The Connection Between School Climate &

AcademicsAcademics

D r. D a v i d O s h e r

P r i n c i p a l I n v e s t i g a t o r ,

S a f e a n d S u p p o r t i v e S c h o o l s Te c h n i c a l A s s i s t a n c e C e n t e rA m e r i c a n I n s t i t u t e s f o r R e s e a r c h ® ( A I R ® )

d o s h e r @ a i r . o r g

School Climate Technical Assistance Symposium

Underperforming Mailboxes

Marcus Yam - Washington Post July 25, 2009

What Affects Learning Outcomes?

Teaching Learning

Better OutcomesOutcomes

aci

tie

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ap

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ConditionsConditions

Conditions are:

i l f h f iliEnvironmental features that facilitate or serve as barriers to learning, teaching and development

I l d h l li t Include school climate

The extent to which students and teachers are and feel:feel:

Safe, connected and supported

Engaged and challengedg g g

Youth and adults can manage their emotions and relationships productively

Individual Capacities:

personal characteristics, attitudes and skills that help p , pchildren and youth learn and develop and help teachers succeed as educators

The stronger their capacities are, the more lik l it i th t th l

However, very poor conditions usually

h l t likely it is that the learner or the teacher can with stand challenges and poor

overwhelm strong capacities and, even when they do not overwhelm,

conditions will limit effectiveness

Example of School Effects: Impact of 1st Grade Teachers on Seventh Grade School Outcomes?Teachers on Seventh Grade School Outcomes?

58.760

40

50

30

40

Well-managed standard classroom

Ch ti t d d

10

20Chaotic standard classroom

2.7

0

10

Odds RatioOdds Ratio

The Impact of First Grade Teacher Capacity on 7th Grade Behavior (Kellam, Ling, Merisca, Brown, & Ialongo, 1998)

Example of What Can Be Done: PATHS

P R ti f A i

02

-.01

.00

ore

Peer Rating of Aggression 

-.05

-.04

-.03

-.02

m m

ean z‐sco

Intervention

-.08

-.07

-.06

.05

Classroo

m

-.10

-.09

Children Who Receive PATHS Rate Their Classmates As Significantly Less Aggressive Than Children Who Receive PATHS Rate Their Classmates As Significantly Less Aggressive Than Do Children In Randomized Comparison Classes

Fast Track Study – 378 Classrooms – 6715 children

CPPRG, 1999 – Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology

Example of What Can Be Done: Teacher Student Connection On Students Identified to Be at Risk

d h i k d l d iStudents who were at-risk and placed in first-grade classrooms offering strong instructional and emotional support had instructional and emotional support had achievement scores and student – teacher relationships commensurate with their plow-risk peers (Hamre & Pianta, 2005)

False Dichotomies

Biggest Math Gains in Schools that Combine High Levels of Student Social Support and School Academic Press*

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ieve

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*Extent that school members experience strong emphasis on e p as s o academic standards and success

Lee, et al. (1999)

Biggest Reading Gains in Schools that Combine High Levels of Student Social Support and School Academic PPress

ent

Gai

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len

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r A

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Lee, et al. (1999) School Research, Social Support Academic Press, & Student Achievement

Safety and Statewide Tests

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School Safety Challenge

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School Safety Challenge

Writing Math Reading Science

Supportive relationships between teachers and students promotep

dstudent engagement

positive attitudes

f b l d h la sense of belonging toward school

motivation

academic achievement (Barber & Oson, 1997; Begin & Begin, 2009; Birch & Ladd, 1997, Christenson & Anderson 2002; Connell Halpern Felsher Clifford Anderson, 2002; Connell Halpern-Felsher, Clifford, Crichlow, & Usinger, 1995; Hamre & Piantea, 2001; Wentzel, 1997; Wentzel & Wigfield, 1998)., 997; g , 99 )

A caring school community prevents anti-social behavior that interfere with learningg

Connections with adults in the school & School bonding are protective regarding a range of anti social o tcomes hich range of anti-social outcomes which impact on academic performance (e.g., substance abuse and arrest) (Resnick, substance abuse and arrest) (Resnick, Harris, & Blum, 1993; Srpott, Jenkins, & Doob, 2005)

