
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May 1, 2016 Center for Social Research
9. Are there other activities that your organization believes are important for integration?
1 Yes
0 No
9a. Please identify the activity/ies and describe the methods that have proved to be the most
effective for the other activity/ies.
Activity 1 Relay for Life
Activity 2 Rotary Club
Activity 3 Friends of the Library
10. What were the most important activities of your community ethnic organization 10 years ago?
(Please check all that apply.)
0 Our community ethnic organization did not exist 10 years ago.
1 Integration of new immigrants into the local community
1 Promotion of your culture to the community at large
2 Preservation of language and culture
1 Encouraging your community's participation in PTAs and PTOs
1 Encouraging your community to vote in local elections
2 Encouraging your community members to run for elected office in the community
1 Supporting(through such things as financial contributions)the members of your community
to run for office
1 Encouraging your community to participate in community activities (e.g.celebrations,
observance of U.S. national holidays)
0 Other(please specify)
11. Are there activities that your community ethnic organization plans to undertake in the future
that it has not undertaken in the past?
0 Yes
1 No
12. Does your ethnic community organization currently encourage its youth to participate in the
cultural and civic activities of your city/town/township?
2 Yes
0 No
12a. If your organization encourages participation by youth, please describe how youth are
encouraged to participate.
• For example,we participate in the annual City Birthday event, and we usually ask our youth
to help with our booth. We also involve them in planning and running for our major cultural
events,such as Moon Festival and Chinese New Year celebration.
• Youth groups with the organizations.
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13. In the past 5 years, have your youth played a role in promoting Asian community engagement?
2 Yes
0 No
13a. If youth have played a role in promoting Asian community engagement, please describe roles
played by youth.
• get out to vote, involvement in major events, etc.
• Various volunteering services
14. Over the past 5 years, what would you say are the greatest successes of your ethnic organization
with respect to increasing participation in the community by those represented by your ethnic
organization?
• Library culture series, Relay for Life, etc.
• Higher participation seen in community events.
15. Over the past 5 years, what would you say were the greatest challenges faced by your ethnic
organization with respect to increasing participation in the community by those represented by
your ethnic organization?
• get out to vote
• Difficult to get volunteers. Need to explain what exactly needed and how munch time
commitment needed from who wants help.
16. Does your ethnic community organization have any interactions with other ethnic
community organizations in your community?
1 Yes
0 No
0 Does not apply.There are no such organizations in my community.
16a. Please list the organizations with which your community ethnic organization interacts and
describe the nature of the interaction.
• Organization#1 Korean Association and Korean School
17. Thinking over the history of the Asian community in your community, was there a particular
event that stimulated your Asian community to become much more heavily involved in the life of
the community?
1 Yes
0 No
17a. Please describe the event and the action taken in response to the event by your Asian
community.
• SCA-5,a proposed bill to apply affirmative action to college admission in California public
colleges and universities.
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18. Thinking over the history of the Asian community in your city/town/township, do you believe
that there was a time when the percentage of Asian residents became large enough to stimulate
a concerted effort for the Asian community to become engaged in the civic life of your
city/town/township?
1 Yes
0 No
18a. Please estimate the percentage of Asian residents in your community at that point.
RESPONSE:About 20%
19. Do you have advice regarding effective integration into their communities that you would offer
to leaders of Asian community organizations in other communities whose Asian populations
exceed 20 percent?
1 Yes
1 No
19a. If you do have advice for effective integration of residents of Asian ancestry into their
community, please provide it here.
RESPONSE: This effort need to remain continued.
Questions about the community as a whole:
20. How would you assess the overall participation of residents of Asian ancestry of all ages in
your community in social activities, organized sports, cultural activities, PTA/PTO activities,
neighborhood activities, businesses, business-related organizations?
0 Residents of Asian ancestry participate at a rate much higher than their percentage of the
community's population.
2 Residents of Asian ancestry participate at a rate higher than their percentage of the
community's population.
1 Residents of Asian ancestry participate at a rate lower than their percentage of the
community's population.
0 Residents of Asian ancestry participate at a rate much lower than their percentage of the
community's population.
21. How would you assess the rate of change in the participation of residents of Asian ancestry over
the past five (5) years?
2 Increasing
1 About the same
0 Decreasing
0 1 don't know
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22. Based on your experiences, what advice would you offer to the civic leaders of Lexington,
MA regarding pathways to increasing participation of Asian residents in community elected
positions?
• Education board first
• Encourage participation in community organizations or committees so Asian residents feel
comfortable getting involved and interact with government. It also help them to get an
understanding of how government works in preparation of community elected position.
