Using Parent/Caregiver Surveys in Polaris
Polaris Parent/Caregiver Surveys streamline how families submit input and how educators receive it when developing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). The surveys capture essential information across key areas, including student strengths and interests, concerns and needs, and future goals, hopes, and dreams.
Key Features
- No Account Required: Families do not need to create an account or log into Polaris / Everway to access and complete input surveys.
- Grade Level Alignment: Three survey levels are available - Preschool, Elementary, and Secondary. The appropriate survey will populate in the draft IEP based on the student’s assigned grade level.
- Bilingual Accessibility: All surveys are available in both English and Spanish, featuring an on-screen toggle that allows families to switch between languages seamlessly.
- Quick & Flexible Completion: The survey takes approximately 10 minutes to complete in a single session. Secure survey email links remain active for 15 days.
- Automated AI Summaries: Upon completion, Polaris automatically generates an AI summary of the responses directly into the IEP draft in English.
IEP Best Practices
Parent and caregiver input is mandated for IEP development and provides critical context from home that educators cannot observe in the classroom setting.
Families do not need a login, which leads to higher family engagement and faster response turnaround.
Polaris generates an English summary for the draft IEP, while the family's original responses (whether submitted in English or Spanish) are preserved in full so case managers can review authentic input.
Educator Workflow
1. Locate the Surveys
- Navigate to your Menu > Polaris >IEP Roadmaps.
- Open the Draft IEP for the student.
- Navigate to the Present Level of Performance section and find the Parent / Caregiver Input field.
2. Send the Survey
- Inside the Parent / Caregiver Input field, select Parent Surveys.
- Send the invitation link to the guardian's email address (sent from na-support@everway.com).
- Remind guardians that the secure link requires no login and stays active for 15 days.
- Printable PDF versions of the survey in both English and Spanish can also be downloaded directly from within the draft IEP.
3. Review the AI Summary
- When the family finishes all sections and selects Save & Exit, Polaris automatically synthesizes their feedback.
- Polaris auto-generates an AI summary of the survey responses directly into the Parent / Caregiver Input text field of the draft IEP in English.
4. View Original Responses
- Open the Parent Input Survey side panel within the draft IEP.
- Review the survey status (such as sent date) and view the family's original, untranslated responses for complete context.
5. Edit and Refine
- The AI-generated summary in the draft IEP is fully customizable.
- Educators can type directly into the text box to add additional observations, or use the copy, delete, or insert statement controls to adjust the text.
Survey Directions
Provide step-by-step guidance to parents and caregivers to support their completion of the survey.