The purpose of this study was to contribute to the body of literature regarding decisions school leaders make when developing strategic plans to improve student outcomes. This study investigated whether there is a significant relationship between school climate and graduation rates for public high schools in the state of Georgia when controlling…

Examining whether principal-counselor collaboration and school climate were related, researchers sent 4,193 surveys to high school counselors in the United States and received 419 responses. As principal-counselor collaboration increased, there were increases in counselors viewing the principal as supportive, the teachers as regarding one another…

On-time high school graduation is an important topic in educational research, policy, and practice. However, no comprehensive meta-analyses had been conducted on this topic. The current meta-analysis reviewed 47 articles published from 1985 to April 2022 and aggregated the effect in four dimensions: student background, family support, school…

National right-wing media and their viewers are alleging that critical race theory (CRT) is "infecting" public school classrooms, fueling an assault on how schools should discuss race, racism, and our nation's history. This turmoil over curriculum and teaching "sensitive" topics is deeply upsetting to teachers. Principals can…

A healthy school climate is necessary for improvement. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the construct validity and usability of the Comprehensive Assessment of School Environment (CASE) as it was purportedly realigned to the three dimensions of the Breaking Ranks Framework developed by the National Association of Secondary School…

Current research supports the importance of positive school climate and the use of school-climate measures as school-effectiveness predictors. This article describes several instruments, including the Organizational Climate Index, the Organizational Climate Description Questionnaire, the Effective School Battery, the Charles F. Kettering Ltd.…

This collaborative six-step process to assess school climate involves consulting the district to determine problematic aspects; developing measurement instruments for the district; analyzing surveys distributed, administered, and returned by the district; reviewing results with school members; forming small groups to pursue findings; and…

To determine effects of uniforms on school climate, students in two Charleston (South Carolina) County middle schools were surveyed in Spring 1966, using NASSP's Comprehensive Assessment of School Environments (CASE) School Climate Survey. Students in the uniform school rated climate as more positive in 9 out of 10 subscales. School uniforms are…

Recent research in England and the United States shows most schools have a positive climate; school size, community type, and attendance level make a difference; teacher perceptions vary; student discipline and attitudes can be climate dissatisfiers; and principals make a difference. Key beliefs and values profoundly influencing faculty members…

Administrators can improve school climate and student achievement by understanding and improving their own role in shaping the learning environment. A survey of 32 urban secondary school teachers found that principals shape climate by supporting teachers and recognizing their achievements, mediating between teachers and "problem" parents…

Although bringing a personalized learning environment to a small school is challenging in its own right, it is much easier than personalizing the environment of a large school. This article describes the interventions used in one suburban school with over 3,700 students to move the learning environment toward a more personalized climate. The…

If secondary schools are to fulfill their purpose and goals, administrator preparation programs should be structured to include more hands-on activities, such as simulations, inbasket exercises, videotaped scenarios, and casebook examples. Additionally, these programs must address key questions regarding classroom practice, culture, and climate.…

Outlines the findings from the NASSP Task Force on Effective School Climate including clear definitions of school climate and a model illustrating the inputs and outputs of the school environment. Includes a table for the model. (MD)

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between student reading achievement and the organizational health of five middle grades schools in North Carolina. The theoretical framework was based upon Hoy and Feldman's definition of organizational health, which links healthy school climates to improved learning environments and…

Describes how two Orlando, Florida, high schools enhanced student success by implementing community-generated restructuring plans. Block scheduling helped improve attendance and grade point averages. Also, a survey of teachers and students disclosed school climate gains in the areas of safety, success, involvement, commitment, interpersonal…