Survey Informational Letter

Dear Parents, Teachers, Staff, and Administrators,

Your school values and needs input from the community!

In the coming weeks, you will be emailed directly a link to the School Culture 360™ Survey that has been developed by researchers at the Institute for Education Policy at Johns Hopkins University.

Each year, it is critical for school leaders to have reliable data to assess their school environments. This survey can identify areas for celebration, areas for growth, and disconnects between different groups of participants.

The aspects of school culture this survey measures are:

· School Climate – Characteristics of the school environment that foster academic achievement and positive interpersonal relationships

· Academic Climate – Characteristics of the learning environment that promote high expectations, teacher support of student learning, and peer support of student learning

· Civic Open Classroom Climate – The routine experience of deliberation and viewpoint diversity

· School Mission and Vision – The stakeholders’ beliefs about the school’s commitments and values

These areas have been linked to various student outcomes, including academic achievement and civic preparation. A summary of research about these domains is available upon request. While parents, teachers, staff, administrators, and students in Grades 4 to 12 take the survey, not all these groups will answer all components.

This survey is completely anonymous and will be used for secondary research. Participation in the survey is completely voluntary; there are no penalties for not participating.

Please keep an eye out for the survey link that will be sent by an administrator at your school. By sharing your thoughts about your school’s environment, you will provide useful insights that may otherwise go unnoticed.

Thank you so much for your help.

If you have general questions about the survey, contact:
Dr. Kecia McCoy, Kmccoy18

Dr. Carol Macedonia, cmacedo3

If you have questions about research, contact:
Dr. David Steiner, d.steiner or 410-516-7896
Johns Hopkins Homewood IRB office, hirb or 410-516-4820

I hope you have a wonderful day.

Best regards,

Dr. Kecia L. McCoy, Ph.D.

Program Administrator, School Culture 360™

Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy

Johns Hopkins University, School of Education

2800 North Charles Street

Baltimore, Maryland 21218