PARENT AND EDUCATOR GUIDE TO

SCHOOL CLIMATE RESOURCES
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Letter

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

OFFICE OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION

April 10, 2019 

Dear Parents and Educators, 

Tragic events in recent years underscore the need for school to be a safe and positive 

learning environment for every student. In the absence of a safe and positive learning 

environment, a student may feel disconnected, disregard consequences, and engage in 

bullying or other destructive behaviors. These conditions can foreshadow acts of violence 

or criminality. However, through dedicated attention and strategic effort, school can 

remain a positive, supportive place in which every student feels safe, welcome, and 

connected. 

In order to help those closest to students—parents, classroom teachers, school leaders, 

and others—to create and maintain a safe and positive learning environment for all, the 

U.S. Department of Education (Department) offers the attached Parent and Educator 

Guide to School Climate Resources (Guide). 

The purpose of the Guide is to provide general information about the concept of school 

climate improvement, suggestions for leading an effective school climate improvement 

effort, and additional resources for those interested in more information. 

In addition to distributing this Guide, the Department supports two technical assistance 

centers that offer free assistance on improving school climate: (1) the National Center of 

Safe and Supportive Learning Environments (www.safesupportivelearning.ed.gov), and 

(2) the Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports

(www.pbis.org). Enclosed with this document is an appendix that lists additional

resources.

Should you have any questions, please contact Paul Kesner, Director of the Office of Safe 

and Supportive Schools, at paul.kesner@ed.gov. 

Thank you for all that you do on behalf of America’s children. 

Sincerely, 

/s/

Frank Brogan 

Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education

/s/

Johnny Collett 

Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative 

Services 
 

 

A Parent and Educator Guide to 

School Climate Resources 

April 10, 2019 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table of Contents 

Letter................................................................................................................................................................ ...............1 

Background ..................................................................................................................................................................1 

Frequently Asked Questions ...................................................................................................................................2 

1. What is the purpose of this document?..................................................................................................2 

2. Who is the audience for this document? ...............................................................................................2 

3. What is “school climate”? .........................................................................................................................2 

4. What is a “positive school climate”? What is “school-climate improvement”?.......................2 

5. How is a school’s student discipline policy related to school climate and school climate 

improvement? ...................................................................................................................... 3 

6. What is the Department’s role regarding school climate?...............................................................3 

7. What does the research show regarding positive school climate improvement efforts? .......4 

8. How does the use of “exclusionary” student discipline (e.g., out-of-school suspension) fit 

within school climate improvement? .....................................................................................................5 

9. What if my school has never attempted a school climate improvement effort? What if my 

school has already started a school climate improvement effort?.................................................5 

10. What is a framework for a school to plan, implement and evaluate an effective program of 

school climate improvement?...................................................................................................................6 

11. Is there a condensed version of the School Climate Improvement Reference Manual? Are 

there audience-specific versions, such as a guide for parents? ......................................................8 

12. What interventions should be used as part of a school climate improvement effort?..........8 

13. What about the use of evidence-based interventions?....................................................................9 

14. How should I use data to inform my school climate improvement effort? ..........................12 

15. What survey or diagnostic tools are available to measure school climate, and/or the 

results of school climate improvement efforts? .............................................................................13 

16. What can I do to ensure my school climate improvement effort is sustainable over the 

long term? ..................................................................................................................................................15 

17. What is Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (PBIS), and how does it relate to 

school climate and school climate improvement?.........................................................................16 

18. Where can I find additional resources?............................................................................................19 

Research Discussion: Restorative Practices....................................................................................................11 

Program Spotlight: School Climate Transformation Grants......................................................................13 

School Focus: Integrating PBIS to Improve School Climate ....................................................................18 

Appendix.......................................................................................................................................................................1 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Background 

Following the tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida in 

February 2018, President Donald J. Trump announced the establishment of the Federal 

Commission on School Safety (Commission), chaired by Secretary of Education Betsy 

DeVos. 

The Commission was tasked with providing meaningful and actionable recommendations 

to keep students safe at school. It examined a range of issues, including access to mental 

health support services in schools, best practices for securing school facilities, and the 

training and use of school resource officers (SROs). Included in the Commission’s final 

report was the recommendation for the U.S. Department of Education (Department) to 

identify resources and best practices to assist schools in improving school climate. 

The Parent and Educator Guide to School Climate Resources (Guide) is intended to 

provide parents, teachers, administrators, and other interested parties with a general 

understanding of school climate, school climate improvement activities, and the 

availability of additional resources. It should serve as a starting point from which the 

reader may choose to do further research; ultimately, it may result in the identification of 

practices or strategies a school, district or State may wish to implement. This document 

does not impose any new requirements on schools, districts, or States or convey any 

rights or additional responsibilities. 

The document includes Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), several examples of school 

climate improvement activities from the field, a discussion of a contemporary, rigorous 

research study, and an appendix that lists additional resources. 

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Frequently Asked Questions 

1. What is the purpose of this document? 

The purpose of the Guide is to provide the reader with a general understanding of school 

climate, how to initiate or expand school climate improvement activities, and the 

availability of additional resources, including two technical assistance centers supported 

by the Department, which both offer extensive and free online materials for public use. 

2. Who is the audience for this document? 

The audience for the Guide is parents, teachers, school leaders, district administrators, 

and State education officials. Although the Guide discusses school climate improvement 

activities at the school level, its suggestions could be scaled district-wide, or State-wide. 

3. What is “school climate”? 

The Department’s National Center on Safe and Supportive Learning Environments 

describes school climate as follows: 

School climate reflects how members of the school community experience the 

school, including interpersonal relationships, teacher and other staff practices, 

and organizational arrangements. School climate includes factors that serve as 

conditions for learning and that support physical and emotional safety, 

connection and support, and engagement.1 

4. What is a “positive school climate”? What is “school-climate improvement”? 

The Department’s National Center on Safe and Supportive Learning Environments 

describes a positive school climate as follows: 

A positive school climate reflects attention to fostering social and physical safety, 

providing support that enables students and staff to realize high behavioral and 

academic standards as well as encouraging and maintaining respectful, trusting, 

and caring relationships throughout the school community.2 

A positive school climate characterizes a school that effectively attends to all the social, 

emotional, and academic support needs of its students. 

“School climate improvement” is the strategic effort undertaken by a school to achieve a 

positive school climate, by considering its practices, systems and structure. Best practices 

1 U.S. Department of Education, Office of Safe and Healthy Students. (2016). Quick guide on making school climate 

improvements. Washington, DC, 1 

https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/sites/default/files/NCSSLE_SCIRP_QuickGuide508%20gdc.pdf

2 Ibid. 

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for a school climate improvement effort include engagement with stakeholders and the 

collection and review of relevant data. 

5. How is a school’s student discipline policy related to school climate and school 

climate improvement? 

School climate is a reflection of how an individual experiences school. Since a student 

discipline policy undoubtedly affects how members of the school community experience 

the school, it influences school climate. Additionally, the student discipline policy affects 

several other important and measurable indicators of school climate (such as student 

attendance, number of disciplinary infractions, number and type of disciplinary actions, 

etc.) As such, schools or districts will often choose to review or update the studentdiscipline policy as part of a larger effort to improve school climate. 