• Elected position is different from other community involvement in that it involves
campaigning, something which not everyone (including those who are truly capable) enjoys
going through
• Organize information sessions and invite Asian residents. Once the residents understand what
is needed and time commitment, people most likely to come forward and help.
23. Based on your experiences, what advice would you offer to the civic leaders of Lexington, MA
regarding pathways to increasing participation of Asian residents in appointed commissions,
boards and committees?
• get Asian residents more involved in education,water,transportation areas
• Non-native English speakers may not be as articulated when it comes to communicating their
thoughts.
• It is helpful to keep an open mind and understand the essence of thoughts which applicant is
trying to express.
24. Based on your experiences, what advice would you offer to the civic leaders of Lexington,
MA regarding pathways to increasing participation of Asian residents in PTA/PTO leadership
positions?
• They may not want to take the top leadership role, but usually do not object in take some role
in the leadership group, such as being a committee member
• Finding Asian residents to fill leadership position is different from simply finding volunteers.
• Language,time commitment,the willingness to stand up to the heat are some of the
challenges. As mentioned in the question, 'pathway' is important. It can start from
involvement in committees, or co-sharing leadership positions. It is also important to make
Asian residents feel that they are being heard and respected. On the other hand, involvement
has to be 'positive'.
Demographic questions about the respondent:
25. What is your ethnic origin?
0 White
0 African
American
3 Asian
0 Hispanic
0 Other(please specify)
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May 1, 2016 Center for Social Research
25a. Of which of the following groups are you a member?
2 Chinese
0 Filipino
1 Indian
OJapanese
0 Korean
0 Mixed race
0 Other(please specify)
26. Were you born in the U.S.A.?
0 Yes
3 No
26a. Please identify your country of birth.
China
Hong Kong
India
26b. For how many years have you lived in the U.S.A.?
17-26
27. What is your age?
0 Under 40
340- 65
0 Over 65
28. For how many years have you lived in your current community?
5-21
29. How long ago did you first become involved in activities of your ethnic community organization?
0 Less than 5 years ago
2 Between 5 and 10 years ago
1 More than 10 years ago
30. Do you currently hold an elected position in the government of your community or on its school
board?
1 Yes
2 No
30a. If you currently hold an elected position in government or on the school board, what position(s)
do you hold?
• Vice Mayor and Former Mayor of Saratoga.
• Possibly Mayor again next year.
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30b. In what year were you first elected to a position in the government or on the school board?
RESPONSE: 2010
30c. If you do not currently hold an elected position, did you ever hold an elected position in
the government of your city/town/township or on its school board?
1 Yes
1 No
30d. If you ever held an elected position in government or on the school board, what position(s)
did you hold?
RESPONSE: Initially a board member and something else as needed by the board.
30e. If you ever held an elected position in government or on the school board, in what year were
you first elected? Not ascertained
31. Do you currently hold anappointed position in the government of your community or on its
school board?
0 Yes
2 No
No further information provided
31c. If you do not currently hold an appointed position, did you ever hold an appointed position
in government or on the school board?
0 Yes
2 No
32. Is there any information we haven't asked about relative to this topic that you would like to add?
• 1 was the Chair of Santa Clara County Library District Joint Power Authority last year.
Currently still a Board Member. I have been Principal of a Chinese school, PTA Co-chair and of
Saratoga High School, President of Saratoga Chamber of Commerce before being elected to
City Council in 2010.
Mayors
Total number of respondents = 7
1. Currently, is there at least one member of the Council who is of Asian ancestry?
5 Yes
1 No
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2. Is this the first time there has been at least one member of the Council who is of Asian ancestry?
2 Yes
4 No
3. When was/were current sitting Council member(s) of Asian ancestry most recently elected?
1 In 2015
2 In 2014
0 In 2013
0 In 2012
3 More than 5 years ago
0 I don't know
4. What motivated this/these Council member(s) to run for office?
3 Growing desire for representation by his or her Asian community
1 Ethnic-based concerns in the town/city/township
5 Interest in community-based civic issues
1 I don't know
1 Other: Interested in serving the community
5. Did the Asian networks or community organizations play a role in the election campaign of
this candidate?
5 Yes
1 No
0 1 don't know
0 Does not apply no Asian networks or community organizations at that time)
5a. What role did Asian networks or community organizations play in the election campaign? (Please
check all that apply.)
