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School Culture Audit

Milton High School
Milton, VT
November 2016
 What is a School Culture Audit?

A school culture audit is an in depth analysis of the interaction between the professionals at a school site.

School culture is an important part of school function. It is a complex set of tangible and intangible variables that

help predict the success or decline of a school.

A healthy school culture is defined as A school with an unwavering belief in the ability of each student

to achieve success, and they articulate that belief to others in overt and covert ways. Healthy school cultures create

policies and procedures and adopt practices that support their belief in the ability of every student (Peterson,

2003). This report quantifies all of the above variables and looks at school culture around two areas, policies,

practices, and procedures (formal culture); and beliefs and perceptions (informal culture). The combination of

health in both areas constitutes a healthy school culture. Inconsistency or toxicity in either area indicates a need for

growth.

The formal culture will be rated on a four-point rubric, based upon data collected in various forms. The

informal culture will be analyzed based upon a staff survey given to all professional staff members (see appendix)

and formal interviews conducted with a representative sample from both the teaching and non-teaching staff.
 Policies, Practices, and Procedures (Formal Culture)
4 3
Indicator Exemplary Level of
Development and
Implementation
1 School collaborates with
School culture supports community
a safe, orderly, and representatives to design
equitable learning policies and identify
environment procedures that ensure a
safe, healthy, orderly, and
equitable learning
Examples of Supporting environment
Evidence:
School/District safety School collaborates with
plans community, family, and
Emergency drill plans student representatives to
Student/parent/staff establish and implement
handbooks policies and operational
Student Discipline procedures to minimize
Records disruptions to instruction
Comprehensive School
District and school
Improvement Plan
leadership regularly
Walkthrough conduct joint
Observations and walkthroughs of school to
Records collect ongoing data
School Council Policies concerning the learning
Facility Evacuation environment
Plans
2 1
Fully Functional and Limited Development Little to No
Operational Level of or Partial Development and
Development and Implementation Implementation
Implementation
The policies, practices, School adopts policies and School has no policies or
and support systems are procedures designed to procedures designed to
designed and consistently provide students and staff provide students and staff
enforced to provide all a safe, orderly and with a safe, orderly and
students a safe, orderly, equitable learning equitable environment
and equitable learning environment, but they are
environment not consistently applied or
followed
School adopts safety School safety policies are
policies and procedures School safety policies and not effective
that are based on research procedures are not always
and proven to be effective based on research or
proven practice
School leadership
regularly and School leadership secures School leadership does not
systematically evaluates data on the learning evaluate the learning
the learning environment environment, but relies on environment
using multiple sources of limited sources and rarely
data make first hand
observations
 Indicator 1
3 out of 4

Proficient

Deficient

School protocol and policies are effective in cultivating a safe and positive learning
environment as observed through policy analysis, discipline data, and school
walkthrough.
School security protocol is highly effective and tightly monitored.
Interviews revealed a general affinity for students and parents and a commitment to
equity.
Student achievement data does not reveal glaring gaps between student groups and
the longitudinal data reveals that students improve their performance as they
matriculate from middle to high school.
 4 3
Exemplary Level of
Indicator
Development and
Implementation
2 School uses many
School creates different means to
experiences that foster continually deliver a
the belief that all strong message to
teachers, students, parents
children can learn at
and other stakeholders that
high levels all members of the staff
are committed to high
Examples of Supporting expectations for all
Evidence: students
School mission, belief, School sponsors and
and vision statements financially supports
opportunities for schools
Formal events and teachers to share best
organized to promote practice with colleagues
student achievement
School finds innovative
Formal celebrations of ways to stimulate students
student achievement and staff to strive for
and encouragement excellence and to instill a
belief in students that they
Perception Survey all can learn at high levels
Results
Classroom Observations
Fully Functional and
Operational Level of
Development and
Implementation
School is committed to
holding high expectations
for all students and
communicates them to all
stakeholders
School creates a process
through which teachers
can share their success in
improving student
learning, particularly with
challenging students
School leadership and
teachers work closely to
publicize results, rewards,
successes, and sustain an
environment of teamwork
and mutual support
2 1
Limited Development
or Partial
Implementation
School occasionally
expresses high
expectations for students,
but does not communicate
them to all stakeholders
School encourages sharing
of successes in improving
student learning among
teachers, but does nothing
to directly support or
facilitate it
School provides few
opportunities throughout
the year to celebrate
school success, but does
little to create and sustain
an environment of
teamwork and mutual
support
Little to No
Development and
Implementation
School does not
specifically commit to
high expectations for all
students
School offers no support
for sharing of success in
improving student
learning among teachers
School does not celebrate
school successes or
attempt to create an
environment of teamwork
and mutual support
 Indicator 2
Rating: 3 out of 4

Proficient

Deficient

School environment is a rich blend of authentic academic experiences (i.e.

