School Climate Survey Compendium

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As States, districts and schools explore measuring school climate, one of the biggest questions they have is about which survey to use. It can be difficult to know which surveys are valid and reliable, what they measure, and which are free.

NCSSLE, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Education, has compiled a list of valid and reliable school climate survey batteries to support States, districts and schools as they explore which school climate survey to administer in their community. Below you can learn more about the survey compendium, including how to nominate a survey to be included, and filter the list using the faceted search to find what you need. (Alternatively, a summary table [PDF] of each survey by respondent type is also available.)

Surveys matching your search: 52

Academic Optimism of Schools Surveys

Grade Level: K-12
Respondents: Teachers
Survey Instruments:

Survey instruments are available at: http://www.waynekhoy.com/elementary-teacher-ao/ (elementary teacher) and http://www.waynekhoy.com/secondary-teacher-ao/ (secondary teacher). Survey instruments are available in English.

Cost: Free

American Institutes for Research Conditions for Learning Survey

Grade Level: 2-4; 5-8; 9-12
Respondents: Students
Survey Instruments:

There is no charge for using this survey. Please contact David Osher at dosher@air.org for additional information about this survey. Survey instruments are available in English and Spanish. 

Cost: Free

Arizona YRBS and S3 School Climate Survey

Grade Level: 9-12
Respondents: High-school students
Survey Instruments:

This survey is publicly available. Please contact Rani Collins at rani.collins@azed.gov or Nadia Ghani at nadia.ghani@azed.gov for more information about this survey.

Cost: Free

Association of Alaska School Boards School Climate and Connectedness Survey

Grade Level: 3-5; 6-12
Respondents: Students and staff
Survey Instruments:

The Association of Alaska School Boards owns the copyright to this survey. For more information on SCCS, contact Jenni Lefing at jlefing©aasb.org. Survey instruments are available in English. 

Cost: Free

Authoritative School Climate Survey

Grade Level: 6-12
Respondents: Students; Staff and Teachers
Survey Instruments:

These instruments are free and publicly available at https://curry.virginia.edu/authoritative-school-climate-survey-and-school-climate-bullying-survey. (Note: The ASCS is designed to measure the degree to which a school has authoritative characteristics such as fair discipline, supportive teachers, and high academic expectations, as well as associated characteristics such as low rates of bullying and high student engagement. The survey is appropriate for any school with grades 6-12.) Survey instruments are available in English. 

Cost: Free

Beginning Postsecondary Students (BPS) Longitudinal Study

Respondents: Data were collected from a sample of students entering postsecondary education for the first time. In the most recent wave, students were initially surveyed at the end of their first academic year (2003-04) and then received invitations to participate in follow-up surveys at the end of their third (2005-06) and sixth (2008-09) years after entry in to postsecondary education.
Survey Instruments:

Survey items are available in Appendix D of the Full-Scale Methodology Report, available at: http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2012/2012246.pdf

California Healthy Kids Survey

Grade Level: 5-12
Respondents: Students
Survey Instruments:

Please note that while a copy of the survey instrument is publicly available at http://chks.wested.org/administer/download, it is copyright protected. Information on obtaining the survey instrument can be found at: http://chks.wested.org/. Survey instruments are available in English and Spanish. 

Cost: Free

California School Parent Survey

Grade Level: K-12
Respondents: Parents
Survey Instruments:

Please note that while a copy of the survey instrument is publicly available at http://csps.wested.org/, it is copyright protected.  Information on obtaining the survey instrument can be found at: http://csps.wested.org/. Survey instruments are available in English, but translations are also available. Please contact your Regional Technical Assistance center for more information.

Cost: Free

California School Staff Survey

Grade Level: K-12
Respondents: Staff
Survey Instruments:

Please note that while a copy of the survey instrument is publicly available at http://chks.wested.org/administer/download/, it is copyright protected. Information on obtaining the survey instrument can be found at: https://www.wested.org/project/california-school-staff-survey-csss/#. Survey instruments are available in English. 

