Thank you for your interest in the Delaware School Climate Survey

The Delaware School Climate Survey (DSCS) was developed by staff from the DE-PBS Project under the leadership of the project’s faculty partner from University of Delaware School of Education. The DSCS includes Student, Teacher/Staff, and Home (English, Spanish, and Haitian-Creole)  formats which allows for comparisons of results across populations within a school. Each survey consists of subscales measuring important dimensions of schools climate. Research strongly supports the validity and reliability of the surveys.  Each of the subscales is based on research and theory around the importance of school climate in academic achievement and social and emotional development. The survey is offered to schools statewide, both to those implementing DE-PBS and those who are not. Typically about 150 Delaware schools statewide participate in the Delaware School Climate Survey annually.

To learn more about the DE School Climate Survey, please view our FAQ.

Thank you for your interest in the Delaware School Climate Survey. If you have any questions please contact Sarah Hearn at skhearn@udel.edu .

Click here for more information about the current year’s survey.

Delaware School Climate Scale Longitudinal Study: 2012-2017

  • This six-year longitudinal study conducted by the University of Delaware’s Center for Research in Education and Social Policy (CRESP) and Center for Disabilities Studies examined changes in student school climate scores from 2012-2017.
  • Guiding questions of the study were:
    • Did students’ perceptions of school climate improve from 2012-2017 in elementary, middle, and high schools?
    • If so, were improvements found across all seven aspects of school climate measured by the Delaware School Climate Scale-Student?
  • Major findings of the study:
    • For the total school climate score, students’ perceptions were quite favorable, especially in elementary schools. This score improved significantly from 2012 to 2016.
    • For all seven subscales,  scores improved significantly in elementary, middle, and high schools. One exception was bullying school-wide subscale scores in middle schools.
    • The most impressive findings were improvements in school safety and bullying in elementary and high schools.
  • Below are links to the summary report and executive summary for the longitudinal study:

National Guidance for Measuring and Using School Climate Data

The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) recently released a brochure detailing guidance for measuring and using school climate data. The publication includes a definition of school climate, the importance of school climate, how to measure school climate, and how to use school climate data. It also lists school climate measures (including the Delaware School Climate Survey) and additional resources. To access the brochure, click the link below.

NASP – Guidance for Measuring and Using School Climate Data