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Using School Climate Data to Move from Guesswork to Action in Difficult Times

Using School Climate Data to Move from Guesswork to Action in Difficult Times

  • National School Climate Center

Educators know the scenario all too well: dealing with multiple (often competing) initiatives, working diligently to meet evolving standards, and an immediate challenge arises, internal or external, that can sidetrack or undermine all of the initiatives. While “School Climate” may be seen as just another initiative, a school climate approach to daily school life actually provides a guide during difficult times. It is a tool that brings information and initiatives together to not only address immediate challenges, but also keep on track to make real, lasting change.

As schools collect increasing amounts of data and decision-making becomes more data-driven, the school climate can either be strengthened with the right information or weakened by the strain of trying to respond to everything at once. This is particularly true when pressing issues arise, but schools with more robust school climate improvement processes will have more tools to address them. 

Here are 5 essential points to help school leaders stay on track during their school climate improvement journey:

  1. No single person, and no single data point, can drive school climate improvement. School climate improvement is not a one-size-fits-all model. It requires intentionality, consistency, and persistence along with information drawn from multiple sources. Successful efforts rely on people power, thoughtful planning, and teamwork. When there is an emergency or outside force making the climate feel unsafe, this people power and planning will provide structure to come together as a school community and to keep moving forward. 
  1. School climate data come in many formats. As part of a school climate improvement journey, schools should conduct a data audit that brings together the information they already collect, such as attendance, teacher retention, assessment results, discipline data, along with a school climate survey like the CSCI (NSCC’s Comprehensive School Climate Inventory). Equally important are informal data sources: the conversations in hallways, at pickup and drop-off, in the staff lounge, and during curriculum nights. These lived experiences provide essential context and meaning that numbers alone cannot capture.
  1. Comprehensive data do not mean a fix-everything-at-once approach. Data collection is only one part of a school climate journey. While the CSCI provides a rich and comprehensive picture of school climate, schools must be prepared to utilize the data to make lasting improvements. Simultaneously, schools should not attempt to address everything together, and should be transparent with their community that change takes time. Faced with extensive information, schools must be intentional about focusing and identifying one, two, or at most three priority areas to explore and address. Even when issues arise that require immediate attention, the school response can connect back to these 2-3 action areas and can easily return focus to these key action items when possible. Once progress has been made in those areas, successfully addressing additional areas becomes more attainable. 
  1. Teamwork matters, especially with a No-Fault Framework. School and district leaders should view themselves as part of a broader School Climate Leadership Team, not the sole drivers of the work. When this team includes a diversity of perspectives, roles (including students and family members), opinions, and leadership styles, it is far better positioned to make thoughtful, sustainable, data-informed decisions. As part of the School Climate Leadership Certification, we emphasize shared leadership and the importance of building teams that include a combination of people who have complementary leadership styles: dreamers, doers, relationship builders, and data enthusiasts. We also introduce a No-Fault Framework, which creates the conditions for open dialogue and shared responsibility. A No-Fault Framework shifts the focus from assigning blame to fostering collaboration, trust, and shared responsibility. When these diverse perspectives are valued, choosing priorities and defining action steps becomes more focused, collaborative, and impactful.    
  1. Collaboration, inquiry, and creative thinking prevent information overload. As School Climate Leadership Teams explore their data, a set of guiding questions can help maintain focus:
  • What findings are unexpected or challenge existing assumptions?
  • Are differences within a particular domain notably larger than others?
  • Where do perceptions converge (shared perceptions) and diverge (differing perspectives) among students, staff, families, grade levels, or demographic groups?
  • Are there clear trends in the data, such as changes in attendance following a safety incident or shifts in outcomes after a new policy?

A coherent story about the school’s climate will begin to emerge. From there, the team can identify and prioritize two to three action items and develop a clear plan that includes three to four key action steps, a communication strategy, and a shared understanding of what short- and long-term success look like. 

With these elements in place, school climate improvement becomes not only more manageable but far more achievable.