School Climate and Academic

100100

Scor

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90

orm

ance

Inde

x

80

Ave

rage

Per

fo

70Lowest Climate Medium Climate Highest Climate

Source: EMIS, CSEE, 2006-07

Climate relates positively with the Ohio Academic Performance Index, Rush, 2010

The Four Elements of a Comprehensive Plan for Safe, Supportive and Academically Successful Schools

Connection, Care, 

Support

Social Challenge & Emotional Competency

Challenge & Engagement

Emotional  & Physical& Physical Safety

Social and Emotional Conditions for Learning

Safety

• Physically safe• Emotionally safe• Treated fairly and equitably

Support , Care, & Connection

• Meaningful connection to adults• Experience of Care & Respect• Strong bonds to school• Treated fairly and equitably

• Avoid risky behaviors• School is safe and orderly

• Strong bonds to school• Positive peer relationships• Effective and available support

Challenge & Engagement

• High expectations• School is connected to life goals

Social Emotional Competency

• Emotional intelligence Self Regulation School is connected to life goals

• Strong personal motivation• Academic Engagement • Rigorous academic opportunities

g• Culturally competence• Responsible and persistent• Cooperative team players• Contribute to school communityy

Osher et al., 2008

Safe and Respectful Climate

Emotional Safety

Climate Of Mutual Respect Climate Of Mutual Respect And Trust

Students Comfortable Taking Students Comfortable Taking Personal And Academic Risks

Safe and Respectful Climate

Physical SafetyPhysical Safety

Little Or No Fighting, Bullying, Crime, Gang Presence, Or Substance AbusePresence, Or Substance Abuse

Impact of Safety on Math Achievement: National Surveysy

NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress)

At all three grade levels students in schools reporting an above-average climate had reporting an above average climate had higher mean NAEP mathematics scale scores than students in schools reporting average or below-average school climate on the same below average school climate on the same measure (Greenberg, Skidmore, Rhodes, & Nesbitt, 2001)

Impact of Violence & Bullying

Perception of Safety was the highest correlate of attendance in the Bryk et al. (2010) study of Chicago School ReformChicago School Reform

Violence and bullying affect the extent to which students and staff feel “angry anxious depressed students and staff feel angry, anxious, depressed, fearful, frustrated, upset, traumatized, worried, sad, otherwise distressed” directly and indirectly y y(e.g., Nansel et al., 2001; Flannery, 2006)

Implementing positive behavior support systems

St d t d t i t l “ d t l ”Students need to arrive at class “ready to learn”Teaching time lost to problem behaviorLearning time lost to problem behavior generated ea g t e ost to p ob e be av o ge e ated disciplinary encounters (e.g., 41 % of time for disciplined students according to one urban coordinator)coordinator)Teaching time lost because students do not move efficiently through halls T h f tl d t id t iti t Teachers frequently do not provide opportunities to learn to students who exhibit problem behavior

E.g., wait time; being called upon

Student Support

Adults Listen To Students, Care About Them And Treat Them FairlyFairly

Adults Provide A Welcoming Environment For Students

S ti l ti hi t Supportive relationships promote student engagement, positive attitudes, and a sense of belonging toward school motivation and toward school, motivation, and academic achievement

Headlines from One Comprehensive Review of “Students Need for Belonging in the School Community (Osterman, Review of Educational Research, 2000)

P iti R l ti hi With St ff A d P Positive Relationships With Staff And Peers Associated With:

Intrinsic MotivationAccept Others Authority While Developing A Strong Sense Of IdentityExperience Autonomyp yAccept Responsibility To Regulate Their Own Emotions

Experience Of Acceptance Associated With:P iti O i t ti T S h l Cl W k & T hPositive Orientation To School, Class Work, & Teachers

Dropouts Feel Estranged From Teachers And PeersBelonging Engagement Achievementg g g g

Some More Headlines

Adolescent perceptions of connections with teachers predicted academic growth in Mathematics (Gregory

i i )& Weinstein, 2004)

Students were more likely to perform well on tests h th b li th t th i t h b t when they believe that their teachers care about

them (Muller, 2001; Ryan & Patrick, 2001) this relationship is stronger for students who are judged to be this relationship is stronger for students who are judged to be at risk for dropping out of high school