However, there is no requirement that student discipline policy be reviewed, updated, or 

changed as part of a successful school climate improvement effort. Rather, the 

frameworks discussed in this document recommend the use of data and stakeholder 

engagement to guide decisions regarding the selection and implementation of 

improvement activities. 

For example, should the data suggest a revision to the student-discipline policy is worth 

considering, and the stakeholder engagement indicates support for such an approach, then 

it would be appropriate for the school to consider changes. In a different scenario, should 

the data suggest and the stakeholder engagement support a different remedy to help 

improve school climate—for example, hiring more social workers to intervene earlier 

with at-risk students—that too would be appropriate and require no change to the 

discipline policy. 

The establishment of a student-discipline policy at a school is a responsibility for the 

school, district, or State, and should account for the many different factors present at any 

given school. This document describes general strategies for improving school climate 

and does not endorse any particular type or method of student discipline policy or 

practice. 

6. What is the Department’s role regarding school climate? 

The Department supports two technical assistance centers that provide free technical 

assistance and support to States, districts, schools, and the public on school climate and 

related topics: 

• The National Center on Safe and Supportive Learning Environments (NCSSLE) 

is funded by the Department’s Office of Safe and Healthy Schools (OSHS), a 

division of the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE). 

• The Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and 

Supports (PBIS TA Center) is jointly funded by OESE and the Office of Special 

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Education Programs (OSEP), a division of the Office of Special Education and 

Rehabilitative Services (OSERS). 

The NCSSLE focuses on improving student supports and academic enrichment by 

providing technical assistance and disseminating resources to States, districts, and 

schools. It publishes the School Climate Improvement Resource Package (SCIRP). 

SCIRP is a suite of manageable, action-oriented, and evidence-based resources for 

improving school climate. Its website is www.safesupportivelearning.ed.gov. 

The NCSSLE may be considered a resource for designing a strategic effort to improve 

how students, families, teachers, and other school staff experience a school, as well as 

how school-related activities affect student attendance, learning, and achievement. 

The PBIS TA Center helps States, districts, and schools build capacity for implementing 

a multi-tiered approach to social, emotional, and behavior support. Its website is 

www.pbis.org. 

Please note that the use of PBIS is associated in part with students with disabilities, given 

its inclusion in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). For a student with 

disabilities whose behavior impedes their learning or the learning of others, the IDEA 

requires that an Individualized Education Program (IEP) team consider the use of PBIS 

(and other strategies to address that behavior.) However, the use of PBIS is not limited to 

students with disabilities; in fact, it is considered an effective framework for supporting 

the academic, social, emotional, and behavioral development of all students. 

Beyond its two TA centers, the Department is responsible for ensuring that States, 

districts, and schools comply with the provisions of the Elementary and Secondary 

Education Act (ESEA), as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) 

(hereafter ESEA) and the IDEA. The ESEA suggests the use of “school climate and 

safety” as a measure of school quality or student success in statewide accountability 

systems. For any school identified as in need of comprehensive support and 

improvement, ESEA requires a plan developed by the Local Educational Agency (LEA) 

based on a school-level needs assessment, in which the use of school climate data would 

be appropriate. The IDEA references the need to provide positive behavioral supports and 

interventions to children with disabilities whose behavior impedes their learning or the 

learning of others. 

7. What does the research show regarding positive school climate improvement 

efforts? 

Research shows that when schools and districts focus on improving school climate, 

students are more likely to be engaged, to develop positive relationships with each other 

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and adults, and to demonstrate positive behaviors.3 Research has shown that the benefits 

of an improved school climate include measurable improvements in student performance 

on assessments, graduation rates, and attendance. Research further suggests that a 

positive school climate can improve students’ grade point average.4 A positive school 

climate can also lead to a reduction in the drop-out rate and to higher reported rates of 

teacher satisfaction.5 

Conversely, research indicates that schools with negative school climates adversely affect 

student health, wellbeing and achievement. Negative, hostile or disorderly school 

climates can result in fear and avoidance, which in turn leads to negative effects on 

attendance, student learning and participation in student activities.6 

8. How does the use of “exclusionary” student discipline fit within school climate 

improvement? 

As acknowledged by the final report of the Commission, it is important for teachers and 

schools to have the flexibility they need to impose appropriate discipline and maintain 

order in the classroom, whether that is through use of “inclusionary” or “exclusionary” 

student disciplinary practices.7 The use of “inclusionary” student disciplinary practices 

(e.g., peer mediation) or “exclusionary” student disciplinary practices (e.g., out-of-school 

suspension) remains at the discretion of the school, district, and/or State, consistent with 

all applicable Federal laws, including Federal civil rights laws. Best practices for 

developing a school climate improvement program would suggest that a decision 

regarding the use of specific disciplinary practices be informed by collection and analysis 

of the relevant data and through meaningful stakeholder engagement. There is no 

expectation that a school climate improvement effort must exclusively use “inclusionary” 

student disciplinary practices nor “exclusionary” student disciplinary practices. 

9. What if my school has never attempted a school climate improvement effort? 

What if my school has already started a school climate improvement effort? 

The information in this document is intended to provide helpful recommendations to 

begin, sustain, or expand school climate improvement activities. Schools at any stage of 

3 American Institutes for Research/US Department of Education National Center on Safe Supportive Learning 

Environments. (2017) School Climate Improvement Action Guide for District Leaders. Washington, DC. 

https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/sites/default/files/SCIRP/actionguidedistrictwhole.pdf

4 Wang, W., Vaillancourt, T. Brittain, H.L., McDougall, P., Krygsman, A., Smith, D., Cunnigham, C.E., Haltigan, J.D., 

& Hymel, S. (2014). School climate, peer victimization, and academic achievement: Results from a multi-informant 

study. School Psychology Quarterly, 29(3), 360-377. https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Fspq0000084 5 Osher, David. American Institutes for Research/US Department of Education Safe and Supportive Schools Technical 

Assistance Center. “Making the Case for the Importance of School Climate and its Measurement” (Webinar) November 

30, 2011. https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/events/webinar/making-case-importance-school-climate-and-itsmeasurement 

6 Greg Chen & Lynne A. Weikart (2008) Student Background, School Climate, School Disorder, and Student 

Achievement: An Empirical Study of New York City's Middle Schools, Journal of School Violence, 7:4, 3-20. 

https://doi.org/10.1080/15388220801973813

7 Federal Commission on School Safety. “Final Report of the Federal Commission on School Safety”, December 18, 

2018, Washington, DC. https://www2.ed.gov/documents/school-safety/school-safety-report.pdf 

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school climate improvement efforts will be able to use the information shared within the 

document. 

10. What is a framework for a school to plan, implement and evaluate an effective 

program of school climate improvement? 

The School Climate Improvement Resource Package (SCIRP)8 is a suite of manageable, 

action-oriented, and evidence-based resources that States, districts, and schools can use to 

make school climate improvements. These free tools provide a standard framework for 

planning and implementation of school climate improvement, which may be adapted to 

fit the local context, as well as data collection surveys and other diagnostic instruments to 

measure the impact of such an effort. 