Election Results)
School has made significant investment in investigating effective research-based
strategies (i.e. grading practices).
Academic and social celebrations are school-wide and not regionalized to a
particular department or grade level.
School offers a rich blend of academic, co-curricular, and extra-curricular
activities and the school communication highlights and celebrates these programs.
 Indicator
3 Leadership and teachers
Teachers hold high
expectations for all
students academically and
behaviorally, and this is
evidenced in their practice
Examples of Supporting
Evidence:
Teaching staff and
administrative interviews
School culture survey
results
Classroom observations
Posted behavior and
academic standards
Mission and vision
statements
Staff and student
handbooks
4 3
Exemplary Level of
Development and
Implementation
collaborate to ensure
classroom management,
academic and discipline
policies are research based
School leadership
systematically reviews
classroom management,
academic, and discipline
incidents as they arise to
ensure equitable
application and effective
use of existing policies
and procedures
Leadership and teachers
sponsor events that
demonstrate effective
classroom management
and instructional practices
Fully Functional and
Operational Level of
Development and
Implementation
Leadership and teachers
ensure that academic,
discipline, and classroom
management policies are
effective and universally
implemented
School leadership
monitors the
implementation of
classroom management,
academic, and discipline
policies and procedures to
ensure equitable
application to all students
Leadership and teachers
promote in a variety of
ways, a culture of high
academic and behavioral
expectations for all
students
2 1
Limited Development
or Partial
Implementation
Leadership and teachers
are uncertain about the
presence and
implementation of
uniform policies in the
area of academic,
discipline, and classroom
management
School leadership
occasionally reviews the
effectiveness of classroom
management, academic,
and discipline policies and
procedures to ensure
equitable application to all
students
Leadership and teachers
play only a minor role in
promoting a culture of
high academic and
behavioral expectations
for all students
Little to No
Development and
Implementation
Leadership and teachers
do not monitor academic,
discipline, and classroom
management policies
School leadership does not
review the effectiveness of
classroom management,
academic, and discipline
policies and procedures to
ensure equitable
application to all students
Leadership and teachers
have no role in promoting
a culture of high academic
and behavioral
expectations for all
students
 Indicator 3
Rating 3 out of 4

Proficient

Deficient

School website proudly displays the accomplishments and honors achieved by its
students (i.e. Students of the Month and Inspiring Stories.
Interviews revealed that teachers and administrators have a sincere desire to boost
student achievement and a strategic plan, with SMART goals, has been developed in
nearly every critical area of student performance.
PLC structure is established, and nearly every staff member mentioned it as a school
strength in interviews.
Interviews revealed that concern about struggling students is universal and the
faculty is willing to confront the problems, but there is some conflict about the
direction and strategies necessary to support struggling students (i.e. punishment vs.
nurturing)
 Indicator 4 3 2 1
Exemplary Level of Fully Functional and Limited Development Little to No
Development and Operational Level of or Partial Development and
Implementation Development and Implementation Implementation
Implementation
4 School has policies and School intentionally School leadership School leadership rarely
procedures that allocate involves both teaching occasionally or never directly
School has established specific amounts or and non-teaching staff collaborates with involves either staff,
traditions and resources and time in recognizing and teaching and non- students, or parents in
experiences which devoted to recognizing reinforcing student teaching staff in acknowledging student
reinforce high academic student achievement and achievement and recognition of student achievement
and behavioral all members of the allocates resources to achievement, but it is
expectations school community are institutionalize this not a regular part of
aware and expected to collective value school function
Examples of Supporting support the tradition(s)
Evidence:

Interviews with teachers

School culture survey

Employee handbooks

Student handbooks

Visible promotion and

advertisement around
the school and in formal
communications
 Indicator 4
Rating 3 out of 4

Proficient

Deficient

The school has established many traditions that reinforce ethical behavior and
academic achievement (i.e. All Star Artists, U.S. News Best High Schools,
and Athletic Boosters).
Data appears to be an essential component of the school culture.
Resources have been allocated to provide academic enrichment for students.
Evidence of a strong focus on the arts and academic enrichments.
There is a need to expose students to higher level academic experiences both in
school and out of school, which will improve with better connection with the
community.
 Indicator 4 3 2 1
Exemplary Level of Fully Functional and Limited Development Little to No
Development and Operational Level of or Partial Development and
Implementation Development and Implementation Implementation
Implementation
5 School leadership and School policy requires Student progress Student progress is
Teachers communicate teachers work that student progress communications are communicated to
regularly with families collaboratively to communications be sent sent home and required parents only through
about individual implement a process home regularly and by leadership, but little student report cards
students progress that facilitates include specific written to no explanations of with no explanation of
discussions between explanations of student student performance student performance
Examples of Supporting teachers, students, and performance beyond beyond computer-
Evidence: parents about the computer-generated generated statements
information presented in statements
Teacher and student progress
student/parent communications
handbooks

