Ever walked into a school and just felt the energy—whether it was warm and welcoming or tense and disconnected? Have you ever sat in a teacher's lounge and listened intently to the types of conversations the teachers are having about the school and the students? That’s school culture and climate in action. Both school and climate are like the wind: it can be hard to explain...but everyone feels it.
At its core, school culture and climate define the quality of life within a school - shaping relationships, safety, and engagement. These factors influence both students and educators, making them essential to academic success and well-being. Yet, because they are both broad and abstract concepts, measuring them accurately can be tricky.
Ask a school leader about their school’s culture, and they may pull out suspension or detention data. While important, this data barely scratches the surface when it comes to assessing the true learning environment, student well-being, and character development.
At LAIRP, we believe a strong school culture is the foundation of success. That’s why we’ve developed and adapted a three-part measurement tool to make school culture and climate more tangible:
How connected do students feel to their peers, teachers, and staff? This domain measures:
✅ Quality of relationships
✅ Participation in extracurriculars, events, and activities
✅ Cultural and linguistic competence—how well a school acknowledges and respects student diversity
Students can’t thrive if they don’t feel safe. This domain examines:
✅ Emotional safety (Do students have someone they trust?)
✅ Physical safety (How are conflicts handled?)
✅ Emergency readiness (Do students know what to do in a crisis?)
✅ Issues like bullying, cyberbullying, and substance abuse
A school’s physical and instructional environment directly impacts learning. This domain assesses:
✅ Classroom and facility quality
✅ School-wide disciplinary policies
✅ The effectiveness of mental health resources
Source: Safe Supportive Learning. (n.d.). School climate improvement. U.S. Department of Education. https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/school-climate-improvement
Robert McNamara, former U.S. Secretary of Defense once explained that we cannot depend simply on our feelings or perceptions to make decisions - we must get the data.
At LAIRP, we take this to heart. Our school-tailored data dashboards make it easy for educators, administrators, and stakeholders to track trends, compare data over time, and make informed decisions that drive real improvements.
Want to see how LAIRP can help your school build a thriving culture and climate? Let’s connect! Reach out to dr.pulgarin@larightbrain.org to learn more.