Cost: Free

Center for Research in Educational Policy School Climate Inventory

Grade Level: K-12
Respondents: Teachers, Administrators, Professional Staff
Survey Instruments:

This survey instrument is not publicly available. Please contact the Center for Research in Education Policy at CREP@memphis.edu or 1-866-670-6147 for more information. Survey instruments are available in English. 

Cost: Fee-based

Civil Rights Data Collection

Respondents: Districts and schools
Survey Instruments:

Survey instruments are available at: http://ocrdata.ed.gov/SurveyDocuments

 

Classroom Climate Assessment Instrument - Secondary

Grade Level: 6-12
Respondents: Students; Staff
Survey Instruments:

Please note that while a copy of the survey instrument is publicly available at http://www.calstatela.edu/centers/schoolclimate/assessment/classroom_survey.html, it is copyright protected. Users must obtain copyright authorization through a site license from the Alliance for the Study of School Climate. Please contact John Schindler, Director of the Alliance for the Study of School Climate at jshindl@calstatela.edu for additional information on the CCAI. Survey instruments are available in English. 

Cost: Free

Communities That Care Youth Survey

Grade Level: 6-12
Respondents: Students
Survey Instruments:

The 2014 survey instrument is publicly available. Please contact the University of Washington Center for Communities That Care (206-685-7723 or ctr4ctc@uw.edu) for information about this survey. Survey instruments are available in English. 

Cost: Free

Community and Youth Collaborative Institute (CAYCI) School Experiences Surveys

Grade Level: K-6; 7-12
Respondents: Students, Teachers and Staff, Parents/Caregivers
Survey Instruments:

There is no charge for using this survey. Please visit https://cayci.osu.edu/cayci-surveys/cayci-surveys-technical-reports/ or contact Dawn Anderson-Butcher at anderson-butcher.1@osu.edu for copies of and additional information about this survey. Survey instruments are available in English and Spanish. 

Cost: Free

Comprehensive School Climate Inventory

Grade Level: 3-5; 6-12
Respondents: Students, Staff, Parents/Guardians, Community Members
Survey Instruments:

These survey instruments are not publicly available. You can learn more about them at https://schoolclimate.org/services/measuring-school-climate-csci/. Please contact Darlene Faster, COO & Director of Communications, at the National School Climate Center at dfaster@schoolclimate.org or (212) 707-8799 x22 for more information on these surveys. Survey instruments are available in English and Spanish. Email the National School Climate Center if you have a need for additional translations. 

Cost: Fee-based

Consortium on Chicago School Research Survey of Chicago Public Schools

Grade Level: 4-12 (Student); PK-12 (Staff)
Respondents: Students, Staff
Survey Instruments:

The student surveys are free and publicly available at http://ccsr.uchicago.edu/downloads/17242009_my_voice__9th-11th_student_codebook_.pdf and http://ccsr.uchicago.edu/downloads/23532009_my_voice_senior_student_codebook.pdf. The staff survey is free and publicly available at http://ccsr.uchicago.edu/downloads/2009/HS_Teacher_Survey09Cdbk_8-6.pdf. Please contact Elaine Allensworth at elainea@uchicago.edu for additional information on these surveys. Survey instruments are available in English. 

Cost: Free

Culture of Excellence & Ethics Assessment (CEEA)

Grade Level: 4-6 (elementary); 6-12 (secondary)
Respondents: Students; Faculty and Staff; Parents
Survey Instruments:

These survey instruments can be used free of charge, subject to the conditions of the User Agreement, and can be found at: https://ewii.org/ceea-schools/. Please contact Vlad Khmelkov at vkhmelkov@excellenceandethics.com for more information about this survey. Survey instruments are available in English. 

Cost: Free

Delaware Bullying Victimization Scale

Grade Level: 3-5; 9-12
Respondents: Students; Parents
Survey Instruments:

Please note, these survey instruments and related resources, including interpretation guidelines and post-survey action planning tools, are publicly available at the Delaware Positive Behavior Support Project website: delawarepbs.org

Cost: Free

Delaware School Climate Survey

Grade Level: Students: 3-5, 6-12; Staff and parents: 3-5 or 9-12
Respondents: Students; Staff; Parents
Survey Instruments:

Please note, these survey instruments and related resources, including interpretation guidelines and post-survey action planning tools, are publicly available at the Delaware Positive Behavior Support Project website: delawarepbs.org. Survey instruments are available in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole. 