Create a caring community

Teachers who had high-quality relationships with their students had 31% fewer discipline problems, r le iolations and related problems o er a ear’s rule violations, and related problems over a year’s time than did teachers who lacked high-quality relationships with their students (Waters, Marzano, relationships with their students (Waters, Marzano, & McNulty, 2003)connections with adults in the school are protective regarding a range of anti-social outcomes which impact on academic performance (e.g., substance abuse)abuse)

Authentic Challenge

Teachers Establish A Connection With Students

Teachers Provide Extra Help When Students Are Having Trouble Understanding Material

T h E St d t I Th L i Teachers Engage Students In The Learning

Process

Academic Challenge

School Courses And Lessons Are Challenging To Students

School Staff Provide Academic Support To All Students All Students

Academic Challenge

Students Are Expected To Work Hard To Learnp

Students Are Interested In What They Are Learning

Students Are Not Bored By Their Classesy

The Implications of Freedom Writers

Teachers and Student Achievement

“Th t iti l t t ib t d b th t h “The most critical aspects contributed by the teacher are the quality of the teacher, and the nature of teacher-student relationships.” (Hattie, p.127)teacher student relationships. (Hattie, p.127)

Creating “an environment for student learning” appears to be more important than the domains Planning and Preparing for Student Learning, Teaching for Student Learning and) Professionalism Teaching for Student Learning, and) Professionalism in its impact on achievement (Kane, Taylor, Tyler, & Wooten, 2010)

Social and Emotional Learning

Work Well With Others

Cooperate As Team Players

Social and Emotional Learning

Solve Problems With Persistence And Creativity

Set And Work Toward Goals

Make Responsible Decisions In Academic And Social S ttiSettings

Recognize And Manage Emotions

An Example of the Challenge: Richards High School: Most Students At My School….y

G t i t t h th di ith lGet into arguments when they disagree with people—69%

[Don’t] Try to work out their disagreements with [Don t] Try to work out their disagreements with other students by talking to them -60%

Say mean things to other students when they think Say mean things to other students when they think the other students deserve it- 67%

Think it's OK to fight if someone insults them- 64%g 4

[ Don’t] Stop and think before doing anything when they get angry – 69%

Social and Emotional Conditions for Being Off Track

320

300

320

ore

280

Scal

e Sc

o

260Mea

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240School Safety Challenge Student Support Social and

Emotional SkillsEmotional SkillsOff Track On Track

School Climate and Graduation Rate

100

95

te

85

90

Gra

duat

ion

Rat

75

80

Ave

rage

G

70

75

Lowest Climate Medium Climate Highest Climate

Source: EMIS, CSEE, 2005-06

Climate scores for high schools have a direct relationship with graduation rates Rush, 2010

Evidence of Success with SEL

23% increase in skills3

9% improvement in attitudes about self,others, and school

9% improvement in prosocial behavior

9% reduction in problem behaviors

10% reduction in emotional distress

11% increase in standardized achievement test scores (math and reading)

Source: Durlak, J.A., Weissberg, R.P., Taylor, R.D., & Dymnicki, A.B. (in press, Child Development). The effects of school-based social and emotional learning: A meta-analytic review

Comparing What Works Clearing House Improvement Indices for 2 Evidence-based Reading and Math PPrograms

Aggregate Improvement Index for all interventions in theAggregate Improvement Index for all interventions in the CASEL Meta-Analysis of 207 SEL Programs

20

25

12

23

10

15

12

6

11

0

5

Little Books: Reading 

Everyday Mathematics: Math 

SEL Programs Academic 

SEL Programs Social Emotional Skills

Achievement Achievement Performance

Why Are Conditions for Learning Important?

Maximizing the amount of time that students really attend to learning

E ki (D id )E.g., working memory (Davidson, 2002)

Maximizing the opportunity for the teacher to:Concentrate and differentiateConcentrate and differentiate

Teach in the Zone of Proximal Development (Vygotsky, 1978)

