Our highest priority as a school district is to ensure the safety and well-being of students and staff. A safe, caring, and engaging school climate has been shown to have a positive impact on student learning and achievement, teacher retention, and parent involvement.
As we strive to ensure that all students experience a safe and healthy learning environment, our schools will annually conduct a School Climate Survey. This survey is designed to gather information from students, parents, and staff about their school experience so that we can better understand and respond to the degree to which our stakeholders perceive the climate in our schools to be safe, supportive, and engaging.
What is school climate?
As described by the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments, "school climate is a broad, multifaceted concept that involves many aspects of the student’s educational experience. A positive school climate is the product of a school’s attention to fostering safety; promoting a supportive academic, disciplinary, and physical environment; and encouraging and maintaining respectful, trusting, and caring relationships throughout the school community."
Why measure school climate?
A positive school climate is critically related to student success. For example, it can improve attendance, achievement, retention, and graduation. Research suggests that the quality of the school climate may be the single most predictive factor in any school's capacity to promote student achievement.
Under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) plan, the New York State Education Department has committed to engage schools in the effort to build and maintain positive and healthy school climates. As part of this plan, school districts are requested to measure school climate by administering evidence-based, valid and reliable surveys students, parents, and school personnel.
The results of the survey will enable school and district leaders to examine the aspects of our school climate that support a positive learning and working environment and that promote academic success among all students. We will use the results of the survey to celebrate our strengths, respond to areas of concern, and monitor changes over time.
What is the School Climate Survey?
The School Climate Survey is developed by the US Department of Education as a tool for States, districts, and schools as a common, reliable, and nationally-validated measure of school climate. The survey is administered to students, parents, and school personnel using an online platform. Participation is completely voluntary and strictly confidential; no personally identifiable information will be requested or collected from any survey respondent.
The survey will be open through March 23, 2024. We invite and encourage all stakeholders to participate.