The following information is compiled from various resources available to the public as 

part of the SCIRP, including the School Climate Improvement Reference Manual9 and 

the Quick Guide on Making School Climate Improvements.10 

Within its School Climate Improvement Reference Manual (Reference Manual), The 

NCSSLE describes 5 activity sets (sets of overarching activities that help guide readers to 

more specific, individual activities) by which a school can effectively plan, implement 

and evaluate its school climate improvement effort. The sets of activities are: 

• Planning for school climate improvements; 

• Engaging stakeholders in school climate improvements; 

• Collecting and reporting school climate data; 

• Choosing and implementing school climate interventions; and 

• Monitoring and evaluating school climate improvements. 

Schools and districts that successfully improve school climate most often engage in all 

five sets of activities.11 Although each activity set has its own unique purpose, a school 

may wish to first select the activity set most relevant to it at that moment; it does not 

necessarily need to follow the activity sets strictly in the order provided. Additionally, 

some activity sets are likely to overlap with one another. 

Included within each activity set are action steps (the broad actions that make up the 

activity set) and specific objectives (specific benchmarks within each action step). Within 

each objective, there is a purpose (reason/relevancy for objective), strategies (short and 

long-term methods by which to realize the objective), and related resources. 

8 The SCIRP is free and publicly available at https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/scirp/about. 9 Yoder, N., Darling-Churchill, K., Colombi, G. D., Ruddy, S., Neiman, S., Chagnon, E., & Mayo, R. (2017). School 

climate improvement reference manual. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Safe and Healthy 

Students. https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/scirp/reference-manual 10 U.S. Department of Education, Office of Safe and Healthy Students. (2016). Quick guide on making school climate 

improvements. Washington, DC. 

https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/sites/default/files/NCSSLE_SCIRP_QuickGuide508_0.pdf

11 Ibid. 2. 

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For example, within the first activity set “Planning for School Climate Improvement,” the 

first action step is “Action Step 1: Develop a Plan for Making School Climate 

Improvements.” Action Step 1 includes seven discrete objectives. The first objective is to 

“Engage key leaders in making school climate improvements.” The objective has both a 

stated purpose and includes several strategies for realizing the objective. See below: 

ACTIVITY SET 1: Planning for School Climate Improvement 

ACTION STEP 1. Develop a Plan for Making School Climate Improvements 

OBJECTIVE 1.1.1: Engage key leaders in making school climate 

improvements. 

Purpose: 

Key leaders are important; they guide the direction of the school, 

identify priorities, and direct resources to those priorities. It is 

important to engage these key leaders to identify their perception 

of needs; elicit and address their questions and concerns; gain 

authorization; and, when necessary, create a sense of importance or 

urgency. It also is important to clearly identify roles and 

responsibilities as you engage your key leaders in school climate 

efforts. 

Strategies: 

• Identify the benefits of launching a school climate initiative 

for different members of your school community (e.g., 

school, students, families, staff, and communities). 

• Initiate discussions with leaders and key staff that include 

schools’ specific needs related to supporting school climate 

as it relates to district or school priorities. 

• Consider who can champion the work at the leadership 

level. 

• Consider what the anticipated barriers to obtaining buy-in 

may be, how barriers can be overcome, why the school 

climate work should be done, and who will be responsible 

for each piece of the work. 

(Source: Yoder, N., Darling-Churchill, K., Colombi, G. D., Ruddy, S., Neiman, S., Chagnon, E., & Mayo, R., 12-13) 

Therefore, given the organization and format of the Reference Manual, Objective 1.1.1 

may be fully considered with the understanding of the intended purpose of the objective, 

its relative place as part of the larger strategic goal (developing a plan for making school 

climate improvements), and the tactical steps necessary to realize the objective (i.e., 

promote benefits, initiate dialogue, anticipate barriers). 

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The overall result is that the Reference Manual serves as a framework of objectives, 

strategies, and resources for any school, district, or State to implement a school climate 

improvement effort, from any starting point, whether basic or advanced. 

11. Is there a condensed version of the School Climate Improvement Reference 

Manual? Are there audience-specific versions, such as a guide for parents? 

The NCSSLE published a “Quick Guide on Making School Climate Improvements” 

(Quick Guide),12 which condenses and summarizes the extensive information presented 

in the Reference Manual for ease of use. The Quick Guide distills the dozens of 

objectives covered under each of the five activity sets in the Reference Manual into the 

most essential activities. 

For example, the Quick Guide, Activity Set 1 (“Planning for School Climate 

Improvement”) now includes seven “Key Things to Do,” such as developing a core 

planning team, creating a vision and logic model, planning for data collection, and 

planning to differentiate supports, among others.13 This document contains much of the 

same detail as the Reference Manual, but with the added benefit of a format that is userfriendly and written in language that is accessible for a wide audience. 

There are also a series of “School Climate Action Guides”14 in which the information and 

the strategies for school climate improvement are presented for a specific audience, 

including: 

• District leaders, 

• School leaders, 

• Instructional staff, 

• Non-instructional staff, 

• Families, 

• Students, and 

• Community partners. 

These audience-specific guides provide insights on how each respective group (for 

example, parents or students) can uniquely support school climate improvements, given 

their unique place or position held in the school community. 

12. What interventions should be used as part of a school climate improvement 

effort? 

One of the most important elements in the framework for designing and implementing a 

school climate improvement effort is the selection of which intervention(s) to use. Often, 

12 The Quick Guide on Making School Climate Improvements is free and publicly available at 

https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/sites/default/files/NCSSLE_SCIRP_QuickGuide508_0.pdf

13 U.S. Department of Education. Quick guide on making school climate improvements, 4. 14 School Climate Action Guides are free and available at https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/scirp/action-guides 

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a school will already use some form of intervention to support its students, and a school 

may choose to use existing interventions (particularly when they align with the needs 

identified through stakeholder engagement and data collection). In addition, it is 

important to ensure that, when considering the use of existing interventions, such 

interventions are available to all students in need and are implemented with fidelity to the 

school climate improvement plan. 

The NCSSLE framework for school climate improvement recommends the use of multitiered approach to organize interventions, in which the first tier (Tier 1) provides a 

foundation of universal supports for all students, the second tier (Tier 2) provides extra 

support for those students in need of extra assistance, and the third tier (Tier 3) provides 

intensive support for those who most need it.15 For example, Tier 1 supports could be 

integrated into classroom instruction, Tier 2 supports could be applied in small group 

settings, and Tier 3 supports could be used in 1-on-1 sessions between a counselor and a 

student.16 It is important to remember that a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) is not 

a program or intervention itself; but rather, a system of organizing programs or 

interventions so that they are delivered appropriately to students.17 Selection of 

interventions should be aligned to both the potential application and differentiated need in 

the multi-tiered system. 

13. What about the use of evidence-based interventions? 

There are many different types of interventions that a school may choose to use in a 

school climate improvement effort. Ideally, interventions should be evidence-based, in 

order to ensure that limited resources are only used on practices that have some proof of 

effectiveness. The ESEA describes different levels of evidence when defining the term 

evidence-based interventions, including: 

• Strong evidence from at least one well-designed and well-implemented 

experimental study, 

• Moderate evidence from at least one well-designed and well-implemented quasiexperimental study, and 

• Promising evidence from at least one well designed and well-implemented 

correlational study with statistical controls for selection bias18 

Although there is no Federal requirement governing the use of evidence-based 

interventions in a general school climate improvement effort, the statutory definition may 

be useful, as it is both permissive of rigorously researched practices as well as emerging, 

promising practices that may not yet have been subject to an experimental study. If a 

15 Yoder, N., Darling-Churchill, K., Colombi, G. D., Ruddy, S., Neiman, S., Chagnon, E., & Mayo, R., 136. 16 Ibid., 22 17 U.S. Department of Education, Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development, Policy and Program Studies 

Service, Collaboration for Safe and Healthy Schools: Study of Coordination Between School Climate Transformation 

Grants and Project AWARE. Washington, D.C., 2017, 4. https://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/school-safety/schoolclimate-transformation-grants-aware-full-report.pdf 18 See ESEA Section 8101(21)(A). 