School website

School culture survey

Written/Posted
communications
 Indicator 5
Rating 2 out of 4

Proficient

Deficient

Formal communication tools have been established between the school and student
homes (i.e. Power School )
An analysis of the school website revealed an abundance of tools to engage parents
and keep them informed about their childs progress and connect them with teachers
Evidence of parent-friendly literature and symbolism was found throughout the
school
Very little evidence was found through formal literature or interviews that suggested
a serious academic partnership with parents, especially for at-risk students
 Indicator 4 3 2 1
Exemplary Level of Fully Functional and Limited Development Little to No
Development and Operational Level of or Partial Development and
Implementation Development and Implementation Implementation
Implementation
6 School leadership and School leadership and School leadership and School leadership and
The school provides teachers support teachers initiate and teachers collaborate to teachers have not
support for the physical, comprehensive student implement programs initiate a few programs developed or initiated
cultural, socioeconomic, services programs that and targets resources for for the specific purpose programs for the
and intellectual needs of involve all major the specific purpose of of reducing the impact specific purpose of
all students, which stakeholders reducing the impact of of student personal reducing the impact of
reflects a commitment to student personal challenges student personal
equity and an School leadership challenges challenges
appreciation of diversity provides additional School leadership
human and other School leadership takes provides some School leadership does
Examples of Supporting resources to address specific actions in assistance to help meet not provide assistance
Evidence: disproportionate number response to meeting the the needs of students or additional resources
Stakeholder Interviews of students with needs of students facing facing unique life to address the needs of
significant barriers to unique life challenges or challenges and learning students facing unique
School Culture Survey learning learning barriers barriers life challenges and
learning barriers
Walkthrough School leadership and School leadership and School leadership and
Observations teachers collaborate to teachers collaborate to teachers offer School leadership and
help teachers find provide teachers with opportunities for teachers do not seek or
Posted Material instructional materials curricular materials and teachers to examine or support diversity in
and practices that instructional practices acquire curricular instruction or
Multicultural research has proven to that are appropriate to materials and instructional material
Instructional Resources be effective in raising meet the intellectual, instructional practices
the achievement level of cultural, and physical that are appropriate to
Suspension/Expulsion students with unique attributes of their meet the intellectual,
Data Gifted/Talented challenges students cultural, and physical
Data attributes of their
students
 Indicator 6
Rating: 2 out of 4

Proficient

Deficient

School policies protect individual rights and student diversity

Staff interviews revealed a strong respect for student diversity and this is
evident throughout the school (Equity and Social Justice display and
Multicultural Mosaic mural)
Diversity in teaching material and resources are almost non-existent when
collecting evidence of a commitment to multi-culturalism.
 Perceptions
The teachers and non-instructional staff were given a survey to fill out. The questions were organized into four categories

based upon the four pillars of school culture; Communication, Trust, Capacity Building, and Accountability. Teachers and non-

instructional staff answered questions on a 5 point Likert scale from 5 (Strongly Agree) to 1 (Strongly Disagree).

Culture Survey Data

5
4.5
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5 Teacher
1 Non-Instructional
0.5 Less than 10 Years
0
Communication Trust Capacity Building Accountability More than Ten Years
 Communication

Key Findings:
Non-Instructional staff members appear to be slightly more positive about the effectiveness of the communication
than the teaching staff.

Teachers with more experience see administration as more effective in the area of communication and their
perceptions appear to slightly differ from the perceptions of teaching staff with less than 10 years of experience.

Interviews revealed that teachers felt that the flow of communication is frequent and clear, but school
administration should be more pliable with teacher ideas.

Interviews revealed that the school faculty is uneasy about negative public perceptions that do not accurately depict
the progressive activity at the school.

Suggestions:
Greater outreach to the public to bridge the gap between perception and reality

Staff members appear to like each other, but are fearful of being offensive if they disagree with the majority.
Protocol should be developed to promote healthy disagreement.

Formal collaboration between district officials and school employees should be organized and consistent. A lot of
discontent was expressed about the communication from central office.
 Trust
Key Findings:
Non-Instructional staff members appear to be slightly more positive about professional trust than the teaching
staff.

All groups expressed the belief that trust was a major asset of the school, but more experienced staff members
tended to view this principle more favorably than their less experienced counterparts

Formal interviews identified that the closeness of the staff creates challenges with confidentiality and that prevents
the school from obtaining a rating of a 5. This issue was expressed multiple times during interviews.