3 Actively recruited candidate
3 Sponsored candidate forums
5 Endorsed the candidate
4 Raised funds for the campaign
3 Mobilized the Asian network or community organization to canvass for the candidate
4 Mobilized the Asian network or community organization on Election Day
2 Other:
• grass root support through private discussion groups
• Voters registration
6. Prior to the election of this candidate, did members of the Council encourage participation of
Asian residents?
5 Yes
1 No
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6a. If members of the Council did encourage civic participation, what methods of encouragement
were used? (Please check all that apply.)
2 Made public statements encouraging participation
2 Held meetings with Asian network or community organizations
4 Made appointments of Asian residents to city commissions, boards or committees
1 Other:RESPONSE:there were a myriad of things done by many in the community to encourage
civic engagement
NEW SECTION
2. Has there ever been a person of Asian ancestry on the Council?
0 Yes
0 No
11 don't know
3. Did a resident of Asian ancestry ever run for Council?
0 Yes
0 No
11 don't know
Questions about the community as a whole:
1. How would you assess the overall participation of residents of Asian ancestry of all ages in your
community in social activities, organized sports, cultural activities, school PTA/PTO activities,
neighborhood activities, businesses, business-related organizations?
1 Residents of Asian ancestry participate at a rate much higher than their percentage of the
community's population
2 Residents of Asian ancestry participate at a rate higher than their percentage of the
community's population
4 Residents of Asian ancestry participate at a rate lower than their percentage of the
community's population
0 Residents of Asian ancestry participate at a rate much lower than their percentage of the
community's population
2. How would you assess the rate of change in the participation of residents of Asian ancestry
over the past five (5) years?
6 Increasing
1 About the same
0 Decreasing
0 1 don't know
3. Based on your experiences, what advice would you offer to the civic leaders of Lexington, MA
regarding pathways to increasing participation of Asian residents in community elected positions?
• To get involved in their community,from being a coach on a sports league,to the Board of
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Education, etc. so that the community knows them.
• Begin the process with school positions. Offer private support thru small discussion groups to
learn about the candidate and allow the candidate to learn about the community
• Identify a leader within the Asian community and encourage engagement in identifying
volunteers for commissions and candidates for City Council
• Recruit and encourage potential Asian-American candidates
• Made it a personal priority to increase Asian participation in Government. Meet with leaders of
the Asian community regularly and am attending a variety of cultural events. Have many of my
Campaign team slots filled by Asian participants.
• Take initiatives to discuss the importance of getting involved in the public services.
4. Based on your experiences, what advice would you offer to the civic leaders of Lexington, MA
regarding pathways to increasing participation of Asian residents in appointedcommissions,
boards and committees?
• We have many members who volunteer on our various boards and committees, and I encourage
them to be involved based on their background and interest and the volunteers are the
foundation of our community.
• appoint more qualified Asians Base your criteria more on the person's qualifications and not on
"how many years he has lived here", as long as the applicant understands the culture of the city.
• Identify a leader within the Asian community and encourage engagement in identifying
volunteers for commissions and candidates for City Council
• Make an effort to encourage more Asian-Americans to apply and appointed the qualified one.
• Same as above.
5. Based on your experiences, what advice would you offer to the civic leaders of Lexington, MA
regarding pathways to increasing participation of Asian residents in PTA/PTO leadership
positions?
• The Board of Education is a separate entity from the municipal government and many Asian
residents do participate on the Board of Education (Councilman Suh was a past member),
PTA/PTO.
• This is the easy part. Asians focus on education. Show the parents how to participate and allow
them to join the leadership group. Use the "big brother" concept.You must "let go"to changes,
from old ideas to new, if they sound reasonable.
• Encouraging participation in PTA/PTO has not been an issue. Our Asian community is heavily
focused on education for their children and engage on their own.
• Encourage them to participate in class room helping when their children are in Kindergarten and
first grade. Gradully, encourage them to participate in PTA/PTO
• Same as above.
• Start with appointments of volunteer positions.
Demographic questions about the respondent:
1. What civic positions do you currently hold?
• Mayor
• Mayor, Planning Board Member, Library Board of Trustees
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• Mayor
• Mayor
• Mayor of city of Cupertino where Apple Computer is located.
• Mayor as well as member of 24 Boards, Commissions and Committees.
• Mayor
2. What is your ethnic origin?
4 White
0 African American
3 Asian
0 Hispanic
2a. If you are of Asian ancestry, of which of the following groups are you a member?
2 Chinese
0 Filipino
0Indian
0Japanese
0 Korean
0 Mixed race
1 Other:Taiwanese
3. Were you born in the U.S.A.?
4 Yes
3 No
3a. If you were not born in the U.S.A., what is the country of your birth?