Cost: Free

U.S. Department of Education School Climate Survey (EDSCLS)

Grade Level: 5-12
Respondents: Students; Instructional and noninstructional staff (including principals); Parents and guardians
Survey Instruments:

The survey platform is free and publicly available at https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/edscls/administration. These surveys are appropriate for any school with grades 5-12.

Please note:

  • Emergency Management/Readiness items are included in the student and staff surveys, but were not designed to form a scale.
  • Physical Health items are included, but the data did not form a scale for the student survey. Thus, physical health items should be examined at only the item level for students (i.e., analysis of individual survey questions).
  • Because of the brevity of the parent survey, the data did not form scales. Thus, parent data should be examined at only the item level (i.e., analysis of individual survey questions).

Student and parent survey instruments are available in English and Spanish. Staff surveys are available in English.

Cost: Free

Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2011 (ECLS-K:2011)

Respondents: Data were collected from the teachers, parents, school administrators, and care providers of 2010-11 Kindergarten students. Data were collected in the fall and the spring of kindergarten (2010-11), the fall and spring of 1st grade (2011-12), and the fall and spring of 2nd grade (2012-13). Additional data collections are planned for the spring of third grade, fourth grade, and fifth grades.
Survey Instruments:

Survey instruments are available at: http://nces.ed.gov/ecls/instruments2011.asp

Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort (ECLS-B)

Respondents: Data were collected on a nationally representative sample of children born in 2000-01 from the children, their families, their child care and early education providers, and their teachers. Data were collected when the children were approximately 9 months old (2001-02), 2 years old (2003-04), 4 years old/preschool age (2005-06), and again either in the fall of 2006 or in the fall of 2007, depending on when the child entered kindergarten.
Survey Instruments:

Survey instruments are available at: http://nces.ed.gov/ecls/birthinstruments.asp

Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998-99 (ECLS-K)

Respondents: Data were collected from 1998-99 kindergarten students and their teachers, parents, and school administrators. Data were collected in the fall and the spring of kindergarten (1998-99), the fall and spring of 1st grade (1999-2000), the spring of 3rd grade (2002), the spring of 5th grade (2004), and the spring of 8th grade (2007).
Survey Instruments:

Survey instruments are available at: http://nces.ed.gov/ecls/kinderinstruments.asp

Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS:2002)

Respondents: Data were collected from students in the 10th grade in 2002 and their teachers, parents, and school administrators. Data were collected in 2004, 2006, and 2012.
Survey Instruments:

Survey instruments are available at: http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/els2002/questionnaires.asp

Effective School Battery

Grade Level: 6-12
Respondents: Students, Teachers
Survey Instruments:

Additional information and order forms for these survey instruments can be found at: https://education.umd.edu/sites/default/files/ESBManualA-UMD-all.pdf. Please contact Eva Yui at climate-assess@umd.edu for additional information. Survey instruments are available in English and Spanish. 

Cost: Free

Flourishing Children Survey Social Competence

Respondents: Students ages 12-18 years, Parents of students ages 12-18 years
Survey Instruments:

The survey scale items can be found at: https://www.childtrends.org/research/research-by-topic/positive-indicators-project/social-competence/. Information about the social competence scale or other items developed as part of the Positive Indicators project can be requested by emailing Kristen Darling at kdarling@childtrends.org. Survey instruments are available in English. 

