BPS School Climate Surveys
SY 2012-2013
Office of Data and Accountability
Agenda





Welcome and Intros
Activity: Your Vision for Family & Student Engagement
School Climate Survey Overview
School Level Data Review
Wrap Up
2
Objectives
By the end of this session, you will be able to:
1. Interpret school climate data
2.
Use climate data to identify areas of strength and areas
for improvement in school-wide engagement practices
3.
Tap into OFSE supports for planning/implementing
school-wide engagement practices
3
Your Vision for Family & Student
Engagement in Your School

Write your vision for family & student engagement in
your school on a note card (no more than 50 words)

Share your ideas with a partner.
4
Climate Surveys

What is school climate?
 No clear definition in research
 Encompasses experiences and atmosphere in
schools

Why do we administer climate surveys?
 Assess climate of our schools from constituents’
perspectives
 Provide data to plan for improvement
 Provide a forum for parents, students, and teachers to
voice their opinions
5
Research shows school climate is important for student achievement

Based on a meta-analysis of research on
factors that are related to academic
achievement at the K-12 level, variables in
four major categories demonstrate “direct
empirical links”1




Student engagement
Learning strategies
School climate
Social-familial influences
Jihyun and Shute, Valerie J. (2010) ‘Personal and Social-Contextual Factors in K-12 Academic Performance: An Integrative Perspective on Student
Learning’, Educational Psychologist, 45: 3, 185
1Lee,
6
School Climate

Academic emphasis
 “Expectations of schools for their students and positive reactions
from school community”2

Teacher variables
 “Collective efficacy, teacher empowerment, sense of affiliation”3

Principal leadership
 “Collegiality, setting high morale, and clearly conveying goals”4
Jihyun and Shute, Valerie J. (2010) ‘Personal and Social-Contextual Factors in K-12 Academic Performance: An Integrative Perspective on Student
Learning’, Educational Psychologist, 45: 3, 187
3Ibid
4Ibid
2Lee,
7
History of Climate Surveys in BPS


In BPS, we began administering the climate surveys in
Spring 2009
Today, the surveys are administered:
 Online for teachers, with follow-up email reminders (3) including
response rate updates to all teachers by school. Survey responses are
anonymous.
 On paper for students (grades 3 through 11). Beginning in 2012,
seniors complete a separate Senior Exit Survey. Student responses to
both surveys are linked to their BPS IDs so that results can be analyzed
by demographic characteristics.
 Online and paper for parents and guardians, in all 8 languages. Parents
receive the initial survey through backpacks, followed by a reminder
postcard mailed directly to the home; and a second copy of the survey
also mailed directly to the home. Parent responses are anonymous and
linked only to the school(s) their child attends.
8
Climate Surveys in BPS
Parent climate survey response rates
100.0%
90.0%
80.0%
70.0%
60.0%
50.0%
40.0%
30.0%
20.0%
19.3%
13.5%
13.5%
2008-2009
2009-2010
23.6%
10.0%
0.0%
2010-2011
2011-2012
9
Climate Surveys in BPS
Student climate survey response rates
100.0%
90.0%
78.8%
80.0%
70.0%
60.0%
53.3%
57.5%
59.7%
2009-2010
2010-2011
50.0%
40.0%
30.0%
20.0%
10.0%
0.0%
2008-2009
2011-2012
10
Climate Surveys in BPS
Teacher climate survey response rates
100.0%
90.0%
80.0%
65.0%
70.0%
60.0%
58.0%
53.3%
55.4%
2009-2010
2010-2011
50.0%
40.0%
30.0%
20.0%
10.0%
0.0%
2008-2009
2011-2012
11
Analysis of Climate Surveys



Factor analysis of all items to determine
which items belong together in a
component
Compute each component for individuals
by averaging individual responses
Compute average component scores for
whole district and for individual school by
averaging all component scores in each
group
12
Distribution of Data


District-wide report located on
www.bostonpublicschools.org under
“Reports” tab
Individual school results located on
www.bostonpublicschools.org under
individual school page
13
District Results: 2011-2012

Student Survey
Distribution of responses by grade level
N=28,883
Grade 11
9%
Grade 3
13%
Grade 10
9%
Grade 4
12%
Grade 9
10%
Grade 5
12%
Grade 8
12%
Grade 7
12%
Grade 6
11%
*40 responses did not have a grade level.
14
District Results: 2011-2012

Student Survey
Distribution of responses by gender
N=28,883
Female
49%
Male
51%
*40 responses did not list a gender.
15
District Results: 2011-2012

