Background The interpretive guide template and the action planning template are provided to help schools analyze, interpret, and act upon their Views of Climate and Learning (VOCAL) school climate data. The VOCAL survey measures three dimensions of school climate, namely, engagement, safety, and environment. The table below presents a brief description of each topic measured by the VOCAL survey: Views of Climate and Learning (VOCAL) dimensions and topics1 Engagement Safety Environment Cultural competence Emotional safety Instructional environment The extent students feel the The extent students feel a bond to The extent that students feel the adults/students value diversity, the school, and the extent instructional environment is manage dynamics of differences, adults/students support the collaborative, relevant, and avoid stereotypes. emotional needs of students. challenging and supportive of learning. Relationships Physical safety The extent students feel is a The extent that students feel Mental health environment social connection and respect physically safe within the school The extent that students have between staff/teachers and students, environment. access to systems support that and between students and their effectively support their social, peers. Bullying/Cyber-bullying emotional and mental health The extent that students report Participation different of bullying behaviors The extent students feel engaged occurring in the school and the Discipline environment intellectually, emotionally, and extent that school/staff/students try The extent that discipline is fair, behaviorally in the classroom, and to counteract bullying. applied consistently and evenly, the extent that students or their and a shared responsibility. parents are engaged in school life. 1Based on the United States’ Department of Education’s conceptual framework for school climate. The number of items for each dimension and topic within each grade-level survey are listed here: VOCAL Number of items Dimension Indicator 5 8 Grade 10 Cultural competence 3 4 4 Engagement Relationships 3 4 4 Participation 6 4 4 Emotional 4 5 5 Safety Physical 2 2 2 7 8 8 Instructional 6 6 6 Environment Mental health 2 2 2 Discipline 3 3 3 Total number of items 36 38 38
Background The interpretive guide template and the action planning template are provided to help schools analyze, interpret, and act upon their Views of Climate and Learning (VOCAL) school climate data. The VOCAL survey measures three dimensions of school climate, namely, engagement, safety, and environment. The table below presents a brief description of each topic measured by the VOCAL survey: Views of Climate and Learning (VOCAL) dimensions and topics1 Engagement Safety Environment Cultural competence The extent students feel the adults/students value diversity, manage dynamics of differences, and avoid stereotypes. Relationships The extent students feel is a social connection and respect between staff/teachers and students, and between students and their peers. Participation The extent students feel engaged intellectually, emotionally, and behaviorally in the classroom, and the extent that students or their parents are engaged in school life. Emotional safety The extent students feel a bond to the school, and the extent adults/students support the emotional needs of students. Physical safety The extent that students feel physically safe within the school environment. Bullying/Cyber-bullying The extent that students report different of bullying behaviors occurring in the school and the extent that school/staff/students try to counteract bullying. Instructional environment The extent that students feel the instructional environment is collaborative, relevant, challenging and supportive of learning. Mental health environment The extent that students have access to systems support that effectively support their social, emotional and mental health Discipline environment The extent that discipline is fair, applied consistently and evenly, and a shared responsibility. 1Based on the United States’ Department of Education’s conceptual framework for school climate. The number of items for each dimension and topic within each grade-level survey are listed here: VOCAL Number of items Dimension Indicator 5 8 Grade 10 Engagement Cultural competence 3 4 4 Relationships 3 4 4 Participation 6 4 4 Safety Emotional 4 5 5 Physical 2 2 2 7 8 8 Environment Instructional 6 6 6 Mental health 2 2 2 Discipline 3 3 3 Total number of items 36 38 38