Hong Kong, China
Taiwan, Republic of China
Taiwan
3b. For how many years have you lived in the U.S.A.?
• 57
• 1 have lived in the United States for 40 years. I used to work in Cambridge, MA back in 1978.
• 47 years
4. For how many years have you lived in your current community?
25-55 years
5. In what year did you first participate in government or school-related activities in your
current community?
1972-2000
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6. Are you in your first term as mayor or a member of the Council?
1 Yes. I was elected to become the Mayor in December 2015.
7 No. I was first elected in 1975-2010
7. Immediately before yourfirst election as mayor or to the Council did you hold another position in
your current community?
6 Yes
1 No
8. If you held another position in your current community prior to yourfirst election as mayor or
to the Council, what position(s) did you hold? (Please check all that apply.)
3 Chair of a civic body, appointed by the Council or Manager or
equivalent
1 President of a PTA/PTO or similar body
0 Chair of a PTA/PTO board or similar subcommittee of a PTA/PTO
4 Volunteer on a civic body, appointed by the Council or Manager or
equivalent
1 Volunteer on a PTA/PTO
2 Campaign volunteer for a candidate running for office or school board in
your community
2 Another elected position in the community
1 Other: Coaches to various sports leagues
10. In what year did you first participate as an elected official in your current community?
1972-2010
11. Are you a member of an ethnic community organization?
4 Yes
3 No
11a. What is the name of the ethnic community organization of which you are a member?
• Fort Lee UNICO,Saint Rocco Society
• Chinese Club
• Asian-American Parents Association,Vision New America Alliance Preserving the Truth
between Sino-Japanese War
• Chinese and Taiwanese organizations
12. What is your age?
0 Under 40
3 Between 40 and 65
4 Over 65
13. Is there any information we haven't asked about relative to this topic that you would like to add?
• yes. I was also the president of the City Club,which was a white male club originally, and
changed
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• none
• What is the composition of Asian-American in your community?What is main concern of
Asian-American in your community?
PTO/PTA Leaders
Total number of respondents = 2
1. At which of the following levels does your district have a PTA/PTO? (Please check all that apply.)
2 Elementary school
2 Middle school orjunior high school
2 High school
2. At which educational level are you the head of the PTA/PTO?
0 Elementary school
1 Middle school orjunior high school
0 High school
3. We are interested in learning about the current participation rate of parents of Asian ancestry on
the boards of your PTA/PTO relative to the percentage of residents of Asian ancestry in your
community.
0 Participation rate is much lower than the percentage in the community.
2 Participation rate is lower than the percentage in the community.
0 Participation rate is aboutthe same as than the percentage in the community.
0 Participation rate is higher than the percentage in the community.
0 Participation rate is much higher than the percentage in the community.
0 1 don't know the relative participation rate.
4. What has been the trend in this participation rate over the past five (5) years?
2 Increasing rate
0 About the same rate
0 Decreasing rate
0 1 don't know the relative rate.
5. Please check the origin of the ethnic community with the highest participation rate relative to
their percentage in the population of the community.
0 Chinese
2 Filipino
0Indian
0 Japanese
0 Korean
0 1 don't know
0 Other(please specify)
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6. Is the participation by residents of Asian ancestry on your PTA/PTO boards lower than desired by
the leadership of your PTA/PTO?
2 Yes
0 No
0 I don't know
6a. Please identify the barriers that are standing in the way of higher participation. (Please check all
that apply.)
0 Parents too busy working
1 Lack of comfort with using English in an informal setting
2 Lack of familiarity with the work performed by the PTA/PTO
0 Lack of encouragement by PTA/PTO leaders
0 Other(please specify)
7. Over the past five (5) years, has your PTA/PTO taken any concrete steps to increase the
participation of parents of Asian ancestry on the boards of your PTA/PTO?
2 Yes
0 No
0 1 don't know
7a. Please indicate the steps you have taken.
• Aligned with our school district, we train our PTA Council (board oversees the unit boards at all
33 PTA units in our district where every school has a PTA) leaders in culturally responsive
practices. We have a dedicated Inclusion and Diversity council committee made up of I&D reps
from each school.They discuss trends, issues, needs, and priorities and bring in speakers and
share resources, as well as hold cultural events. Our nominating committee also tracks the
representation on our Council board to make sure our diversity continues to grow. We have a
mentor program where past presidents mentor new presidents so that volunteer parents who
are not entrenched in PTA yet can get the individual training and support to be successful. we
also send board members and presidents to the PTA state convention so they get trained and
see the big picture of PTA across the state.