Student Survey
Distribution of responses by special education status
N=28,883
Students with
disabilities
19%
Not students with
disabilities
81%
*40 responses did not list a special education status.
16
District Results: 2011-2012

Student Survey
Distribution of responses by Free or Reduced Price
Lunch Status
N=28,883
Non Free or Reduced
Price Lunch
27%
Free or Reduced Price
Lunch
73%
*40 responses did not list a lunch status.
17
District Results: 2011-2012

Student Survey
Distribution of responses for free or reduced
price lunch
N=21,227
Reduced Lunch
8%
Free Lunch
92%
18
District Results: 2011-2012

Student Survey
Distribution of responses by limited English
proficient (LEP) and formerly English proficient
(FLEP) status
N=28,883
LEPFLEP
45%
Non LEPFLEP
55%
*40 responses did not list a LEP/FLEP status.
19
District Results: 2011-2012

Student Survey
District Average Values for Student Climate Survey Components
School Safety (N=27959)
3.30
Feeling of acceptance at school (N=27038)
3.19
Perception of school as a friendly environment (N=27059)
3.11
Principal Effectiveness (N=27811)
3.11
Teacher Effectiveness (N=26756)
3.27
Student enthusiasm for learning (N=27135)
3.36
Identification with and overall perceptions of school
(N=25442)
1.00
2.98
1.50
2.00
2.50
3.00
3.50
4.00
20
District Trends

Student Survey
Student perceptions over time
4.00
3.50
3.37 3.33 3.36
3.26 3.24 3.27
3.27
3.25 3.27
3.20
3.11
3.00
3.14 3.13 3.11
3.19
3.27 3.31 3.30
2.98 2.96 2.98
2.50
2.00
1.50
1.00
Identification with Student enthusiasm
and overall
for learning
perceptions of school
Teacher
Effectiveness
2009-2010
Principal
Effectiveness
2010-2011
Perception of school
Feeling of
as a friendly
acceptance at school
environment
School Safety
2011-2012
21
Range of Responses: Student Survey 2011-2012
100.0%
90.0%
80.0%
70.0%
60.0%
50.0%
40.0%
30.0%
20.0%
10.0%
0.0%
100.0%
90.0%
0.0%
Lowest
Median
Highest
*District Average: 78.8%
**See attached handout for individual school response rates
22
Selected questions from Student Survey: 2011-2012
My teacher(s) works hard to help me learn
N=28,566
Strongly Agree
51.17
Agree
44.07
Disagree
3.58
Strongly Disagree
1.17
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
% of student responses
23
Selected questions from Student Survey: 2011-2012
My teacher(s) expects me to make good grades
N=28,450
Strongly Agree
58.22
Agree
37.85
Disagree
2.95
Strongly Disagree
0.98
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
% of student responses
24
Selected questions from Student Survey: 2011-2012
My teacher(s) provides daily opportunities for students
to contribute in class
N=28,275
Strongly Agree
39.84
Agree
51.22
Disagree
7.23
Strongly Disagree
1.71
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
% of student responses
25
District Results: 2011-2012

Parent Survey
District Mean Values for Parent Climate Survey Components
3.27
Home-School Relations/Outreach Efforts by School (N=9858)
2.27
Parent Participation in School (N=12038)
3.46
Parent Engagement at Home (N=12017)
School Safety (N=9392)
3.30
Perception of Teacher Effectiveness/Performance (N=11527)
3.28
Perception of Principal Performance (N=11650)
3.26
1.00
1.50
2.00
2.50
3.00
3.50
4.00
26
District Trends

Parent Survey
Parent perceptions over time
4.00
3.46 3.46 3.46
3.50
3.27 3.28 3.26
3.23
3.32 3.32 3.30
3.28 3.28
3.29 3.27 3.27
3.00
2.50
2.29 2.28 2.27
2.00
1.50
1.00
Perception of Principal
Performance
Perception of Teacher
Effectiveness/
Performance
School Safety
2009-2010
Parent Engagement at
Home
2010-2011
Parent Participation in Home-School Relations/
School
Outreach Efforts by
School
2011-2012
27
Range of Responses: Parent Survey 2011-2012
100.0%
90.0%
80.0%
70.0%
60.0%
50.0%
40.0%
30.0%
20.0%
10.0%
0.0%
72.9%
22.9%
2.9%
Lowest
Median
Highest
*District Average: 23.6%
**See attached handout for individual school response rates
28
Selected questions from Parent Survey: 2011-2012
My child's school is a good place for my child to learn
N=13,167
Strongly Agree
50.17
Agree
44.06
Disagree
3.82
Strongly Disagree
1.95
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
% of parent responses
29
Selected questions from Parent Survey: 2011-2012
My child's teacher(s) challenges him/her to do their best and
works hard to meet the needs of my child
N=13,127
Strongly Agree
43.35
Agree
47.74
Disagree
6.47
Strongly Disagree
2.44
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
% of parent responses
30
Selected questions from Parent Survey: 2011-2012
My child's school is doing a good job at preventing bullying and
harassment based on race, gender, sexual preference, and
disabilities
N=11,787
Strongly Agree
36.45
Agree
52.91
Disagree
6.99
Strongly Disagree
3.66
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
% of parent responses
31
District Trends: 2011-2012

