What gets measured, gets managed, gets improved, gets done. (Paraphrased from the work of Peter Drucker)
Best practice and educational research findings reinforce using data and progress information to enhance instruction and support and promote positive student outcomes. This concept applies to academic and non-academic skills. Here are some resources to measure the dimensions of school climate. More information will be added to this section with each future update.
School Climate Surveys
School climate surveys offer educational leaders a way to understand the perceptions of the students, staff, and parents in a school, district or supervisory union; monitor progress; make data-driven decisions; involve stakeholders; and adapt to shifting needs related to school climate.
The State of Vermont does not currently offer a state-wide school climate survey rather this is measured locally. The following school climate survey resources are available to Vermont schools without charge:
VTPBIS offers the School Climate Survey Suite which is a set of four multidimensional surveys to measure student, teacher, administrator, faculty, and family/caregiver perceptions of school climate.
The National Center on Safe and Supportive Learning Environments (NCSSLE) has published several climate survey resources at Learn About ED School Climate Surveys.
Continuous Improvement Approach
An effective way to positively impact School Climate is to use a continuous improvement systems approach. If you are interested in engaging in this process, here is a link to the Education Quality Assurance Continuous Improvement framework with several actionable resources, templates and toolkits.
A positive school climate that invokes a strong sense of belonging does not happen by chance but is the result of a collective effort by the members of a school’s community. The collective school community's belief system helps shape the culture of a school and ultimately serves as the measure of school climate and culture. The goal of this page is to provide easy access to resources that will be helpful for Vermont educators and families to collaboratively cultivate school environments that foster strong and trusting family relationships while also being responsive to the differing needs of all students.