• We have a Council level PTA board (oversees all PTAs in our district- every school has a PTA)
that has an Inclusion and Diversity Committee with a rep from each school.They discuss issues
of equity, cultural relevance, all types of diversity(not just ethnic diversity). Many of our schools
host an annual multicultural or diversity celebration. As an Asian myself,and president of our
Council PTA board, I keep the discussion about developing diverse leaders at the forefront.
8. Over the past 5 years, have there been any changes in the activities of your PTA/PTO that can be
attributed to the participation of parents of Asian ancestry?
2 Yes
0 No
0 1 don't know
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8a. Please describe the changes.
• Five years ago, a few school PTAs or unit PTAs held cultural events.Today, almost all our
schools host cultural events for families and students. As partners, our school district invites
me as the PTA Council President to appoint parents to exploratory and advisory committees- I
appoint those parents with diversity in mind,to represent the wide spectrum of priorities and
values.
Questions about the community as a whole:
1. How would you assess the overall participation of residents of Asian ancestry of all ages in your
community in social activities, organized sports, cultural activities, PTA/PTO activities,
neighborhood activities, businesses, business-related organizations?
0 Residents of Asian ancestry participate at a rate much higher than their percentage of the
community's population.
1 Residents of Asian ancestry participate at a rate higher than their percentage of the
community's population.
0 Residents of Asian ancestry participate at a rate lower than their percentage of the
community's population.
0 Residents of Asian ancestry participate at a rate much lower than their compared to their
percentage of the community's population.
2. How would you assess the rate of change in the participation of residents of Asian ancestry over
the past five (5) years?
1 Increasing
0 About the same
0 Decreasing
0 1 don't know
3. Based on your experiences, what advice would you offer to the civic leaders of Lexington, MA
regarding pathways to increasing participation of Asian residents in community elected positions?
• In our community,the PTA is strong organization that introduces all its 'elected' board
members to the processes of governance. In the last 7 years,4 of our PTA Council presidents
have gone on to elected positions-one a Council Supervisor,one a state assembly member,
two as Board of Education trustees. As PTA becomes more diverse, it serves as a pathway for
more Asians to access community elected positions
4. Based on your experiences, what advice would you offer to the civic leaders of Lexington, MA
regarding pathways to increasing participation of Asian residents in appointed commissions,
boards and committees?
• Again, because our PTA Council is so well organized and managed,we are frequently invited to
appoint representation to community boards, commissions, and district and city committees
and encouraged to serve in various community roles. If your PTA Council is strong, it is a
partner in your community. We would happily help you establish a strong PTA Council and
system in your community. Ours is the largest in Northern California with more than 20,000
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members, logging over 400,000 hours annually of volunteer hours in service to our
community.
5. Based on your experiences, what advice would you offer to the civic leaders of Lexington, MA
regarding pathways to increasing participation of Asian residents in PTA/PTO leadership
positions?
• Build it properly from the ground up. PTA is a national organization with a rich history of
advocacy and education. The parent organization you allow will make a difference. In our
school district, all of our schools are PTA schools and it allows us to organize,communicate,
and mobilize effectively. PTA offers a lot of training and believes in providing our leaders with
skills they can carry into paid positions, elected positions, etc. The focus on advocacy,
community betterment, instead of fundraising, makes an enormous difference.
Demographic questions about the respondent:
1. What is your ethnic origin?
0 White
0 African American
0 Asian
0 Hispanic
1 Other: Not ascertained
2. Were you born in the U.S.A.?
0 Yes
1 No
2a. Please identify your country of birth.
Philippines
2b. For how many years have you lived in the U.S.A.?
48
3. For how many years have you lived in your current community?
13
4. Are you a member of an ethnic community organization?
1 Yes
0 No
4a. What is the name of the organization?
• Filipino Women's Network
• Asian Pacific Islander Association of Public Affairs
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5. What is your age?
0 Under 40
1 Between 40 and 65
0 Over 65
6. Is there any information we haven't asked about relative to the topic of this survey that you
would like to add?
• Between the different asian communities there is sometimes discord.The caucasian
community members are not always knowledgeable about the differences. Most Chinese,
Korean,and Indian are new to this country where as other asian and pacific islander groups
tend to have been here longer so the needs and their level of acculturation differs greatly.
Superintendents
Total number of respondents =4
1. Over the past five years, have you made any district-initiated modifications to the curriculum
content in your school district in response to the large Asian student population in your
community?