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school chooses to use an intervention that aligns with the levels of evidence described 

above, it may also be eligible to use certain Federal funding to support the evidencebased intervention, including ESEA section 1003 funds.19 

Please note that many different programs at the Department could generally support 

school climate improvement activities; for example, Title I, Part A of the ESEA, Title IV, 

Part A of the ESEA, etc. For more information about specific activities which may be 

supported through use of Federal funds, you may wish to contact your district or State’s 

Federal programs director or the relevant program office at the Department. 

There are several publicly available databases that can help with the identification of 

evidence-based and effective interventions. These include the Department’s What Works 

Clearinghouse (WWC), managed by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) (available 

at https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/), and the Regional Educational Laboratories (RELs) 

(available at https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/). Both organizations conduct research, 

publish studies, and offer training and support related to evidence-based practices in 

education. Another resource is the Evidence-Based Practices Resource Center (EBP) 

from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) from 

the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) (available at 

https://www.samhsa.gov/ebp-resource-center). 

19 U.S. Department of Education, “ESEA Section 1003 Funding for School improvement and ESEA Section 1003A 

Director Student Services” (Webinar) July 18, 2018, 15 

https://www2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/essa/1003awebinarandpresentation.pdf 

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Research Discussion: Restorative Practices

Research Discussion: Restorative Practices 

Overview: Restorative practices have been promoted as a research-based approach to 

improving school climate, with multiple states and school districts across the country 

implementing various forms of these practices in their classrooms. Emerging from the 

restorative justice model utilized in the criminal justice system, restorative practices do not 

have one precise definition, but broadly refer to a non-punitive approach to handling conflict 

in the school setting. Common elements of restorative practices range from informal and 

affirmative practices, such as the use of affective statements to convey how the behaviors of 

others affect an individual’s feelings, to more formal practices, such as restorative conferences 

or mediation in response to serious incidents. 

In 2014, Pittsburgh Public Schools received a grant from the National Institute of Justice, the 

research agency of the U.S. Department of Justice, to implement and evaluate restorative 

practices, titled “Pursuing Equitable and Restorative Communities”, or PERC. The district’s 

motive for implementing restorative practices was to improve student safety and reduce 

suspension rates, specifically targeting disparities in suspension rates that existed between 

African-American students and White students. 

Study: RAND Corp. conducted a randomized controlled trial, the first rigorous evaluation of 

restorative practices, to analyze the implementation, impacts, and sustainability of PERC for 

the Pittsburgh Public School system during the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 school years. 

Administrative data was obtained from the district and county, while additional data was 

collected through surveys, staff interviews, and observations in select schools. 

Key Findings: 

• Positive effects on teachers’ perceptions of teaching and learning conditions, and a 

majority of surveyed staff believed their relationships with students had moderately or 

greatly improved. 

• Reduction in the overall use of suspensions and amount of learning time lost to 

suspensions, with significant reductions occurring for African American students, 

elementary school students, and female students. (There were no significant reductions 

for White students, middle school students, or male students.) 

• No significant change on the number of suspensions for serious infractions involving 

violence or weapons, or on the percentage of students arrested at school. 

• Negative effects on academic achievement for African American students and among 

all middle schools students, and overall negative effects on Math achievement. 

• Negative effects on students’ ratings of teachers’ classroom management practices 

related to safety and discipline, and on students’ overall assessment of teacher 

performance. 

• Most staff identified “time” as the greatest barrier to implementing restorative 

practices, while some indicated a lack of clarity on the connection between the use of 

restorative practices and traditional discipline. 

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Take away: The effect of restorative practices on Pittsburgh Public Schools vary considerably 

by student subgroup and include positive, neutral and negative effects. Although the findings 

reveal potential positive benefits of restorative practices, which therefore merits consideration, 

it also highlights the importance of evaluating school climate improvement efforts through the 

use of multiple measures, as a single measure alone may not reveal the full impact. 

The results of the study would suggest that school leaders should identify trade-offs that may 

exist with any intervention designed to improve school climate. Outreach and engagement 

with all relevant stakeholders can be critical to weighing different interventions and 

determining a plan of action that reflects the values and priorities of the school community. 

(Source: Augustine, Catherine H., John Engberg, Geoffrey E. Grimm, Emma Lee, Elaine Lin Wang, Karen Christianson, and 

Andrea A. Joseph, Can Restorative Practices Improve School Climate and Curb Suspensions? An Evaluation of the Impact of 

Restorative Practices in a Mid-Sized Urban School District. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2018. 

https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR2840.html) 

14. How should I use data to inform my school climate improvement effort? 

Research suggests that there are five helpful steps when using education data for strategic 

decision-making and action: identify the question and the data necessary to answer, 

examine the data for patterns, analyze the patterns for causes, develop a response plan, 

and monitor progress.20 

In order to improve school climate, there must first be the ability to measure school 

climate.21 Further, measurements of school climate should be multi-faceted, recognizing 

the number and diversity of influences on the overall school climate. For instance, using 

attendance data alone, or number of incidents reported alone, may be insufficient to fully 

represent a school’s climate.22 Similarly, survey instruments are most effective when they 

capture responses from a sufficiently representative group of students (or all students). 

Once collected, the use of data becomes an important part of the development and 

refinement of a school climate improvement plan. For example, the selection of which 

interventions to use may respond to patterns identified in the data. Further, the use of data 

can help to identify how effective the interventions truly are. 

Lastly, it is recommended that school climate data be collected and analyzed on a 

defined, recurring interval, so that the overall progress toward improving school climate 

is regularly evaluated. Data may also be used to evaluate the effectiveness of individual 

components of the plan. 

20 Kekahio, W., & Baker, M. (2013). Five steps for structuring data-informed conversations and action in education 

(REL 2013–001). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for 

Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Regional Educational Laboratory Pacific. 

https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/pacific/pdf/REL_2013001.pdf 21 Osher, David. “Making the Case for the Importance of School Climate and its Measurement” (Webinar). 22 Ibid. 

12 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Program Spotlight: School Climate Transformation Grants

15. What survey or diagnostic tools are available to measure school climate, and/or 

the results of school climate improvement efforts? 

The Department created the Education Department School Climate Surveys (EDSCLS),

23 

which are free survey and diagnostic tools available for public use. The primary goal of 

the EDSCLS platform is to provide a no-cost, user-friendly, high-functioning platform 

that schools, districts, and States may use to administer a suite of school climate 

24 surveys.

