Let's Talk Climate Change! Well, OK - School Climate Ratings

In an effort to holistically assess schools’ environments in Georgia, the Georgia Department of Education (DOE) has released the 2014 School Climate Star Ratings. This inaugural system is based on surveys distributed to all schools in the state and reflects the “culture”, character and quality of school life. These assessments are particularly important because a school’s climate is crucial for the well-being, development,and success of its students. They can also determine which schools need the most assistance in creating more productive environments. The thinking goes that a safe and supportive school environment fosters better learners. Thus, school climates are a contributing factor to student achievement.

Our preliminary findings indicate that Climate ratings align pretty well with exceed rates, despite some of the initial misgivings about the measure.

School Climate Ratings (5=Best) and Exceed Rates on 3rd Grade Reading Tests