We’re Not All Average: Reconceptualizing School Climate to Acknowledge Diverse Student Experiences in Schools

How students feel about their schools—their perception of the safety, inclusiveness, rigor, and collaboration in the learning environment—is an increasingly important part of conversations about school quality and improvement. Building on the Research Alliance’s longstanding work with the NYC Department of Education on its annual School Survey, this report uses survey data from 2015 through 2019 to begin to answer questions on school climate.