2 Yes
2 No
1a. If you answered "yes," which subject areas were affected? (Please check all that apply.)
1 English
1 History
0 Science
0 Mathematics
0 Art
0 Physical Education
2 Foreign Languages
0 Other (please specify)
1b. If you checked "Foreign Languages" in 1a, please indicate which languages were affected.
• Korean Mandarin
• Chinese, Korean
2. Would you recommend any district-initiated changes to curricula in response to a large Asian
student population?
2 Yes
2 No
2a. What recommendations would you make for changes in the district-initiated changes to the
curriculum?
• initiated Korean language program
• Variety of world languages available, ensure history includes contributions of Asian Americans,
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reading materials include stories with Asian backgrounds and characters,train teachers in
Culturally Responsive Teaching Strategies
3. Over the past 5 years, the relationships between Asian and non-Asian students in your school
district have:
0 Significantly improved
2 Improved
2 Remained the same
0 Deteriorated
0 Significantly deteriorated
4. Over the past 5 years, were any steps taken to affect the relationships?
2 Yes
2 No
4a. Who initiated the step or steps?
1 Parents
1Teachers
1 Students
2 School Administration
2 Other:
• Board of Trustees
• We have climate committees
4b. Please describe the steps taken.
• staff and student level PD;
• development of the Diversity Think Tank
• schools use different strategies based on their needs as determined by Climate Committee
• all teachers trained in Culturally Responsive Teaching Strategies
4c. Would you recommend any of the steps to other school districts?
2 Yes
0 No
5. Has the school district attempted to increase the number of teachers of Asian ancestry?
4 Yes
0 No
5a. If"yes," please indicate the measures taken to increase the number. (Please check all that apply.)
1 Hosting a recruitment fair
3 Attending a recruitment fair
1 Direct contact with prospective candidates in a training program
1 Nurturing teachers of Asian ancestry currently employed in your school district
3 Ongoing dialogue with leaders of colleges and universities having teacher training programs
1 Other: Hiring process
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5b. If"yes", was your program to increase the number of teachers of Asian ancestry successful?
2 Yes
1 No
1 Not sure
5c. If"yes," was the increase welcomed by: (please check all that apply)
1 Students of Asian ancestry
2 Entire student body
0 Both the students of Asian ancestry
0 None of the above
Questions about the community as a whole:
6. How would you assess the overall PARTICIPATION of residents of Asian ancestry of all ages in your
community in social activities, organized sports, cultural activities, school PTA/0 activities,
neighborhood activities, businesses, business-related organizations?
0 Residents of Asian ancestry participate at a rate much higher their percentage of the town's
population
2 Residents of Asian ancestry participate at a rate higher to their percentage of the town's
population
1 Residents of Asian ancestry participate at a rate lower than their percentage of the town's
population
0 Residents of Asian ancestry participate at a much lower rate compared to their percentage
of the town's population
7. How would you assess the rate of change in the participation of residents of Asian ancestry over
the past 5 years?
2 Increasing
1 About the same
0 Decreasing
1 Don't know
8. Based on your experiences, what advice would you offer to the civic leaders of Lexington, MA
regarding pathways to increasing participation of Asian residents in town/city/township elected
positions?
• targeted outreach;
• training programs;
• recruitment;
• open door;
• Get out to their communities, become aware of their cultures, invite leaders to leadership
training programs
9. Based on your experiences, what advice would you offer to the civic leaders of Lexington, MA
regarding pathways to increasing participation of Asian residents in appointed commissions,
boards and committees?
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• training programs;
• recruitment;
• open door;
• same as above
10. Based on your experiences, what advice would you offer to the civic leaders of Lexington,
MA regarding pathways to increasing participation of Asian residents in PTA and PTO
leadership positions?
• personal contact by PTA leadership;
• training programs;
• recruitment;
• we have a seperate organization ;
• reach out to them,celebrate their cultures, serve their food at events, etc.
Demographic questions about the respondent:
11. What is your ethnic origin?
4 White
0 African
0 Asian
0 Hispanic
12. Were you born in the U.S.A.?
4 Yes
0 No
13. Are you a resident in the town in which you are the superintendent of schools?
2 Yes
2 No
13a. If "yes", before becoming superintendent, did you participate in civic activities in your
current community?
0 Yes
2 No
14. In what year did you assume your current position as superintendent?
2010-2015
15. Are you a member of an ethnic community?
2 Yes
2 No
15a. If"yes", what is the name of the organization?