Personalizing instruction

Scaffolding learning and support

The Zone of Proximal Development for Learning and Developmentg p

ea

lle

ng

e

ZPD

cha

supportAdapted from: Nakkula, & Toshalis, 2006

The Challenge: Be in the Zone of Proximal Development for Every Childp y

ZPD ZPD ZPD ZPD ZPD

ZPD ZPD ZPD ZPD ZPD

ZPD ZPD ZPD ZPD ZPD

ZPD ZPD ZPD ZPD ZPD

Logic Model for Safe and Successful Schools

Strategic and GreaterStrategic and Evidence-

Based LearningSupports

and

Effective Instructional,

Behavioral, and Emotional Supports

Attachment, Engagement,

and Commitmentand

Effective Opportunities

To Learn

to School

Better Academic

Safe, Caring,

Teach SEL Competencies

S lf

AcademicPerformanceand Success

in Schooland Life, g,

Cooperative,Well-Managed,and Engaging

Learning

• Self-awareness• Social awareness• Self-management• Relationship skills

R ibl

Less Risky Behavior, More

Assets, andPositive

and Life

gEnvironments • Responsible

decision makingPositive

Development

Work at Three Levels

Provide coordinated, intensive, , ,sustained, culturally competent, individualized, child‐ and family‐driven and focused services and supports that address needs while

ProvideIndividualizedIntensive 

Intervene Early & Provide Focused Youth Development Activities

supports that address needs while building assets.Supports

Implement strategies and provide supports that address risk factors and build protective factors for students at risk for severe academic 

or behavioral difficulties.

Build a School‐wide Foundation

Universal prevention and youth development approaches, caring h l li t iti d ti h t di i lischool climate, positive and proactive approach to discipline, 

personalized instruction, cultural competence, and strong family involvement.

Academic Improvement Model

What

we do for

d h h students who have

high risk factors

What we do for students who have risk factors

What we do for all studentsWhat we do for all students

Academic Achievement Conditions for Learning Academic Achievement Conditions for Learning Learning

Academic Achievement Plan General Resources

An Example of What Can Be Done: North Lawndale College Preparatory School, Chicagog p y , g

“This is not about graduating from high school; it is about grad ating from college”graduating from college”

Money for counselors, t t l d t t d not metal detectors and

security staff

O l t ith One counselor stays with same students grades 9-13; another one follows up 14-16another one follows up 14 16

An Example of What Can Be Done: North Lawndale College Preparatory School, Chicagog p y , g

Strong academic press; g p ;strong social support

Supports academic risk pptaking: “teachers are like another set of parents”

Development of moral community

Fellow students “like brothers, sisters, cousins”

References

Davidson, R. (2002). Anxiety and affective style: Role of prefrontal cortex and amygdala. Biological hi ( )Psychiatry, 51(1), 68-80.

Greenberg, E., Skidmore, D., & Rhodes, D. (2004, April). Climates for learning: mathematics achievement and its relationship to schoolwide student behavior, schoolwide parental involvement, and school morale. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Researchers Association, San Diego, CA.Gregory, A., & Weinstein, R. S. (2004). Connection and regulation at home and in school: Predicting growth in achievement for adolescents. Journal of Adolescent Research, 19, 405–427.achievement for adolescents. Journal of Adolescent Research, 19, 405 427.Hattie, J. (2009). Visible Learning: A synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses relating to achievement. New York: Routledge.Muller, C. (2001). The role of caring in the teacher-student relationship for at-risk students. Sociological Inquiry, 71, 241–255.Nakkula, M. J., & Toshalis, E. (2006). Understanding youth: Adolescent development for educators.C b id H d Ed i PCambridge: Harvard Education Press.Osher, D., Bear, G., Sprague, J., & Doyle, W. (January-February, 2010). How we can improve school discipline. Educational Researcher, 39 (1), 48-58. Osher, D. & Kendziora, K. (2010). Building Conditions for Learning and Healthy Adolescent Development: Strategic Approaches in B. Doll, W. Pfohl, & J. Yoon (Eds.) Handbook of Youth Prevention Science. New York: Routledge. o gOsher, D., Sprague, J., Weissberg, R. P., Axelrod, J., Keenan, S., Kendziora, K., & Zins, J. E. (2008). A comprehensive approach to promoting social, emotional, and academic growth in contemporary schools. In A. Thomas & J. Grimes (Eds.) Best practices in school psychology V, Vol. 4 (pp. 1263–1278). Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists.Ryan, A. M., & Patrick, H. (2001). The classroom social environment and changes in adolescents’ motivation and engagement during middle school American Educational Research Journal 38 437–460and engagement during middle school. American Educational Research Journal, 38, 437–460.Vygotsky, L. (1978). Mind in society. Cambridge, MA : Harvard University Press.