Formal interviews identified that a perceptions exists that school decisions are sometimes influenced by district
politics rather than the authentic needs of students and the input of the staff.

Suggestions:

Formal protocol for confidentiality should be developed and enforced. If professionals feel that they are not safe
and their confidential information is easily accessible, not only will trust suffer, but communication will suffer as
well.

Regular communication and formal protocol should be developed to provide faculty members an opportunity to
collaborate with district office on critical decisions that affect the school.
 Capacity Building

Key Findings:

There is a significant perceptual difference that exists between teaching and non-teaching staff in the area of
training and capacity building.

Teachers with more than ten years experience saw this principle slightly more favorably than their less experienced
counterparts.

Interviews revealed that the teaching staff have serious concerns about task overload and an abundance of
initiatives

Interviews revealed that they did not understand how to serve at-risk students and that the district trainings and
resources should focus on this area of need

Recommendations:
Communication about the connection of district and school initiatives would greatly improve the perception of this
principle.

Principal and staff members should prioritize their professional needs and then communicate those needs to district
office and collaborate on creating a PD plan to meet those needs.

Student surveys on the professional performance of teaching and non-teaching staff should be implemented to give
all staff members a third-party perspective on the effectiveness of their practice and to provide direction for school
reforms.
 Accountability
Key Findings:
Non-instructional staff members and teachers view this principle at a very high level.

Experience was not a significant factor in the perception of accountability. Most teachers felt that they were being
held to a very high standard of performance.

Interviews revealed that teachers were held to a very high level by administration, but peer pressure and an
authentic culture that focuses on students raises the bar of performance very high at Milton High School.

Interview revealed that teachers all believed that they work hard and that they have the childrens best interest at
heart, but there was some disagreement about accountability for students, versus accountability for professionals

Recommendations:

Transparency and consensus building with all stakeholders before implementing broad new policy and practice
focuses should be implemented system-wide

Formal protocol for accountability for implementation of staff requirements should be developed and made
universally accessible

A long-term, strategic vision should be developed with the participation of every faculty member and published for
school and community
 Summary
The school culture at Milton High School could improve with serious attention to the following issues:

Strategically address student achievement trends with a more intense focus on data
and monitoring school SMART Goals.
Strategically create stronger connections to the community to bolster support and
erase negative past perceptions.
Facilitate more crucial conversations to address issues of practice that separates
personal feelings from professional decisions (i.e. grading).
Conduct an internal assessment of the schools needs (especially training and
professional development) and create a collaborative relationship with the school
district to fund and provide support for those needs.
Develop protocol to address and encourage productive disagreement
Soliciting parent partnerships when planning academic interventions and protocol
will positively impact the school culture
Professional development plan based upon the data-driven goals will help alleviate
the perception of task overload.
Serious monitoring of individual student progress and an alignment of resources for
support of individual students
 Appendix
1. I understand our schools current focus and vision for the future.

5 4 3 2 1

Strongly agree Strongly disagree

2. I believe that school leadership will implement the school vision as articulated.

5 4 3 2 1

Strongly agree Strongly disagree

3. I feel that I receive proper training before being asked to implement changes to my practice.

5 4 3 2 1

Strongly agree Strongly disagree

4. My leadership has high expectations for performance for all school employees.

5 4 3 2 1

Strongly agree Strongly disagree

5. I receive regular communication about vital changes that affect my practice.

5 4 3 2 1

Strongly agree Strongly disagree

6. I believe that important decisions in my school are made based on the best interest of students.

5 4 3 2 1

Strongly agree Strongly disagree

7. We have a strong system of teacher training and development.

5 4 3 2 1

Strongly agree Strongly disagree

8. We use data to assess our effectiveness and the leadership at my school is data-driven.

5 4 3 2 1

Strongly agree Strongly disagree

9. We have a strong plan for improvement and all of our stakeholders are included.

5 4 3 2 1

Strongly agree Strongly disagree

10. I trust the plans and decisions made by my leadership.

5 4 3 2 1

Strongly agree Strongly disagree

11. Our school invests in teacher development and resources that support student learning.
 5 4 3 2 1

Strongly agree Strongly disagree

12. Our evaluation system is fair and provides valuable feedback for my professional growth.

5 4 3 2 1

Strongly agree Strongly disagree

Demographic Information:

I have been an educational professional for :

o 0-2 years

o 3-4 years

o 5-10 years

o 10-20 years

o 20+ years

I have been as staff member at this school for:

o 0-2 years

o 3-4 years

o 5-10 years
 o 10-20 years

o 20+ years

Position:

o Classroom teacher

o Counselor

o Social Worker/Psychologist

o Instructional Aide

o Administrator

Instructional Department (Teachers only)

o Math

o Science

o Language Arts

o Social Studies

o Elective/Exploratory