The surveys cover a wide range of topics related to school climate, including questions 

concerning school engagement, school safety, and school environment. The EDSCLS 

includes four distinct surveys for each of four respondent groups—students in grades 5– 

12, parents or guardians, the instructional staff, and the non-instructional staff (including 

principals) in schools—in order to gain an understanding of school climate across 

multiple relevant stakeholder groups. The EDSCLS was also designed to minimize the 

effort required to conduct the survey, compile and analyze the data, and produce reports 

on the results.25 

When schools, districts, or States choose to use the EDSCLS in concert with the SCIRP, 

it allows for the development of a strategic school climate improvement plan informed by 

relevant school climate data, with the opportunity to measure effectiveness of the 

improvement strategies and overall progress through future administrations of the survey 

tool. 

Program Spotlight: School Climate Transformation Grants 

As schools and districts across the country work to improve behavioral outcomes and learning 

conditions for students, the Department supports these efforts by awarding funds through the 

School Climate Transformation Grant Program. Grants are awarded competitively to states and 

local education agencies to support schools as they implement a multi-tiered behavioral 

framework. Since 2014, $45 million has been awarded to 21 states and $175 million has been 

awarded directly to 71 school districts. The Department anticipates inviting applications for new 

awards under this program in the future. 

Updates on upcoming competitions can be found on the program webpage at 

https://www2.ed.gov/programs/schoolclimatelea/index.html 

23 The EDSCLS is free and publicly available at https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/edscls 24 U.S. Department of Education, Office of Safe and Healthy Students, Technical and Administration User Guide for 

the ED School Climate Surveys (EDSCLS), Washington, DC, 2018, 1. 

https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/sites/default/files/EDSCLS_UserGuide_Nov2018.pdf

25 Ibid, 1. 

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The Institute of Education Science (IES) is currently conducting an evaluation to study the 

impact of providing training in the multi-tiered systems of support framework on school staff 

practices, school climate, and student outcomes. Data from the 2015–2016 through 2018–2019 

school years are being collected and analyzed to provide a deeper understanding of how schools 

implement the multi-tiered framework, and how these activities affect students and student subgroups. The first report for the study is expected in 2019 and will be announced on 

http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/. 

Highlighted below are strategies that various grantees implemented to transform their school 

climates, and some of the positive outcomes that were realized. 

Appleton Area School District, Wisconsin 

Appleton Area School District (AASD) is a large urban district in Wisconsin serving over 

16,000 students. Through implementation of the multi-tiered behavioral framework, schools in 

AASD have shown steady progress in improving school climate. An increasing number of their 

23 schools are experiencing reductions in office discipline referrals (ODRs), while AASD has 

experienced an overall reduction in the number of suspensions due to alcohol and weapon 

related incidences. Additionally, 87% of elementary and high school students have received 0-1 

referrals and 85% of middle level students have received 0-1 referrals, significant reductions 

from prior years 

AASD directly measures school climate through student/teacher perception surveys. Current 

survey results in the area of teacher/student relationships indicate that 81% of students agree 

that there is a strong social connection between teachers and students within and beyond the 

classroom. All 23 schools in AASD have reached fidelity of implementation for their Tier 1 

school-wide PBIS implementation and 22 schools have met fidelity for Tier 2, targeted 

interventions for students demonstrating need of additional support. Targeted interventions 

include the use of a daily Check in/Check out system, where select students meet with an adult 

before and after the school day for structured feedback and encouragement. The district 

continues to build system capacity for supporting students with intensive behavioral needs, with 

9 schools implementing Tier 3 intensive and individualized supports. AASD has allocated 

additional resources to Tier 3 coaching to build further implementation and fidelity. 

During the course of the grant, AASD has increased collaboration with community partners, 

including mental health providers, truancy/runaway centers and the local Boys and Girls Club. 

These partnerships have led to increased access to mental health and alcohol/substance services 

as well as improvements in truancy issues in several schools through their Tier 2 intervention 

systems. Training all staff in restorative practices as well as trauma-informed care has allowed 

AASD to integrate expanded supports through their multi-tiered PBIS systems. 

14 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Laconia School District, New Hampshire 

The Laconia School District, located in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire, serves 

approximately 2,000 students in preschool through high school across five schools. Children 

living in Laconia are some of the State’s most vulnerable, experiencing a high number of 

community and home risk factors that adversely affect school performance and social-emotional 

development. More than 60% of students receive free or reduced lunch, 6% of students are 

considered homeless under the McKinney-Vento Act, and there is a higher than average rate of 

students with disabilities, transience, and high rates of students involved in the juvenile justice 

system. 

The School Climate Transformation Grant facilitated Laconia’s implementation of PBIS in all 

five schools, and has supported PBIS staff positions and coaches. Laconia has also leveraged 

other funding sources to support its multi-tiered system of supports, coordinating with its PBIS 

efforts under the grant. 

To date, Laconia has seen a 50% reduction in Office Discipline Referrals (ODR) across the 

district and an increase in the percentage of students with 0-1 ODRs in all schools. More 

students are receiving school-based mental health services onsite as part of Laconia’s Tier 2 

targeted and Tier 3 intensive supports. Additionally, the school district has observed a threefold 

increase in family engagement by increasing the number of in home-visits from school social 

workers and by offering new parent education and engagement events. 

16. What can I do to ensure my school climate improvement effort is sustainable over 

the long term? 

A 2018 research study conducted by the Department, of school districts awarded Federal 

grants related to improving school climate and increasing access to mental health 

services, found that a broad challenge to effective implementation was lack of clear 

planning and coordination. The study describes the challenge below: 

In many districts and schools, educators implement, sustain, and evaluate multiple 

innovations, initiatives, programs, or practices at the same time. Challenges inherent 

in this process include the potential for redundancy, misalignment, ineffective 

implementation, and excess burden on human and financial resources. 26 

When describing strategies to help mitigate those challenges, a common suggestion was 

to prioritize sustainability at the earliest stages of planning. For example, as early as 

possible, establishing a team to help with coordination, clarifying goals, and mapping 

resources to avoid redundancies were all recommendations.27 

26 U.S. Department of Education, Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development, Policy and Program Studies 

Service, Collaboration for Safe and Healthy Schools: Study of Coordination Between School Climate Transformation 

Grants and Project AWARE. Washington, D.C., 2017, 31. 27 Ibid, 36 

15 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In addition, a common lesson cited by study participants was the importance and value of 

communication, including helping stakeholders understand needs and goals, and 

connecting those goals to the school district’s mission and other initiatives and 

strategies.28 

In general, the sustainability of a school climate improvement effort likely depends on 

several different factors, including the availability of financial and human resources, 

availability and effectiveness of professional development and training, and integration of 

school climate improvement efforts into overall strategic planning and mission. 

Therefore, planning early and proactively for the sustainability of a school climate 

improvement effort is essential. By considering sustainability in the early planning 

stages, it is easier to identify strategies and practices that are not only effective but have 

long-term sustainability. Further, proactively planning for sustainability can help 

organize short-term versus long-term strategies, make best use of limited resources, and 

define levels of commitment over time.29 

17. What is Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (PBIS), and how does it 

relate to school climate and school climate improvement? 