Teacher Survey
District Mean Values for Teacher Climate Survey Components
3.21
Relationships with Students and Parents (N=2728)
2.52
Parent & Student Engagement (N=2544)
3.28
Self-Efficacy for Classroom Management (N=2646)
3.55
Self-Efficacy for Instructional Strategies (N=2697)
3.19
Collective Teacher Efficacy (N=2443)
3.17
Collegial Work Environment (N=2688)
3.04
Teacher Influence over Classroom Decision Making (N=2688)
3.00
School Leadership (N=2440)
1.00
1.50
2.00
2.50
3.00
3.50
4.00
32
District Trends

Teacher Survey
Teacher perceptions over time
4.00
3.58 3.58 3.55
3.50
3.11
3.00
2.97 3.00
2.98
3.04
3.15 3.13 3.17
3.24 3.19 3.19
3.28 3.31 3.28
3.18 3.22 3.21
2.89
2.48 2.49 2.52
2.50
2.00
1.50
1.00
School
Leadership
Teacher
Collegial Work
Collective
Self-Efficacy for Self-Efficacy for Parent & Student Relationships
Influence over
Environment Teacher Efficacy Instructional
Classroom
Engagement
with Students
Classroom
Strategies
Management
and Parents
Decision Making
2009-2010
2010-2011
2011-2012
33
Range of Responses: Teacher Survey 2011-2012
100.0%
90.0%
80.0%
70.0%
60.0%
50.0%
40.0%
30.0%
20.0%
10.0%
0.0%
100.0%
66.7%
16.7%
Lowest
Median
Highest
*District Average: 65.0%
**See attached handout for individual school response rates
34
Selected questions from Teacher Survey: 2011-2012
What do you think is the most important reason for why your
school's results on the recent MCAS were not higher
N=2,639
Unmotivated students
17.17
Students' home background
20.20
Lack of resources
Teachers' lack of skills
Students' ability to learn
9.97
1.55
4.74
Student expectations vary from teacher to teacher
10.42
Poor instruction at previous school
8.22
Parents don't monitor or assist with student work
Low expectations
11.14
2.08
Discipline problems
0.00
14.51
10.00
20.00
30.00
40.00
50.00
60.00
70.00
80.00
90.00
100.00
% of teacher responses
35
Selected questions from Teacher Survey: 2011-2012
What do you think is the most important factor influencing
how much students learn in school
N=2,745
School and classroom discipline
11.26
Clear and regular feedback to students about performance
8.27
Classroom lessons requiring students to play an active role
Academically challenging lessons
16.87
3.93
Teachers' knowledge of instructional practice
9.18
Quality of life in students' community
7.07
Intrinsic motivation of students
Family income
16.50
0.80
Family support
0.00
26.12
10.00
20.00
30.00
40.00
50.00
60.00
70.00
80.00
90.00
100.00
% of teacher responses
36
Parent and Student Engagement Questions: Teacher Survey
2011-2012
Parent and Student Engagement Questions for Teachers
You feel respected by your students parents
3.19
You feel respected by your students
3.23
Parents of your students help check their childs homework
2.30
Parents advocate for school improvement at this school
2.48
Students try hard to improve on previous work
2.73
Most parents encourage you to maintain high standards
2.80
Students are willing to put in the work it takes to get good grades
2.64
Most of your students parents or guardians talk with you about their childs grades
2.52
At this school, most students show respect for kids who get good grades
2.95
The parents of most of your students are active in the schools parent organization
2.02
Your students come to school ready to learn
2.74
.00
.50
1.00
1.50
2.00
2.50
3.00
3.50
4.00
37
OFSE Capacity Building Supports
Data Review &
Planning
Core Element
Implementation
OFSE Supports
Professional
Development
and Parent U
Coaching &
Facilitation
38