We can all remember childhood moments when we felt particularly safe (or unsafe) in school, when we felt particularly connected to a caring adult (or frighteningly alone), when we felt particularly engaged in meaningful learning (or not). These are the school memories that we all tend to vividly remember: good and/or bad. It is not surprising that these kinds of experiences shape learning and development.
However, school climate is larger than any one person’s experience. When people work together, a group process emerges that is bigger that any one person’s actions. A comprehensive assessment of school climate includes major spheres of school life such as safety, relationships, teaching and learning, and the environment as well as larger organizational patterns (e.g. from fragmented to shared; healthy or unhealthy). How we feel about being in school and these larger group trends shape learning and student development. Peer-reviewed educational research has consistently demonstrated that a positive school climate is associated with academic achievement, effective risk prevention efforts and positive youth development.
How do we define School Climate?
School climate refers to the quality and character of school life. School climate is based on patterns of students’, parents’ and school personnel’s experience of school life and reflects norms, goals, values, interpersonal relationships, teaching and learning practices, and organizational structures.
A sustainable, positive school climate fosters youth development and learning necessary for a productive, contributing and satisfying life in a democratic society. This climate includes:
- Norms, values and expectations that support people feeling socially, emotionally and physically safe.
- People are engaged and respected.
- Students, families and educators work together to develop, live and contribute to a shared school vision.
- Educators model and nurture attitudes that emphasize the benefits and satisfaction gained from learning.
- Each person contributes to the operations of the school and the care of the physical environment.
(This definition of school climate and a positive, sustained school climate were consensually developed by the National School Climate Council.)
The Five Domains of School Climate
Synthesizing past school climate research, combined with NSCC’s efforts through the National School Climate Council, NSCC has determined that five major domains encompass school climate: Safety, Teaching and Learning, Interpersonal Relationships, Institutional Environment, and Leadership and Efficacy. Each of these areas also includes a series of sub scales of indicators (dimensions) that further define areas of school climate. To learn about these dimensions, click here. The five domains of school climate are as follows:
1. Safety
- Clearly defined and consistently enforced rules and norms
- A strong sense of physical and emotional security
- Online safety practices that protect students from harm
2. Teaching & Learning
- Support for academic learning that fosters engagement and growth
- Effective social-emotional learning (SEL) strategies that build resilience and interpersonal skills
3. Interpersonal Relationships
- A culture that respects diversity and inclusion
- Positive teacher-student relationships that foster trust and motivation
- Strong peer relationships that promote collaboration and belonging
4. Institutional Environment
- A sense of school connectedness and belonging
- Well-maintained physical surroundings that support learning
- Inclusive practices that ensure students with disabilities are fully engaged in school life
5. Leadership & Efficacy
- Strong, supportive school leadership that promotes a positive vision
- Collective efficacy among staff, fostering shared responsibility for student success
WHY SCHOOL CLIMATE MATTERS
There are two important reasons why school climate and an effective school climate improvement process are important. First, schools and districts continue to struggle with elements of school climate that ultimately impact how students learn.
- Pandemic Impact: A 2022 report from the National Center for Education Statistics revealed that 87% of public schools observed negative effects on student socio-emotional development during the 2021–22 academic year due to the COVID-19 pandemic (National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) (2022).
- Teacher Challenges in High-Poverty Schools: Educators in high-poverty schools face significant obstacles, with 38.6% reporting that students often arrive unprepared to learn, compared to 12.1% in low-poverty schools. Additionally, 19.7% of teachers in these schools identify student absenteeism as a serious issue, more than double the 8.0% reported in low-poverty schools (Economic Policy Institute (EPI) (2019).
- Bullying: Bullying is a well researched and documented issue challenging schools, impacting a wide range of students. For example, the 2021 National School Climate Survey highlighted that 61.1% of LGBTQ+ middle and high school students felt unsafe or uncomfortable due to their sexual orientation. Furthermore, a 2023 CDC study found that 40.1% of transgender and 39.9% of questioning youth reported being bullied at school, nearly double the rates of their cisgender peers (GLSEN 2021).
Second, research continues to show that school climate serves as a protective factor for young people, improving students’ education outcomes and well-being during their academic career and beyond (Ortega, Sanchez, Ortega Rivera, & Viejo, 2011). Research demonstrates that improving school climate and its domains leads to:
1. Safety
- Reduced risky behaviors and disciplinary issues (Catalano et al., 2004; Lee et al., 2011)
- Increased feelings of emotional and physical security (Devine & Cohen, 2007)
- Less bullying, victimization, and school referrals (Wang & Degol, 2016)
- Enhanced social and emotional skills and attitudes toward self (Durlak et al., 2011)
2. Teaching & Learning
- Higher academic achievement across diverse student populations (Astor et al., 2009; OECD, 2009)
- Improved graduation rates and long-term academic success (Ma et al., 2009)
- Increased motivation and engagement in learning (Pachan, 2008)
- Reduced absenteeism and disciplinary actions (Lee et al., 2011; Gottfredson & Gottfredson, 1989)
3. Interpersonal Relationships
- More positive student-teacher relationships and fair discipline practices and lower behavioral issues (Wang et al., 2010)
- Safe, caring, and participatory school environments that support social-emotional development (Blum et al., 2002)
- Strong student-teacher relationship building is linked to positive adjustment and less prevalence of psychopathology for students (Reddy et al., 2003)
4. Institutional Environment
- Greater school connectedness, better health and academic outcomes (Whitlock, 2006)
- Greater perceptions of social inclusion of students with disabilities (Elleman & Villenas, 2025)
- Higher attendance which, in turn, leads to better academic performance (Durán-Narucki, 2008)
5. Leadership & Efficacy
- Strong leadership and a shared vision that fosters collective responsibility for student success
- A culture of continuous improvement that ensures schools adapt and grow over time
- Higher staff morale and professional satisfaction (Vezzuto, 2011)
- Improved student academic performance through positive school leadership (Allensworth, Elaine M., & Hart, H. 2018)
A thriving school climate benefits everyone—students, educators, families, and the broader community. Investing in school climate improvement is not just about preventing problems; it’s about building a foundation for long-term success and well-being. Schools that foster safety, engagement, positive relationships, and strong leadership are better positioned to help students reach their full potential.