PBIS is a framework that utilizes a multi-tiered continuum of supports to benefit the 

academic, social, emotional, and behavioral competence of all students. PBIS helps 

“improve behavioral and academic outcomes by improving school climate, preventing 

problem behavior, increasing learning time, promoting positive social skills, and 

delivering effective behavioral interventions and supports.”30 

PBIS is a framework by which a school could implement a school climate improvement 

effort. Like the NSCCLE framework, PBIS relies on the use of data, a multi-tiered 

system of supports, and evidence-based practices. In general, multi-tiered systems of 

support such as PBIS, response-to-intervention (RtI), and multi-tiered behavioral 

frameworks (MTBF) share some of the following core features: 

28 Ibid, 36 29 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Adolescent Health, Building Sustainable Programs: The 

Resource Guide. Washington, D.C., 2014, 3. 

https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/sites/default/files/sustainability-resource-guide.pdf 30 OSEP Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (October 2015). Positive 

Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Implementation Blueprint: Part 1 – Foundations and Supporting 

Information. Eugene, OR: University of Oregon, 5. https://www.pbis.org/blueprint/implementation-blueprint 

16 
 

 

 

 

PBIS Core Features 

• Implementation fidelity: Structures and procedures are in place to help with early 

adoption and to ensure sustainable implementation. 

• Continuum of evidence-based interventions: An integrated and sequenced 

organization of practices is developed so that: 

o A standard curriculum is provided for all students, 

o Modifications to curriculum can be made for students whose performance is 

identified as nonresponsive, and 

o A specialized and intensive curriculum is developed for students whose 

performance is deemed nonresponsive to the modified curriculum. 

• Content expertise and fluency: School staff demonstrate the content knowledge, 

fluency, and experience necessary to support implementation of evidence-based 

practices and systems. 

• Leadership team implementation and coordination: Implementation of evidencebased practices and systems is administered by a leadership team that includes school 

leaders, stakeholders, and content experts. This team is responsible for ensuring 

fidelity in implementation, resource management, and data-based decision making. 

• Continuous progress monitoring: Performance is reviewed on a frequent and regular 

schedule to identify trends, measure student responsiveness, and adapt and modify 

supports. 

• Universal and comprehensive screening: Performance of all students is reviewed 

regularly to assess: 

o Current level of progress, 

o Adequacy of progress, 

o Fidelity of support implementation, 

o Effectiveness of support, and 

o Need or change in supports. 

• Cultural and contextual relevance: Implementation of evidence-based practices, 

systems, and associated data-based decision making are adapted to the context of the 

local culture. 

• Data-based decision-making. 

(Source: OSEP Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, Positive Behavioral 

Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Implementation Blueprint: Part 1 – Foundations and Supporting Information, 11-

12) 

PBIS practices may also be used independent of, or as a complement to, a separate school 

climate improvement effort. Schools may also nest PBIS practices within a larger school 

climate improvement effort. 

17 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

School Focus: Integrating PBIS to Improve School Climate

School Focus: Integrating PBIS to Improve School Climate 

Schools across the country are implementing various elements of PBIS and integrating these 

practices with other tools and resources as they work to improve the school climate and enhance 

student behavior. Below are a few examples of schools that have combined the PBIS framework 

with additional climate improvement strategies and have seen positive student outcomes as a 

result of these efforts. 

Angel Oak Elementary School, Johns Island, SC 

Angel Oak Elementary School, located in Johns Island, SC, decided to partner with a 

community mental health agency to treat students in school in need of mental health services. 

This type of partnership, referred to as the Interconnected Systems Framework (ISF), was 

established and a clinician from the mental health agency became part of the school’s multidisciplinary team and began supporting students with both group and individual interventions. 

The school conducted universal screening to identify students in need of behavioral health 

services. Using these data along with other school and community data, a variety of 

interventions were selected to meet the individual needs of students, including Check In/Check 

Out, social skills groups, and modular cognitive-behavioral therapy. 

School staff reported these efforts to be beneficial, enabling systematic communication and 

collaboration between education and mental health systems and students and families. Some 

preliminary outcomes include improved standardized test performance, with increases in math 

proficiency for all grades and in reading proficiency for grades 2 through 5. Angel Oak saw a 

reduction in the percent of students receiving unexcused tardies and absences after one year of 

ISF implementation from 61% to 20% and 89% to 35%, respectively. Additionally, parent 

engagement increased following ISF implementation, with the number of parents participating 

in the Parent Teacher Association increasing from 35 members in the 2016-2017 school year to 

240 members in the 2018-2019 school year. 

Charlotte Central School, Charlotte, VT 

At Charlotte Central School located in Charlotte, VT, after analyzing school-wide discipline 

data and realizing the need for additional universal social skills instruction and targeted 

instruction for students requiring more support, the PBIS Implementation Team integrated both 

Responsive Classroom/Second Step Curriculum and Developmental Design resources into its 

PBIS framework. Since integrating these resources, Charlotte Central has seen a significant 

reduction in serious behavior issues leading to Office Discipline Referrals. Referrals for major 

infractions during the 2017-2018 school year totaled 679, down significantly from a total of 914 

during the 2016-2017 school year. 

18 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Additionally, the PBIS School Leadership Team revamped the school-wide acknowledgment 

system to reinforce positive behaviors and build relationships with the greater community. 

Students received a penny when demonstrating the school-wide expectations of Take Care of 

Ourselves, Take Care of Others, and Take Care of This Place. Pennies are added to a classroom 

collection jar, where a full jar leads to a classroom celebration and the deposit of pennies into 

the school-wide “penny bank” in the main lobby. When the school fills the school-wide “penny 

bank”, a school-wide celebration takes place and the pennies are donated to a local organization 

chosen by the students, reinforcing that positive behaviors have a positive impact on the broader 

community. 

18. Where can I find additional resources? 

The National Center of Safe and Supportive Learning Environments 

(www.safesupportivelearning.ed.gov) and the Technical Assistance Center on Positive 

Behavioral Interventions and Supports (www.pbis.org) provide free, additional 

information to support States, school districts, schools, teachers, parents, and the public. 

In addition, this document includes an appendix with a list of all the resources referenced 

in the document as well as links to other relevant materials for further study on school 

climate and school climate improvement issues. 

Please send any questions, comments or concerns regarding school climate or school 

climate improvement to the Department’s Office of Safe and Supportive Students, at: 

Office of Safe and Supportive Schools 

Office of Elementary and Secondary Education 

U.S. Department of Education 

400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Room 3E-245 

Washington, DC 20202 

Phone: 202-453-6777 

E-mail: OESE@ed.gov 

Please send any questions, comments or concerns regarding either (1) positive behavioral 

intervention supports or (2) serving students with disabilities, to the Department’s Office 

of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, at: 

Communications and Customer Service Team (CCT) 

Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services 

U.S. Department of Education 

400 Maryland Ave., SW 

Washington, DC 20202 

Phone: 202-245-7468 

E-mail: OSERS1@ed.gov 

19 
Appendix 

1 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Additional Resources 

DISCLAIMER: These resources represent some examples of the research and materials 

currently available to the public on the topics of school climate. These may contain 

information relevant to state and local education leaders, school staff, parents, and 

students who are interested in learning more about school climate and school climate 

improvement. The opinions expressed in any of these materials do not necessarily 

reflect the positions or policies of the Department, and the inclusion of references to 

these materials in this appendix should not be construed or interpreted as an 

endorsement of any kind. 

