Cordova 2008 Results for School Climate and Connectedness Survey Bridget Smith Community Engagement Educator Association of Alaska School Boards October 2008

What You Should Know “Overall, Cordova students gave somewhat higher ratings for their school climate and connectedness than the average across all 33 participating school districts, and Cordova staff gave somewhat higher ratings for their school climate.”

Who Took the Survey in 2008? 196 students from CCSD in the 5th through 12th grades 38 CCSD staff, including 17 teachers 242 schools across 33 districts in Alaska 30,124 students in 5/6th-12th grades 4,730 school staff in Alaska

How Long Is It? The student survey has 73 items The staff survey has 46 items For each item, there are five options: to strongly agree, to agree, to agree some/disagree some, to disagree, to strongly disagree

What is Surveyed? School Climate School Connectedness Assets, risk behaviors (observed in school) Relationships Social and Emotional Learning as felt by students Community involvement

Don’t Have to be Sick to Get Better OR The Link to Academic Learning “Whether a school starts with high or low school climate and connectedness, and high or low achievement scores, changing that school’s climate and connectedness for the better is associated with increases in student performance in reading, writing and mathematics.” American Institutes for Research 2007

What Is School Climate? School climate: factors that contribute to the tone and attitudes in a school Positive school climate is associated with: –well-managed classrooms and common areas –high and clearly stated expectations concerning individual responsibility –feeling safe at school –teachers and staff who consistently acknowledge all students and fairly address their behavior American Institutes for Research 2007

How Are Climate and Connectedness Related? Without a positive and welcoming school climate, students cannot experience connectedness. Virtually all of the most powerful predictors of school connectedness are related to school climate. American Institutes for Research

What Is Connectedness? School connectedness: students’ school experiences and their perceptions and feelings about school they are a part of the school adults care about them personally their learning matters and is a high priority they are close to people at school and have supportive relationships with adults teachers and staff consistently treat them with respect American Institutes for Research 2007

Why is connectedness important? Increasing the number of students connected to school is likely to impact critical accountability measures, such as: –Increased academic performance –Decreased fighting, vandalism, and bullying –Decreased absenteeism –Greater school completion rates

What Research Tells Us “There is a strong association between school connectedness and every risk behavior studied.” National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health

Changing Life’s Trajectory “What we have found from our research is that kids who felt connected to school… smoked less, drank alcohol less, had a later age of sexual debut and attempted suicide less. …this is not just an association…there is something in that bond, in that connection to school that changes the life trajectory – at least the health and academic behavior.” Dr. Robert Blum, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University Adolescent Health Study

Connected students… Like school Say that teachers provide positive feedback Say teachers listen to them Believe that all students are treated fairly Feel safe Don’t experience prejudice

Student Overall Climate Computed as the mean of 3 scales: –High Expectations –School Safety –School Leadership

Student Overall Connectedness Computed as the mean of 4 scales: Respectful Climate Peer Climate Caring Adults Community Involvement

Cordova Results at a Glance

High Expectations Reflects students’ feelings about their own expectations as well as those of adults in their school and community.

High Expectations High Expectations (a =.71) 13. I have given up on school (reverse scored) 14. At this school, students are encouraged to work to the best of their abilities 15. If students like their school, they will do better in their classes 18. I try hard to do well in school 19.I want very much to get more education after high school 25. Adults in my community encourage me to take school seriously 34. Teachers and other adults at this school believe that all students can do good work

High Expectations Scale Scores

School Safety Reflects students’ feelings about bullies and gangs at school as well as general crime and violence in the community.

School Safety School safety (a =.75) 35. I am safe at school 38.This school is being ruined by bullies or youth gangs (reverse scored) 40. This school is badly affected by crime and violence in the community (reverse scored) 44. Gang members make this school dangerous (reverse scored) 46.Crime and violence are major concerns at school (reverse scored)

School Safety Scale Scores

School Leadership & Student Involvement Reflects students’ feelings about the decision making of school leaders as well as student participation in the school governance.

School Leadership & Student Involvement School Leadership and Student Involvement (a =.79) 9. At school, decisions are made based on what is best for students 17. The principal and other leaders in this school make good decisions 20.In my school, students are given a chance to help make decisions 23.Students are involved in helping to solve school problems 50. The principal asks students about their ideas.