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E Tsang, Director of Operations, National School Climate Center

E Tsang

Director of Operations

As the Director of Operations for NSCC, E Tsang helps make the finances, HR, and organizational functions of NSCC run smoothly.
Adam St. Bernard Jacobs(he/him), Co-Executive Director, National School Climate Center

Adam St. Bernard Jacobs (he/him)

Co-Executive Director

Adam is a peace educator and nonprofit leader. Adam was previously the organization’s Director of Development. Prior to joining NSCC, Adam was the co-founder and Executive Director of Kids Creative, an arts education organization in NYC. He was also a member of the team that founded a community elementary school in The Bronx. He has worked on issues of equity, anti-racism, arts education, and conflict resolution. He has written articles and led workshops in conflict resolution and the arts, giving talks and workshops at Columbia University, The Peace and Justice Studies Conference, Gettysburg College, and The University of Istanbul, among others. Adam has an undergraduate degree in International Politics, a Masters degree in Peace Education, and a Certificate in Senior Nonprofit Leadership, all from Columbia University, as well as an undergraduate degree in Rabbinic Law from The Jewish Theological Seminary of America. He was also Mr. Clown, a lead performer in the internationally acclaimed rock group for kids, The Dirty Sock Funtime Band, and was a regular on Nick Jr. and Chuck E Cheese TV. He is raising 2 fantastic children with his life partner, Tabitha.
Kori Hamilton Biagas, Director of Education, National School Climate Center

Kori Hamilton Biagas

Director of Education

Kori is an educator, connector, truth seeker, master facilitator, and the founder of Just Educators. Kori has nearly 20 years of experience in strategic planning, policy analysis and development, instruction, coaching, and technical assistance. As an Equity Specialist for the Region IV and Region IX equity assistance centers, Kori managed large-scale, racial equity driven school district transformation efforts, led district and state leaders through policy analysis, coached state leaders through school climate transformation initiatives, and provided equity-focused professional learning opportunities at all levels of education. Kori specializes in addressing and resolving inequitable policies, practices, and processes in organizations related to racial equity and social justice.
Christian Villenas, Ph.D, Co-Executive Director, National School Climate Center

Christian Villenas, Ph.D

Co-Executive Director

A sociologist by training and an applied education researcher by practice, Christian’s work examines how educational institutions shape opportunity, belonging, exclusion, and student experience. At NSCC, he helps guide the organization’s research, measurement, evaluation, partnerships, and strategic growth, with a focus on making evidence usable for schools, districts, and education partners. Before joining NSCC, Dr. Villenas held research and policy roles at GLSEN, Advocates for Children of New York, the New York City Charter School Center, the NAEP Education Statistics Services Institute, and the American Institutes for Research. Across more than two decades, his work has focused on school climate, social disparities in education, disability studies, LGBTQ student experiences, college access, education policy, program evaluation, and statistical analysis. He holds a BS from New York University, an MS from The New School, and a PhD in Sociology from Johns Hopkins University.
Amanda Weitzel, Director of School Partnerships, National School Climate Center

Amanda Weitzel

Director of School Partnerships

For over a decade at NSCC, Amanda has partnered with schools and districts across the country to support the implementation of school climate surveys and the strategic use of data to drive meaningful improvement. With a background in data analysis, customer success, and partner support, Amanda specializes in helping educators move beyond data collection to uncover actionable insights that strengthen school communities. Her work sits at the intersection of research, data, and practice, guiding school and district leaders in translating survey results into informed decisions that support student success, staff well-being, and positive learning environments. Amanda is passionate about empowering educators with the tools, knowledge, and confidence needed to create safe, supportive, and engaging schools where all students can thrive.
Samantha Elleman, Associate Director of Research, National School Climate Center

Samantha Elleman

Associate Director of Research

Samantha’s primary research topics span school climate, social inclusion, and school climate improvement. Prior to joining the National School Climate Center, Samantha worked as Assistant Teacher and Research Assistant at the Barnard Toddler Center. Her research interests include early childhood education, childhood trauma and protective factors, social-emotional education, and mental wellness in schools. Samantha holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Barnard College and a Master of Arts in Developmental Psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University.