National Center on Safe and Supportive Learning Environments (NCSSL), Office of 

Safe and Healthy Schools, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, 

US Department of Education https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/ 

• School Climate Improvement Resource Package (SCIRP), 

https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/scirp/about 

o School Climate Improvement Reference Manual. This reference manual 

provides comprehensive lists of goals, strategies, outputs, and resources on 

improving school climate via planning, engaging stakeholders, collecting, 

analyzing and reporting data, identifying and implementing interventions, 

and monitoring and evaluating. 

https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/scirp/reference-manual 

o Quick Guide on Making School Climate Improvements. This guide 

provides the basics on what is involved in improving school climate, 

including descriptions of what it looks like when it is being done well, as 

well as pitfalls to avoid. 

https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/sites/default/files/NCSSLE_SCIRP_ 

QuickGuide508_0.pdf 

o School Climate Improvement Action Guides. These guides provide 

possible action steps for district leaders, school leaders, instructional staff, 

non-instructional staff, families, students, and community partners on how 

to support school climate improvements, tips on what it looks like when it 

is being done well and what pitfalls to avoid, and questions to ask to 

engage in the school climate improvement efforts. 

https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/scirp/action-guides 

 School Climate Improvement Action Guide for District Leaders. 

This document outlines possible key action steps that district 

leaders—superintendents, assistant superintendents, directors of 

student support services, or others—can take to contribute to 

improve school climate. 

https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/sites/default/files/SCIRP/acti 

onguidedistrictwhole.pdf 

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 School Climate Improvement Action Guide for School Leaders. 

This document outlines possible key action steps that school 

leaders—principals, assistant/vice principals, or building leaders— 

can take to contribute to improve school climate. 

https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/sites/default/files/SCIRP/acti 

onguideschoolwhole.pdf 

 School Climate Improvement Action Guide for Instructional Staff. 

This document outlines key action steps that instructional staff— 

including teachers, paraprofessionals, and classroom aides—can 

take to contribute to improve school climate. 

https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/sites/default/files/SCIRP/acti 

onguideinstrstaffwhole.pdf 

 School Climate Improvement Action Guide for Non-instructional 

Staff. This document outlines possible key action steps that noninstructional staff—including office staff, guidance counselors, 

social workers, school psychologists, bus drivers, maintenance and 

facility staff, and food service staff—can take to contribute to 

improve school climate. 

https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/sites/default/files/SCIRP/acti 

onguidenoninstrstaffwhole.pdf 

 School Climate Improvement Action Guide for Working with 

Families. This document outlines examples of how family 

members, including guardians of students, can be engaged in the 

school climate improvements so that students are more successful. 

https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/sites/default/files/SCIRP/acti 

onguidefamilywhole.pdf 

 School Climate Improvement Action Guide for Working with 

Students. This document outlines examples of how students can be 

engaged in the school climate improvements so they are more 

successful. 

https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/sites/default/files/SCIRP/acti 

onguidestudentwhole.pdf 

 School Climate Improvement Action Guide for Community 

Partners. This document outlines examples of how community 

partners can support school climate improvements so they are 

more successful. 

https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/sites/default/files/SCIRP/acti 

onguidecompartwhole.pdf 

o School Climate Data Interpretation Resources. These materials are 

appropriate and recommended for all person(s) at your state, district, or 

school who will be most actively involved in the interpretation of the 

survey findings, translating the data into action, and communicating with 

those who will promote data-driven decision making for school climate 

improvement. https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/scirp/datainterpretation-resources 

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 EDSCLS School Climate Data Analysis Worksheet .This tool 

provides examples of key questions schools administering the ED 

School Climate Surveys (EDSCLS) can utilize to guide analysis of 

their data. This tool can also be used to create documents 

describing the findings of the data that can be shared with 

stakeholders. 

https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/sites/default/files/SCIRP/data 

interpretationworksheet.docx 

 Data Interpretation Guide on Making School Climate 

Improvement. This document contains detailed information and 

resources to help you interpret and use results from your school 

climate surveys. Measuring and understanding how students, staff, 

and parents/guardians perceive the climate in their schools are key 

steps in making wise decisions on how to use resources to focus on 

areas in need of improvement. 

https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/sites/default/files/SCIRP/data 

interpretationguide.pdf 

 Data Interpretation Topical Discussion Guides. The discussion 

guides provide information to help in interpreting data for 13 

school climate topics. Each discussion guide provides a brief 

description of the topic area, as well as initial and deeper guiding 

questions that assist in using and interpreting data results for 

specific school climate topic areas, overall and by multi-tiered 

systems of support, as applicable. 

https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/scirp/data-interpretationresources 

o Online Training Modules. These six modules provide an opportunity to 

practice skills, including engaging leadership and other stakeholders, 

analyzing and collecting school climate data, and identifying 

interventions. 

 Online Module 1: Understanding the Importance of School 

Climate and Engaging School Leadership in Its Improvement. This 

module gives you an opportunity to apply key information about 

school climate to strategically engage leadership. 

http://airhsdlearning.airws.org/schoolclimate1/story.html 

 Online Module 2: Engaging Staff, Students, and Families in 

Building a Positive School Climate. This module gives you an 

opportunity to think through strategies for engaging staff, students, 

and families in improving school climate. 

http://airhsdlearning.airws.org/schoolclimate2/story.html 

 Online Module 3: Putting Your Data in Context: A Big Picture 

View of School Climate. This module guides users through a 

simulation activity using hypothetical data and a narrative to 

demonstrate how putting data and current school initiatives 

together can provide a picture of school climate. 

http://airhsdlearning.airws.org/schoolclimate3/story.html 

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 Online Module 4: Integrating Different Data Sources to 

Understand School Climate. This module gives you an opportunity 

to apply what you know about school climate to effectively 

organize data for action. 

http://airhsdlearning.airws.org/schoolclimate4/story.html 

 Online Module 5: Sharing School Climate Data with Stakeholders. 

This module focuses on possible strategies for presenting data 

effectively and gives you an opportunity to practice sharing data 

with key stakeholders who have an interest in improving school 

climate. http://airhsdlearning.airws.org/schoolclimate5/story.html 

 Online Module 6: Selecting Evidence-Based Interventions to 

Improve School Climate. This module provides a best practice 

process for choosing evidence-based interventions (EBI) to 

improve school climate and lays out a case scenario illustrating one 

school’s consideration when choosing evidence-based programs to 

improve its school climate. 

http://airhsdlearning.airws.org/schoolclimate6/story.html 

• ED School Climate Surveys (EDSCLS). The EDSCLS provide examples of 

helpful information on surveys that States, local districts, and schools can use to 

collect and act on reliable, nationally-validated school climate data in real-time. 

https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/edscls 

• Five steps for structuring data-informed conversations and action in 

education. Kekahio, W., & Baker, M. (2013) (REL 2013–001). Washington, 

DC: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National 

Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Regional 

Educational Laboratory Pacific. 

https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/pacific/pdf/REL_2013001.pdf 

Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), Office of Special Education and 

Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), US Department of Education Technical Assistance 

Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports 

https://www.pbis.org/ 

• Implementation Blueprint and Self-Assessment. The purpose of the Positive 

Behavioral Interventions and Supports Implementation Blueprint is to help guide 

leadership teams in the assessment, development, and execution of action plans. 

