Improving Climate & Culture in Urban Schools

1. Improving Climate & Culture in Urban Schools National Center for Urban School Transformation San Diego State University 2011

2. National Center for Urban School Transformation Dedicated to identifying, studying, and promoting the best practices of America’s highest achieving urban schools in a manner that supports urban districts in transforming teaching and learning http://www.ncust.org Learn more at the Annual Symposium on High-Performing Urban Schools in San Diego, CA – May 23-25, 2012

3. High-performing urban schools have climates that nurture the commitment and engagement of teachers, parents, and students.

4. The Climate for Students in High- Performing Schools • Students are eager to attend school. They perceive that adults in the school care sincerely about them and about their success. Students feel a personal connection to the adults at school. • Students feel safe physically and emotionally. They know that the adults in the school do whatever is necessary to create a safe and comfortable learning environment. • Students believe they are likely to succeed academically. Students believe that their hard work will result in both short-term and long-term exciting opportunities.

5. The Climate for Teachers in High-Performing Schools • Teachers believe they are part of a team that is making a powerful difference in the lives of students. They believe their work has purpose. • Teachers are proud of their team of colleagues, and they believe that their colleagues are proud of them. Everyone contributes, shares, and learns. Disagreements are resolved promptly and professionally. • Teachers believe their administrators care sincerely about them and about their success. They see administrators as sources of support and leadership who are skillful enough and caring enough to help them achieve excellent learning results.

6. The Climate for Parents in High-Performing Schools • Parents believe that educators care about their child. Parents believe that educators perceive potential in their child and are working to maximize that potential. • Parents feel welcome at school. They feel that educators perceive them as strong, positive partners in the education of their child. Parents feel that their concerns and insights are appreciated. • Parents believe that educators appreciate whatever small or large contributions they make to their child’s education.

7. How Do High-Performing Schools Build and Sustain A Great Climate? 1. Leaders establish high expectations for everyone’s involvement. Leaders expect everyone to behave in ways that respect and value everyone else in the organization. Expectations are high, yet reasonable. Leaders model those expectations daily. They fairly, assertively, and respectfully address issues when individuals fail to meet those expectations.

8. How Do High-Performing Schools Build and Sustain A Great Climate? 2. Leaders value improvement and growth. Teachers, parents, and students feel like they can take risks and try to improve because they know their efforts will be appreciated and supported. Professional development is not an event; it is a culture that pervades the school. People are constantly learning to improve their contributions to student success.

9. How Do High-Performing Schools Build and Sustain A Great Climate? 3. Leaders keep conversations constructive. Leaders refuse to be passive when others choose to be negative. Respectfully, but clearly, administrators and teacher leaders speak out when others claim that goals are unattainable. Leaders use research and data to focus on opportunities to improve, not on reasons to blame.

10. How Do High-Performing Schools Build and Sustain A Great Climate? 4. Leaders keep attention focused on the impact of everyday efforts on students. Leaders communicate frequently, consistently, and in multiple formats to convey the impact of everyday school actions on student lives.

11. How Do Top Schools Build and Sustain A Great Climate? 5. Leaders promote ambitious goals that generate enthusiasm and build a sense of mission. Leaders push beyond compliance and encourage everyone to embrace goals that will make a difference in students lives. People commit to goals they see as worth their effort.

12. How Do Top Schools Build and Sustain A Great Climate? • 6. Leaders build hope. • Leaders give students, parents, teachers, and support staff reasons to believe that their efforts are worthwhile. College and careers are constant topics of focus. Policies are designed/implemented to nurture, sustain, and rekindle hope.

13. How Do High-Performing Schools Build and Sustain A Great Climate? 7. Leaders celebrate progress frequently. Frequently, leaders celebrate improvements (both formally and informally). They find elements of success worth celebrating in results others see as failure. They are skillful at acknowledging everyone who contributed to successes.

14. How Do High-Performing Schools Build and Sustain A Great Climate? 8. Leaders build leaders. Leaders create platforms for the leadership of many others (teachers, parents, and students) who want to influence school improvement. Leaders maximize opportunities for input from others and distribute leadership opportunities in ways that build the capacity of individuals to contribute to the school’s success.

15. How Do High-Performing Schools Build and Sustain A Great Climate? 9. Leaders continuously strive to increase the degree to which everyone feels valued, respected, and appreciated. Leaders collect information (formally and informally) that helps them know how to improve relational issues. They identify and resolve issues promptly and professionally. They evidence great integrity and sincerity.