1. Pennsylvania Department of Education School Climate Surveys
April 20, 2015
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2. Why Measure School Climate?
PDE Office for Safe Schools Climate Surveys
Why Measure School Climate?
Measuring your school climate is the first step toward improving your school climate
Perceptions determine the tone, emotional quality (the “climate”) of the school environment
Perceptions are easier to change and measure than is culture.
Schools with positive, healthy climates have been associated with positive learning outcomes
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3. School Climate What is School Climate?
refers to the quality and character of school life…and is based on patterns of students’, parents’ and school personnel’s experience of school life…” From the Center for Social and Emotional Education/CSEE, Columbia Univ.)
It includes the total of the attitudes and behaviors elicited by:
school policies, practices, and physical environment;
staff interactions with peers and students;
opportunities for student engagement and leadership; and,
beliefs and attitudes students bring to the school from their families and the community.
“School climate is like the air we breathe: you don’t really notice it until it becomes toxic.”
--H. Jerome Freiburg .
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4. School Climate vs School Culture
PDE Office for Safe Schools Climate Surveys
School Climate vs School Culture
School culture is the long term result of school climate:
a school culture results from both conscious and unconscious perspectives, values, interactions, and practices, and
it is heavily shaped by a school’s particular institutional history
Culture is much harder to change—in order to change the culture of the school, school climate must be:
Measured;
Results reviewed and analyzed;
Goals to improve the negative aspects of climate set;
Implement goals
Evaluate attainment of goals;
Re-measure climate against original data;
Results reviewed and analyzed
Revise goals based on data analysis
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5. How/why do we measure “climate”?
PDE Office for Safe Schools Climate Surveys
How/why do we measure “climate”?
Does perception (of experience) = reality?
Are perceptions one’s reality?
People BEHAVE or ACT based on how they PERCEIVE the environment/situation!
If perceptions change, so does behavior!
Climate (satisfaction) surveys measure
PERCEPTIONS!
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6. Why is School Climate Important?
Research demonstrates a direct correlation between school climate and student achievement:
School Climate Score (SCAI) by Student Achievement (CA API) --John Shindler, 2010 (study of 21 urban high schools in California)
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7. Why is School Climate Important?
School Climate is predictive of students’ ability to learn and develop in healthy ways:
When school climate is positive, school connectedness is strong.
Students want to attend a school where they feel welcome, safe and included (e.g. where their developmental needs for safety and belonging are being met).
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8. Why is School Climate Important?
Research proves that a positive school climate directly impacts telling indicators of educational success:
Lowers dropout rates;
Decreases incidences of violence;
Promotes higher student achievement;
Mitigates the effects of self-criticism;
Reduces the level of drug usage;
Increases student attendance;
Reduces incidences of bullying
Article: “School Climate: Research, Policy, Practice, and Teacher Education”, J. Cohen, et.al.,2009
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9. PDE Office for Safe Schools Climate Surveys
“Specific school climate attributes influence critical teacher behaviors that improve teaching and learning in the classroom.” (From Answers.com)
For example:
If a teacher-student relationship is negative and conflictual in kindergarten, it is more likely that the student will have behavioral and academic problems in later grades (Hamre & Pianta, 2001).
When teachers support and interact positively with
students, then students are more likely to be engaged
and behave appropriately (E. Skinner & Belmont, 1993).
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10. Impacts of School Climate on Staff:
PDE Office for Safe Schools Climate Surveys
Impacts of School Climate on Staff:
Ability to make change
Successful implementation of programs
Emotional exhaustion
Depersonalization
Attrition and retention
Relationships and trust
Feelings of accomplishment
Commitment to profession
Teachers’ efficacy
*From L. Vezzuto, “School Climate: the Missing Link in School Reform”
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11. More Connections to Positive School Climate:
PDE Office for Safe Schools Climate Surveys
More Connections to Positive School Climate:
CUBE study (2006): showed that an improved school climate contributes to higher student achievement, fewer dropouts, etc.