The outcome is the development of local capacity for sustainable, culturally and 

contextually relevant, and high fidelity implementation of multi-tiered practices 

and systems of support. 

https://www.pbis.org/blueprint/implementation-blueprint 

o Foundational and Supporting Information. The PBIS Implementation 

Blueprint is grounded in the behavioral and prevention sciences and 

emphasizes within a multi-tiered support system framework (a) 

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measurable outcomes, (b) evidence-based practices, (c) implementation 

systems, and (d) data for decision making. 

https://www.pbis.org/Common/Cms/files/pbisresources/PBIS%20Part%20 

1%2018%20Oct%202015%20Final.docx 

o Self-Assessment and Action Planning. State, county, regional, and district 

leadership teams should regularly assess the status of factors or drivers 

associated with systemic implementation of the PBIS framework. Selfassessment results are used to develop and modify action plans designed 

to achieve local capacity for establishing and sustaining high fidelity 

implementation of the PBIS framework. 

https://www.pbis.org/Common/Cms/files/pbisresources/PBIS%20Implem 

entation%20Blueprint%20Part%202%20Self-Assessment%202017-5-

15.docx 

• PBIS Technical Guide on Classroom Data: Using Data to Support Implementation 

of Positive Classroom Behavior Support Practices and Systems 

https://www.pbis.org/Common/Cms/files/pbisresources/PCBS%20Data%20Brief 

%2012.18.17.pdf 

• PBIS Technical Brief on Systems to Support Teachers' Implementation of 

Positive Classroom Behavior Support 

https://www.pbis.org/Common/Cms/files/pbisresources/PBIS%20Technical%20B 

rief%20on%20Systems%20to%20Support%20Teachers%20Implementation%20o 

f%20Positive%20Classroom%20Behavior%20Support.pdf 

• Brief Introduction and Frequently Asked Questions about PBIS 

https://www.pbis.org/school/swpbis-for-beginners/pbis-faqs 

• Family Engagement and Partnership FAQ 

https://www.pbis.org/family/faqs 

Institute for Education Sciences (IES), US Department of Education Regional 

Education Laboratory Program (REL). The ten Regional Educational Laboratories 

(RELs) work in partnership with school districts, state departments of education, and 

other educational stakeholders to use data and research to improve academic outcomes 

for students. For more than 50 years, the RELs have collaborated with school districts, 

state departments of education, and other education stakeholders to help them generate 

and use evidence and improve student outcomes. 

https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/ 

• Selected Resources on Student Discipline. RELs work in partnership with states 

and districts to 1) conduct original high quality research, 2) provide training, 

coaching, and technical support, and 3) disseminate high quality research findings 

to better understand their disciplinary data, including research studies that 

examine issues of equity and disproportionality. 

https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/projects/discipline.asp 

• Selected Resources on Early Warning Systems. An important part of keeping 

students on track for graduation and postsecondary success is to identify and 

address problems before they grow into major obstacles. For that reason, many 

schools and school systems are implementing Early Warning Systems. These 

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systems use a wide range of data to identify students that are at risk, allowing 

educators to provide timely interventions and supports. 

https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/projects/ews.asp 

• Selected Resources on Data Use. Educators and policymakers have access to data 

from many sources. A key challenge is how to best use the available data to 

inform decision-making. RELs work in partnership with states and districts to 1) 

conduct original high quality research, 2) provide training, coaching, and 

technical support, and 3) disseminate high quality research findings to improve 

data use. 

https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/projects/data_use.asp 

Institute for Education Sciences (IES), US Department of Education What Works 

Clearinghouse. The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) reviews the existing research 

on different programs, products, practices, and policies in education. The goal is to 

provide educators with the information they need to make evidence-based decisions. It 

focuses on the results from high-quality research to answer the question “What works in 

education?” 

https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/ 

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Evidence-Based Practices 

Resource Center. The Evidence-Based Practices Resource Center aims to provide 

communities, clinicians, policy-makers and others in the field with the information and 

tools they need to incorporate evidence-based practices into their communities or clinical 

settings. The Resource Center contains a collection of scientifically-based resources for a 

broad range of audiences, including Treatment Improvement Protocols, toolkits, resource 

guides, clinical practice guidelines, and other science-based resources. 

https://www.samhsa.gov/ebp-resource-center 

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Striving to Reduce Youth Violence Everywhere 

(STRYVE). STRYVE is a CDC initiative to help communities prevent youth violence. 

Offers an interactive resource to help other communities across the country take a public 

health approach to preventing youth violence. 

• The STRYVE Strategy Selector Tool. Provides access to evidence-based strategies 

that have prevented youth violence or changed risk and protective factors for 

youth violence in other communities. 

https://vetoviolence.cdc.gov/apps/stryve/detail/selection 

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), Office of Justice 

Programs (OJP), Department of Justice (DOJ) Model Programs Guide. The Office 

of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention’s (OJJDP’s) Model Programs Guide 

(MPG) contains information about evidence-based juvenile justice and youth prevention, 

intervention, and reentry programs. It is a resource for practitioners and communities 

about what works, what is promising, and what does not work in juvenile justice, 

delinquency prevention, and child protection and safety. 

https://www.ojjdp.gov/mpg/ 

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• Model Programs on School Climate. 

https://www.ojjdp.gov/mpg/Topic/Details/116 

OFFDP, OJP, DOJ School Justice Collaboration Program: Keeping Kids in School 

and Out of Court. The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) 

was awarded funding by OJJDP to support the School-Justice Partnership Project. The 

purpose of the project was to enhance collaboration and coordination among schools, 

mental and behavioral health specialists, law enforcement and juvenile justice officials to 

help students succeed in school and prevent negative outcomes for youth and 

communities. 

https://www.schooljusticepartnership.org 

• School Justice Partnership Resources. 

https://www.schooljusticepartnership.org/library 

The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL): Social 

and Emotional Learning Resource Library. CASEL, a non-profit organization 

committed to making evidence-based social and emotional learning an integral part of P12 education, offers a comprehensive collection of social and emotional learning (SEL) 

tools and resources to inform and support educators, researchers, policymakers, and 

parents who are leading this work in the field. Resources have been selected by CASEL 

staff, consultants, school district partners, field collaborators, and others. 

https://casel.org/resources/ 

• The CASEL Guide to Schoolwide SEL. Provides a process for school-based teams 

to organize, implement, and improve SEL efforts, while providing specific tools 

and resources to support each step of the process. 

https://schoolguide.casel.org/ 

The Wallace Foundation: Knowledge Center on Social and Emotional Learning 

(SEL). As part of a six-year initiative to improve SEL practices across school and out-ofschool settings, the Wallace Foundation gathers and disseminates evidence on the 

effectiveness of SEL programs to provide teachers and parents knowledge they can put 

into practice. 

https://www.wallacefoundation.org/knowledge-center/social-and-emotionallearning/pages/default.aspx 

• Navigating Social and Emotional Learning from the Inside Out. Provides in-depth 

information on 25 SEL programs, allowing practitioners to compare curricula and 

methods across the top SEL programs. 

https://www.wallacefoundation.org/knowledge-center/pages/navigating-socialand-emotional-learning-from-the-inside-out.aspx 

Character Lab: Playbooks. Character Lab’s eight playbooks provide actionable 

resources for parents and educators to target and develop specific character strengths in 

children. Included in the playbooks are strategies to implement these practices in the 

classroom. 

https://characterlab.org/playbooks/ 

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