• Diversity Think Tank;
• Korean Parents Greek Society
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16. What is your age?
0 Under 40
440- 65
0 Over 65
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Appendix C
Summaries of responses to SAC surveys, by category of respondent
Community Managers
General comments:
• Underrepresentation of Asian employees
• Average level of Asian resident participation
Solutions offered:
o Outreach efforts, including engaging with Asian communities and cultural events
o Direct hiring,with intent of diversity
o Direct outreach to Asian communities (ads in Asian publications, HS/colleges)
o Use social media
Heads of School Boards
General comments:
• Low levels of participation in schools AND in community
• Little to no adjustments have been made to policies to accommodate or address Asian
population
Solutions offered:
o Increase information to parents
o Increase parental involvement
o Outreach to immigrants
o Create events to encourage participation
o Engage directly with key leaders in Asian communities
o Encourage citizenship
o Outreach to Asians represented on committees and task forces
o Extend personal invitations from appointed commissions, boards, committees
Leaders of Asian Community Organizations
General comments:
• High level of involvement with new immigrants in the community
• High level of participation in promoting culture to the community
• Involvement with PTOs/PTAs helps involvement generally
• High level of participation and involvement with the community
o Volunteering
o Running and supporting elections of Asian ethnicity
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o Student and youth groups with the organization participation and involvement
• Hard to get volunteers—need more diversity on PTAs/PTOs
• Important to preserve language and culture
o Language classes at the library
o World language classes at schools
o Celebrating holidays and cultural events with others in the community
• Celebrating festivals, culture and religious events at places of worship helps promote the culture
to the community at large
• Language and cultural differences hinders communication
• Email reminders to vote are successful/effective methods to encourage voting among Asians in
the community
Solutions offered:
o Offer translated materials
o Involve religious celebrations and institutions
o Open language learning and translations classes and materials in public libraries and
other programs
o Celebrate culture and diversity in schools and events in the community
o Emails and social media to connect
o Organize information sessions for Asian residents to share information on what is
needed from volunteers
o Increase youth participation in the community through youth groups working with
different organizations
o All should be done with continuous effort
Mayor/City Council
General comments:
• Some representation by those of Asian ancestry on Council, but at low levels
• Level of participation is increasing
• Reason for running for office is interest in community civic issues
• Importance of Asian representation seen among Asian community
Solutions offered:
o Identify an Asian leader and encourage engagement(mobilize organizations and
candidacies)
o Increase parental involvement in schools at early grades
o Recruit members of Asian community who are interested in serving community—note
that length of time in community not a factor
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o Encourage volunteer roles as a starting point
o Small discussion groups to learn about candidates, positions
o Appoint more qualified Asians
o Meet with Asian community leaders
PTA PTO
General comments:
• High Filipino participation rate
• Increasing participation overall, but rate still lower than desired
• Lack of familiarity with work of PTA/PTO
• Lack of comfort in the use of English—precludes involvement in activities because it makes
understanding of regulations/formalities/practices difficult
• Lack of comfort in the use of English in informal settings
• Today,vs. 5 years ago, almost all schools host cultural events for families and students
Solutions offered:
o Inclusion and Diversity Committee
o Train PTA/PTO leaders in culturally responsive practices
o Annual multicultural/diversity celebration
o Hold events for parents to provide information
o Mentor and volunteer programs for language learning and translation
o Engage in ongoing dialogues
o Gain familiarity with differences between Asian ethnic groups
o Encourage participation in elections and other political activities
o Help guide Asian leaders and others in community roles
o Ensure PTA is well organized and managed—improves communication
o Focus on advocacy and community improvement, not fundraising
Superintendents
General comments:
• Increasing rate of participation
• Teachers trained in diversity
• Increase in#of teachers of Asian ancestry
• District-initiated modifications to curriculum (although there were somewhat limited
modifications relative to a large Asian student population)
• Foreign language modifications
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Solutions offered:
o Increase variety of world languages available for study
o Include contributions of Asian in studies of world history
o Include reading materials with stories of Asian backgrounds and characters
o Increase training of teachers in Culturally Responsive Teaching strategies
o Host recruitment fairs
o Have ongoing dialogues with leaders of higher education institutions where there are
teacher education programs
o Reach out to the community
o Learn more about Asian cultures
o Celebrate Asian culture (food,traditions, etc.)
