We're Not All Average! Describing Within-School Variation From School Climate Surveys

• In Event: 41.083 - Roundtable Session 15
  In Roundtable Session: 41.083-7 - The Impact of Information and Data in Education

Abstract

New York City Department of Education administers surveys to its teachers, parents and students (grades 6-12) every year. The findings from the survey are aggregated into school-wide scores that are available to school leaders, district supervisors, and the public. Though presenting school averages is helpful for identifying better and worse performing schools, it is not as helpful for improvement planning. Improvement scientists argue that it is the variation within an organization that help leaders identify and generate solutions for improvement.

This paper uses the theory of micro climates and Latent Class Analysis to explore the variation of student and teacher responses within schools. We identify common profiles/experiences in schools and discuss the utility of using these profiles for improvement.

Authors

• Lisa Merrill, Research Alliance for New York City Schools

• Camille Lafayette, The Research Alliance for New York City Schools