CSCS/“California Healthy Kids Survey”: examined issue of school “well-being” (climate) and academic achievements by school ethnic composition. –Greg Austin
Elizabeth Greenburg’s study (2004): showed NAEP math scores increased as climate scores improved
**NSCC/CSEE White Paper (2007): “School climate promotes—or complicates—students’ ability to learn and achieve academically.”—Jonathan Cohen
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12. Surveys’ Origin: Types of Surveys: Developed by national researchers:
PDE Office for Safe Schools Climate Surveys
Surveys’ Origin:
Developed by national researchers:
American Institute of Research (AIR)
Alaska Department of Education
Types of Surveys:
Student surveys:
Elementary: Grades 3-5
Middle school: Grades 6-8
High school: Grades 9-12
Staff survey
Parent survey
Community survey
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13. PDE Office for Safe Schools Climate Surveys
Domains Measured by the PDE Office for Safe Schools School Climate Surveys
There are four domains measured by the PDEOSS School Climate Surveys:
Social Emotional Learning
Student Support
High Expectations/Academic Rigor/Challenge
Safe and Respectful School Climate
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14. Survey Features: Available in English and common Spanish;
PDE Office for Safe Schools Climate Surveys
Survey Features:
Available in English and common Spanish;
Printable versions;
Bank of additional questions for customization;
Real time results;
Drill down capability;
Secure website with dashboard for ease of use;
No restrictions for administration;
No survey window= ease of planning and administration
Results are the sole property of the school entity: PDE will not review or access results.
Any or all surveys can be administered
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15. Intended use of PDEOSS school climate surveys:
PDE Office for Safe Schools Climate Surveys
Intended use of PDEOSS school climate surveys:
Provide school entities with real time formative and summative data
Use for short and long term planning
Use with needs assessments
Program effectiveness
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16. PDE Office for Safe Schools Climate Surveys
LEA Administration
After a successful logon to the site, you will notice the navigation menu now contains two additional linked items
This particular section will provide the end user the functionality to:
Add, Edit, Copy, and Delete Surveys
Generate Reports
Generate Brochure Handouts
Export and Download custom question data collections
Survey Printable
All surveys have a corresponding printable version for your review
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17. PDE Office for Safe Schools Climate Surveys
Survey Respondents
The site offers flexibility on how respondents can answer the various surveys.
The primary way to respond is via the Invitation code as entered on the homepage
This response method is limited to one response per survey and computer
In the cases where respondents don’t have external access to a computer, LEA's can utilize a classroom account an proctor a survey session on multiple computers at once. This is especially useful for grades 3 to 5.
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18. For more information on the surveys in regard to site navigation for both anonymous survey respondents or LEA administration topics please refer to the user manuals as linked below or available on the homepage of the website –
The administration user guide:
The survey entry user guide:
The mission of the department is to academically prepare children and adults to succeed as productive citizens. The department seeks to ensure that the technical support, resources and opportunities are in place for all students, whether children or adults, to receive a high quality education.
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19. School Climate Survey Analysis
PDE Office for Safe Schools Climate Surveys
School Climate Survey Analysis
In order for the survey results to useful, a thorough analysis of the data needs to be conducted.
The survey data can be examined in multiple ways:
Aggregate data= total results of the data by district and school
Disaggregated data=total data that is drilled down to reveal specific information
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20. A plan on how the data will be reviewed should be developed.
PDE Office for Safe Schools Climate Surveys
Survey Analysis
A plan on how the data will be reviewed should be developed.
Data should be reviewed by a joint team of stakeholders. A plan should be developed on how to share the data with all stakeholders
Both aggregate (general) and disaggregate (specific) data should be reviewed.
Let the data speak;
LOOK FOR TRENDS IN THE DATA:
Questions to ask of both aggregate and disaggregate data:
What are the trends of the data?
What are we doing well?
What do we need to improve?
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21. Survey Analysis Continued
PDE Office for Safe Schools Climate Surveys
Survey Analysis Continued
Once decisions are made about areas of success and areas of need, the School Climate Data team needs to develop an action plan based at least two of the greatest area of need:
The action plan should contain:
1. Timeline:
What changes/interventions will be implemented and when?
2. Goals
Goals should be established for each intervention
Goals should be measurable.
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22. Survey Analysis Continued
PDE Office for Safe Schools Climate Surveys
Survey Analysis Continued
3.How will implemented changes be measured (ie. re-administration of survey, focus groups)?
3. Persons responsible for intervention:
1. Who will be responsible for initiating, implementing and monitoring each intervention?
4. Dates established to review goal-setting progress and corresponding data:
1. Reconvene survey intervention team to review data against the original data and adjust interventions if necessary.
Repeat the cycle ( steps 1. 2, 3 and 4).
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23. Thank you for your participation. Questions? Joseph F. Loccisano, Ed.D
PDE Office for Safe Schools Climate Surveys
Thank you for your participation.
Questions?
Joseph F. Loccisano, Ed.D
Pamela Emery, Ph.D
Technical support:
Jay Wasser
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