o Have leadership training programs
o Have some school-specific programs tailored to the ethnic composition of students
(where appropriate and relevant)
o Have members of PTA/PTO personally reach out to Asian residents to help increase
participation in PTA/PTO leadership positions
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Appendix D
Overall Themes
o There was consistency regarding issues,themes, problems, and solutions discussed —these cut
across all categories of respondents
o Participation among residents of Asian ancestry tends to be low. It is increasing, however, in
some areas (as noted in responses from PTA/PTO leaders,superintendents, community council
leaders). Overall,there was less participation than would be anticipated (given the numbers of
Asians in the populations) or would be preferred.
o Relative participation rates were highest among parents (PTAs/PTOs).
o Language tends to be a barrier
o to greater parental participation in the schools
o to overall participation in the community
o to knowledge regarding boards and committees and organization
o Lack of knowledge of boards and committees and organizations is an impediment to
participation. Respondents felt residents of Asian ancestry too often didn't know about the
activities of the civic groups or how to participate.
o There are cultural barriers due to different expectations and civic participation patterns.
o For multiple reasons (including those listed above), it is hard to get volunteers from the Asian
communities.
o It was felt that language (English) learning is beneficial and should be encouraged.
o Parents should be involved as an important step to overall participation.
o Youth in Asian communities should be encouraged to become involved.This is an important first
step in involving other members of Asian families.
o Celebrate Asian cultures—It is important to preserve and share cultures.
o The intertwining of understanding and communication is important—those in the Asian
communities have good ideas and may want to work to contribute to/improve the community
but the barriers of language and lack of knowledge may prevent knowing where to go/with
whom to talk.
o Outreach,to leaders of Asian organizations as well as to Asian citizens, by community leaders is
essential.
o As was found in the study by the Subcommittee on Demographic Change in Lexington13
demographic composition of the population, cultural issues and lack of knowledge were
significant factors in participation rates.
o Integration (not assimilation) important for increased participation.
13 Report of the Subcommittee on Demographic Change, December 2013, pages 32-34.
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Appendix E
Activities Undertaken in Identified Communities in California and New Jersey
In the schools:
1) Increased outreach to parents through information-sharing and through
personal invitations
2) Created events to encourage participation
3) Engaged directly with Asian leaders
4) Trained PTA/PTO and teachers in culturally responsive practices
5) Learned more about the different ethnic groups
6) Increased variety of languages taught in schools
7) Adapted history curricula to include Asian contributions
8) Increased youth participation
By community management personnel/departments:
1) Used outreach efforts, including: direct hiring, cultural events
2) Used social media
3) Met with leaders of Asian communities
4) Identified specific leaders of Asian community and engage them in helping to
increase participation
5) Encouraged volunteer roles,as a start
6) Appointed more qualified Asian residents
Within Asian communities:
1) Offered translated materials
2) Provided language and culture training
3) Held information sessions regarding what is involved in volunteering and how to
do it
4) Increased youth participation
5) Provided English learning programs through the library
6) Provided translators,especially in schools
7) Used translators,especially in schools,for parents (which encouraged
attendance and understanding at parent-teacher conferences,for example)
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Appendix F
Suggestions to Increase Participation
1. Support/provide education in English.
2. Use translators, especially in schools,for parents (encourages attendance and
understanding at parent-teacher conferences,for example).
3. Communicate responsibilities associated with various roles and positions in civic groups.
Share information about how the system works, how to participate.
4. Encourage participation through multiple means, and do so repeatedly.
5. Engage youth. (This is important for youth, but might also lead to involvement by their
parents.)
6. Encourage participation by elders.
7. Engage in outreach to Asian leaders as well as to individuals within the Asian communities.
8. Work with leaders of Asian organizations to encourage them to do more.
9. Celebrate cultures (Asian and non-Asian)throughout the community:
a. Learn about the different Asian cultures and not lump them all together;
b. Emphasize the importance of learning about and from one another;
c. Educate the wider community about Asian cultures, expectations, norms, etc.
d. Educate the Asian community about cultures, expectations, norms, etc. of the wider
community.
10. Focus on integration, not assimilation.
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Appendix G
Follow-up questions/areas to pursue
1. What are the key problems or barriers to greater participation in your community? Have you
been able to address them? If so,what did you do? Were steps successful?
2. What is the main concern or interest of Asian Americans in the community? (Identify this and
build on those concerns and interests as a first step toward greater levels of participation.)
3. To what would you attribute the increasing rates of participation (where they occur)? Ask
respondents to identify specific, and most important,things that have been done in their
communities that have led to increased participation.
4. What would be the first, most important, step to take in increasing Asian American
participation?Which areas of participation (educational, civic,governmental,etc.) have
produced the greatest successes? (Try to develop a path to participation.)
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