Cost: Free

Georgia Department of Education School Climate Surveys

Grade Level: Grades 3-5, 6-12 (students); Parents and Staff (K-12)
Respondents: Students, parents, and school personnel (teachers, administrators, certified staff members, and classified/other staff members)
Survey Instruments:
  • Georgia Student Health Survey 2.0: Elementary – This instrument is free and publicly available here. For more information, contact Tamika P. La Salle, PhD, at tamika.la_salle@uconn.edu.
  • Georgia School Climate Survey: Secondary – There is no charge to use this survey. (Note: The 36-item School Climate – Secondary battery is part of the larger Georgia Student Health Survey 2.0. For more information, please contact Tamika P. La Salle, PhD, at tamika.la_salle@uconn.edu.)
  • Georgia Parent School Climate Survey – This instrument is free and publicly available here. For more information, contact Tamika P. La Salle, PhD, at tamika.la_salle@uconn.edu.
  • Georgia School Personnel Survey – This instrument is free and publicly available here. For more information, contact Tamika P. La Salle, PhD, at tamika.la_salle@uconn.edu.
  • Survey instruments are available in English and Spanish. 
Cost: Free

High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09)

Respondents: Data were collected from students, students’ parents, students’ math teachers, students’ science teachers, students’ school counselors, and students’ school administrators in 2009. Additional data were collected in 2012. Data were updated in 2013. High school transcripts will be collected in 2013-14. A second follow-up is planned for 2016.
Survey Instruments:

Survey instruments are available at: http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/hsls09/questionnaires.asp

Maryland S3 Climate Survey

Grade Level: 9-12
Respondents: Students
Survey Instruments:

Please note that while the survey instrument is publicly available, it is copyright protected. Information on obtaining the survey instrument can be obtained from Catherine Bradshaw, PhD at cbradsha@jhsph.edu. Survey instruments are available in English. 

Cost: Free

National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)

Respondents: Students at grades 4, 8, and 12 for the main assessments, or samples of students at ages 9, 13, or 17 years for the long-term trend assessment.
Survey Instruments:

Background questionnaires are available at: http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/bgquest.asp

National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS:88)

Respondents: Students who were 1988 eighth-graders, and their parents, teachers, and school administrators. Data were collected in 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994, and 2000.
Survey Instruments:

Survey instruments are available at: http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/nels88/questionnaires.asp

National Household Education Surveys Program (1993 School Safety and Discipline Survey)

Respondents: Parents of children in grades 3 through 12 and youths in grades 6 through 12
Survey Instruments:

Survey instruments are available at: http://nces.ed.gov/nhes/pdf/ssd/93_ssd.pdf

National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH)

Respondents: U.S. households with one or more resident children ages 0-17 at the time of the interview
Survey Instruments:

Survey instruments are available at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/slaits/nsch.htm

National Survey of Early Care and Education (NSECE)

Respondents: Parents and guardians of children under age 13, directors of early child care and education programs, early child care and education classroom staff, providers of home-based care

Organizational Climate Description for Middle Schools (OCDQ-RM)

Respondents: Middle school teachers and administrators
Survey Instruments:

See Wayne Hoy’s website for information on the OCDQ survey series and for the middle school instrument: www.waynekhoy.com

Cost: Free

Organizational Climate Description for Schools

Grade Level: PK-6 (elementary); 7-9 (middle); 10-12 (secondary)
Respondents: Teachers and administrators
Survey Instruments:

See Wayne Hoy’s website under the tab "Research Instruments" for information on the OCDQ survey series and for the various surveys: www.waynekhoy.com. Survey instruments are available in English. 

Cost: Free

Organizational Climate Description for Secondary Schools (OCDQ-RS)

Respondents: Secondary school teachers and administrators
Survey Instruments:

See Wayne Hoy’s website for information on the OCDQ survey series and for the secondary school instrument: www.waynekhoy.com

Cost: Free

Panorama Student Survey

Grade Level: 6-12
Respondents: Students
Survey Instruments:

A copy of the survey is available as a free, open-source instrument at http://panoramaed.com/panorama-student-survey.

Cost: Free

Pride Teaching Environment Survey

Grade Level: K-12
Respondents: Faculty
Survey Instruments:

Please note that while a copy of the survey instrument is publicly available at http://dbdemo.pridesurveys.com, it is copyright protected.  Information on obtaining the survey instrument can be found at: http://www.pridesurveys.com/index.php/products/.

Cost: Free

Pride Teaching and Learning Environment Surveys

Grade Level: K-12 (Faculty); 6-12 (Students)
Respondents: Faculty (Teaching Environment Survey); Students (Learning Environment Survey)
Survey Instruments:

Please note that while a copy of the survey instrument is publicly available at http://dbdemo.pridesurveys.com, it is copyright protected. Information on obtaining the survey instrument can be found at: http://www.pridesurveys.com/index.php/products/. Survey instruments are available in English. 

