Addressing School Safety Through Comprehensive School Climate Approaches

Abstract

School climate has received considerable attention in the literature and educational policy as a potential target for school improvement and school safety efforts. This paper provides a critical review and synthesis of the literature on school climate, with a particular focus on topics related to measurement, data collection, analysis, as well as prevention and promotion planning. In drawing upon the extant literature, including meta-analyses and systematic reviews, along with our own research, policy, and practice work in school climate and school safety, we consider transactional processes, by which experiences, and contextual factors influence perceptions of school climate and translate into safety related outcomes for students. We also attend to potential mechanisms of changing school and community culture and behavioral norms in relation to school climate promotion and implementation efforts. We conclude by identifying future directions for research related to school climate and highlight the role school psychologists can play in improving measurement, promoting the use of data-based decision making which leverages various sources of information on school climate, implementing school-wide programming, and considering the influence of school climate more broadly on implementation science. Impact Statement School climate is a multifaceted construct which incorporates issues related to safety, student engagement, and the school environment. While additional research is needed to determine the most effective approaches for optimizing school climate, there is compelling correlational and experimental evidence that it is an important factor to consider in a comprehensive approach to school safety.