School Leadership and Student Involvement Scale Scores

Respectful Climate & Fairness Items Reflects students’ feelings about fairness of rules and respect for students’ contributions.

Respectful Climate & Fairness Items Respectful Climate (a =.85) 39.Teachers here are nice people 41.My teachers treat me with respect 42.When students break rules, they are treated fairly 45.My teachers are fair 48.Our school rules are fair 49.It pays to follow the rules at my school

Respectful Climate and Fairness Scale Scores

Peer Climate Reflects students’ feelings about how respectful students are to one another and how helpful students are to other students.

Peer Climate Peer climate (α =.68) 8. Students in this school help each other, even if they are not friends 16.Students here treat me with respect 24.When students see another student being picked on, they try to stop it 37.Students at this school are often teased or picked on (reverse scored) 47.Most students in this school like to put others down (reverse scored)

Peer Climate Scale Scores

Caring Adults Reflects students’ feelings about how close they feel to other adults in the school.

Caring Adults Caring Adults (α =.68) 10.There is at least one adult at this school whom I feel comfortable talking to about things that are bothering me 11.At school, there is a teacher or some other adult who will miss me when I’m absent 12.There are lots of chances for students in my school to talk with teachers one-on-one 21.I can name at least 5 adults who really care about me 22.Other adults at school besides my teachers know my name

Caring Adult Scale Scores

Community Involvement Reflects students’ feelings about how much their community is involved in their school.

Community Involvement Community Involvement (=.79) 26. This school is a welcoming place for families like mine 27. Adults in my community know what goes on inside of schools 28. Adults in my community support this school 29. Lots of parents come to events at my school 30. Most students in this school talk with their parents about what they are studying in class 31. Most students in this school talk with their parents about their homework assignments 32. This school does not involve parents in most school events or activities (reverse scored)

Community Involvement Scale Scores

Social and Emotional Learning Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is the process through which we learn to: –recognize and manage emotions, –care about others, –make good decisions, –behave ethically and responsibly, –develop positive relationships, and –avoid negative behaviors.

Students who have strong SEL Participate in class more Demonstrate pro-social behaviors Have fewer absences and improved attendance Show reductions in aggression and disruptions Are on track to graduate and less likely to drop- out Are more likely to determine own learning

Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Social and Emotional Learning (α =.87) 59. If someone asks me right now, I can describe how I am feeling 60. I know what I do well and what areas I need to work on 61. I ask for help from my teachers or others when I need it 62. I feel bad if my chores, homework, or other responsibilities are not done well or on time 63. I control myself when I am frustrated, angry, or disappointed 64. I am honest, even when telling the truth might get me in trouble 65. When I make a decision, I think about what might happen afterwards 66. I set goals and then work to achieve them 67. I care about other people’s feelings and points of view 68. It is important for me to help others in my school 69. I respect the ways in which people are different 70. I can tell when someone is getting angry or upset before they say anything 71. I know how to disagree without starting a fight or argument 72. I get along well with other students 73. I work on having positive relationships with friends, family members, and others

Social and Emotional Learning Scale Scores

Student Delinquent Behaviors In the past 12 months, how many times have you personally seen other students do these things at your school or school events: 53.Destroy things (vandalism) 54.Get into fights 55.Steal things 56.Threaten or bully 58.Carry weapons

Student Delinquent Behaviors Scale Scores

Student Drug & Alcohol Use In the past 12 months, how many times have you personally seen other students do these things at your school or school events: 51. Under the influence of drugs (marijuana, coke, crack) 52. Under the influence of alcohol (beer/wine/liquor) 57. Under the influence of inhalants (sniffing glue, paints, or aerosol sprays)

Student Drug and Alcohol Use Scale Scores

How Do Climate & Connectedness Relate to Student Achievement? Across participating schools, with increased scores in SCCS ratings, there also was: A significant improvement in reading, writing and math scores from 2006 to Where there was an increase in student ratings of caring adults at school and overall connectedness, there was improvement in scores on the reading, writing, and math portions of the SBA for that school from 2006 to 2007.

School-Wide Climate When the entire school implements even one single strategy, more students will feel engaged in school. When their environment is personalized, students feel as if they are an important and integral part of school. Evidence shows a more powerful effect when all staff are involved instead of isolated efforts.

For More Information Association of Alaska School Boards Initiative For Community Engagement 1111 W. 9th Street Juneau, AK Bridget Smith