Baltimore City Public Schools Creating a Positive School Climate: Making Your School a Place Where...

Baltimore City Public Schools

Creating a Positive School Climate:

Making Your School a Place Where Everyone Wants to Be!

Karen Webber-NdourOffice of Student Support and Safety


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WELCOME!

Second Annual Climate Training


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Historical Out-of-School Suspensions

2004 2007 2011 2012 2013*

NOTE: Counts show total # of out-of-school suspensions in the District.SOURCE: Official MSDE files except 2013; NOTE: *2013 data are preliminary, unofficial, and subject to change

SUSPENSIONS DECLINED BY

24% IN 2013 , AN ALL-TIME LOW


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Greater % reduction in total # of suspensions happened at the schools that received Climate Training

NOTE: Rates show % change in suspension counts from SY1112 to SY1213*SOURCE: Official MSDE files except SY1213; NOTE: *SY1213 data are preliminary, unofficial, and subject to change


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MATHMATH READINGREADING

Students Who Have Been Suspended Scored Lower on Tests

2013 MSA

NOTE: Beginning in 2009, Mod-MSA was reported with MSA totals

NOTE: Ns refer to the total number of students who took the MSA

31,471 2,009 893 31,516 2,021 901N =No

Suspensions1 Suspension

2+ Suspensions

No Suspensions

1 Suspension2+

SuspensionsNOTE: *SY1213 suspension data are preliminary, unofficial, and subject to change

Baltimore City Public Schools 6

Key Components of School Climate

SchoolClimate


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Relationships

Positive relationships are critical to creating a positive school climate:

Adult to Adult Adult to Student Student to Student


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The Principal Sets the Tone

The Principal sets the tone for the quality of relationships in the entire school.

Continuous, transparent communication among adults establishes trust and safety.

Once the adults are clear on the expectations, they can convey uniform expectations to their students.


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Adult to Adult


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Adult to Adult


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Adult to Student


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“Attacks on Staff” suspensions decreased in all grades, except PK &K

1-year YTD change

# %

+13 20.0%

1-year YTD change

# %

-62 -13.6%

1-year YTD change

# %

-31 -10.6%

1-year YTD change

# %

-2 -1.4%

NOTE: Counts show total # of out-of-school suspensions by grade band for “Attacks on Staff” in the District; “Attacks on Staff” are identified as Offense Code 401SOURCE: Official MSDE files except SY1213; NOTE: *SY1213 data are preliminary, unofficial, and subject to change

1-year YTD change

# %

-82 -8.6%


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Almost 70% of the SY1213 Suspensions Occurred in Classrooms, Hallways, and Stairwells

NOTE: *SY1213 data are preliminary, unofficial, and subject to changeSOURCE: Unofficial SMS


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Adult to Student


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Adult to Student

Research indicates students who experience positive teacher-student relationships:

Receive higher grades and show higher levels of classroom participation

Demonstrate higher levels of social competence and appropriate behavior in the classroom

Display higher levels of participation, comfort, enjoyment, and acceptance by their peers

Have higher school attendance


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Student to Student


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Student to Student


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We have to have an expectation that students will be respectful to one another:

Student to Student

(Astor, Guerra, & Van Acker, 2010)

“In schools without supportive norms, structures, and relationships, students are more likely to experience violence, peer victimization, and punitive disciplinary actions, often accompanied by high levels of absenteeism and reduced academic achievement.”


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Teaching and Learning


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Teaching and learning represents one of the most important dimensions of school climate. MSDE recognizes the connection between climate and teaching and learning in the following statement.

“No student comes to school “perfect,” academically or behaviorally. We do not throw away the imperfect or difficult student…Every student who stays in school and graduates, college and career ready, adds to the health and wealth of the State of Maryland and improves the global competitiveness of this country. It is that simple. It is that important. It is all connected.”

Source: “School Discipline and Academic Success: Related Parts of Maryland’s Education Reform,” Report of the Maryland State Board of Education. July 2012.


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Safety


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Suspensions for “soft” offenses declined by over 32%

NOTE: Counts show total # of out-of-school suspensions in the District for each severity level. “Soft” offenses = disrespect, insubordination, classroom disruption and refusal to obey school policies.SOURCE: Official MSDE files except 2013; NOTE: *2013 data are preliminary, unofficial, and subject to change

1-year YTD change

# %

-951 -32.3%

1-year YTD change

# %

-1,791 -21.2%


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Greater % reduction in “soft offense” suspensions happened at the schools that received Climate Training

1-year YTD change

# %

-384 -39.0%

1-year YTD change

# %

-567 -29.0%

NOTE: Counts show total # of out-of-school suspensions for “soft” offenses in the District. “Soft” offenses = disrespect, insubordination, classroom disruption and refusal to obey school policies.SOURCE: Official MSDE files except SY1213; NOTE: *SY1213 data are preliminary, unofficial, and subject to change


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Safety


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Over 57% of the SY1213 Suspensions were for Violent Offenses

24.9%

14.2%

10.1%7.1%1.1%

10.0%

5.3%

27.3%

FightingPhysical Attack (Student)Physical Attack (Adult)Inciting/Participating in DisturbanceOther Violent OffensesRefusal to obey School PoliciesClassroom DisruptionOther

NOTE: Offenses shown are the 6 most frequent offenses plus “other”; *SY1213 data are preliminary, unofficial, and subject to changeSOURCE: Unofficial SMS


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Environment


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Positive School Environment

“There is sufficient research to state without equivocation that the building in which students spends a good deal of their time learning does in fact influence how well they learn” (Earthman, G 2004:18).

Building is clean and well-maintained, regardless of physical condition

Common areas and classrooms are welcoming, well-lit and clutter free

Student Achievement is prominently displayed (see 90/90/ 90 article for more information)


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Environment


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School Climate and Attendance


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What is Chronic Absence?

WHEN A STUDENT IS ABSENT FOR MORE THAN 20 DAYS OF SCHOOL, REGARDLESS OF THE

REASON.


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Chronic Absence Rates Across Grade Bands

NOTE: Data includes AOP Schools but NOT AOP ProgramsDATA SOURCE: MSDE Official files


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MATHMATH READINGREADING

Chronically Absent Students Scored Lower on Tests 2013 MSA

NOTE: Beginning in 2009, Mod-MSA was reported with MSA totals

NOTE: Ns refer to the total number of students who took the MSA

28,994 4,811 29,013 4,856N =

Not Chronically Absent

Chronically AbsentNot Chronically

AbsentChronically Absent

NOTE: *SY1213 attendance data are preliminary, unofficial, and subject to change


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Why Are Students Absent?

Motivation

Family responsibility(elementary grades)

Students vote with their feet (secondary

grades)

School climate issues

Aversion

Child is struggling academically

Child is afraid before, during and/or after

school

Barriers

Lack of access to adequate health care

Economic hardship, family disruption,

mental health problems

Poor transportation/ distance to school

Suspension

Dr. Robert Balfanz of Johns Hopkins University, provided the framework which has been altered by City Schools.


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School Leader Strategies for Improving Attendance

Build a strong school climateDesignate a staff member to track data and

lead the attendance improvement planSupport teachers and staff in implementing

attendance strategiesMake sure families and community members

feel welcomeUse the student support team to address

attendance issues


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Teacher Strategies for Improving Attendance

Warmly welcome students back to class after absences – and make a special inquiry about their well being

Call, email, and/or write students’ parents after every absence where practicable

Please connect students who are absent due to personal difficulties with the appropriate resource.

Accurately enter attendance into SMS on a daily basis

Refer students with high levels of absences to SST


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Questions?

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