Annual Survey Results
Summary of ELCA Schools and ECE Center Survey
2008-2009 ELCA Schools and ECE Centers Survey Results 
ELCA Vocation and Education collects summary statistics from ELCA schools and early childhood education (ECE) centers. These data are important for describing and sharing information about ELCA schools and ECE centers, including their diverse enrollment and evangelism opportunities. The 2008-2009 survey is the fifth survey to be conducted and this report summarizes primarily the results from respondents to the 2008-2009 survey. Comparisons to previous surveys are made in instances where differences exist. (However, because the response rate has decreased over the past five surveys, and because different schools have responded in different years, comparisons among years are not as reliable as desired.)
A total of 1,679 2008-2009 surveys were mailed and 636 completed surveys were returned for a 38 percent response rate. This compares to a 43 percent response rate from the last survey, and the highest response rate of 55 percent, which was received from the 2003-2004 survey. Respondents use either the Internet or a paper copy to complete the survey. This year, approximately 60 percent of respondents completed the survey on-line.
There are many more ELCA ECE centers than schools across the country. Consequently, the majority of responses were received from ECE centers. Response categories for the survey are provided in terms of enrollment level: in general, Birth-PreK enrollment is associated with an ECE center; grades K-12 enrollment is associated with a school. Of the 636 completed surveys, 601 were from ECE centers with Birth-PreK enrollment and 125 were from schools with K-12 enrollment. (There were 88 reporting facilities with enrollments from both levels.) Please click on the link above to view the complete 30 page report.