Cost: Free

Program for International Student Assessment (PISA)

Respondents: 15-year-old students in participating countries/economies, principals in 2003, 2006, 2009, and 2012
Survey Instruments:

Questionnaires are available at: http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/pisa/questionnaire.asp

Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS)

Respondents: 4th grade students, teachers, and principals in 2001, 2006, and 2011
Survey Instruments:

Background questionnaires are available at: http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/pirls/questionnaire.asp

REACH Survey

Grade Level: 6-12
Respondents: Students
Survey Instruments:

The REACH Survey is available for purchase directly from Search Institute. Information on purchasing the survey instrument can be found here: http://www.search-institute.org/surveys/REACH. (Note that “spark” refers to a student’s motivating interests and talents.) Survey instruments are available in English, but Search Institute is working to create reliable and valid instruments in languages other than English.

Cost: Fee-based

School Climate Assessment Instrument - Elementary

Grade Level: Teachers, staff, parents, and guardians of students in grades K-6; Students in grades 2-6
Respondents: Students; Teachers and staff; Parents and guardians
Survey Instruments:

All Alliance for the Study of School Climate (ASSC) school and classroom surveys are available for use by a school, district or state. All instruments are copyrighted. Permission is required for use. Surveys are available by paper or using the ASSC online system. Student research requests are welcome. Please contact John Shindler, Director of the Alliance for the Study of School Climate, at jshindl@calstatela.edu for more information. Survey instruments are available in English. 

Cost: Free

School Climate Assessment Instrument - Secondary

Grade Level: 6-12
Respondents: Students, Faculty/Staff, Parents
Survey Instruments:

The student and parent survey instruments are not publically available. Please contact John Schindler, Director of the Alliance for the Study of School Climate, at jshindl@calstatela.edu for additional information on the SCAI. Please note that while a copy of the staff survey instrument is publicly available at http://www.calstatela.edu/centers/schoolclimate/assessment/school_survey.html#faculty, it is copyright protected. Users must obtain copyright authorization through a site license from the Alliance for the Study of School Climate. Survey instruments are available in English.

Cost: Fee-based

School Crime Supplement (SCS) to the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS)

Respondents: Students ages 12 through 18 in U.S. public and private elementary, middle, and high schools
Survey Instruments:

Survey instruments are available at: http://nces.ed.gov/programs/crime/student_questionnaires.asp

School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS)

Respondents: U.S. Public School Principals
Survey Instruments:

Survey instruments are available at: http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/ssocs/questionnaire.asp

Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS)

Respondents: Principals, teachers, schools
Survey Instruments:

Survey instruments are available at: http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/sass/questionnaire.asp

Search Institute Creating a Great Place to Learn Survey

Respondents: Students, Staff
Survey Instruments:

These survey instruments are not publicly available. Please contact the Search Institute for additional information: http://www.search-institute.org/survey-services

Cost: Fee-based

Trends in International Mathematics and Science study (TIMSS)

Respondents: Fourth- and eighth-grade students, teachers, and principals
Survey Instruments:

Background questionnaires are available at: http://nces.ed.gov/timss/questionnaire.asp

Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey (YRBSS)

Respondents: Students in middle and high school.
Survey Instruments:

Survey instruments are available at : http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/yrbs/questionnaire_rationale.htm

YouthTruth Survey

Respondents: Elementary School Students (grades 3-5); Middle School Students (grades 6-8); High School Students (grades 9-12); Staff (K-12); Family (K-12)
Survey Instruments:

Please note that while a sample copy of the survey instruments can be found here, they are copyright protected.  Information on obtaining the survey instruments can be found at https://youthtruthsurvey.org/get-started/ or email hello@youthtruthsurvey.org with questions. The Student Survey is available in English, Spanish and Russian. The survey is available in English and Spanish. The Family Survey is available in English, Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese, Korean, Chinese, French, and Portuguese. 

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