County Delivery System Summary
Report: Statewide Survey of
Extension Personnel
Nick Fuhrman, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Agricultural Leadership, Education, & Communication
Our Sample (738 completed surveys)
Our Sample
NE District: 148 (20.2%)
 NW District: 183 (25.0%)
 SE District: 150 (20.5%)
 SW District: 153 (20.9%)
 State-level: 98 (13.4%)

Note: On average, 129 people skipped the demographic section.
Our Sample
Quantitative Results


We should have at least one Agent in
every county, regardless of program area.
0-5 years experience
(n = 257)
6-15 years experience
(n = 254)
42% absolutely agree
39% absolutely agree
Open to another delivery model, other
than county-based delivery?
0-5 years experience
6-15 years experience
49% open, 13% did not know
51% open, 13% did not know
Quantitative Results


Agents should have opportunities in
multiple program areas.
0-5 years experience
6-15 years experience
67% agree
67% agree
For some services, paraprofessionals are a
viable alternative to a full-time Agent.
0-5 years experience
6-15 years experience
70% agree
80% agree
The Role of Paraprofessionals

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
In a county with no Agents, what
services/programs could be done by a
paraprofessional only?
4-H club meetings/in-school programs
Submitting soil, water, and plant samples to lab
Office duties (answering phones, copies, etc.)
Publicizing programs (distributing pubs.)
All “canned” programs w/ supervision
Quantitative Results


If your county Extension office had to be
closed, would you be willing to work in
another county?
0-5 years experience
6-15 years experience
62% yes, 8% no, 30% didn’t
know
61% yes, 12% no, 27% didn’t
know
Should county offices consider alternative
office hours to meet clientele needs?
0-5 years experience
6-15 years experience
49% yes, 32% no, 19% didn’t
know
52% yes, 29% no, 19% didn’t
know
Importance to County Delivery
Extension Component
Level of Importance
Producing written publications
Important (57%)
Facilitating one-on-one face-to-face education
Important (80%)
Facilitating group face-to-face education
Important (85%)
Using mass media (press, news, radio) for education
Important (55%)
Facilitating online education
Moderately Important (46%)
Designing/maintaining a website
Moderately Important (42%)
Using social media (facebook, twitter) for education
Moderately Important (33%)
4-H Agents must engage in…
ANR Agents must engage in…
FACS Agents must engage in…
Where to make cutbacks?
1.
2.
3.
Decrease number of meetings (and
travel), implement more online
Cluster/consolidate offices and
programs
Reduce printing and postal mail use
What to protect at all costs?
1.
2.
3.
Presence in every county (county offices)
4-H programming
ANR Agents and programs
Summary
Personnel open to alternative delivery models
and working in another county with alternative
office hours
 Agents should serve multiple program areas
 Paraprofessionals are an important resource to
consider and utilize
 Face-to-face education is more important over
technology-facilitated education for clientele
